The 10 most interesting things to see and do in Gijón

It is very likely that the first emperor in the history of the Roman Empire, Octavian Augustus, would have fallen in love with this city when he conquered the castro of Noega in the Campa del Cabo Torres, although in reality you don't have to be an emperor to fall in love with Gijón/Xixón, just stand next to the statue of Augustus in the Campo Valdés, and contemplate the view... You will find that you lack the words to describe the sensation!

Gijón/Xixón, with Greek and Latin reminiscences in its name, and a history deeply linked to European classical antiquity and pre-Roman Asturian settlements, is a kind of natural fortress with three battlements designed by the sea and the wind with powerful rocks and cliffs: starting from the west is Cape Torres, then the Cerro de Santa Catalina, and to the east closes the city with Cape San Lorenzo.

The fortified orography of Gijón/Xixón makes it a very special place, overlooking dream beaches, drawing a coastline where the routes and views are simply spectacular.

For all these reasons, Gijón/Xixón is a sort of immense open-air saltwater spa where leisure and joie de vivre can be breathed in every pore of its skin: bustle in its streets, on its terraces, atmosphere on its beaches and along its sea and river promenades, people walking or cycling along its coastal and inland routes.

The city is definitely an ideal place for enjoyment: sport, culture, shows, gastronomy and plenty of entertainment are one of the backbones of Gijón/Xixón. Catch waves like an accomplished surfer, run like an athlete, skate like a champion, walk with the sea breeze on all four sides, look out from a panoramic viewpoint over the coast, visit a pre-Roman settlement or a Roman villa, attend a show in the best theatres or in the street, savour the most Asturian cuisine almost at the foot of the water, or contemplate the three massifs of the Picos de Europa and the Central Mountains from the Campa de Torres, are just some of the surprises that Gijón/Xixón has in store for you.

The 10 best things to see and do in Gijón

The Cerro de Santa Catalina is the embryo of the city of Gijón/Xixón. Every centimetre of the Cimavilla peninsula holds a story. In the different ages of mankind, the Cerro - called by some the Gibraltar of the Bay of Biscay - was felt and built as a defensive enclave and military camp, due to its privileged location.

The first inhabitants who clearly gave it a military use were the Romans, who left abundant remains in the ancient Gigia, such as the remains of a wall or the thermal baths of Campo Valdés.

So the historic centre of Gijón will never cease to surprise you every time you look at the ground or the sky. Especially when you discover that in the past, Cimadevilla became an island - in the style of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy - with the rising tide. It will be with the development of the city beyond this initial nucleus - especially from the 18th century onwards - that the space will take on its present form, with its collegiate church and palace of Revillagigedo, the town hall and its square, the port, the church of San Pedro...

The walk will not leave you indifferent: you will savour history, between saltpetre and tides, and you will understand the resilient spirit of the Asturians or the Roman way of life, in such a beautiful setting that you will find it simply unforgettable. And of course, at the top of the hill, you can admire the famous Eulogy of the Horizon, a giant sculpture that is now the tourist symbol of the city.

Gijón/Xixón and its inhabitants make the city a huge open-air home, and you will feel the hospitality at every step and every moment.

The streets, boulevards and squares are one of the best places to enjoy the air or the sun, to meet up with friends to enjoy a few bottles of cider or a few wines, to enjoy the vermouth hour or a good lunch...

The streets of Gijón are often filled with music, theatre and shows for all tastes, ages and trends.

Another very pleasant option is shopping. For example, in the outskirts of the old town, some streets are pedestrianised and offer a very friendly environment for all kinds of shopping, from the classic souvenirs reminiscent of Asturias to everything your imagination and possibilities reach: fashion, decoration, gastronomy, art, etc.

A very typical scene that you will experience in this warm and large open-air home is the pouring of natural cider, both inside the cider houses and in the terraces and squares, all in the middle of an incredible atmosphere of conversation and relaxation...

