Isla de Santa Clara (San Sebastián)

Isla de Santa Clara (Santa Clara Island) is the small wooded island in the middle of La Concha bay in San Sebastián, about 350 m across and 48 m high. You reach it on the island boats (motoras) from the old port, a crossing of roughly 1 km, and once there you find a quay, a tiny beach that only appears at low tide, picnic lawns, and the old lighthouse turned into Cristina Iglesias’s sculpture Hondalea, which is free to enter. It suits families and anyone wanting a short half-day out from the city; skip it if you want a proper beach or rough water worries you.

Quick facts

• Names: Isla de Santa Clara in Spanish, Santa Klara uhartea in Basque; in English often Santa Clara Island.
• Where: in the centre of La Concha bay, San Sebastián (Donostia, Gipuzkoa), between Mount Urgull and Mount Igueldo.
• Coordinates: 43.3214, -1.9995.
• Size: about 350 m east to west and 280 m north to south on OpenStreetMap; 5.1 hectares and 48 m high according to Wikipedia.
• Getting there: boat from the old port (Motoras de la Isla), about 1.1 km on the mapped route.
• Hondalea (the lighthouse sculpture): free entry, no booking needed; the visit takes about 20 minutes (checked November 2026).
• On the island: quay, low-tide beach, picnic areas, a bar by the quay, toilets.

Boats and getting there

The boat: the crossing is run by Motoras de la Isla Santa Clara, from a kiosk at Plaza Lasta in the port (the “caseta del puerto”), phone +34 943 000 450 (Turismo Euskadi). The Basque tourism board says you only need to book the boat, not Hondalea (Turismo Euskadi, checked November 2026). We could not open the operator’s own website, so we cannot confirm the season, timetable or fares; ask at the kiosk or by phone. On OpenStreetMap the ferry route from the old port quay to the island’s jetty is about 1.1 km.

Swimming over: the tourism board mentions that some people swim to the island from Ondarreta beach, a popular challenge with locals. The nearest stretch of Ondarreta is about 380 m from the island shore in a straight line. Only do this if you are a strong open-water swimmer and conditions are calm; it is a crossing of open bay water used by boats.

To the port: the boats leave from the old port at the foot of Mount Urgull, at the edge of the Old Town. OpenStreetMap shows no public car park on the quay itself, only private and street-side spaces, so walk or come by city bus; the nearest mapped stop is Batería de Santiago, about 230 m from the departure point.

What to expect

A short boat ride, then a small, steep island. The landing is at a concrete jetty on the bay side. Next to it is a small sandy beach that appears only for a few hours a day around low tide and is completely covered at high tide (Turismo Euskadi). The tourism board also mentions a natural pool. Wikipedia notes that, because so many people come in summer, the beach has a lifeguard, showers and a bar.

From the jetty a path climbs to the top, where there are lawns with picnic tables and views over La Concha on one side and the open Bay of Biscay on the other. The old lighthouse at the summit now holds Hondalea, a sculpture by Cristina Iglesias that transforms the interior of the building, inspired by the geology of the Basque coast and the force of the sea around the island (Turismo Euskadi).

The island has a long history for its size. According to Wikipedia, a hermitage was built on top in the 14th century, people sick with plague were moved here at the end of the 16th century, and Anglo-Portuguese troops took the island from a French garrison in August 1813. Its endemic lizard, a subspecies of the Iberian wall lizard, lives nowhere else, and yellow-legged gulls are everywhere.

Prices and opening

• Hondalea: free, no booking. The tourism board lists it as open from 1 January to 31 December with a price range of €0–25 (checked November 2026).
• Guided visit: €25 per person, including a tour around La Concha, a guided walk on the island and entry to the lighthouse (Turismo Euskadi, checked November 2026).
• Boat: fares and times not confirmed; contact Motoras de la Isla (+34 943 000 450).
• Island: the tourism board says the island can be visited all year, with summer the main season.

On OpenStreetMap the bar by the quay is the Santa Klara Uharteko Txiringitoa, and there are free public toilets near the lighthouse and a drinking water point near the jetty.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

Summer is when most people go, and the tourism board pitches the island as a summer plan. Go at low tide if you want the beach. For a quieter visit to Hondalea and the picnic lawns, aim for a weekday outside July and August, and confirm the boat is running first.

Nearby alternatives

• San Sebastián, 1 km away: the city around the bay, with La Concha and Ondarreta beaches.
• Wecamp San Sebastián, 4 km away: a campsite on the edge of the city.
• Zarautz, 14 km away: a beach town west along the coast.
• Getaria, 17 km away: a fishing village on the coast road west.
• Zumaia Flysch, 21 km away: cliffs of layered rock.

Distances are in a straight line from the island.

FAQ

How do I get to Isla de Santa Clara?

By boat with Motoras de la Isla from the old port of San Sebastián (kiosk at Plaza Lasta, +34 943 000 450). The mapped route is about 1.1 km.

Do you need tickets for Hondalea?

No. Entry to Hondalea is free and needs no booking; you only need to book the boat. A guided visit costs €25 per person (checked November 2026).

Can you swim at Isla de Santa Clara?

Yes, at the small beach by the jetty, but it only appears around low tide. Some people swim to the island from Ondarreta beach, about 380 m away at the nearest point; only strong swimmers in calm conditions should try it.

Can you visit Santa Clara Island all year?

The Basque tourism board says the island can be visited all year, but summer is the main season. Confirm the boat timetable with the operator before you go.

Is there food on the island?

There is a bar by the quay, and picnic tables on the lawns at the top.

Sources and freshness