Igeldo, funicular, amusement park and much more.

Igeldo, one of the most charming corners of Donostia San Sebastian.

Igeldo, one of the most emblematic areas of Donostia San Sebastian, opens its doors to enjoy each and every one of its charms. In addition to having the oldest funicular railway in the Basque Country (in operation since 1912), a very special amusement park (retro and coquettish) and a neighborhood in which today more than 1,000 residents live, Igeldo also offers stunning aerial views over the Bay of La Concha and the city of Donostia San Sebastian. Located at the western end of Donostia, Igeldo is, together with Urgull and Ulia, one of the 3 mountains that protect the city, providing a large green space to the asphalt and cement that reign at his feet, at sea level, in the urban core. We must differentiate Igeldo, a neighborhood of Donostia San Sebastian, from Mount Igeldo, name that take both the funicular and the amusement park, and is that the set formed by the amusement park and the funicular has nothing to do with the rest of spaces that are scattered on the slopes of this Basque space.

The most popular and widespread image of Donostia San Sebastian, the one in which you can admire the bay from a bird’s eye view, is one of the many views offered by Igeldo, perhaps the most famous and international image of Gipuzkoa. This shot can be captured from several of the panoramic terraces of Mount Igeldo, either from the funicular itself or from the amusement park.

If you are looking for a family plan in Donostia San Sebastian and surroundings, Monte Igeldo represents one of the best options along with Albaola and Pasaia. For the youngest members of the family, immersing themselves in an amusement park built more than 100 years ago is like traveling back in time. Another alternative to Igeldo, is to visit Albaola, where they build a Basque whaler of the sixteenth century with the same techniques and tools as back then, another trip back in time that we have already talked about in our article Albaola, a treasure of our history. Two incredible plans, in which both adults and children will discover 2 of the best kept treasures of Gipuzkoa.

Walk: Both before and after venturing to discover the surprises hidden in Igeldo, we suggest a nice walk along the sea. A route that shows us several of the most striking corners of the capital of Gipuzkoa, among them:

If you want to make this tour in full, if you want more details, do not hesitate to read our article about the coastal promenade of Donostia San Sebastian.

Urban nuclei: Igeldo is not limited to the Amusement Park and its funicular. The so-called Monumental Complex is only a small part of Igeldo, one of the most striking neighborhoods of Donostia. This urban nucleus forms, together with 13 other neighborhoods, the capital of Gipuzkoa, the beautiful Donostia San Sebastian.

A neighborhood that, although in recent years has wanted to give shape to its own personality by becoming an independent locality, for now, it is still part of Donostia. Igeldo is currently home to about 1,000 people scattered between the Amezti housing development, the original urban core and the houses located on the northern slope, leaving much of its surface to green spaces.

The best view of Donostia San Sebastian: The location of Igeldo, together with its altitude and urban structure give us one of the best views of all Donostia. A view that on clear days crosses the mouth of Pasaia to let our imagination fly towards the coast of the French Basque Country. This panoramic view is the first thing that catches our attention if we go up by funicular, the first photo from Igeldo.

Although the view described above captures the attention of most of the people who visit us, it is not the only one, from the Igeldo lighthouse, you can enjoy magnificent views of the Cantabrian Sea and part of the coast of Orio, a town known for its good culinary(temple of sea bream and grilled fish) and sporting (one of the most prominent trawlers of the Basque fleet).

Monumental Complex: The set formed by the Amusement Park and Funicular of Monte Igeldo, was named Monumental Complex in 2014. An appointment, which aims to preserve intact the spirit and essence of this Basque space. This historic corner of Euskadi preserves as the first day the most emblematic attractions and elements of this park in San Sebastian. An idyllic place, where time seems to have stopped more than 100 years ago.

Amusement park: The Igeldo amusement park is not an ordinary amusement park. It is an old-fashioned amusement park, a park, in which the attractions of dizzying speeds, modern and with strange names have no place. And the fact is that Igeldo’s attractions are practically the same as when they were inaugurated more than 100 years ago, almost nothing.

An amusement park full of charm of which there are hardly any left in the world. Among all its attractions, the Swiss Mountain or the mysterious river stand out, but they are not the only ones, here is a small list of all of them:

Believe it or not, although the old attractions of Igeldo do not attract attention at first glance like the modern ones we find all over the world, we can assure that they are suitable to entertain young and old alike. Attractions of a lifetime, well maintained, safe, beautiful and in perfect working order. The park also has complementary services such as ice cream stores, churros, souvenirs and something else. You can download the map of Igeldo by clicking on the following button.

Download Map of Igeldo

Funicular: The Igeldo Funicular, the oldest in the Basque Country, occupies a privileged place in our article on the funiculars of Euskadi. And it is that, to the fact of being the oldest funicular of our land we must add the fact that it also has one of the best views of them all. Inaugurated on August 25, 1912 by Maria Cristina, this 312-meter long railroad line leads directly to the amusement park of the same name, allowing us to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Donostia San Sebastian at its highest point (upper station). The lower station, located in the funicular square, is located very close to the Peine del Viento, one of the most famous works of art in the Basque Country.

El Torreón: In the upper part of the park, in the center, presiding over the park of Igeldo, we find the Torreón (also known as “La Farola”), an old lighthouse of firewood of the seventeenth century, which today has been converted into a viewpoint. From it, it is possible to contemplate on sunny days the Cape of Matxitxako or the coast of the French Basque Country. The history of this lighthouse goes back to the XVI century, and it is that, at that time, already existed a luminous signal that indicated the situation of Igeldo to the ships that wanted to enter the port. This lighthouse, located about 180 meters above sea level, was built by the Consulate of San Sebastian, and was a strategic point until 1854, the year in which the new lighthouse was built, falling into oblivion. In 1912, it was decided to recover the old lighthouse, adding a new floor and turning it into a visible emblem of the Parque de Atracciones Monte Igeldo.

The lighthouse: Halfway between Ondarreta beach and the Igeldo Amusement Park, in the middle of the hillside, we find the lighthouse. A white building located on the western flank, which was built in 1854 to replace the old lighthouse, the lighthouse of firewood. Located about 134 meters above sea level, 46 meters less than the original lighthouse, this structure that today works with electric energy, in the past worked with different energies, among which we find oil, kerosene or petroleum among others. This light illuminates the Cantabrian Sea that lashes the cliffs of Igeldo, warning of its cruel fate to anyone who approaches Igeldo by sea.

How to get there: Although the most emblematic and used transport is the funicular, it is not the only way to get to the top of Igeldo, here are all the options to get to the Amusement Park:

Having explained all the options to get to the top of Igeldo, we must point out that only the funicular includes the entrance to the amusement park, in the other options, you must pay the price of admission to the park.

Prices: Here is a brief summary of the most important prices of Monte Igeldo and its attractions.

It is nice to see how Donostia San Sebastian has been able to preserve the city’s amusement park as it was in the past, as it was more than 100 years ago. Enjoying Igeldo is like enjoying a trip back in time. A must for anyone visiting Euskadi.