Gijón is a city in the north of Spain, located specifically in the Asturias region. It is surrounded by green mountains, steep cliffs and natural and wild beaches , but the beautiful landscapes are not the only thing that will get you hooked on this attractive place. In addition to great restaurants and cider houses where you can taste the delicious gastronomy of Asturias (to which we already dedicate its well-deserved separate article), Gijón is home to many museums, an aquarium, ancient archaeological sites and a botanical garden. Here we leave you our list with the best things you can see and do in Gijón if you have the opportunity to visit this beautiful city.
What to see in Gijón, one of the most beautiful cities in Asturias
Cimavilla, the old town of Gijón
The old town of Gijón is located on the small peninsula whose summit is the Cerro de Santa Catalina . That is where the primitive Roman Gijón settled, whose name has not been able to be clarified until now. Over the centuries, this neighborhood of the city has received the name of Cimavilla ( Cimadevilla , in Spanish) and has traditionally been the fishermen’s neighborhood of Gijón , since it was located next to the old port (which today is the Leisure port, sports port). Today its streets are home to a multitude of cider houses and restaurants, but the colors and materials of always remain vivid in them.
Atlantic Botanical Garden
The Atlantic Botanical Garden of Gijón is located 5 km southeast of the city center, and is a charming, peaceful and green area very far from the city. It presents more than 2000 varieties of plants , many of which are indigenous to the north of Spain and the Atlantic coastal regions. Two of the highlights are the Jardin de la Isla – a historic garden over 150 years old – and the La Carbayeda El Tragamón Natural Monument, a natural forest with 400-year-old trees.
San Lorenzo Beach
San Lorenzo is the main beach in the city of Gijón and one of the most impressive urban beaches in northern Spain. A long stretch of fine yellow sand, it is framed by a high stone wall and backed by a promenade with restaurants and shops. The beach is very popular with families and bathers and can be very crowded in summer. In other seasons, it is also popular with water sports enthusiasts, where there are surf schools and kayak and windsurf rentals .
Cerro Santa Catalina Park
Santa Catalina Hill sits high above the city with views of downtown on one side and the ocean on the other. The whole area is a giant park, perfect for strolling, exploring, and picnicking . There are a few playgrounds, as well as lots of lush grass and stunning views. At the top is the old artillery battery, complete with cannons, and further up, is Eduardo Chillida’s sculpture “Elogio al Horizonte”.
In Praise of the Horizon
This huge sculpture by the Spanish Basque artist Eduardo Chillida is an iconic place in the city. From here you can see the entire coast and the city. Being underneath the concrete sculpture, you can hear the amplified sound waves, making the sea echo like a gigantic seashell . From this point you can see both beaches, Playa de San Lorenzo and Playa de Poniente.
Campo Valdés Roman Baths
To the west of San Lorenzo beach, and near Santa Catalina hill, are the ancient Roman Baths, built around 100 AD. Upon entering, you can move through its corridors, looking at the ruins and learning all about the different functions of the rooms and how they helped the health of the people who lived here at the time: cold areas, hot bathing areas and hot spaces. used as saunas …
Cape of Peñas
This geographical feature is located half an hour west of Gijón, but it is worth every minute of panoramic travel through the northernmost cape of the Asturias region. The lighthouse, grassy cliffs, and ocean-lashed rocky foothills make this place very photogenic .
There is a boardwalk that guides you to the edge of the cliffs with signs that inform you of the human and natural history of this place. The lighthouse was built in 1852 and has a range of 41 nautical miles in good weather, reaching further than any other in the region.
What you can do during your trip to Gijón
Discover the essence of Asturias at the Muséu del Pueblu d’Asturies
To the east of the city center and the Plaza Mayor is this museum of Asturian culture . On the outside it is avant-garde and contemporary, while on the inside and at the back are old stone houses and historical displays. Discover the traditional Asturian bagpipes, the elegant carriages , engravings, lithographs, photographs and old documents that show what life was like here in the old days.
Visit the Birthplace of Jovellanos
This museum is the birthplace of the politician, philosopher and author of the Age of Enlightenment Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744-1811) . It is located in the large square of the same name and is a beautiful 18th century building. On the main floor, objects from his life are displayed, as well as original furniture. On the upper level, the visitor can see works of art from the late 19th and 20th centuries by various Asturian artists, including the Gijón-born painter Evaristo Valle.
Soak up marine nature at the Gijón aquarium
The aquarium is right on the Poniente beach. It is the only aquarium in Spain that houses the five types of vertebrates: fish, birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians. There are 4,000 animals in total of 400 different species, and both in marine and freshwater environments . The attraction has a strong educational bent, so in addition to getting closer than ever to animals such as otters, clown fish, seahorses, octopuses and sharks, you will get detailed information about their habitats, survival methods and diet.
Take a break at the TalasoPoniente spa
At the eastern end of Poniente Beach, overlooking the marina, is the Gijón Thalassotherapy Center, which takes advantage of the ocean’s water, mud, algae and seaweed for a wide variety of treatments . It is not necessary to be a member to use its facilities: you can buy a three-hour pass and pamper yourself with seaweed baths, steamships and beauty treatments, there is also a gym, a physiotherapy center, a swimming pool, sports facilities and a cafeteria .
Go hiking in Gijón
Gijón is an industrial area, but next to the city is the sumptuous Asturian countryside with its green hills and the Atlantic forest of oak, ash and beech.
A light rural walk for all ages is the Vía Verde de La Camocha, a 7.2-kilometer path along the course of an old mining railway . Along the route there are pieces of mining heritage, as well as signs of the wealth generated by the industry, such as mansions and farms. The Camino de Santiago also passes through Gijón, so you can go out into the countryside picking up this old pilgrimage path to the west or east of the city; just follow the scallop shells.
