Hondarribia in 30 seconds
Almost 17,000 inhabitants (16,929 in 2024, INE), over about 28.8 km², in the Bidasoa-Txingudi district (comarca), facing Hendaye across the Bidasoa. San Sebastián airport (EAS) lies within the municipality. A fortified town + a former fishermen’s quarter (the Marina) + the Jaizkibel massif.
A little history
1203: Alfonso VIII of Castile makes Hondarribia a villa (chartered town) with a fuero (charter of rights).
1638: from 1 July, French troops besiege the town for 69 days without taking it. The town is later granted the title Muy noble, muy leal, muy valerosa y muy siempre fiel (most noble, most loyal, most valiant and ever most faithful).
1659: not far away, on Pheasant Island in the middle of the Bidasoa, the Treaty of the Pyrenees is negotiated.
What to see
The fortified Casco Antiguo
The fortified upper town: ramparts, houses bearing coats of arms, distinctive buildings and cobbled lanes.
La Marina (the fishermen’s quarter)
The old fishermen’s quarter, with its brightly painted houses. Calle San Pedro, restaurants and pintxo bars. This is where you come to wander and to eat.
Charles V Castle
A fortress documented around 1200 (square plan, round towers at the corners), considerably enlarged by Charles V, who added a large artillery platform. Damaged by French troops in 1794 and almost in ruins by the early 20th century, it was restored and in 1968 became a Parador (state-run hotel), the only one in Gipuzkoa.
Church of Santa María de la Asunción y del Manzano
Begun in 1474 and consecrated in 1549, it went on receiving additions until the 18th century. On 2 June 1660, the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain married Louis XIV here by proxy, before the official wedding in Saint-Jean-de-Luz on 9 June.
Mount Jaizkibel
About 545 m (543 to 547 m depending on the source) at the summit of Allerru, also known as San Enrique, its highest point; the massif lies entirely on Spanish soil — a coastal range west of the town, with an average height of 400 m. Hike it or drive the road that follows the ridge, with views over Txingudi Bay. On its slopes, on the Hondarribia side, stands the Guadalupe sanctuary, the focus of the fiestas on 8 September.
Hondarribia beach
A family-friendly town beach.
Where to eat
- Alameda — one star in the Michelin Guide
Specialities
- Fish and seafood
- Txakoli as an aperitif
- Hake kokotxas
Getting there
- By car: from Hendaye over the bridge, or from San Sebastián
- By boat: a shuttle ferry links Hondarribia and Hendaye across Txingudi Bay
- By air: San Sebastián airport (EAS), within the municipality
1-day itinerary
- Morning: Casco Antiguo, Plaza de Armas, Charles V Castle and the church of Santa María
- Lunchtime: lunch in the Marina
- Afternoon: stroll around the Marina, then the beach or Mount Jaizkibel
- Evening: pintxos on Calle San Pedro
People and historical figures linked to Hondarribia
- Louis XIV and Maria Theresa of Spain (1660) — married by proxy in Hondarribia on 2 June (with Luis Méndez de Haro standing in for the groom), then met for the first time on Pheasant Island (in the middle of the Bidasoa, between Hondarribia and Hendaye) on 7 June. The marriage sealed the Peace of the Pyrenees (1659).
- The siege of Hondarribia (1638) — the town held out for 69 days against French troops. On 8 September, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Alarde parade brings out the town’s historic districts and guilds.
- Unai Emery (born 1971 in Hondarribia) — football manager and Europa League record holder with four titles: three with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and one with Villarreal (2021). He has also managed PSG (2016–2018), Arsenal (2018–2019) and then Aston Villa, whom he took into the Champions League in 2024.
- Charles V — Charles V Castle, now a parador, bears his name in memory of the fortification work he carried out.
My favourite photo
The Marina at sunset, when the colourful façades light up. Or the view from Jaizkibel early in the morning, over Txingudi Bay.
Sources
- San Sebastián Turismo — Michelin-starred restaurants (Alameda)
- Turismo Euskadi (Basque Government) — Hondarribia (in Spanish)
- Wikipedia: Fuenterrabía (es) (INE 2024 population), Jaizkibel (es), Castillo de Carlos V (es), Maria Theresa of Spain (en), Unai Emery (fr)
Ongi etorri Hondarribira — Welcome to Hondarribia.