Eight Pintxos, Four Drinks, and the Street That Survived 1813

Five stops, eight pintxos and four drinks across three hours, with nine guests at most. You meet at the bronze sculpture in front of the Goikoa Palace, behind the city hall.

The first bar specialises in mussels, and the drink is Basque cider, which you learn to pour the local way: the bottle held high above the glass so the stream breaks on the way down and wakes the cider up. It is not showmanship, it is what makes a still, sharp cider drinkable, and Basques do it in cider houses all winter.

The second stop is not a bar at all but a specialist shop, for two grades of cured Ibérico ham tasted side by side, which is the only way the difference between them makes sense.

The third is a family bar whose anchovy recipe has been refined across generations, served with Basque sparkling wine. Then a modern pintxo bar, where seasonal produce and traditional recipes meet techniques the old guard did not have.

The last stop is dessert only: a Basque speciality that has won awards, paired with a sweet sherry.

The walk covers the Old Town, the Plaza de la Constitución and Calle 31 de Agosto, which is the only street in San Sebastián left standing when the town burned in 1813 during the siege, and is now the densest run of pintxo bars in the city.

English-speaking guide. You stand at every bar, as Basques do. The tour adds up to a full meal.

Not recommended for under-15s, given the crowds and the alcohol, and not suitable for wheelchairs, strollers or mobility impairments. Adaptable for vegetarians, pescatarians, non-coeliac gluten-free, dairy-free, non-drinkers and pregnant guests, though not every stop will have an alternative. Not recommended for vegans. Guests with serious allergies sign a waiver at the start.