Pasaia

Tourism destinations

Towns

Located on the eastern coast of Gipuzkoa, a few kilometres from San Sebastián, Pasaia is formed by four centres of population.

Donibane and San Pedro, areas with sea flavour, and Pasai Antxo and Trintxerpe, both with more urban atmosphere.

These four neighbourhoods are situated on a rough and mountainous land, encompassed by Ulía and Jaizkibel Mountains, and on both sides of the Bay of Pasaia.

Its economy is based on its port, which is Gipuzkoa's most important commercial port. The town has an important cultural heritage and significant monuments. The most interesting buildings are located in Pasai Donibane and San Pedro. Both of them divided by the bay, they are connected with a small motorboat and a road that surrounds the bay passing by Lezo.

Monuments, gastronomy and shipyards

The houses in the square present a characteristic architecture typical in sailors' towns. Most of the buildings are placed in a unique street along the eastern bank of the bay, and this street sometimes forms passages under the houses. This singular urban area is home to numerous buildings of architectural and historical interest such as the church of San Juan Bautista, the Arizabalo palace, the hermitage of Santa Ana, the basilica of Santo Cristo de Bonanza and the house where the French writer Victor Hugo spent few days.

Closely linked to the sea from time immemorial, it's worth trying a nice fish dish in any one of the restaurants or getting to know the primitive shipbuilding techniques and seeing the different traditional boats in Albaola The Sea Factory of the Basques. Albaola is an innovative environment where nautical craftsmanship and technology is recovered and showcased. It shows The Nao San Juan (16th century whaleship) replica construction. You can also learn fishing techniques that were used historically and stepping further into the world of fishing, paying a visit to the floating Mater tuna fishing boat museum.

Crossing the bay in Pasai San Pedro, we will visit the parish church of the same name, with its spectacular facade, and the house that witnessed the birth of the distinguished sailor Blas de Lezo. From this area, the access to the Ulía Mountain is easy, where the nice place offers a fascinating panoramic view of the Bay of Pasaia.