San Sebastian Weather : What to Do in San Sebastian on a Rainy Day
Well, it’s that time again. The rainy season.
People don’t realize, but San Sebastián gets the most rainfall of almost anywhere in Spain. The rainiest months are from October to January, especially November and December. The city receives an average of 59 inches of rainfall per year. We can have anywhere from 180-220 days of rain a year. Yikes. The good thing is, we locals are used to it, and it doesn’t stop us from getting out. So much so, there several fun phrases in Basque about rain. Some of them are about prediction:
Eguerdiko euria, egun guztiko euria.
Lluvia de mediodía, lluvia para todo el día. / Rain at midday, rain all day.
Goiz gorri, arrats euri.
Mañana roja, tarde lluviosa. / Red morning, rainy afternoon.
Others are more figurative:
Tximist haundi eta euri gitxi.
Relampago grande y poca lluvia. / Full of hot air.
Zapata zuriak paperez, euria denean batere ez.
De zapatos blancos de papel, cuando llueve no queda nada. / When it rains, there’s nothing left of white paper shoes.
And then there are about a million talking about the rain in different months of the year.
Eguzki eta euri, martxoko eguraldi.
Rain and sun, the weather of March.
Apirila euritsu, maiatza ihintsu, ekaina errautsu, orduan da laboraria urguilutsu (ugariago)
April is rainy, May is covered in dew, June is gray, and then the harvest is more fertile.
Euri gutxi urtarrilean, ogia eder uztailean.
Little rain in January, good bread in July.
Another thing people don’t realize is that the weather prediction on your iPhone is never going to be correct. The quickest way to get me to laugh is to tell me what your phone says the weather will be like in San Sebastián next week. Like, it just doesn’t work. I like to look at Euskalmet, because it seems more accurate. However, they often speak in such generalities that the forecast is rendered mostly useless. Others swear by surf forecasts.
Anyway, my advice is to just let go, and if the rain comes, keep living your life. To that end, there are plenty of indoor activities that you can enjoy during rainy days. Here are some suggestions:
What to do in San Sebastián when it rains
1. Visit the San Telmo Museum
The San Telmo museum showcases Basque art and culture, and it is located in the Old Town. It has a collection of over 26,000 works of art and a variety of exhibitions.
2. Go to the Aquarium
The Aquarium of San Sebastian is home to over 200 species of marine life. It's a great place to learn about the local marine ecosystem and observe the fascinating underwater world.
3. Catch a show at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre
The Victoria Eugenia theater is located in a beautiful Belle Epoque building, and it has a pretty packed agenda of plays, movies, concerts and shows.
4. Relax in a spa
A great way to spend a rainy day is at the spa, in our case, La Perla. I love the views, and even if it’s a bit - ehem- retro, it just makes this spot that much more charming.
5. Visit the Eureka Science Museum
My kids love this museum, located above the city in Miramon. It features interactive exhibitions that explore science and technology.
6. Explore the city's Food & Wine
Duh! Rain is just an excuse to spend more time in a bar, eating pintxos and drinking wine.
7. Catch a concert at a small venue
We have several smaller spots to catch music, and a hands-down favorite of everyone is Dabadaba.
8. Shop at the San Martin Market
The market is located in the center of the city and is an indoor market that sells fresh produce, meats, and fish. It's a great place to shop for local ingredients or attend a cultural event and grab a bite to eat.
9. Go on a gallery hop
I love the small galleries in my city. Some of my favorites are Cibrian, Ekain, Arteuparte and Kur, so draw up a little art route to see them all!
These are just a few of my fallbacks on things to do in San Sebastian when it rains. If you have any I missed, please feel free to leave them in the comments!
For some of my favorite spots to eat and drink in San Sebastián, click here.
