Holidays in Gijon

GijonHistory of Gijon

Gijon is a town situated in the autonomous community of Asturias in the North of Spain. First settlements date back in Roman times when the population lived in village forts (“castros”). Successively, the town developed on the “Santa Catalina” coastal outcrop, thus bringing the advantage of better access to trade. From the 7th century onwards, the town was exposed to frequent attacks for Islamic Arabs but always resisted and became, in fact, an important settlement for Christianity.

Attractions in Gijon

Gijon has several monumental buildings that state the town's own identity. In particular the Valdes palace and the Revillagigedo palace. Other popular tourist attraction is the Asturian Village, an open air museum about the Asturias region, people and culture. Finally, the nearby coast that goes from Ribadeo to San Vicente de la Barquera is the splendid Costa Verde that stretches between the sea, on one hand, and mountains on the other.

Visiting Gijon

Many tourists happen to visit Gijon as this town is a milestone of the Route to Santiago de Compostela, the traditional pilgrimage. On the other hand, the city is very lively for its cultural events offers, such as the International Film Festival and the Latin American Book Festival. Other particular museums to be visited are the Railway Museum and the International Bagpipe Museum which include samples of traditional Asturian music instruments.