Guide to visiting Tabakalera on your next trip to San Sebastián

In this guide, you will find a different way to enjoy San Sebastián, beyond its beaches, pintxos and seaside walks. Because Donostia can also be experienced through its cultural scene, creative spaces and plans that invite you to see the city from another perspective.

We are talking about Tabakalera, Donostia’s International Centre for Contemporary Culture, a former industrial building transformed into a space that brings together exhibitions, cinema, art, talks, encounters and cultural activities throughout the year.

What you will find

• Exhibitions of contemporary art.
• Cinema and audiovisual proposals.
• Encounters, talks and cultural activities.
• Workshops and creative laboratories.
• Music and live arts.

That is why, before travelling, it is worth checking the programme to see which activities coincide with the dates of your getaway.

Featured exhibitions and activities this season

Over the coming months, Tabakalera is hosting two particularly interesting proposals for those who want to explore art, memory and contemporary narratives during their trip to San Sebastián.

Standing Here Wondering Which Way To Go

From 20 February to 14 June 2026, Tabakalera presents Standing Here Wondering Which Way To Go, an exhibition by Franco-Algerian artist Zineb Sedira.

The exhibition offers a journey through the 1960s and 1970s, a period marked by anti-colonial movements, African independence movements and the role of culture as a driving force for change. Through four scenes of cinema, photography, music, archives and scenography, the exhibition invites visitors to revisit collective memory from a contemporary perspective.

Nāfidha: a window onto the Maghreb

From 24 March to 14 June 2026, Tabakalera also presents Nāfidha: a window onto the Maghreb, a cultural programme that brings the Maghreb closer to San Sebastián through cinema, music, memory, migration and new contemporary narratives.

“Nāfidha” means “window” in Arabic, and the programme works precisely as an opening towards other ways of looking at and understanding the present. Its proposal brings together screenings, encounters, musical activities, spaces for reflection and participatory experiences.

How to include Tabakalera in your getaway to Donostia

Tabakalera can fit into different moments of your trip. You do not need to dedicate a full day to it: it can become a stop on an urban route or the main plan for a cultural afternoon.

Some ideas for organising your visit:

• Start the day at Tabakalera with an exhibition or cultural activity, then continue with a walk through Cristina Enea Park and head towards the Good Shepherd Cathedral.
• Combine the visit with gastronomy by heading afterwards to the Old Town, one of the most emblematic areas to enjoy pintxos and the local atmosphere.
• Save Tabakalera for a quiet afternoon after visiting the city centre, La Concha Bay or the old quarter.

It is also a great option for those who already know San Sebastián’s most iconic places and want to discover a more creative, local and contemporary side of the city.

Tabakalera is an essential stop for adding art, cinema and contemporary culture to your getaway. In addition to its exhibitions, its agenda includes many other activities, such as encounters, workshops, guided visits and proposals for different audiences.

Check the full programme and opening times on the official Tabakalera website and discover another way to experience Donostia: more creative, current and connected to the city’s cultural scene.