Getting There
Gijón doesn't have an airport, but Iberia flies to the airport at Ranón (tel. 98-512-76-07) 42km (26 miles) away, a facility it shares with Oviedo-bound passengers.
Gijón has good rail links and makes a good gateway into Asturias. RENFE trains (tel. 90-224-02-02) arrive from Madrid in 6 to 7 hours; the one-way trip costs 48€. There is also service from Oviedo every 30 minutes during the day. The trip takes 35 minutes from Oviedo to Gijón; a one-way ticket costs 10€.
There is also frequent bus service (tel. 90-242-22-42 for information). Fifteen buses per day arrive from Madrid, taking 5 1/2 hours and costing 46€ one-way. There is also service from Bilbao at the rate of 10 buses per day; the one-way trip takes 5 hours and costs 20€. Service is every hour from Oviedo; the one-way trip takes only an hour and costs 5€.
Driving from Santander in the east, head west along the N-634. At Ribadesella, you can take the turnoff to the N-632, the coastal road to Gijón. This is the scenic route. To save time, continue on N-634 until you reach the outskirts of Oviedo, and then cut north on A-66, the express highway to Gijón.
Visitor Information
The tourist information office is at Marqués de San Esteban 1 (tel. 98-534-60-46; www.gijon.info). It's open in summer daily 10am to 8pm, off season daily 10am to 2pm and 4 to 6pm.
Special Events
The most exciting time to be in Gijón is on Asturias Day, the first Sunday in August. This fiesta is celebrated with parade floats, traditional folk dancing, and lots of music. But summers here tend to be festive even without a festival. Vacationers are fond of patronizing the cider taverns (chigres), eating grilled sardines, and joining in singalongs in the portside tascas. Be aware that you can get as drunk on cider as you can on beer, maybe somewhat faster.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
