Pasaia Donibane
Year: 2026
Population: 2161+
Pasai Donibane, also known as Pasajes San Juan, belongs to the province of Gipuzkoa, 12 km from the capital, San Sebastián. It forms part of the four districts that comprise Pasaia (Pasajes): Pasajes San Pedro, Trintxerpe, Pasajes Antxo, and Pasajes San Juan. Its geographical boundaries are considered to be Hondarribia (Mount Jaizkibel), Lezo, and the ports entrance to the Cantabrian Sea. It is a captivating place; something similar must have happened to Victor Hugo, the author of "Journey to the Pyrenees and the Alps," among other books, during his stay in this municipality. He wrote the following about Pasai Donibane:
Pasajes has only one street. I have walked its entire length.
Nothing is more cheerful or serene than Pasajes seen from the bay side;
nothing is more severe or somber than Pasajes seen from the mountain side.
Its houses are palaces in front and huts in back.
When you arrive by sea,
your chest expands and you believe you are in a bucolic place.
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| View from Pasaia Donibane. | Pasaia Donibane Street. |
Its main festivities, Santiago, run from July 23rd to July 31st. The 27th of that month is a great opportunity to eat grilled sardines, as tradition dictates.
It should be noted that during Holy Week, specifically on Good Friday, the procession that takes place is worth seeing and is of tourist interest.
On the eve of Saint Juans (Saint Johns) Day, June 24th, that is, June 23rd, a bonfire is lit, preceded by the Aurresku (Basque dance), around a tree. There, the old and the bad are burned away; straw effigies (mastros), representing evil, are made to burn in the purifying fire. The bonfire is usually lit in Santiago Square.
Our walk begins at the chimney; it is all that remains of the porcelain factory. You can not get lost; we will head down the only long, narrow street.
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| Chimney Pasaia Donibane. | Juan Bautista church. |
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| Street Pasaia Donibane. | Wooden house. |
As the last image shows, in relation to sports it is easy to find the color pink, traineras (rowing boats) gain importance in this area, San Juan-Koxtape with the name trainera Erreka, for example.
Pasaia has a natural harbor which is divided into an industrial zone and a marina.
Speaking of boats, since 2018, every two years, except during the Covid-19 pandemic (2020), Pasai Donibane also celebrates the Pasaia Maritime Festival, where you can see some very unique vessels. It is an important day on the maritime calendar with a massive influx of visitors.
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| Marina. | Departure of a ship. | Pasaia Donibane Maritime Festival. |
Pasai Donibane is a fishing and religious village, and this is immediately apparent upon entering the Basilica of Santo Cristo de Bonanza. You will notice a boat hanging from the ceiling in the image.
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| Basilica of Santo Cristo de Bonanza. |
We bid farewell, as Victor Hugo would say, to this "little radiant paradise." With admiration and affection.
With this farewell, we show you the coat of arms located in the Arizabalo Palace, the current town hall.
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| Coat of arms of Arizabalo . | Coat of arms of Pasaia Donibane |