Laia Erretegia
What to order: the aged txuleta by weight to share, or grilled monkfish, with seasonal chargrilled vegetables
geocalia
Day itinerary · 43.37° N · 1.79° W
Sunday in Hondarribia: walls, a ferry to France and cliffs.
You stroll round the walled old town and the Marina, cross to Hendaye by small ferry, eat at a grill house on the outskirts and in the afternoon see Jaizkibel from the sea. Half an hour from San Sebastián.
Leaving from
Part of HondarribiaBay of Biscay
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car30 min each way
Walking2 h 30 · flat
Boat7 min to Hendaye · 1 h 30 along Jaizkibel
DifficultyEasy
Cost€55–80 pp
Best timeMay – October
With childrenYes, any age
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave San Sebastián 30 min by car
via the motorway or the N-1 to Irun and the airport; park by the wall or at La Marina
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1
The walled old town
from the Santa María gate to the Plaza de Armas, 1 h 30
- Carry on on foot
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2
La Marina quarter and Calle San Pedro
Calle San Pedro and the houses with coloured balconies
- Carry on on foot
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3
Boat from Hondarribia to Hendaye
7 min, €2.50 per crossing; return with a stroll round Hendaye harbour
+34 622 427 388
- 10 min by car
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4
Laia Erretegia
Laia Erretegia · grill restaurant in Arkolla · €€€ · Sunday 13:30 to 15:00, booking
Arkolla Auzoa, 33, 20280 Hondarribia · +34 943 646 309
Restaurant €€€Book - 10 min by car
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5
Boat trip along the Jaizkibel cliffs
1 h 30 by catamaran, from €15; only on the days in its calendar
+34 622 427 388
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Back home
in San Sebastián around 18:15
Approximate cost
About €55–80 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The walled old town
Hondarribia sits at the mouth of the Bidasoa, facing France. Up above, inside the wall, the old town of cobbled streets and houses with coats of arms. Below, the Marina, the old fishermen's quarter, with balconies painted green, blue and red. From its promenade a small ferry leaves that crosses to Hendaye in seven minutes. And behind the town rises Jaizkibel, a sandstone mountain that drops to the sea in cliffs. This Sunday brings the four together without rushing and with a grill-house lunch in the middle.
The day, hour by hour
9:30 · Set off. From San Sebastián it is about 25 minutes to Hondarribia, past the airport. Park near the wall or in the Marina area; on summer Sundays, arrive before ten.
10:00 · The walled old town. You enter through the Santa María gate and go up calle Mayor to the Plaza de Armas, with the castle of Charles V, now a Parador. An hour and a half is enough to see the streets and the wall.
11:30 · The Marina. You go down to the fishermen's quarter. Calle San Pedro is the one with the coloured houses and the pintxo bars, which fill up at this hour for the aperitif.
12:15 · Ferry to Hendaye. It leaves from the Butrón promenade every fifteen minutes and costs €2.50 each way, with the ticket on board. It admits dogs and bikes. There is time to stroll round Hendaye harbour and come back.
13:45 · Lunch at Laia Erretegia. The Ayala brothers' grill house in Arkolla, the rural neighbourhood on the outskirts, a few minutes by car. On Sundays it serves lunch from 13:30 to 15:00 and is closed on Wednesdays. Book.
16:00 · Boat along Jaizkibel. Jolaski leaves the marina on the 64-seat catamaran Higuer to follow the Jaizkibel coast and its sandstone formations. It is an hour and a half, from €15 for adults and €11 for children, only on the days marked on its calendar: book on their website and confirm the departure point.
17:45 · Head home. In San Sebastián around a quarter past six.
If the boat does not sail
If there is no departure that Sunday or the sea is rough, walk from the harbour to Punta Higer by the lighthouse road, with Txingudi bay and France opposite; allow about two hours there and back. In clear weather, the other option is to drive up the Jaizkibel ridge road, from the sanctuary of Guadalupe, and stop at the viewpoints. In autumn and winter, the Plaiaundi ecological park, in Irun, has a flat two-kilometre trail among lagoons with birds.
With children and with a dog
The whole plan is flat and short, and children of all ages like the ferry. In summer, swap the afternoon for Hondarribia beach, wide and with calm water inside the bay. The dog can go on the ferry and walk round the old town, the Marina and the lighthouse road, on a lead.
Time1 h 30
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Hondarribia
From May to October, with the ferry running late and the Jaizkibel boat sailing on the days on its calendar. In winter the old town and the Marina are still there, but the ferry stops at 18:00.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the boat and the table
The catamaran has limited places and the grill house fills up on Sundays.
- 2Bring something warm for the boat
In front of the cliffs the wind blows even when it is warm in the harbour.
- 3Check the winter closures
Several restaurants close for holidays in January.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the ferry to Hendaye cost?
€2.50 per person each way, with the ticket on board. It leaves every fifteen minutes.
Does the Jaizkibel boat sail every day?
No. It sails at 16:00 on the days marked on Jolaski's calendar; book on their website.
Is Laia Erretegia open on Sunday?
Yes, at midday, from 13:30 to 15:00. Closed on Wednesdays.
Can you go without a car from San Sebastián?
Yes, on the Lurraldebus BI01 or BI02 bus. For the Arkolla grill house you need a car or taxi.
Can you go with a dog?
Yes. The ferry admits dogs, and the old town, the Marina and the lighthouse road can be walked with the dog on a lead.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/hondarribia/itineraries/walls-ferry-and-jaizkibel
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.