# Sunday in Hondarribia: walls, a ferry to Hendaye and the Jaizkibel 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. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/hondarribia/itineraries/walls-ferry-and-jaizkibel · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## El día - 09:30 · Salida: 30 min by car (via the motorway or the N-1 to Irun and the airport; park by the wall or at La Marina) - 10:00 · The walled old town (from the Santa María gate to the Plaza de Armas, 1 h 30) - Carry on on foot - 11:30 · La Marina quarter and Calle San Pedro (Calle San Pedro and the houses with coloured balconies) - Carry on on foot - 12:15 · Boat from Hondarribia to Hendaye (7 min, €2.50 per crossing; return with a stroll round Hendaye harbour) · Jolaski, From €2.50 per person per journey - 10 min by car - 13:45 · Laia Erretegia (Laia Erretegia · grill restaurant in Arkolla · €€€ · Sunday 13:30 to 15:00, booking) · Laia Erretegia, €€€ - 10 min by car - 16:00 · Boat trip along the Jaizkibel cliffs (1 h 30 by catamaran, from €15; only on the days in its calendar) · Jolaski, From €15 per adult (children, €11) - 17:45 · Vuelta (in San Sebastián around 18:15) 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. ## Cómo llegar ### By car By the motorway or the N-1 to Irun and the airport: about 25 minutes from San Sebastián, an hour and ten minutes from Pamplona on the A-15 and Irun. ### Without a car Lurraldebus BI01 leaves from Donostia bus station and stops at the airport and in Hondarribia; the BI02 leaves from Amara. The Arkolla grill house is on the outskirts: without a car, eat in the Marina. ## Consejos ### Book the boat and the table The catamaran has limited places and the grill house fills up on Sundays. ### Bring something warm for the boat In front of the cliffs the wind blows even when it is warm in the harbour. ### Check the winter closures Several restaurants close for holidays in January. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### 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.