- Half a dayTxakoli winery near Getaria
- 6–8 hoursRioja wine day trip
- 2.5–3.5 hoursCooking class, with or without market
- From $96Cider house lunch with transport
- Mix themNot three similar tours
Pintxos Tours Are Only the Start
The city and the Basque Country around it offer a much wider range of food and wine.
Pintxos tours are one of the most popular ways to eat in San Sebastián, but they are far from the only food-and-wine activity here. Strong alternatives to a classic pintxos tour include:
- Txakoli winery tours
- Rioja wine day trips
- dedicated wine tastings
- Basque cooking classes
- market and food tours
- Basque cider-house experiences
- wine-pairing lunches and dinners
- private food-and-wine tours
- Getaria seafood and wine trips
- self-guided wine tastings
If you have already done a pintxos tour, a Txakoli winery excursion is one of the strongest next choices. The one we would compare first is the Getaria Txakoli wine tour. For a side-by-side of every kind of food tour, including the bar crawls, see our San Sebastián food tours guide; this page is for your second, third and fourth booking.
Highlights
- A guided Txakoli tasting where the wine is made, on the coast west of the city
- Time in the fishing town of Getaria, or in Hondarribia
- Small-group or private, with a professional guide
- Rated 4.7 from 45 reviews
What's Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry to the Txakoli museum
- Txakoli tastings with a local appetizer
- Rain clothes and umbrellas
- Good to know: a minimum of two adults is needed; check the listing to see whether lunch is included
Check Availability & Prices
Pick your date below. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour.
Already Done a Pintxos Tour? What to Book Next
Start from what you care about, how many of you there are, the weather and how long you have.
A Txakoli winery excursion
It adds vineyards, production and coastal scenery, none of which the bars can give you. The Getaria Txakoli wine tour is back at your hotel in four hours.
Rioja
Choose Rioja if you want the deepest winery experience. The La Rioja Wines Tour visits two wineries and stops for lunch in a full day.
A cooking class, or market and cooking
Choose a Basque cooking class or a market tour and cooking class: you see the ingredients, then cook them.
Somewhere you can all sit together
- a cider house
- a private food tour
- a cooking class
- a private winery excursion
Stay indoors
- a structured wine tasting
- a cooking class
- a cheese and wine tasting
- a wine-pairing meal
Nothing that needs long transport
- a wine tasting
- a cooking class
- a food market
- a pairing dinner
Save Rioja for a longer stay unless wine is one of your top priorities.
Away from the Parte Vieja counters: Txakoli vineyards above Getaria, Rioja Alavesa wineries and Laguardia, the cider houses of Astigarraga, Idiazabal cheese farms inland, and Basque cooking classes in the city.
Txakoli Wineries, Rioja and the Getaria Coast
The vineyards around Getaria are close to the city; Rioja is a full day.
The most natural addition
A Txakoli winery trip is one of the most natural additions to a San Sebastián food itinerary. A visit may include:
- a vineyard tour
- a cellar visit
- several tastings
- food pairing
- coastal scenery
- time in Getaria
Best for white-wine lovers, couples, and travellers who want a half-day vineyard experience. Our pick: the Getaria Txakoli wine tour (4.7 from 45 reviews, from $168).
A much bigger wine-country day
A full-day tour may include:
- one or more wineries
- cellar visits
- vineyard scenery
- Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva tastings
- lunch
- a wine town such as Laguardia or Haro
Best for serious wine enthusiasts and visitors staying several days. Our pick: the La Rioja Wines Tour (4.7 from 68 reviews, from $99), six to eight hours with two wineries and lunch. The private La Rioja Day Tour takes nine hours from $342, with only 8 reviews so far.
Txakoli, seafood and a fishing town
Getaria is one of the best food-focused excursions from San Sebastián because it combines Txakoli, seafood, grilled fish, fishing heritage and coastal scenery. A winery plus a seafood lunch is one of the most natural day-trip combinations in the region.
The coastal hike with a Txakoli winery tasting (from $186) walks part of the coast, pours two or three Txakolis with local tuna or anchovy, and ends in Getaria, where lunch is on your own. It has 14 reviews so far.
Atlantic food with the local white
A seafood theme might include anchovies, tuna, prawns, squid, cod, shellfish and grilled fish, usually paired with Txakoli. It is ideal if you want to understand the connection between the local wine and Atlantic food.
The Coast, Seafood and Wine Tour spends ten hours on it, from $668: seafood collection at a farmhouse nursery, a market, a fishing village, a family winery and a grilled lunch with wine. It has only 2 reviews, so read them first.
Our wine tours compared guide sets the Txakoli and Rioja trips side by side.
Basque Cooking Classes and Market Tours
A class shows you how the dishes are made; a market shows you what goes into them.
Cook it, then eat it
A cooking class gives you a hands-on way to understand Basque food. Depending on the class, you may prepare:
- pintxos
- tortilla
- seafood
- sauces
- traditional dishes
- desserts
Some classes also include wine, cider or a market visit. Best for food lovers, couples, families and repeat visitors.
