Choosing the best pintxos tour in San Sebastian is not easy, especially if you have not been before. For this reason, we give you some ideas so that you can assess which pintxos tour to choose:
Quality of the pintxos and tapas
Perhaps the most important aspect and the most difficult to assess in advance. In the same way that not all restaurants are the same, nor is a steak or sirloin the same in one restaurant or another, neither are all pintxo bars the same. Choose a tour that visits top quality pintxo bars. They do not always have to be those that appear in the first lists of tourist guides, since they are mediated by other factors. Nor are they always the ones that appear in traveler blogs, as they are assessments of people who have probably been in the city for a very short time. Let yourself be guided by local people, who have lived many years or all their lives in San Sebastián. They will be able to recommend where to find the best pintxos and tapas.
Look for uniqueness
More and more pintxo bars "for tourists" proliferate. Be wary of overly attractive decor, or a bar crowded with tourists. You probably won't find the best food or the most authentic atmosphere.
Flexibility and customization
Going for pintxos is a very personal experience. We each have our own tastes, and the same pintxo may be liked by some and not by others. Look for customizable tours, which can be adapted to your preferences. But also, in duration, comfort, schedule, and possibility of adapting the service to your requirements.
Local guide, a more authentic tourism
The difference between using a local or foreign guide is clear. Once the language barrier has been overcome, sharing a tour with a local guide will offer you a much broader perspective of your visit than the purely gastronomic one. A local guide will always be willing to share their own life experience in San Sebastian with you, and this will give you a much closer contact with the local culture.
Buy directly from the local company
Today, the vast majority of local operators offer similar reservation cancellation and refund guarantees. They are the same that apply and on platforms such as TripAdvisor, AirBnB, Get Your Guide and others. However, these platforms keep between 15% and 25% commission on the ticket per person. This amount does not reach the local company, and therefore, it will not be dedicated to your service.
Buying directly allows the local company to have more resources for your tour, and you also help the economy of the place you visit.
Companies like San Sebastian Pintxos Tours sell directly to the client in order to concentrate the highest possible percentage of the ticket on the product, pintxos and drinks that you are going to taste. And in addition, we offer the same guarantees as a platform.