The Best Things to Do in Gijon in 2 Days

A visit to the largest city in Asturias is a must on any tour of the region. Located on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, discover the best things to do in Gijón in 2 days, from long beaches, a beautiful historic centre and viewpoints to excellent gastronomy.

Gijón conveys that mixture of big city and small town. The promenade that starts at San Lorenzo beach, runs through the historic centre and ends at the city’s port, is one of the most beautiful in Spain.

Although you can see the main sights in one day, we recommend spending at least two days in order to get to the surrounding area and see the botanical gardens and La Laboral.

Ready? Let’s discover things to do and what to see in Gijón in at least two days.

Map – Best places to visit in Gijon in 2 days

1. Cimadevilla, the historical part

Located on the hill of Santa Catalina, the Cimadevilla neighbourhood is the oldest in the city and a must-see in Gijón. Its narrow streets between colourful, low-rise old buildings seem to turn back the clock. There are many places to visit in the neighbourhood where centuries ago sailors lived.

You can start in the lower part, in the beautiful square next to the Gijón Town Hall building. While you contemplate the architecture, it is worth sitting on the terrace of a bar and sipping a glass of cider. A few steps away you come across one of the most beautiful places in the neighbourhood, the Revillagigedo Palace, built in the 18th century in baroque style and housing exhibitions.

The walk continues along the sea to visit the Roman Baths of Campo Valdés, Roman sites dating from the 1st century, and the Parish Church of San Pedro Apóstol, rebuilt in the mid-20th century. If you are tired of walking, you can sit down in the Plaza de la Corrada or the small square of Jovellanos to drink or eat something typical Asturian.

📷 Check here to know the city from the sea with a boat trip along the coast of Gijón.

2. Santa Catalina Hill, one of the best places to visit in Gijón

Although it is part of the old quarter of Cimadevilla, the highest part of the hill of Santa Catalina deserves a separate mention as it is an open-air green space with fabulous views of the sea and the beaches of Gijón.

The Cerro Park welcomes you to the place, a place where dogs and children can run around and you can feel the sea breeze on your face. On the west side of the park we find the Santa Catalina battery, two ancient cannons dating from the 17th century, which were used to defend the coasts from pirate attacks.

But what is most striking is the monument called Elogio del Horizonte, a concrete structure with a very particular shape made by the sculptor Eduardo Chillida, which has become one of the symbols to see in Gijón.

📷 Do you want to enjoy the views of Gijón in a different way? Book the paragliding flight over Gijón or the jet ski tour here. Unique experiences!

3. The beaches of Gijón, to enjoy the sun and the waves.

The centre of Gijón has three beaches, all ideal for a swim, a walk or to enjoy the sun.

San Lorenzo beach is undoubtedly the most renowned and extensive beach in Gijón. It stretches from the mouth of the river Piles to the Cimadevilla neighbourhood and is a place where you will see locals, surfers and tourists alike. The best known access to the beach is via the Escalerona, with its many steps that connect the promenade with the sand. From the beach you have the best postcard view of the Cimadevilla neighbourhood, so don’t forget to bring your camera.

Poniente beach is another of the places to see in Gijón, next to the marina. U-shaped and surrounded by breakwaters, it is a very quiet beach with gentle waves, ideal for children. It has a large sandy beach, food outlets and even volleyball nets.

Arbeyal beach is the furthest away, but quieter than the previous two in terms of crowds. It is next to the marina where the small yachts are located.

📷 Book your hiking route along the coast of Gijón here. You will walk along the most famous beaches and viewpoints overlooking the Cantabrian Sea. It is of low difficulty!

4. A stroll along the harbour and the photo with the poster

The marina of Gijón is located between the Poniente beach and the Cimadevilla neighbourhood. A stroll among yachts and restaurants offering seafood dishes is one of the things you have to do in Gijón.

In the old fishing port, is worth touring the breakwaters where the yachts are moored and, of course, to stop for a photo stop at two places designed for tourists: the poster with the letters of Gijón and the Cider treea work that simulates the shape of a tree made from more than 3,000 cider bottles and whose aim is to raise awareness of recycling.

If you want to find out about plans or places to see in Gijón, the city’s tourist office is located on one of the breakwaters of the port.

📷 Get on the tourist bus and visit all the places to see in Gijón. It has nine stops and you can get on or off whenever you want. Audio guide included.

5. The park of El Rinconín, the best views of Gijón

One of the places not so well known by tourists but where the locals go for a walk is the park of El Rinconín, one of the best places to see in Gijón. It can be easily reached on foot from the beach of San Lorenzo, crossing the bridge over the river Piles and bordering the sea.

