Zumaia & Getaria cliffs tour: Grilled fish & txakoli wine

The Basque cliffs read like a geology textbook written in stone.

A private full-day tour from San Sebastián to Zumaia and Getaria, two fishing villages on the Cantabrian coast, with a guide who explains the flysch rock formations of the UNESCO Geopark, visits to the hermitage of San Telmo and the Game of Thrones filming location, a txakoli winery tasting, and a lunch of fish grilled at the port an hour after it was caught. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Basque fishing villages and cuisine

• Depart San Sebastián for Zumaia
• Walk along Zumaia cliffs and visit San Telmo hermitage
• Visit Itzurun beach (Game of Thrones location)
• Travel to Getaria fishing village
• Explore Getaria historic district and port
• Visit traditional winery and learn about txakoli
• Enjoy charcoal-grilled fish lunch with txakoli wine

The experience

Zumaia sits behind cliffs so distinctive that geologists read them like a record of the planet's last million years. Your guide walks you through the rocky strata, the flysch formations, and points out the hermitage of San Telmo perched above the void, then takes you down to Itzurun beach, the "Dragonstone" location from Game of Thrones. The path along the cliffs is the spine of the morning, and the guide explains what flysch and karst actually are (neither is a Basque word, though you're in Basque Country).

Getaria, the next village, is where Juan Sebastián Elcano was born in the 16th century: the first sailor to circumnavigate the world by boat. The town has a church tunneled through by a street, one of the best-preserved medieval districts in Gipuzkoa, and a working port that supplies some of the Basque Country's most important fish. Before lunch, you stop at a small traditional winery to taste txakoli, the local white wine grown in vineyards by the sea. It's slightly acidic and built to pair with fish.

Lunch happens at the port itself: you watch the charcoal-fired grills smoking on the street and eat fish caught a few hours earlier, paired with the txakoli you just tasted. This is what a "planazo", a great plan, means in the Basque Country: a walk, a village, a winery, and a meal that came from the water you can see from your table.

What’s included

• All transportation from your San Sebastián hotel and back.
• a private guide and driver for the full day.
• entry to the txakoli winery with a wine tasting.
• a traditional lunch of grilled fish caught that morning, paired with txakoli wine at the Getaria port.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (10 to 17 years) · Infant (under 10)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Ikusnahi Tours

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup from San Sebastián means you don't need a car or arrange your own transport to reach the cliffs and fishing villages. The guide handles the route and the stops, and you arrive at the port ready to eat.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (10 to 17 years); Infant (under 10).

What are the cliffs at Zumaia actually made of?

The cliffs are flysch formations, layered rock strata that geologists read as a record of what happened on Earth over the past million years. Your guide explains how to read them and points out the different geological periods visible in the stone.

Is the Game of Thrones beach really part of this tour?

Yes. Itzurun beach, where some Game of Thrones scenes were filmed, is one of the stops along the cliff path in Zumaia. Your guide will show you the location.

What is txakoli and when do we taste it?

Txakoli is a white wine with slight acidity grown in vineyards by the sea in the Basque Country. You visit a small traditional winery that uses the local Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza grapes, and taste it before lunch so you can pair it with the grilled fish at the port.

How fresh is the fish at lunch?

The fish is caught the same morning and grilled at the port a few hours later. You watch the charcoal-fired grills smoking on the street and eat it while it's still warm.

Does the tour include transportation from my hotel?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Sebastián are included, along with all transportation costs for the day: petrol, parking and tolls.