Donostia sustainable destination

An open and welcoming city for sustainable, respectful and quality tourism

planes sostenibles donostia

Donostia / San Sebastián is a city that invites you to stroll through its streets, to discover natural spaces, to enter its museums, its bars... The men and women of Donostia are friendly people. We love our city and invite you to visit it, to enjoy and get to know it, its corners, its culture and its traditions, sustainably and respectfully.

We like tourists who respect the way we do things, who keep the streets, parks and beaches clean, who show consideration towards our local shops and activity. That’s why we propose an array of sustainable activities and options for our visitors.

Did you know…?

green tree
 
  • 20.3% of the urban area of Donostia / San Sebastian is made up of green areas.
  • We have 21 m2 of green areas per inhabitant (double the level recommended by the WHO).
  • We have 25 exceptional parks and over 250,000 trees.
  • 27.5% of our land is protected because of the wildlife and for being areas of geological interest.
green bike
 
  • You can enjoy 80 km of bike lanes.
  • Donostia / San Sebastian is one of the best cities to ride a bike (Consumer Affairs Organisation - OCU).
  • The walking distances between the main points of the city are within a radius of 15-20 minutes on flat ground.
green water
 
  • The quality of the tap water is excellent, it is one of the best 3 in Spain! (OCU).
  • The quality of the bathing water of the 3 beaches has been given a Excellent hygiene rating since 2008.
  • The air quality is also excellent (for 341 days last year, the air quality was rated as "good” or “very good” according to the European index).
  • San Sebastian is a quiet city (only 11% of the population is exposed to noise levels higher than those recommended by the WHO).
green recycle
 
  • The municipal waste collection rate is 41.5%.
  • More than 6 tons of organic matter are collected to make compost every year.

                       Sustainable plans in Donostia/ San Sebastian Sustainability and Climate Report

My guide to be a donostiarra (true local)

In San Sebastian we love our city and we like having a good time. Here are a few suggestions on how to immerse yourself in the local customs while showing respect and taking care of our city, respecting its spaces, people and customs.

 

green decalogo

 

I will say hello & goodbye in basque: kaixo & agur!!!

 

Try greeting people with “kaixo” and “agur”. You will find other simple handy terms in our dictionary. Anima zaitez! Give it a go!

I will discover the authentic places and people of the city

 

In Donostia/San Sebastian, we have really good tourist agents who will help you to discover the secrets of the city and its people. Authentic places and tours, away from the more popular tourist attractions...

I will be environmentally responsible

 

Simple little gestures help to protect our environment. Remember to turn off the tap and switch off the air conditioning or heating. In Donostia/San Sebastian, we have environmentally friendly accommodation.

I will get around on public transport, foot or bicycle

 

Whenever possible, use public transport. We recommend using the Tourist Card for this. You can also hire a bicycle and travel around the city on two wheels.

I will buy in small or traditional stores, like a local

 

Explore the streets of the city and buy in traditional stores, like a local.

I will respect the sleep of local residents

 

If you go out to bars at night, remember that there are people sleeping right above where you are having fun. If you respect their sleep, they will be grateful.

 

Don't miss the best tips and plans from locals in our blog!

Donostia-San Sebastian Tourist Office is committed to the sustainable and responsible development of tourism, seeking to ensure that local residents and our visitors enjoy the greatest benefits and wellbeing. For this reason, Donostia Turismoa, together with its associated companies, it is working on promoting tourism competitiveness programs, which include SICTED, Smart Business, Kode Etikoa and Zero plastik.

Accessible destination

Donostia / San Sebastián for all

Donostia San Sebastian Turismoa, aware of the need to improve the destination’s accessibility, has diagnosed the accessibility level offered by the major monuments, attractions, and tourist services in Donostia/San Sebastián. Because a destination that works to improve accessibility is a more comfortable and safe destination, with more personalised and higher quality services.

 


The information that can be consulted HERE, provides information for people with:

  • Physical functional diversity
  • Visual functional diversity
  • Auditory functional diversity
  • Intellectual functional diversity

 

 

 

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