Situated on a cliff top, from here the views of San Lorenzo beach, the city centre and the sea are some of the best in Gijón. There is also a pebble beach to relax on.

The park has a large green space, cycle paths, a children’s play area and a sculpture that catches the eye, the monument to the Mother of the Emigrant, also known as the Lloca del Rinconin.

6. La Laboral de Gijón, the city of culture

Moving away from the centre, one of the places to visit is La Laboral de Gijón. Although in its beginnings the imposing work by Luis Moya was thought of as a city almost in itself and its main function was as a mining orphanage, for many years the Universidad Laboral (Labour University) operated here.

Subsequently, the whole complex was abandoned, until 2001, when the Government of Asturias took over, and by means of a reconstruction plan managed to restore the shine to the place to be used for cultural purposes, transforming it into the City of Culture.

Its large central square, the focal point of the work, the beautiful church with one of the largest domes in the world and the Tower with its lookout point, are the most important sites of this place that will leave you open-mouthed. If you would like information on how to visit it, you can consult the section on visits on the La Laboral de Gijón website. We were lucky enough to see the inside of it at the Travel Bloggers Meeting several years ago and it is a beautiful building.

7. Atlantic Botanical Garden, a hidden paradise to do in Gijón

An ideal plan to go with children is to visit the Atlantic Botanical Garden, located just in front of La Laboral in Gijón. It is a perfect environment to enjoy nature, surrounded by different species of plants, ponds, paths and many hectares at your disposal.

Depending on the time of year you visit, its appearance can vary greatly due to the different shades of colour of the leaves of the trees and plants.

The visit is guided and ends with the laurel maze, a space for the whole family to have fun and find their way out, helped by the clues given by the guide as you walk through the garden. If you like, you can even have a drink or a snack in the on-site cafeteria before or after the tour.

8. Asturian gastronomy, flavours of the North

With so much sightseeing in Gijón, it’s time to stop and sit down in a restaurant or cider house to savour the typical local dishes. The neighbourhood of Cimadevilla and the vicinity of San Lorenzo beach are ideal places to take a break and enjoy Asturian gastronomy.

To feel like an Asturian, the best thing to do is to eat in one of Gijón’s typical cider houses. Two of the best known and where you can enjoy excellent Asturian cuisine such as cachopos or fabadas are Sidrería Casa Carmen and Sidrería Celorio. Bar Begoña, a restaurant tucked away in Cimadevilla behind the church of San Pedro Apóstol, is also a good option for local home cooking.

For a night out, Tierra Astur on Poniente beach is a bar with live music. Patio de la Favorita is also an excellent alternative in front of San Lorenzo beach, with good cocktails and dim lights.

9. Nature in its purest form

Gijón is in Asturias, which is synonymous with unparalleled nature. So don’t miss the opportunity to travel around the region and be amazed by the Picos de Europa or the beautiful lakes of Covadonga. Unparalleled hiking trails and rural landscapes not to be missed.

🔝 Are you going to visit Gijón by car? Take a look at these recommendations for a road trip in Asturias and discover the wonders of the area.

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Where to stay in Gijón

The best area to stay in Gijón is the proximity to San Lorenzo beach, the port or Cimadevilla. Our recommendations for where to stay in Gijón are as follows:

• Hotel San Miguel: with elegant touches in its décor, it is just 100 metres from San Lorenzo Beach. It offers free bicycles to explore the city.
• Hotel La Polar: spacious and bright rooms within walking distance of the Poniente beach and the historic city centre.

🏨 Do you want to look for other options? Find here the best hotels in Gijón.

🔝 See also these recommendations of RURAL HOUSES to stay in Asturias and Cantabria.

How to get to Gijón

Gijón does not have an exclusive airport, but to get there by plane you have to take a flight to Asturias airport and from there make the overland journey to Gijón. The airport does not have many international air connections.

✈️ Search here for cheap flights to Asturias.

📷 Book a private transfer from the airport to the centre of Gijón and don’t worry about anything.

The second option to get to Gijón is the ALSA bus. It has connections with Madrid, Santander and other Spanish cities, although the journey is often very long due to the number of stops it makes.

✈️ Search here for bus tickets to travel to Gijón.

The train is another alternative, although you have to make at least two connections to get to Gijón from the main Spanish cities.

For us, the best way to do it is by car, as it not only allows you to get to Gijón faster, but also gives you the freedom to explore other nearby Asturian coastal towns, Oviedo and even the Picos de Europa.

🚗 Search here for car rentals in Gijón.

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We hope you liked our recommendations about what to do and see in Gijón. You can leave us a comment or share it on your social networks.