Car Rental San Sebastián, Spain: Where to Pick Up and Drive

For the city itself, probably not. Nearly everything most visitors come for lies within roughly a mile of the centre. That includes the Good Shepherd Cathedral, the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Chorus, Miramar Palace, Palacio de Ayete, the aquarium, Castillo de la Mota and the two town beaches, Ondarreta and Zurriola. Walking between them is part of the pleasure. A car parked outside your hotel may sit idle for most of a city break.

The picture changes if you fly into Bilbao. The 67-minute drive is the longest single journey of most trips, and having your own wheels makes it simple, especially with luggage or children. A car also makes it easy to add Pasaia, about 2.5 miles away, for the Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria shipyard museum, Castillo Santa Isabel and La Plata lighthouse. Hernani and Astigarraga, each around 3 miles out, are just as straightforward to reach.

One sensible approach is to hire only for the days you plan to leave the city, rather than for the whole fortnight.

Bilbao (BIO) is the airport in our data with direct flights from the United Kingdom. Collecting there means you drive straight to your accommodation. The drive takes about 67 minutes to San Sebastián or Hernani, 69 minutes to Astigarraga and 70 minutes to Pasaia. Anyone searching for car rental at a San Sebastián airport in Spain should note that, for UK flights, Bilbao is the practical pick-up point.

If you would rather settle into the city first, you can arrange a city collection for the days you want to explore. Some travellers bring their own car by ferry instead. Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Bilbao, which is about 53 miles away, in roughly 28 to 32 hours. Santander, about 93 miles away, has sailings from Portsmouth and from Plymouth.

Distances are short once you are in the area. The sights listed for San Sebastián lie within about 2 miles of the centre, the Igeldo lighthouse included. Pasaia, Hernani and Astigarraga are all within about 3 miles. The longest drive most visitors make is the run to and from Bilbao airport.

Plan for rain. This is a green, wet stretch of coast, with 12 to 17 rain days a month all year. November is the wettest month at about 221mm, and January isn't far behind. Even July, the driest month, sees around 70mm. Allow extra time on wet roads and choose a car you're comfortable handling in poor visibility.

San Sebastián is a city of around 185,000 people. Check whether your accommodation offers parking before you collect the car.

Choose a full-to-full fuel policy where you can. You collect the car with a full tank and return it full, paying only for the fuel you use. With a round trip to Bilbao airport of over two hours, you will likely need to refill before drop-off, so leave time for it on your departure day.

Read the excess terms carefully. Decide before you reach the desk whether you want the rental company's own excess cover or a standalone policy bought in advance. If you are travelling with children, reserve child seats when you book rather than on arrival.

You can compare live car hire prices on this page. Hotel prices, tours and tickets, and package holidays from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach are here too, if you would rather have transfers arranged for you.