If San Sebastián has a soundtrack, it isn’t the roar of the Cantabrian Sea against the Paseo Nuevo; it is the double bass echoing every July in the Plaza de la Trinidad. Welcome to the most complete guide to the Jazzaldia.
There are music festivals, and then there is the Jazzaldia. For us locals (donostiarras), the second half of July isn’t just a date on the calendar; it’s a state of mind. It’s that week when the city shakes off its formality, fills up with syncopation and swing, and where it’s entirely possible to bump into a piano legend buying anchovies in the Old Town.
At Descubre Donostia, we have prepared this in-depth report so that, whether you are a festival veteran or planning your first visit for the summer of 2026, you have absolutely everything under control. From analyzing the lineup fresh out of the oven to parking hacks that only locals know.
📜 A Journey Through Time: From 1966 to Eternity
To understand why the Jazzaldia is a Heritage of San Sebastián, you have to look back. The festival was born on September 10, 1966, making it the dean of jazz festivals in Spain. It was a quixotic idea by Imanol Olaizola and a group of enthusiasts who, in the midst of the Franco dictatorship, decided to open a window of cultural freedom. While the rest of the country lived in black and white, San Sebastián began to sound like bebop.
Milestones that forged the legend
- The Resistance: In the 70s, the festival was a pioneer in bringing musicians from the Eastern Bloc, circumventing censorship and becoming a cultural bridge in the middle of the Cold War.
- The Expansion: Although born in the Plaza de la Trinidad, success forced a move to the Velodrome in the 80s (where Chick Corea played for 14,000 people in 1981). However, the return to “La Trini” in the 90s gave the festival back its intimate soul.
- The B.B. King Record: In 2011, the blues legend gathered 41,000 souls on Zurriola beach. It was a massive farewell that still gives goosebumps to those of us who were there.
📍 Anatomy of the Stages: Choose Your Own Adventure
The Jazzaldia doesn’t happen in a closed venue on the outskirts; the Jazzaldia IS the city. From the majesty of the theaters to the corners where jazz mixes with sea salt. Here is the complete map so you don’t miss a thing:
1. The Sacred Temples (Ticketed)
Where history is written every night.
- Plaza de la Trinidad (“La Trini”): The Heart of Stone Located in the heart of the Old Town (Parte Vieja), between the San Telmo Museum and Mount Urgull. It is an open-air, walled venue dating back to 1963.
- The Experience: It is visceral. Musicians love this place because they feel the breath of the audience. The acoustics of the stone are natural and warm.
- The Ritual: You come here to listen in religious silence… or to dance in the rain. And yes, inside there is a bar serving pork loin sandwiches with peppers and beer. Eating your sandwich while Marcus Miller tunes his bass is a mystical experience.
- Kursaal Auditorium and Victoria Eugenia: The Music Box If you are looking for comfort, air conditioning, and laboratory-grade acoustics, these are your spots.
- Kursaal: The modern cube facing the sea. This is where the big names requiring massive, seated, and silent capacity are scheduled, as will be the case with Diana Krall in 2026.
- Victoria Eugenia: The classic Belle Époque theater. Chandeliers, red velvet, and a proximity to the artist that makes it perfect for more delicate proposals or the JazzEñe cycle.
- San Telmo Museum: Cloister Jazz Right next to La Trini, but in a world apart. The museum’s Renaissance cloister offers incredibly reverberant acoustics. It is the place for acoustic concerts, piano solos, or experimental duos inviting nocturnal introspection.
- Chillida Leku: Sound Sculpture About 15 minutes from the city, Eduardo Chillida’s museum becomes a stage. Watching a concert at sunset, surrounded by monumental steel sculptures and centennial beech trees, is a world-class aesthetic experience.
2. The Street Festival (Free)
Where jazz is for everyone and the party never stops.
- Keler Gunea Stage (Zurriola Beach): Jazz in Flip-flops The largest free stage, right on the sand of Gros beach.