A perfect and very graphic example of this lifestyle can be found on the famous Cuesta del Cholo, in the area of what is now Gijón's marina - formerly a fishing port - which, with the arrival of good weather, becomes a veritable amphitheatre of joy, washed down with cider, sun and foam, preserving the old seafaring and fishing spirit that for centuries was the modus vivendi of the inhabitants of Gigia.

The marina of Gijón, at the very foot of the ancient Gigia, traces a spectacular silhouette of a sea of masts, which shines especially on sunny days. What was once a notable fishing port, with a long tradition in the city, still conserves its seafaring essence, and is one of the most pleasant walks and corners of Gijón/Xixón that overlooks the sea.

In what used to be Gijón's rula, which has been restored with great fidelity to the past, are now the marina buildings, which are a constant coming and going of sailors and yachtsmen from all over the world, giving the city a cosmopolitan and seafaring air that dazzles locals and foreigners alike.

The area is so popular that it is always full of life, and the restaurants and cider bars in the surrounding area also contribute to this. On the other hand, the mere fact of being right at the foot of the historic quarter of Cimavilla and the hill of Santa Catalina will allow you to bathe in history and atmosphere, since in Cimavilla you will find pleasant terraces, workshops and art galleries, craft shops, and of course that unique flavour of the old fishermen's quarters.

If you are a beach lover, Gijón/Xixón is a real paradise. It is not in vain that it is one of the most famous cities in Spain for its sandy beaches, with the San Lorenzo beach, in the heart of the city's coastline, standing out for its tradition, and which has its rocky extension in the beaches of Los Mayanes and El Cervigón. But the Poniente and El Arbeyal beaches are also very attractive.

If you prefer the tranquillity of a rural beach, although just a few kilometres from the town centre and very well communicated, there are many options for all tastes and times: Peñarrubia, Serín, La Cagonera, Estaño or La Ñora.

If you take the time to visit them all, you will realise that each one offers you a different sensation, and that they change their appearance and atmosphere depending on the time of day and the season of the year. But they are always beaches to fall in love with.

Gijón/Xixón is surrounded by paths and trails, both along the coast and inland, and all of them are journeys where you will find landscapes, corners and places to dream in green.

You will discover several trails and greenways in Gijón, which take you from the city itself to its quiet rural area, and if you retrace your steps, you return again to the hustle and bustle.

Magnificent examples of the quality and warmth of Gijón's routes are two that connect the city with its more rural areas: the Piles river path and the La Camocha greenway.

The Piles river path runs placidly beside the river, with its soothing murmur and amid landscapes where orchards, forests and farmhouses can be glimpsed, and reaches the parish of Vega, where the mining town of La Camocha is located.

The greenway runs along what used to be an old railway branch, linking the Tremañes neighbourhood with the La Camocha mine in Huerces.

Both paths are very atmospheric and it is common to see hikers and cyclists walking along them, either at a relaxed pace or at a training pace. But all in an atmosphere that invites you to relax and commune with nature. And all with the city right next door. A real luxury based on the charm of simplicity.

Another of the characteristics that make Gijón/Xixón a different city, with a halo of seduction well above the average, are its museums and its spaces dedicated to culture.

You will see that the city proudly exhibits museums in the city centre, located in historic palaces, but it also shows its past and its origins to the world in those places where it took place, and where even today you will appreciate the vibrations of fascinating facts, of cultures already buried by the passing of time, and which appear before your eyes to tell you how much of them there is in the present.

Among these particularly interesting sites is the Campa de Torres hillfort, which for centuries, thousands of years ago, was the home of the Cilúrnigos, the primitive inhabitants of this place called Noega, where they skilfully worked with bronze, and where they had dream views: to the north the ocean, and behind them, the very Picos de Europa and the Central Mountains.

