Public Marketplace (Merkatu Plaza) (2 km) - Open Monday to Saturday,
Eroski supermarket (1.5 km) - Open from 9 AM to 9 PM Monday to Saturday, free parking, complete range of products. The same complex also has many specialized shops (ATM, phone products, hardware, deli, wine merchant, etc.)
Biyona Janaridenda (1 km) - Nearest shop to flat, opens early on Sundays, great place to pick up a few necessary items or just get the day's bread and paper.
Essus Surf (2 km) - Great place to grab some gear, rent a board or book some lessons.
Good People (800 m) - On your way to the beach from the flat, offers boards, accessories and lessons.
Food and Drink - These are all places that we have sampled ourselves and can wholeheartedly recommend. It is by no means a comprehensive list - you'd be hard pressed to find a disappointing establishment anywhere in town.
Talai-Berri Txakolina (1 km) - Just follow Talaimendi Bidea uphill from the flat and you'll find yourself at one of the area's premiere wineries. Book a tour and see what all the fuss is about!
Tidore Food (2 km) - For healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks, with a broad variety of menu options for vegans, omnivores and everything in between, you won't go wrong here. Coffee is artisanally roasted by my son Éamonn.
Bordatxo (2 km) - This is the least pretentious restaurant you'll ever find that comes with its own fan club. We still haven't seen that Michelin star, but this is a great place for home-style cooking with local atmosphere. Don't forget to save some room for tiramisu for dessert!
Charly Restaurante (2 km) - You'd be surprised at how easy it is to find a quality affordable meal on the beachfront. There are many to choose from; this is the one that I generally frequent.
Marina Txiki (2 km) - Great place to have a vermouth on the rocks between a surf session and lunch. Or come in the evening for a pintxo, curated music and a pull from the tap.
Udaberri (2 km) - Great food brought to your table at budget prices.
Izeta Sagardotegia (6 km) - a great example of the legendary Gipuzkoa ciderhouses. It's up in the hills outside of town so you'll need a designated driver or taxi. The car will come in handy for the case of cider that you'll want to bring back with you as well. Txotx!
Or do a pintxo crawl - rather than settling into a single bar, order your favorite tipple, select a pintxo from the bar, then move on to the next one!
The Great Outdoors
The Beach. Obviously.
Mollarri iron ore loading dock (2 km) - You'll see remnants of Gipuzkoa's industrial past from a century ago, but you'll also get some great views of Zarautz, Orio, Getaria and the deep blue sea. Make a day of it and take the trail down to the beach, visit the San Martín chapel, whatever strikes your fancy.
This is the briefest of collections of things to do in the area. Please e-mail me if you have any questions or if you are looking for recommendations beyond what you see here. I'm happy to help! likewise, I am open to any suggestions you may have for inclusion in the above list.