Pasaia Ferry and Pasai Donibane to Faro de la Plata

This walk begins with a short passenger ferry crossing of Pasaia harbour, in Gipuzkoa about 6 km east of San Sebastian (Donostia), Spain, and continues on foot along the coast path from Pasai Donibane to the Faro de la Plata lighthouse. The route is about 3 km each way, takes roughly 1 hour in each direction and climbs about 100 m to a lighthouse at around 100 m, so it ranks as easy. The trailhead is the Pasai San Pedro ferry pier at Pasaia. Visitors reach it by Dbus city bus or by Euskotren from Donostia, and no permit is needed. The ferry to Pasai Donibane (Itxaszerbi) was listed at about EUR 1.95 (USD 2.24), with children under 6 free, and the operator can be reached on 630 448 813 or info@itxaszerbi.com, so the fare and hours should be confirmed before travel. Pasai Donibane is a single-street fishing village of tall colourful houses along the water, and the walk starts by following the shoreline out of the village. The surface is a mix of paved lane, stone steps and dirt path, with shade from trees on lower sections and open stretches higher up where the wind can be strong. Exposure is modest, but some parts run close to the cliff edge and the sea. Landmarks include the harbour mouth with its narrow channel, old fortifications on the headland and the lighthouse itself, which is the natural turn-around point before retracing the route to Pasai Donibane. The village has bars and restaurants serving seafood, while there are no refuge huts on the path and no dependable water sources, so a bottle is advisable. Care is needed on the steps, which are slippery in rain. Combining the walk with the ferry gives a short outing that does not require a car, and the return ferry from Pasai Donibane to Pasai San Pedro completes the loop. Because the ferry runs to a timetable and sometimes shuts in rough weather, visitors usually check the schedule at the pier or via the tourism office before setting out.