Forget
Barcelona ...
Try Gijón
 |
|
Gijón
in
the
Asturias
region
of
Spain |
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|
The largest city in
the Asturias region of northern Spain,
Gijón is a place where people live very
well indeed,
writes Annie Bennett. There are
several museums, not to mention an
outstanding arts centre, but you don’t
want to get bogged down with a to-do
list here. This is a place for shopping,
sitting around in cafés and trying out
Asturian tapas. The triangular city
centre lies between two sandy beaches,
with the old town, Cimadevilla, on a
headland at its apex. Try some Asturian
cider in one of the bars around the
Plaza Mayor to get you into the laidback
Gijón groove.
Where to stay:
The Hernán Cortés (Calle Fdez.
Vallín 5,
www.hotelhernancortes.es; doubles
from €59) is the grande dame of
Gijón hotels. Right in the centre, it
has an old-school elegance untouched by
the hand of any groovy designer, which
makes a change these days. Its bar and
casino make it a bit of a social hub.
For a quieter vibe the Quinta Duro
(Camino de las Quintas 384,
www.hotelquintaduro.com; €96) is
just outside the centre. An 18th-century
mansion set in vast grounds, it has 11
rooms furnished with antiques.
What to do:
Stroll along the promenade flanking San
Lorenzo beach then explore the lanes of
Cimadevilla. Cut through to the other
coast for a wander round the marina,
perhaps with a session in the Talaso
Poniente spa (www.talasoponiente.com),
before hitting the shops around Calle
Corrida. A short cab ride lets you
combine the city’s spectacular Laboral
arts centre (www.laboralcentrodearte.org)
with the vast Atlántico botanic garden (www.botanicoatlantico.com).
Where to eat:
Michelin-starred chef Javier Loya is at
the helm at Avant Garde (Paseo Doctor
Fleming, tel: +34 0985 331377), a chic
bar and restaurant with a terrace in the
NH hotel by San Lorenzo beach. Share a
few dishes here, maybe the shellfish dim
sum or the sea urchin croquettes.
Ciudadela (Capua 7, tel: +34 0985
347732,
www.restauranteciudadela.com) is a
great place to try contemporary Asturian
specialities such as air-dried venison
with goats’ cheese or beef chunks with
local Afuega’l Pitu cheese. In the
rather romantic restaurant dining room
at the back try the sea bass with
scallops and sea urchin or the fabulous
velvety crab soup.
Where to drink:
The Garamont (Calle Covadonga 5, +34
0985 168776) is a chic spot for
after-dinner drinks.
Details:
See
www.gijon.info. Asturias Airport is
26 miles from Gijón.
Annie Bennett is
the author of guidebooks to Madrid and
Barcelona for National Geographic and
Blue Guides
E-mail:
info@hotelhernancortes.es
céntrico que entre sus 75 habitaciones, les ofrece 53 con medidas 5
