San Sebastian

We've been to San Sebastian with our kids. Here's what we learned about finding hospital there.

Good to Know

San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque) is a small city with one main hospital. Hospital Universitario Donostia is the primary facility, located in the southern part of the city about 15 minutes by taxi from La Concha beach. For emergencies, call 112. It's a modern, well-equipped public hospital run by the Basque health service Osakidetza.

Hospital Donostia has a pediatric emergency section. The hospital is easy to reach by bus (line 5 from the city center) or taxi. For non-emergencies, there are PAC (Punto de Atencion Continuada) urgent care points that handle minor issues with shorter waits. San Sebastian is a small city so you're never more than 20 minutes from the hospital. If you're visiting during the summer beach season or the film festival in September, the ER can be busier than usual.

English is limited at Hospital Universitario Donostia. Staff speak Spanish and Basque, and younger doctors may speak some English. The emergency department has dealt with tourists before but don't count on fluent English communication. Having a translation app ready is practical advice.

The pediatric emergency department at Hospital Donostia handles children's emergencies. It's separated from the adult ER. The staff are experienced and the Basque Country has some of the best health outcomes in Spain.

Save travel-er.app on your phone before your trip. You probably won't need it. But if you do, you'll be glad it's there.

This page is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Information may be outdated or inaccurate. Always call ahead to confirm. See our full disclaimer.

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Sources: Osakidetza - Basque Health Service · CDC Travel Health: Spain