Spain is a favourite destination for many tourists. Beaches, fine sands and towering palm trees - sounds like a dream, right? And with so many attractions to visit, you can't get bored. Even the little ones can have fun, especially if you visit one of the famous water parks. In short, everyone in the family can have fun! One of the lesser-known locations where it's not so crowded is Gijón. It is located on the northern coast of Spain, in the province of Asturias, opening onto the Cantabrian Sea and the Bay of Biscay. The city is the 15th largest in Spain, so you'll be able to visit it all, no problem. In this travel guide we'll show you what you can do in a 3-day city break in Gijon!
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Transport
You can get from the airport to Gijon by bus in 45 minutes. Be careful when buying bus tickets about the type of journey! There are both direct journeys to Gijon and journeys with a change of bus in other cities. Both types of journeys are available every hour. The bus schedule from the airport starts at 8 am and the last departure is at 23:59. You can buy tickets costing around €9 for direct travel on the Eurolines app.
Accommodation
Whether you have a higher or lower holiday budget, accommodation prices start from as little as €30 per night. Nor are prices for hotels with sea views so high compared to other cities. Just imagine waking up and admiring the seascape right from bed, next to your partner! Gijon allows you to enjoy the beauty of the sea while you can explore its surprising history that blends with maritime wildlife and nature.
Our recommendation is Hotel La Polar just 400 m from the beach and 10 minutes from the historic centre. The rooms have a terrace, private bathroom, TV, Wifi and toiletries. In addition, the hotel is pet-friendly. Prices per night start at around 60 euro.
ITINERARY BY DAYS
DAY 0
- Arrival at Oviedo airport from where you take the bus directly to Gijon
- You check in around 12-14 hours and from about 15 hours we recommend a walk in Old Town of the city
Cimadevilla
Old Town of Gijon (Cimadevilla) is located in the harbour area right in the city centre, so you can easily walk there. Here you will find the city's iconic buildings: Revillagigedo Palace from the 17th century and Church of Saint Peter. Beside this historical ensemble you can also admire the sea that is crashing powerfully against the cliffs of the hill on which the Old Centre stretches. Walking around, you will discover numerous fortifications of historical importance.
You will find small terraces and restaurants where you can have dinner. From snack bars to select restaurants, you're sure to satisfy your appetite. We really wanted to dine on a small terrace near the sea, and we saw on the menu that there is a charge of about 2-3 euros for this treat. Food with a view'' is a concept you pay for in Gijon.
DAY 1
- Tapas for breakfast in the centre
- Walk in Cerro de Santa Catalina Park
- Authentic Asturian lunch
- Relaxing on Playa de Poniente and Playa de San Lorenzo
- Dinner with International Influencers
Restaurants and in general all shops have different opening hours than in Romania. Some are only open in the evening or at night, others are open in the morning until 11am and after 4pm. Spaniards in general are very respectful of free time and lunch breaks, so you'll have to get used to it. Besides, there is even one day a week when restaurants are not open at all. Not all restaurants are open in the morning, so we recommend trying the famous tapas starters at The Count (open from 10 am on Sundays and from 8 am on Fridays and Saturdays) or Robi open only on Fridays and Saturdays from 8.
Cerro de Santa Catalina Park
After breakfast, you're ready for a walk in the Cerro de Santa Catalina Park which is located in the highest part of the hill of the Old Centre. Still, when you reach the top you won't regret it. All the effort of climbing up there will give you a view of the splendor of the Cantabrian Sea. Here, the waves gently crash against the rocks and the breeze you feel will take your breath away. Time seems to stand still! It's a beautiful place to read, rest on a bench or just admire the beauty of the waves and nature.
Playa de Poniente and Playa de San Lorenzo
If you are going up to the park from the Old Centre, we recommend you to go down the other side towards Playa de San Lorenzo. The views are great, so take your camera with you or save your phone battery! Access to the beach is free and the beach stretches over a large area. Now it's time to relax and enjoy the fairly high waves here!
Afterwards, we recommend that you return to the Old Town area but not on the hill, but on the streets to explore the city. The distance is quite short, so don't worry. From the Old Centre, you will see a crescent Playa de Poniente. Here the waves are smaller, but the scenery will blow you away. From the beach you can admire the view of the deep blue sea. The panorama is accompanied by a stretch of coastline with colourful buildings, reminiscent of the views of southern Italy.
And for the evening meal, we recommend Restaurant La Buena Vida Fomento located in the harbour near the Old Centre, right next to the beach. For 50 euro, 2 people we had a main course, 3 cocktails, a coffee and a colacao (Spanish drink - a bit like hot chocolate but much more delicious). The restaurant also had a bar where people were dancing and having fun!
Day 2
- Morning tapas
- Oceanographic Museum
- Lunch at the Oceanographic Museum
- Museum of the Asturian People
- Asturian dinner
Start your morning in Spanish style! You won't find a bar or café without sandwiches or muffins. It's worth having a colacao or cafe con leche with a large chicken sandwich at Cafe Dindurra.
Oceanographic Museum
We subsequently went to one of the most important places in the whole region of Asturias - Oceanographic Museum. It is located right next to Poniente beach. We bought tickets on the spot for 17 euros, but there can often be queues, so we recommend buying online for 16 euros from their website. Under 14s will pay 8 euros for the online ticket, while over 65s pay 10.60 euros.
Over 4000 vertebrates and invertebrates can be admired up close, right in the depths of the sea on the 2-hour tour. Even children will be amazed by the sea creatures that are separated from them only by glass. Sharks, turtles, starfish and many other creatures fascinated us.
At the end of the tour there is a small shop with souvenirs and all sorts of maritime toys. Also in the museum is a restaurant where we had a delicious burger and a muffin. Prices were slightly higher than other restaurants in Gijon, but it came with a great view.
Museum of the Asturian People
Discover the history of the region at Museum of the Asturian People! Folkloric elements and historic buildings stretch over a wide area, both inside and out. The local beauty is accentuated by a river, the place sending you thinking of old Spanish romantic tales. The museum is open from 10am to 7pm during the week, and on weekends and other holidays it opens from 10:30am to 7pm. Please note, every 1st and 6th January, 15th August, 24th, 25th and 31st December the museum is closed all day!
As the region of Asturias is renowned for its green and lively fields, you'll be able to admire them with ease. All the better to admire the contrasting colours of the deep greenery and the blue sea. And if you were already thinking about the cost, well, access is free! The location is about 3 km from the city centre and you can get there in about 15 minutes by bus for 1-2 euros.
To round off a superb evening in Gijón, try an authentic Asturian dinner. Restaurants heavily promote traditional Asturian dishesand the flavours are strong. One of the region's emblematic dishes is the Asturian fabada (you can find it at Restaurants Tino House and La Farola), a stew with large beans, specific meats such as chorizo and saffron. The fusion of flavours is memorable! You'll find that the Asturians are very friendly and will help you find a dish to your taste if you don't know Spanish. Beware though, many of the locals and even employees don't know English. A translation guide might be useful.
Day 3
- Departure from Gijon to the airport
Even in just 2-3 days, you will have pleasant memories in Gijon and can discover a small part of this city. Below are some links that can help you with your planning!
What are you waiting for? The dream vacation is near!
TRANSPORT
ACCOMMODATION
- https://www.airbnb.com.ro/
- https://www.booking.com/city/es/gijon.ro.html
- https://www.booking.com/hotel/es/la-polar.ro.html
TOURIST SPOTS
https://www.gijon.es/en/directorio/museu-del-pueblu-dasturies
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