Our pick: the Basque Cooking Class, Wine & Cider Tasting (4.8 from 100+ reviews, from $161): four dishes in two and a half hours, each eaten with a drink pairing.
Ingredients first
A market-focused experience puts more emphasis on ingredients than on finished dishes. You may learn about:
- seafood
- meat
- cheese
- vegetables
- cured products
- seasonal Basque ingredients
Best for serious food travellers and home cooks. The Market Tour and Basque Cooking Class (5.0 from 20 reviews, from $161) and the Market Tour, Cooking Class & Meal (5.0 from 14 reviews, from $151) both start at the market and end at the stove. If you would rather eat than cook, the Premium Market, Pintxos and Wine Tasting Tour (4.99 from 134 reviews, from $168) adds a market visit before six pintxos and five pours.
A Cider House Meal
A different side of Basque drinking culture, and especially fun for groups.
Traditional Basque cider is usually dry, tart and acidic rather than sweet. A cider-house meal may include:
- cod
- tortilla
- steak
- cheese
Our pick: the Traditional Cider House Tour with Lunch (4.9 from 185 reviews, from $96), four hours at a sagardotegi outside the city with transport, cider from the barrel, and the fixed menu of cod omelette, salt cod, aged beef chop, and cheese with quince and walnuts.
Wine and Cheese Tastings in the City
Side-by-side tastings suit beginners, rainy days and short stays. Most are booked with a bar or shop directly.
Compare wines side by side
A structured tasting in San Sebastián is useful if you want to compare wines without leaving the city. You may taste:
- Txakoli
- white Rioja
- Rioja Crianza
- Rioja Reserva
- wines from other Spanish regions
Best for beginners, rainy days and travellers who are short of time. No seated city tasting with a review record is sold on GetYourGuide, so book with a wine bar or shop that runs them. The nearest bookable option is the Private Walking Tour with Wine Tasting, from $226, which ends in a private cellar and has no reviews yet.
Idiazabal and friends
Cheese tastings may combine local or Spanish cheeses with Txakoli, white Rioja, red Rioja or cider. Idiazabal is one Basque cheese you may encounter.
To see it made, the Idiazabal Cheese Tour (from $168) visits a cheese farm and pairs the tasting with cider. It needs at least four adults and has a single review, so treat it as untested.
For drinkers who know the classics
Some bars focus on organic, low-intervention and small-producer wines. It is a good option for repeat visitors or experienced wine drinkers who already know the classic Txakoli and Rioja styles. Nothing like it is sold as a tour; our best wine bars guide compares the neighbourhoods to look in.
Serious Rioja without the drive
You do not necessarily need to travel to Rioja to compare Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva and premium producers. A specialist city tasting can be a good compromise if you want serious Rioja without giving up a full day. Ask a wine bar or shop for one directly; none is sold on GetYourGuide.
Four stops, your own pace
A simple independent route could be:
- Txakoli + anchovy
- white Rioja + cod
- Rioja Crianza + mushrooms
- Rioja Reserva + beef
This is the most flexible and budget-friendly option. Our self-guided wine and pintxos walk turns it into a route.
Wine-Pairing Lunches and Dinners
More depth than a casual crawl, at a slower pace. Restaurants sell these directly.
A slower, seated meal
A structured wine lunch can provide more depth than a casual crawl. A typical progression might be:
- Txakoli with seafood
- white Rioja with fish
- Rioja Crianza with meat
- Rioja Reserva with cheese
Best for couples and travellers who prefer a slower, seated meal.
Matched courses, more formal
A wine dinner offers carefully matched courses and a more formal format than bar-hopping. Choose it if you want:
- seating
- structured pairings
- sommelier explanations
- a slower pace
GetYourGuide sells no wine-pairing lunch or dinner here, so book with the restaurant. Our guide to wine tasting with lunch or dinner covers what to expect and what to ask.
A Private Food-and-Wine Tour
Best for groups, dietary restrictions and travellers who want a customised route.
Private tours can focus on:
- Txakoli
- Rioja
- seafood
- traditional pintxos
- modern pintxos
- natural wine
- markets
The Private Pintxos Basque Tapas Tour (4.9 from 11 reviews, from $209) gives your party its own guide for four pintxos and four drinks. Our private wine and pintxos tours guide covers what you can ask a private guide to change.
Avoid Booking Too Many Similar Tours
Aim for experiences that complement each other.
Three Old Town pintxos tours add less variety than combining:
- one pintxos tour
- one winery excursion
- one cooking class
A balanced trip might combine one pintxos tour, one Txakoli winery visit, one cooking class or structured tasting, and independent bar-hopping. Add Rioja if you have enough time and a strong interest in wine. Our San Sebastián vs Rioja guide helps you decide whether the day is yours to spend.
