Gijon and Santander, Northern Spain

May 14, 2026 4:39 pm Paula

Gijon

Gijon was a cool little coastal city of 270,000. The city’s local name is actually Xixón, pronounced hee-hon, which comes from the Asturian language.

Our hotel was close to the Marina, a lively area for dining and walking, with modern touches and great sea views. Saturday night that place was rocking and the evening was just beginning for the locals when we left around 8:30 pm.

The only full day we had in Gijon was a Sunday; and all shops and a lot of restaurants were closed. But, we still found plenty to do!

The old fishermen’s quarter was charming, with its cobbled streets, traditional cider bars and local history. The old quarter of Gijon is known as Cimadevilla, the original fishing town around which the city was built. Plenty of restaurants and night venues in the old district.

Plaza Mayor, Gijón’s main square, is surrounded by historic buildings and buzzing with cultural events.

The sidra (cider) tree, is a testament to the art of sipping fermented apple juice, a popular activity in Gijon. Cider here isn’t just a drink; it’s a whole culture. Lots of empties!

We had our big meal of the day at 3pm Sunday at a restaurant that was full on Saturday. Restaurant Juliana is a hidden gem that’s not just about serving food; it’s definitely an experience. The nostalgic decor was filled with vintage memorabilia. It was relaxing to sit and reminisce about the olden days lol. Plus the food was amazing!

San Lorenzo Beach is one of Spain’s most iconic urban beaches. We stopped and watched the suffers for a while here.

It’s also a popular place for a stroll along the promenade (Paseo del Muro).

We tried 3 times to visit the gorgeous Basilica in Gijon but there was always a service on. We managed to sneak a couple of photos as it was so beautiful!

Elogio del Horizonte (Praise of the Horizon) is a massive, iconic 10-meter-tall concrete sculpture by Basque artist Eduardo Chillida. The sculpture is perched on a cliff top with breathtaking views over the Bay of Biscay; on the Cantabrian Sea. It is a renowned symbol of the city and is known for its unique, immersive acoustics.

It sits near the remains of old Roman walls and military bunkers; a little of everything here with a blend of modern art, history, and nature.

Santander, The Bride of the Sea

Santander is the capital of the province of Cantabria, which includes an area of 5,289 kilometers and a population of 525,000 people; 175,000 in Santander.

After a four hour bus trip from Gijon, we are happy those long rides are behind us. We had some mediocre tapas for lunch and caught up on laundry. We enjoyed a late dinner at a nearby bar and and shared this rib dish (more like a roast!) for 22€ including drinks!

These were the views from our hotel windows. We were on the top floor so we just left the drapes open all night and marvelled at the view. By the end of our stay, we recognized many sites in the distance!

Boten Centre Art Museum – such amazing architecture! We checked out some exhibits.

Pereda Gardens – double decker merry go round!

These statue are of poor, 19th century children who worked the docks, then sadly, were made dive into the water to collect their tips

This historic dry dock was built between 1884 and 1908. So cool!

The area was restored in 2014 as a public waterfront attraction, popular for walking and scenic views of the bay. Dozens of city workers could be seen everywhere, planting, cleaning and painting; very well kept!

Such a beautiful beach walk

The ‘Menu of the Day’ menu del díaare are such good value! We each had different traditional stews from the area followed by a pork/fish dish, and of course patatas fritas. So filling and no dinner required!

The historical centre was so interesting; with escalators going up steep hills, a funicular, so many restaurants and a pretty church. We loved discovering Santander, it’s such a vibrant city!

We are on our way to Bilbao next. We spent some time there in 2015 and knew it was worth a repeat visit! 

Thanks for following us, we appreciate you! 

Paula and Joe

 

 

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