- The Experience: Absolute freedom. Everyone from Bob Dylan to Patti Smith has played here. It is the place to watch the sunset with a beer in hand and your feet in the sand, surrounded by thousands of people. It is the gateway to jazz for new generations and the spot for big pop-rock concerts within the festival.
- The Kursaal Terraces (Frigo Gunea and Fnac Gunea): The Great Vibe Located facing the sea, between the Kursaal building and the beach. These are two twin stages that run non-stop from the afternoon.
- The Vibe: It is the social meeting point par excellence. There are food trucks, artificial grass to lie on, and a constant sea breeze. Here you will discover emerging bands, contemporary jazz, and top-level local groups while having a drink between concerts. If you don’t know where to go, head to the Terraces; something good is always happening.
- Nauticool (Nautical Club): The Perfect Sunset On the terrace of the Nautical Club, over the harbor and overlooking the entire La Concha Bay.
- The Hidden Gem: It is a small and exquisite stage. Imagine a piano solo or a smooth jazz trio as the sun sets behind Santa Clara Island and the boats return to port. It is, quite possibly, the stage with the most beautiful views in the world. Arrive early, capacity is limited and it fills up fast.
3. The Avant-Garde Spaces
Where jazz meets the future.
Garbera and other spaces: In recent years, the festival has expanded to shopping centers like Garbera to “warm up engines” in the days prior, taking music beyond the city center.
Tabakalera: The International Centre for Contemporary Culture. It usually hosts riskier proposals, workshops, or morning concerts on its rooftop or patio. It is the perfect refuge for electronic or experimental jazz.
☔ Anecdotes: Rain, Geniuses, and Bad Tempers
The Cantabrian weather is just another guest artist. And it has left unforgettable moments:
- Keith Jarrett and the Cough: The pianist is famous for demanding total silence. In one of his visits (awarded in 2005), the tension in the auditorium was such that the audience held its breath. Jarrett is capable of stopping a concert if someone coughs. That tension creates a unique electric atmosphere.
- Jamie Cullum, the Storm DJ: In 2013, a torrential downpour threatened to cancel his show on the beach. Far from leaving, Cullum turned the stage into a party, went down into the pit, got soaked with the audience, and improvised a legendary DJ session. Donostia has adored him ever since.
- Joss Stone (2023): Another one who defied the deluge. She sang barefoot and soaked in La Trini, managing to keep everyone in their seats. “If you get wet, I get wet too,” she said.
🍴 Gastro-Guide: Where to Eat Before and After Jazz
Jazzaldia pairs perfectly with gastronomy. But be warned, in July the city is packed. Here is my strategic selection for the Old Town (near La Trini):
- La Cuchara de San Telmo (C/ 31 de Agosto): Hidden in a corner. There is no cold pintxo bar counter, everything is hot and made to order. Order the goat cheese risotto or the carrillera (beef cheek). It is miniature haute cuisine.
- Ganbara (C/ San Jerónimo): The favorite of international chefs. If you want to treat yourself, order the mushrooms with egg yolk dish. It’s expensive, but it’s heaven on earth. Their ham croissants are also legendary.
- Txuleta (Plaza de la Trinidad): If you go to a concert in La Trini, this bar is literally at the entrance. You have to order their T-bone steak croquette. It tastes like embers, it tastes like Sunday, it tastes like glory.
- La Viña (C/ 31 de Agosto): Dessert? No discussion. La Viña’s cheesecake is famous all over the world (even the New York Times talks about it). It is creamy, toasted on the outside, and liquid on the inside.
🚌 Survival Logistics
San Sebastián in July can be chaotic if you come by car. Avoid fines and stress with these tips:
The Car Mistake
Don’t try to park in the center. The blue zone (OTA) is very expensive and time-limited.