Four More Experiences to Add
A winery day, two kitchens and a cider house. The Getaria Txakoli tour is in the booking calendar above.
For wine lovers
La Rioja Wines Tour
Hotel pick-up, two wineries, a traditional Rioja lunch with a glass of wine and Laguardia at the end, over six to eight hours. The bilingual group option visits one winery and leaves out the lunch.
Choose this if you have a spare full day and red wine is the reason you came.
★ 4.7 · 68 reviews · From $99 · Local Experts Tours Check dates & prices
For a rainy afternoon
Basque Cooking Class, Wine & Cider Tasting
A chef, a family-run restaurant kitchen in Gros and a group of ten or fewer. You cook pintxos, tortilla and two more dishes, then eat all four with their drinks. Gluten-free (not celiac), non-alcoholic and no-pork requests are handled.
Choose this if you want to take the recipes home.
★ 4.8 · 100+ reviews · From $161 · Devour Tours Check dates & prices
For home cooks
Market Tour and Basque Cooking Class
Three and a half hours: the market as it opens, with time to meet the vendors, then a local cooking school where you cook with a chef and eat with cider, Txakoli and Rioja.
Choose this if you want to see what Basque cooks buy before you cook it.
★ 5.0 · 20 reviews · From $161 · Kookin Donosti Check dates & prices
For groups
Traditional Cider House Tour with Lunch
The longest review record and the lowest price of these four: four hours at a sagardotegi with transport, the fixed cider-house menu and dry cider straight from the barrel.
Choose this if there are several of you and you want one long, loud lunch.
★ 4.9 · 185 reviews · From $96 · Gipuzkoa cider houses Check dates & pricesBook What You Cannot Do on Your Own
Winery access, hands-on cooking, market knowledge and cider-house culture.
San Sebastián’s food scene extends far beyond pintxos tours. The best additions show you something difficult to recreate independently: winery access, hands-on cooking, market knowledge or traditional cider-house culture. Bar-hopping you can do yourself; a cellar visit, a chef’s kitchen and a sagardotegi need a booking.
If you only add one, make it the Getaria Txakoli wine tour, which fits into a morning or an afternoon. Choose the cider house lunch instead if you are a group and want food more than wine.
Beyond Pintxos Tours: Frequently Asked Questions
What to book next, for whom, in the rain and on a short stay.
I have already done a pintxos tour. What should I book next?
A Txakoli winery excursion is one of the strongest next choices, because it adds vineyards, wine production and coastal scenery, none of which a night in the bars can give you.
What is the best food and wine experience for wine lovers?
Choose Rioja if you want the deepest winery experience. A full day can include one or more wineries, cellar visits, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva tastings, lunch and a wine town such as Laguardia or Haro.
What is the best experience for food lovers?
A Basque cooking class, or a market visit followed by a cooking class. Both show you how the dishes are made, which a pintxos tour cannot.
What food and wine experiences work for groups?
A cider house, a private food tour, a cooking class or a private winery excursion. A cider-house meal in particular can be especially fun for groups.
What can you do on a rainy day in San Sebastian?
Good indoor options include a structured wine tasting, a cooking class, a cheese and wine tasting and a wine-pairing meal.
What should you prioritise on a short stay?
City experiences that do not need long transport: a wine tasting, a cooking class, a food market and a pairing dinner. Save Rioja for a longer stay unless wine is one of your top priorities.
Is Basque cider sweet?
No. Traditional Basque cider is usually dry, tart and acidic rather than sweet. A cider-house meal may include cod, tortilla, steak and cheese.
Do you need to go to Rioja to taste good Rioja?
Not necessarily. A specialist tasting in the city can compare Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva and premium producers without giving up a full day, although you miss the vineyards and the cellars.
What is the most budget-friendly food and wine experience?
A self-guided wine tasting is the most flexible and budget-friendly option. A simple route is Txakoli with an anchovy, white Rioja with cod, Rioja Crianza with mushrooms and Rioja Reserva with beef, each at a different bar.
How many food tours should you book?
Fewer than you might think. Three Old Town pintxos tours add less variety than one pintxos tour, one winery excursion and one cooking class. Choose experiences that complement each other instead of repeating one another.
More for Planning Beyond the Bars
Wine trips, meals and the tours themselves in more detail.
- Every San Sebastián tapas tour comparedThe full comparison table: best overall, premium, evening, private and wine.
- Food toursBar crawls, cooking classes, markets, cider houses and wine trips compared.
- Wine with lunch or dinnerPairing meals, winery lunches and whether lunch is included.
- Txakoli wine guideThe coastal white, where it grows and how to visit.
- Rioja wine tourWhether the day trip is worth the drive.
- Wine tours comparedTxakoli, Rioja and city tastings side by side.
- Private wine and pintxos toursWhat a private guide adds for wine lovers and groups.
- Self-guided wine and pintxos walkPlan your own crawl: where to start, four stops, pairings and pacing.