For October 31, 2026, first check KLM’s direct Amsterdam Schiphol–Bilbao services, including the flight-number options shown in KLM’s booking system. Do not rely on a particular departure time until it is confirmed: Saturday schedules and fares may change, and a direct flight may be sold out. Choose a morning departure if available, allowing at least two hours at Amsterdam Schiphol for check-in, security and a possible checked bag.
A sensible transport budget is roughly €150–€300 return for the flights if a suitable fare remains, though this is not guaranteed so close to departure. From Bilbao Airport, use the direct coach to San Sebastián if its timetable matches your landing; allow approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes on the road, plus baggage collection and waiting. A taxi is much quicker door to door but can cost roughly €150–€180, so it is only sensible if the bus has finished or you can share the fare.
Book A Room in the City Hostel in Centro as the practical budget choice: a dormitory bed is often considerably cheaper than a private room, but the exact October 31 rate and availability must be checked immediately. A bed for four nights may take roughly €120–€250 depending on the room and demand, leaving more of the €700 total budget for flights, transfers and food. Confirm the hostel’s late-arrival policy before paying, especially if the flight connection or bus makes you arrive after reception hours.
After checking in, walk downhill to La Concha Beach. Keep this deliberately simple: follow the promenade for about an hour, perhaps as far as the Balneario de La Perla, without trying to reach every viewpoint on arrival day. Then spend half an hour in Alderdi Eder, where the gardens provide a quiet place to sit above the bay. Both are free; bring a waterproof layer and comfortable shoes because Atlantic weather can shift quickly in late October.
Walk from Alderdi Eder into Parte Vieja for an early dinner, ideally before the busiest Saturday period. Gandarias is a reliable possible starting point, but check its same-day opening and queue situation; if it is crowded, choose one nearby bar with a few appealing counters rather than turning dinner into a long crawl. Allow approximately €20–€35 for several pintxos and one drink, or less if you keep it to a light meal.
Return to A Room in the City Hostel on foot; the central route is short and avoids another transport expense. Before going to sleep, book or at least verify the return Bilbao Airport–Amsterdam Schiphol flight for November 4. There may be no convenient direct service at the time you want, so compare the available direct KLM option with a connection and leave enough margin for the bus from San Sebastián—normally around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, plus waiting and airport check-in.
Start around 9:30 at Mercado de la Bretxa in Parte Vieja. Sunday is generally a good day to see the market at its liveliest, though individual stalls may use shorter hours; allow about 45 minutes to browse seasonal produce, seafood and local cheeses. Pick up fruit or a small snack for later, budgeting roughly €5–€12. From the market, San Telmo Museoa is only a few minutes away on foot.
Give the museum about 90 minutes, taking your time with the Basque history collections and atmospheric former convent spaces. Check the official Sunday opening hours and last-entry policy before leaving, since seasonal schedules can change; admission is commonly in the €6–€10 range. If it is closed or the weather is especially inviting, use the time for a quiet coffee and an unhurried wander through the old quarter instead.
From San Telmo Museoa, climb Mount Urgull via the paths behind Parte Vieja. Allow around two hours including pauses at the sea-facing viewpoints and Castillo de la Mota. November paths can be damp and uneven, so wear shoes with grip and carry water. If the wind or rain is unpleasant, shorten the walk and return via the lower paths rather than pushing on to the summit.
Come back down toward Calle 31 de Agosto for a relaxed pintxos lunch. Choose a couple of places and linger rather than trying to cover the whole street; expect approximately €25–€40 with drinks. Afterwards, walk across Zurriola Bridge to Gros in about 15–20 minutes. Finish along Zurriola Beach, arriving before the early November sunset so you have time for the full shoreline walk. The beach is exposed to Atlantic wind, so bring a warm layer; return to your accommodation on foot or by local bus after dark.
You are already in San Sebastián today, so there is no flight or airport transfer to add. From the centre, take city bus 16 or 5 toward Pío Baroja, then walk to Peine del Viento in Antiguo; allow roughly 25–35 minutes. The sculptures are outdoors and free. Give yourself about 45 minutes to watch the water and explore the platforms, bringing a waterproof layer and shoes with good grip because spray and wet stone are common.
Walk or take a short local bus connection toward the Monte Igueldo funicular. November service can be reduced, and the funicular may stop in strong wind or poor weather, so check the official operating information that morning rather than relying on a guaranteed departure. Budget approximately €4–€6 for a return funicular ticket, excluding any amusement-park attractions. If it is closed, use a bus or taxi to the viewpoint instead of attempting the steep uphill walk in bad weather.
Return to Ondarreta Beach for an easy shoreline walk and some unstructured time. Pick up a sandwich, pastry, or simple lunch in Antiguo before settling by the promenade; allow roughly €6–€15, as seaside options may have shorter November hours. Later, take bus 16 or 5 toward the centre and continue to Cristina Enea Park in Egia, allowing about 25–35 minutes door to door. Arrive by approximately 15:30–16:00, since daylight fades early in early November. The park is free, and its paths are ideal for a slow, reflective walk.
