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Gijón: basic information

Gijón: basic information

What to see and do, where to sleep, beaches ... Gijón

MainMunicipalities and towns of AsturiasGijón: basic information
Updated June 10, 2026
Municipalities and towns of Asturias
What to see on the central coast of Asturias?
  • Gijón: basic information
  • Gijón: basic information
  • Gijón: basic information
  • Gijón: basic information

Gijón is the largest city in the Principality of Asturias and the region's industrial and tourist capital. It's an expanding city within a growing municipality. Its location on the seafront, in the geographic center of the Asturian coast, has earned it the title of capital of the Green Coast . Gijón is a well-structured and connected city with significant potential for urban development.

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Latitude: 43.5432281 Length: -5.6614351
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It is the capital of the Costa Verde (Green Coast), where urban development coexists with a privileged natural environment . Gijón has something of a large village about it. The friendly nature of its people, the absence of stress, and the preservation of the Asturian landscape even in its most avant-garde neighborhoods make it all the more charming. To the north it borders the Cantabrian Sea, to the east the municipality of Villaviciosa, and to the west Carreño. To the south lie the municipalities of Siero, Corvera, and Llanera.

How to get to Gijón

Gijón occupies a privileged geographical position on the Asturian map, Just 30 minutes from Oviedo and Avilés, via the "Y" motorway, a major artery of the Asturian metropolis, and half an hour from Asturias airport, which maintains daily connections with the main cities of Madrid, Barcelona, ​​La Coruña, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Paris and London.
We can highlight two large road axes:
· From south to north, it is defined by the National Highway N-630 Ruta de la Plata (Gijón-Sevilla) and parallel to it the A-66 motorway (León-Gijón) allows easy movement from the center of the peninsula.
· The East-West axis, through the entire Cantabrian Coast, is articulated by the National Highway N-634 (Irún-Santiago de Compostela).

Distances

Oviedo 28 km. // Avilés 25 km. // Ribadesella 60 km.

History of Gijón

Gijón's past is rich in archaeological and documentary evidence. At Campa Torres, remains of a large fortified settlement from the first century AD have been found. There is also evidence of a significant Roman settlement , as seen in the ruins of the Campo Valdés thermal baths, surrounded by defensive walls. Some of the artifacts and ruins unearthed during these excavations are currently on display at the Clock Tower in the Cimadevilla district.

Between these two periods, the toponym Gegio appeared, from whose ablative (Gegione) the city's current name derives. Later, Gjón would become a battleground in the dynastic wars fought between Henry of Trastámara and his half-brother Peter I the Cruel in the second half of the 14th century.

Under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, the town grew both demographically and commercially. But it was in the 18th and 19th centuries , always under the tutelage and leadership of Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos , that the city experienced a true leap forward in modernization. Following the improvement plan undertaken by this enlightened thinker, the city reached its full potential with urban expansion, the laying out of streets, boulevards, and other developments that gradually reclaimed wetlands and sandy areas.

The arrival of the railway in Asturias also benefited Gijón's growth, which was simultaneously expanding its port facilities with the large port of El Musel . The railway and the port, combined with the coal boom in central Asturias, transformed Gijón into one of the leading industrial centers of northern Spain. During the 20th century, the city experienced the turbulent events of the 1934 revolution and several episodes of the Spanish Civil War, leading to a long and difficult postwar period.

Gijón flourished in the 50s thanks to the metalworking industry : first Uninsa, then Ensidesa, and later Aceralia. Thousands of working-class families from other parts of the Iberian Peninsula sought and found their new homes here, sparking a demographic boom that also fostered a diverse social landscape. Gijón prides itself on being a cosmopolitan, progressive, and culture-loving city. It is, after all, the birthplace of Jovellanos and boasts a vibrant network of museums housed in restored buildings dedicated to preserving heritage and art: the Revillagigedo Palace International Art Centre, the Piñole Museum, the Evaristo Valle Museum, the Barjola Museum, and others.

Gijón currently stands out for its wide range of shops and services , while also maintaining a focus on technical studies and technological advancements at its university campus . In terms of tourism, Gijón is on par with other sectors, thanks to its extensive cultural and scenic offerings, including three large urban beaches: San Lorenzo, Poniente, and Arbeyal. The latter two are artificial, guaranteeing access to the Cantabrian Sea.

In the old town of Cimadevilla, one can appreciate another of the historical facets of this great city: its maritime heritage. In this neighborhood, the architecture faces the sea, and it is here that Eduardo Chillida placed his Elogio del Horizonte (Eulogy to the Horizon ). This immense sculpture, which now serves as a symbol of the city, stands on the Cerro de Santa Catalina, a promontory where local history also begins with ancient settlements.

Sporting Gijon

Sporting Gijón is the heart of a city that has made football its defining characteristic and spread it throughout much of Asturias . They play at El Molinón, the oldest stadium in Spanish football, and boast Mareo, an enviable youth academy that nurtures generations of talented youngsters. Sporting's history has something of an epic about it: a golden age, more than forty seasons in the First Division, and countless battles fought in the Second. Their stadium has been the stage for legendary footballers, matches remembered for decades, and promotions celebrated in grand style. Always accompanied by La Mareona, a tireless fanbase that turns every away trip into a party and fills El Molinón, whatever the weather or whether the team is in the First or Second Division.

Sporting Gijon

Sporting Gijon

As their anthem states, Real Sporting de Gijón is a club with a "brilliant history." More than one hundred years… Read more

What is not to be missed in Gijón?

Cimadevilla neighborhood.

Praise of the Horizon

Roman baths of Campo Valdés

Festivals, fairs and cultural events in Gijón

· Antroxu. Carnival, in February/March.

· Great, in February.

· San Juan, week of June 24.
· Gijón Book Fair · FELIX, end of June.

· Indigenous Games Olympiad, June.
· Black Week, mid-July.

· Arcu Atlánticu Festival, end of July.

· Semana Grande, mid-August.

• International Folklore Festival, July/August.
• Asturian Traditional Song Contest, early August.
· Asturias Day in Gijón, first Sunday of August.
· Natural Cider Festival, end of August.

· Oktoberfest, September.

· White Night of Gijón, end of September.

· Gijón cider festival, October.

· Gijón International Film Festival, November.

• Gijón Jazz Festival, November

Markets in the city of Gijón

Sunday trail in the vicinity of the Molinón.

The trail of Gijón

The trail of Gijón

The Gijón flea market is undoubtedly the largest and busiest street market in the Principality of Asturias. It sets up… Read more

Ecological and artisan market, 2º weekends of each month in the Plaza Mayor Ayto.

Tourist Offices of Gijón

· Infogijón Escalerona
Local and regional tourist information office open during peak season.
San Lorenzo Beach. Staircase 4. 985 34 17 71

· Infogijón Casa Paquet
Local and regional tourist information office open all year round.
Fermín García Bernardo Square, s/n. 985 34 17 71

Schedule:
· From November 2 to May 9, 10:00-14:30 and 16:30-19:30 hours.
· Holy Week 10:00 a.m.-20:00 p.m.
· From May 1st to November 1st and Constitution Day long weekend 10:00-20:00 hours.
· August 10:00-21:00 hours.


Text: for asturias.com Copyright Ramon Molleda


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