This list of the best places to visit in Hondarribia will help you not to miss anything important during your visit to one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, making the most of your time.

The picturesque fishing village of Hondarribia (Fuenterrabra in Spanish), on the Basque coast, is at the mouth of the Bidasoa River and is known for its traditional architecture, its delicious seafood, pintxos restaurants, and its long beach. 

Although half a day is more than enough to visit all its points of interest, in our experience, we recommend spending a day and a night in the village to enjoy it with more tranquility and fewer tourists, especially when the sun goes down, and it is practically empty.

10 Best Places To Visit in Hondarribia, Basque Country

1. Santa Maria Gate

One of the best things to do in Hondarribia is to leave your car in the parking lot located a few meters from the Puerta de Santa Maria, one of the two main entrances to the old walled city, and start your visit in this area.

From this gate, where there is a coat of arms of the medieval town and a statue of Hatxero, one of the soldiers who opened the way for the troops, you will access Main Street, which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the town.

2. Bishop’s Square

Before walking through the whole Kale Nagusia, we recommend you take the first small street you find on your right to enter the fantastic Bishop’s Square (Apezpiku).

This square is one of the oldest to see in Hondarribia. It stands out for being surrounded by beautiful traditional houses with balconies and wooden windows in bright colors and for having a statue of Cristobal de Rojas y Sandoval, archbishop of Seville, chaplain of Charles V, and protector of Santa Teresa.

3. Kale Nagusia

Once you have seen the Plaza del Obispo, you can return to the Kale Nagusia or Calle Mayor, the main artery of the old town and which has some of the most outstanding buildings to visit in Hondarribia.

This narrow cobblestone street will take you to the Church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion and Manzano through historic buildings with wooden eaves and wrought iron balconies as the Town Hall Baroque style, the Zuloaga Palace, the Casa Iriarte in which highlights its timber framing, the Casa Ladron de Guevara blue brick vitrified and the Casa de Casadevante, where they negotiated the terms of the truce of the Siege of 1638.

4. Church of Santa María de la Asunción y del Manzano

At the end of the Calle Mayor you will find the Church of Santa María de la Asunción y del Manzano, built on a section of the old wall and an old Romanesque church. Another of the most beautiful places to see in Hondarribia.

This Gothic-style church with Renaissance and Baroque elements were built between the fifteenth century and stands out for its baroque bell tower, the ribbed vaults, the two covers, and the altarpiece of the main chapel.

5. Plaza de Armas

A few meters from the church is the impressive Plaza de Armas, one of our favorite places, and is surrounded by beautiful colorful traditional houses and the imposing Castle of Charles V, converted into a Parador.

Besides sitting down to have a drink on one of its terraces, it is worth going into the Tourist Office to solve all your doubts about the town and go to the uncovered part of the square to enjoy the views of the Bay of Txingudi, one of the best things to do in Hondarribia.

6. Streets of Hondarribia

From the Plaza de Armas, you can start a route through the network of narrow streets of the old town, beginning with Denda Kalea, which will take you back to the Middle Ages for a few moments.

Among the most beautiful streets to see in Hondarribia are San Nikolas and Harategi. However, the best thing to do is to save the map and GPS and wander around them until you find their most magical corners, like Plaza Gipuzcoa and portions of the wall.

Although most of the recommended pintxos and fish restaurants are in the Marina neighborhood, if you want something different, we recommend you try the delicious tapas such as txangurro cake or anchovies in the Gastroteka Danontzat, located in the old town and is one of the most recommended restaurants where to eat in Hondarribia.

7. Wall of Fuenterrabía

Another of the best things to do in Hondarribia is to walk along the sections of the wall that surround the old town and are still in good condition.

Among the most exciting points of the defensive wall is the Gate of San Nicolas, another of the old entrances to the walled city and through which crosses a drawbridge and the Bastion of the Queen, located in a strategic position in one of the corners of the wall.

8. Gipuzcoa Square

Another of the most beautiful places to see in Hondarribia is the Plaza de Gipuzkoa, located in the old town and maintains the medieval aspect.

A square with arcades and cobblestone floors was built in the last century, faithfully following the guidelines of traditional Basque architecture in the old part of the town and thus maintaining its harmony.

After falling in love with this square and taking hundreds of pictures, we recommend you to leave the old town through Santiago Kompostela street to reach the charming Barrio de la Marina.

9. Stroll through the Marina – One of the best things to do in Hondarribia

Strolling through the picturesque neighborhood of the Marina, located next to the old port and place where fishers lived, is another of the most enjoyable things to do in Hondarribia.

On the streets of Santiago and especially San Pedro, there are many beautiful houses with white facades and balconies and windows and shutters in bright colors, like red, green, and blue.

Numerous bars and pintxo restaurants are found on the first floor of these houses and a few grocery stores and preserves such as Done Pedro, perfect for taking as a souvenir the best regional cuisine.

After strolling around the area and passing by several points of interest such as the Church of the Marina, the boat of Hondarribia, and the Little Beach, you can approach the new port by the Paseo de Butron, which runs along the Bidasoa River and is another of the things to do in Hondarribia.

10. Hondarribia Beach

Behind the new port, an area where you can have a beer on one of its terraces overlooking the pleasure boats, is the largest beach to see in Hondarribia.

This beach of calm waters, 800 meters long by 200 meters wide and one of the best beaches in the Basque Country, has parking and all services. A visit to this beautiful town would not be complete without it.

How to get to Hondarribia (Fuenterrabía)

The best way to get to Hondarribia, located 20 kilometers east of San Sebastian, is by car, about half an hour from the capital of Guipuzcoa.

If you don’t have a car, you can take a bus from Plaza Gipuzkoa in San Sebastian to drop you off at number 3 Foru Kalea, 700 meters from the old town.

Another more convenient option is to book this excursion to Hondarribia that includes a visit to San Juan and San Pedro, two other beautiful fishing villages on the Basque coast.