Stay in Egia for dinner rather than returning immediately to the busiest parts of the centre. A casual café or neighbourhood restaurant should cost about €15–€30 for a solo dinner, depending on whether you choose pintxos, a set meal, or drinks. Check Monday opening hours and the evening kitchen schedule on the day, as smaller venues can close earlier outside peak season. From Egia, the centre is around a 10–15-minute walk, with local buses or a short taxi ride available if you prefer not to walk back in the dark.
Start from your booked accommodation around 10:15–10:30 and walk to the San Sebastián Aquarium in the Parte Vieja harbor. Allow about 1½ hours for the marine exhibits and ocean tunnel. Admission is commonly around €10–€15, but check the official schedule and current ticket price before leaving, as November hours can be seasonal. If you have not yet finalized a stay, a central room or hostel near Centro or the Parte Vieja will keep this day largely walkable; check live availability and cancellation terms rather than assuming a room is held.
From the aquarium, continue onto Paseo Nuevo and follow the waterfront around the rocky edge toward Zurriola. Give yourself roughly an hour, but treat the walk as weather-dependent: sections can be exposed to spray and may close in rough seas. Wear shoes with grip and turn back whenever conditions feel uncomfortable. In calmer weather, this is a restorative stretch with wide views and quieter pauses away from the main shopping streets.
Return to San Sebastián harbor for a slow coffee at one of the port cafés, budgeting about €3–€8. Allow at least 45 minutes and keep lunch simple—soup, tortilla, or a small plate—so the afternoon does not become rushed. The aquarium and harbor are close together; from the port area, most venues in Centro or the Parte Vieja are roughly a 10–20-minute walk.
In the late afternoon, attend your pre-booked Basque cooking experience. Allow 2½–3 hours and expect approximately €60–€120, depending on whether it is a cooking class, market visit, or pintxos workshop. This is the day’s main booking dependency: do not build the plan around it until you have confirmed the date, meeting point, duration, and whether food and drinks are included. If no suitable session is available, replace it with an unhurried pintxos dinner rather than trying to fit in a last-minute class.
End at Plaza de la Constitución, allowing about 30 minutes to look around the arcades and numbered balconies as the evening atmosphere settles in. From the cooking venue, it is usually a short walk; use a local taxi only if rain or tiredness makes walking unpleasant, generally allowing roughly €7–€12 within the central area.
Let dinner remain flexible. If the cooking experience includes a full meal, choose only a drink or dessert afterward; otherwise, have two or three small pintxos in the Parte Vieja and keep the total around €15–€30. Return to your accommodation early if you want the day to retain its quiet, reflective character rather than turning it into a late night.
If your return flight is not early, take one last walk along Zurriola Beach in Gros after breakfast. Keep this optional rather than fixed: the airport transfer and airline check-in deadline take priority, and November weather may be cool and windy. From central San Sebastián, the beach is roughly a 10–15-minute walk across the Zurriola Bridge.
For a specific accommodation to book for this trip, Hotel Villa Katalina by Intur in Centro is a sensible fit: it is central, makes the final morning easier, and avoids paying for a taxi across town. Check availability for October 31–November 4, 2026 directly with the hotel or through a reputable booking site; rates and cancellation terms are not yet guaranteed. A realistic target is to keep four nights around €350–€500, leaving the remainder of the €700 budget for transport, food, and the return flight.
After checkout, take the airport bus from central San Sebastián to Bilbao Airport, or use a taxi if your flight is early or you have substantial luggage. Allow about 1¼–1¾ hours for the road journey, then arrive at least two hours before a Schengen flight; the full door-to-door journey will commonly take 5–8 hours depending on the flight time and waiting at the airport.
For the flight, search specifically for a direct Bilbao–Amsterdam Schiphol service operated by KLM for November 4, 2026. Flight numbers, departure times, fares, and whether the schedule has been released must be checked at booking, so do not reserve the airport bus until the flight is confirmed. If no suitable direct service is available, compare a one-stop KLM itinerary via Paris Charles de Gaulle or Madrid, but allow considerably more transfer time and avoid a tight connection. A reasonable return-flight target is roughly €100–€220 with hand luggage, though last-minute fares can be higher.
At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, follow signs to the railway station beneath the terminal. Trains to Amsterdam Centraal generally take around 15–20 minutes; pay by contactless card or use an NS ticket machine. Include the train fare—usually around €5–€6—as part of the return-day budget, and leave room for baggage delays.
Because this is the final travel day, plan no sightseeing after landing. If the flight arrives late, go directly home or to your onward accommodation; if it arrives early, end the trip with an uncomplicated meal rather than adding another scheduled stop.
No packing list attached yet.