- The Solution: Use the Illunbe Park and Ride (hospitals/Anoeta area). In summer it is usually free and includes a shuttle bus or direct connection with Dbus line 28 that drops you in the center in 10 minutes.
Night Transport: The “Gautxoris”
The festival ends late, but Dbus (city buses) reinforces the service. Night lines (“Búhos” or “Gautxoris”) run all night on weekends and until 3-4 AM on weekdays during the festival.
- Savings Trick: Buy an anonymous MUGI card at any tobacconist (it costs €5 and you top it up). The trip will cost you €0.48 instead of €1.85, and it allows free transfers. It can be used by several people!
Accommodation: Define Your Tribe
- Gros: If you are coming for the beach concerts and like the surfer and young vibe.
- Old Town (Parte Vieja): If you have a season ticket for the Plaza de la Trinidad and don’t mind night noise.
- El Antiguo: If you are looking to sleep peacefully and walk along La Concha every morning to get to the center (about 25 min walk).
👶 Txikijazz and Local Talent
If you are coming as a family, don’t miss Txikijazz. These are morning concerts and workshops in places like the Kursaal terraces or Tabakalera, designed so that children can enjoy music without it being dumbed down.
And for talent scouts: keep an eye on the JazzEñe sessions at 12:30 at the Victoria Eugenia. For a symbolic price, you will see the best of national jazz before they make the international leap.
🎷 THE BOMBSHELL: Preview of the 61st Edition (July 2026)
Updated December 29, 2025
If you are reading this, it’s because you know that “La Trini” season tickets are like gold dust. The organization has just released the first names and tickets went on sale just a few days ago. After the resounding success of the 60th anniversary last year, the 2026 edition (from July 22 to 26) promises to return to the purest essence of jazz mixed with the avant-garde.
Here we break down the must-sees already confirmed so you can run to get your ticket:
1. The Royalty of Vocal Jazz: Diana Krall and Samara Joy
This year, the festival is betting heavily on great female voices.
- Diana Krall (July 26, Kursaal): The Canadian returns home. Krall is synonymous with elegance and box office success. She will close the festival at the Kursaal Auditorium, and be warned: her concerts here usually sell out in a matter of weeks. It is the perfect option for those seeking classic, sophisticated, and perfectly executed jazz.
- Samara Joy (July 23, Kursaal): If Krall is the established queen, Samara is the new empress. With several Grammys in her pocket at her young age, many compare her to Sarah Vaughan. Seeing her in 2026 is seeing jazz history being written live. It is, possibly, the coolest concert of this edition.
2. Guitar Legends: Pat Metheny
On July 25, the Kursaal will welcome Pat Metheny with his project Side-Eye III+. Metheny has a special romance with Donostia (he has played here in countless formats). His ability to reinvent himself and surround himself with young musicians who challenge him ensures that we won’t see a nostalgic concert, but a lesson in futurism.
3. The Necessary Tribute: “We Want Miles!”
On July 25, the Plaza de la Trinidad will experience a historic night. Bassist Marcus Miller and trumpeter Charles Tolliver lead a tribute to Miles Davis. It’s not just any tribute band; they are musicians who played with him, who breathed his air. Marcus Miller, with his characteristic hat and unmistakable bass, will make the stones of the Old Town shake with the darkest and most electric funk of Miles’ era.
4. European Avant-Garde: Nils Petter Molvær and Louis Sclavis
For the most demanding ears, the festival brings Norwegian Nils Petter Molvær on July 24 with his masterpiece Khmer. Prepare for a fusion of lyrical trumpet and electronic beats that will transport you to the fjords. And to close the morning cycle on Sunday the 26th, French clarinetist Louis Sclavis will present India, a chamber jazz delicatessen.
In summary: Jazzaldia 2026 is coming on strong. With Diana Krall and Pat Metheny headlining a luxury lineup, and the most beautiful city in the world as the stage, the only question is: do you have your ticket yet?
See you at La Trini!