And if what you want to see is "one of the Romans", all you have to do is go to the village of Veranes, very close to Gijón/Xixón, and contemplate in situ the dream of Veranius, the probable name of the notable owner of this Roman villa, whose memory goes back to the 4th century AD, and which has been rescued in recent decades to the astonishment of all those who visit it. The Roman Villa of Veranes, like the Campa de Torres, has impressive views over the valley - it is located on a hillside - and the crests of the Central Mountains of Asturias.

So you'll come to the conclusion that you're visiting museums with the best views in the world...

We also recommend you to visit the Bioparc Aquarium of Gijón, ideal to go with children. In addition, the Museum of the Asturian People is an essential reference of the history of traditional Asturian society, with 30,000 square metres where you can even see hórreos and paneras (granaries). You can also choose from a wide variety of museums in Gijón according to your preferences(opens in a new tab).

Can you imagine a great City of Culture in the green and rural surroundings of a city? Well, Gijón/Xixón has it and it is simply spectacular, both for its architecture and for all the activities that take place there throughout the year.

The Laboral City of Culture has a fascinating history that you can hear within its walls on a guided tour, and an imposing and stunning design that takes you back to classical antiquity amidst the greenery of Asturias.

It will surprise you because it is always lively: students, artists, travellers... Its courtyards, its impressive gardens, its theatre or its tower - from which you can contemplate one of the best panoramic views over the city of Gijón/Xixón - are unmissable places during your stay in the City of Culture, and if you also have the opportunity to attend or participate in one of the workshops or shows that are often programmed there, the pleasure will be total...

On your trip to Gijón you'll find many charming spots and some of them will leave you speechless with their views... That's why one of the places that will undoubtedly "hook" you is the viewpoint at the Cabo San Lorenzo park.

You can get there on foot or by bike from the city, along the coastal path, or by road, going up to Alto de la Providencia.

The viewpoint is reminiscent of the bow of a ship and when you get on it you feel like a real captain looking out over the horizon from the bridge. The wind usually blows, and the impression is that of being on a sailing boat heading for the city of Gijón/Xixón. The views are splendid, and so is the feeling of relaxation and freedom.

Don't forget that Cape San Lorenzo is the great natural promontory that closes the Gijón fortress to the east, and has a privileged setting: the hill of the crow, the coastal path that extends to La Ñora, the esplanade of La Providencia, the views from the Alto del Infanzón, etc.

The culinary aromas and flavours are another of Gijón/Xixón's "strong points". If you add the pleasures of the table to the more natural walks, cultural visits and leisure and sporting activities, your Gijón logbook will be more than complete.

In Gijón/Xixón eating well has always been sacred, and so has drinking a good cider or a good wine.

By obvious tradition, being a coastal city, the cuisine of the sea has always reigned supreme, with the best fish and seafood, and with the best seafood stews on the tablecloth, from the hands of men and women who learned the gastronomic knowledge of their ancestors.

This is still the case today, and in recent decades a touch of innovation has been added, without losing sight of the origins.

What's more, if you have a sweet tooth, in Gijón/Xixón you can experience a real "death by chocolate", because the city has an immense sweet-toothed tradition.

So for a gastronomic experience, head to Gijón/Xixón (even if you want to eat gluten-free) and check out all the gastronomic options(opens in a new tab) that the city has to offer!

With a city so old, so open, and so beautiful, you can imagine that the cultural and social life is intense and varied, and that all year round there is theatre, film seasons, musical performances, exhibitions and an endless number of workshops of all kinds - gastronomic, artistic, sporting, etc. - that make Gijón/Xixón one of the most enjoyable cities you can visit. -, which make Gijón/Xixón one of the most enjoyable cities you can visit.

The cultural agenda of the Villa de Jovellanos is always full to bursting and offers options for all tastes, ages and budgets.

Whether in the Jovellanos Theatre, in Laboral Ciudad de la Cultura, in the different athenaeums, in the streets, in nightclubs or daytime venues, life is always lively in Gijón/Xixón.

And if you want to book accommodation you can do it easily in our Online Booking section!