Before coming to Donostia-San Sebastián, I was unsure whether I would like it very much. It seemed like the typical Spanish beach town and it didn’t look like there were many places for digital nomads to work. But after a month of living here, I can confidently say it is my new favorite city in Spain and they even have great coffee shops for working! So if you are a digital nomad looking for your next stop in Spain, add San Sebastián to the bucket list.

My Favorite Cafes for Working in San Sebastián, Spain

Simona Specialty Coffee

Simona Specialty Coffee (formerly known as OhBaba) in Gros neighborhood is easily my favorite cafe in San Sebastián. With a modern interior, great coffee, friendly staff, and plenty of seating, it felt like a piece of California in Spain. It’s pricier than other cafes but well worth it, especially since they allow you to stay as long as you like. And a huge bonus, all of their drinks are made with oat milk which means you don’t pay extra for a milk alternative!

Wifi: 8

Coffee: 10

Prices: 7

Atmosphere: 10

Outlets: 2

Seating: 9

Enxalao

Another great cafeteria in Gros is Enxalao. When I first passed by it seemed as if it were just a brunch restaurant but later I noticed some people working on their computers inside. The vibe is not as relaxed as OhBaba, it is a fairly busy place where people mainly go to eat, but it is still a great option. They have pintxos, brunch foods, fast wifi, and outdoor seating.

Wifi: 9

Coffee: 7

Prices: 7

Atmosphere: 8

Outlets: 8

Seating: 8

Koh Tao

In the old town, my favorite spot was Koh Tao, an artistic coffee shop with a unique crowd. If you are looking for a cafe that feels more Spanish (or Basque I should say), this is the best spot. They have tapas/pintxos, great coffee, outdoor seating, and good prices.

Wifi: 8

Coffee: 8

Prices: 8

Atmosphere: 9

Outlets: 2

Seating: 8

Norta Cafe

In Gros neighborhood, Norta Cafe is similar to Enxalao but much bigger. It is mainly a restaurant but they have a designated area for online workers (although there aren’t any outlets in that space). They also provide free wifi but I found myself getting kicked off of it every half hour. I wouldn’t recommend it if wifi is an essential part of your work but otherwise, it is a great place to grab brunch and work comfortably.

Wifi: 3

Coffee: 7

Prices: 8

Atmosphere: 8

Outlets: 1

Seating: 10

Loft Cafeteria

This is the typical Spanish cafeteria where you find old locals slowly sipping espressos, reading the newspaper, and unabashedly people-watching. However, it is a surprisingly great place to work, there is lots of natural lighting, the breakfast menu is cheap, and the staff is friendly. They don’t have the best coffee but I do like their croissants.

Wifi: 8

Coffee: 5

Prices: 9

Atmosphere: 7

Outlets: 6

Seating: 7

Tabakalera Cultural Center

The Tabakalera is an international center for contemporary culture in the Basque country; even if you don’t go work here, it is an impressive building to visit and learn about Basque history, enjoy art shows, and attend workshops. The library offers an area for working and there is free wifi, plenty of seating, outlets, and even coffee and snack machines. This is a beautiful place to work and it was nice to bring my own lunch for once, instead of spending 9 euros on an avocado toast.

Santander Coworking

I’ve seen these Santander Coworking spaces all over Spain, there is an especially impressive one in Barcelona. I’m not sure I understand the concept completely—because it seems too good to be true—but it is essentially a free coworking space with a cafeteria. Coworking spaces usually cost 15 euros a day or 180 a month so a free coworking space is pretty insane. I probably should have taken advantage of this but every time I passed by it was completely empty and I enjoy having a nice atmosphere when I work. It may sound silly but since I spend most of my days in cafes doing my work online, I like to be in a beautiful space surrounded by other people. However, if you want a quiet workspace (and even a private office for video calls) this would be perfect.

Starbucks

I won’t go into detail because it’s a Starbucks—enough said—but I will say that they typically close at 21, the air conditioning isn’t too strong (most Starbucks I’ve been to require snow gear), there isn’t much seating, and there are only a few outlets. It is in the old town and located right next to Santander Coworking so you can check out both and choose for yourself.

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I hope this list of Donostia-San Sebastián’s internet cafes was useful! Check out my other coffee shop recommendations for Barcelona, Lisbon, Nice, and Porto! And follow my Instagram @honey_gouda for travel inspo, mini vlogs, food pics, & yoga.