Advice on San Sebastian itinerary please?
 

Could anyone tell me if this makes sense?

Day 0
1. Arrive jetlagged at PNA airport 4:50 pm – cab to AC Ciudad Hotel
2. El Gaucho for pintxos

Day 1:
1. pick up rental car in Pamplona
2. drive to San Sebastian (1 ½ hours)
3. lunch in San Sebastian at Akelare? (Could we do 50 Euro/pp before wine for lunch? Are there only tasting menus at lunch?)
4. walk around SS
5. drive to Hondarribia and find Iketze by 4 pm before it's dark
6. head to town in Hondarribia for the evening

Day 2:
1. breakfast (at Iketze or should we go into town?)
2. head into Hondarribia for couple hours
3. return and check out of Iketze by noon
4. drive to San Sebastian and spend afternoon-early evening there – eat at El Gorriti (or Ganbara or Tamboril, Goiz Argui, Txepela, Astelena, La Cepa, Ormazabel, Martínez, La Viña, Casa Vergara, Bar Gambara and Borda Berri)
5. start back towards Pamplona around 7 pm - could we stop at either sidreria -- Restaurante Errota or Asador Epeleta -- on the way back to Pamplona? Or are they too out of the way?

I was also thinking of reversing the order, i.e. heading to Hondarribia first and checking into Iketze, walking around Hondarribia all afternoon and evening. Then leaving the next morning and driving to SS, lunch at Akelare, walk around for the rest of the afternoon, head back to Pamplona that evening. Does that make more sense? I've heard different things about the drive between Hondarrabia and SS -- some say it takes 20 minutes and others say 40 minutes. Any insights would be great, thanks.

Akelare is a great lunch choice. I don't think you're restricted to the tasting menu at lunch. I would stay in San Sebastian instead of driving to Hondarribia and then back again to San Sebastian the next day. The pintxos bars in San Sebastian are incredible and I think they're best enjoyed in the evening with the throngs of locals. If you don't drink, I suppose you can drive back to Pamplona after an afternoon at the pintxos bars in San Sebastian but I know that strategy wouldn't work for us. How about a day and night in San Sebastian and then a visit to Hondarribia before heading back to Pamplona?

Pintxos are generally served begins around 19:30 (7:30 pm), but you may want to arrive a little earlier to the bar el Gaucho. It's about a 25-miniute walk from the AC Ciudad de Pamplona. Remember, there are several other great places to try while you're in Pamplona.

The drive to San Sebastian-Donostia takes about an hour, but since you are staying at Iketxe, why not go there first before heading into San Sebastian. It's only about a 20-minute drive.

Akelare is not actually in the city, but south along the cliffs overlooking the coast in Igueldo. Remember, they are closed on Sunday night and Monday and Tuesdays from Jan. through June. The full menu is available for both lunch and dinner.

My suggestion would be to stay in Hondarribia and enjoy it for the day. There are a number of great pintxos bars in the village, one which has won numerous awards for its pintxos the last five years, including one of the top awards again this year. You can also see about making lunch reservations at the Alameda in Hondarribia, saving the pintxos for the early evening when just about everyone in Hondarribia is out and about.

Patxi makes a simple traditional breakfast; so don't expect to eat a lot.

After leaving Iketxe, you can spend the day in San Sebastian before heading back to Pamplona. Remember, dinner isn't served until later in the evening, after 20:30 (8:30 pm). The Restaurante/Asador Errota is in the village of Aoiz; about 17 km west of Pamplona while the Asador Epeleta is in Lekunberri, just off the highway on the way back to Pamplona.

O.K. -- this is great, thanks. I’ll reverse the days since Iketxe is in Hondarribia

(http://www.nekatur.net/catalogo.asp?idal=88#ficha)

and we’d like to keep our reservation with them. I’m waiting for an email from Akelare to see if they can switch us to Friday.

1. For the night we arrive in Spain, I ruled out Michelin quality restaurants which we couldn’t appreciate in our delirium. (We’re trying to book El Embrujo for Saturday.) Is there a hearty, casual spot that we might consider in lieu of El Gaucho?

2. We’re considering either Herhmandad de Pescadores or Yola Berri for an inexpensive lunch in Hondarribia since we can’t afford both the Alameda and Akelare over 2 days… We’ll stroll for pintxos our first evening, including Gran Sol. We'll have breakfast at Cafeteria Kai-Aide in Hondarribia.

3. We’ll stop at Asador Epeleta on our way back to Pamplona, leaving SS after 7:30 pm. BTW, should I expect a cider-spilling mess there and change accordingly?

Apologies that my scheduling is so meal-obsessed but this is how I tend to plan my trips in great food cities –choose restaurants first and then figure out what to do between meals...

i don't blame you. great attitude.
everything is more beautiful on a satisfied tummy.

You'll enjoy the Hermandad de Pescadores in Hondarribia, but arrive early or expect to wait for a spot at the long tables (traditional Basque style). It's an excellent seafood restaurant.

Asador Epeleta is one of the top asadors in the Basque country and Navarra and is more of a family restaurant/roasting house than the traditional cider house.

There are a number of great pintxos bars/restaurants all around Pamplona, in the old city and new. You'll have no problems finding those located around the Plaza del Castillo including Bar Restaurante Baserri on C/ San Nicolas, Florida on Avda Carlos III, Manolo, C/Santa Engracia, and Café Iruña in the Plaza del Castillo, San Fermín and C/San Nicolas.