Mysterious Urgull Hill: San Sebastian Walking and History Tour

Starting in pretty Zuloaga Plaza in San Sebastian’s delightful Old Town, your expert local guide will lead you towards the beginning of an exhilarating walk up Monte Urgull, an impossibly picturesque hill overlooking the city. 

Our first stop will be at batería del Gobernador, from which we will enjoy truly spectacular views over the Gulf of Biscay, the east side of the city and the popular Zurriola surfing beach in the Gros neighbourhood. 

Further up, we’ll see the English Cemetery, where soldiers who fought and died with the British Expeditionary Force are buried. We’ll spend some time here, learning about the Siege of San Sebastian and read some of the soldier’s stories in stone. 

Our next stop will be a shooting range (which is no longer in use, thankfully) before continuing our walk up to the charming old castle and the city’s history museum. 

Our uphill walk ends at the foot of the Sacred Heart statue, rewarding you for your physical exertion with the best views over the city. Cameras at the ready! 

A visit to the castle jail is next on the agenda as we make our way back down the hill, to see eerie drawings that prisoners created centuries ago. Along the way, we’ll stop at another viewing point (we told you that you’d be spoilt for choice with all the wonderful vistas on offer!) and hear about the region of San Sebastian, known as Gipuzkoa and get an overview of its now legendary gastronomic culture. 

We’ll pass by yet another battery of cannons, called Las Damas (meaning ‘ladies’ in Spanish), so called because the women of San Sebastian used to visit the nearby water fountain and would stop to chat with the soldiers garrisoned there. 

This is a great spot to stop for a bird’s eye view of the city, where your guide can show you some of the main, unmissable spots around the Concha Bay: The City Hall, Hotel Londres, the Concha, Ondarreta Bay and Igueldo Mountain. The importance of the pretty promenade railings of La Concha will also be explained. 

You will definitely be thirsty by now! A much needed drink at one of our favourite bars in the city is up next, to help the history you have just learned to digest quickly! 

Your tour will end on Subida del Castillo street, where we’ll take some time to admire the most recent artistic representations of the city in graffiti and the very famous street artist, Bansky, who has left his mark here. 

We will say goodbye at the port, once a busy fishing harbour, and now largely a marina for yachts. Here there are plenty of lovely restaurants and pintxos bars to visit, after building up a healthy appetite on our walk! Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for tips on what else to do during your stay in stunning San Sebastian.