We landed in Gijon (that’s pronounced “he hon”) in the morning of an overcast, threatening day. This is our second stop on this trip. Gijon is on the northern coast of Spain and is the largest city in the autonomous community of Asturias and the 15th largest city in Spain. Undoubtedly, there is a lot to see and experience in Gijon but we only had a taste, and a small taste at that.
Our shuttle bus left us off near the Plaza del Marquis, in the Cimavilla, the old town. We spent a couple of pleasant hours roaming the passages and streets of the area. We didn’t see or experience enough of the city in to form a valid opinion but we had a pleasant time in this coastal community. Now, lets see a few photos of the old area, a place where fishermen lived and worked, starting with the marina.
A monument is erected in the center of the plaza with a lion head fountain. I couldn’t photograph the monument due to lighting conditions but I did manage to get a shot of the fountain.
We were told that at one time this area was populated by fishermen and their families and that they lived in the painted houses. We saw painted houses on many streets. Here are some representative samples.
As we made our way we came upon this simple chapel, the Capilla De Nuestra Senora De La Soledad (Chapel of Our Lady of Solitude). It is lovely in its simplicity and was a favorite of the fishermen.
The Cimavilla ends in the area of this cliff, overlooking the Atlantic. We could have gone higher (see the upper right in the photo) but decided against it.
Continuing on our walk led us back toward the Plaza Mayor, where the City Hall is located, and past these Roman ruins. We were told there are some Roman Baths in Gijon and maybe these are the remnants.
I love the fact that people actually live in the communities we visit. This is not just a tourist destination. Wash hanging out to dry.
Working our way back we stumbled upon this statue of a fellow whose back must have hurt.
Still on our way back, an interesting path.
Some rooftops.
Every town, even Gijon, has it’s graffiti.
Then before we knew it we were outside the Iglesia de San Pedro (Church of Saint Peter).
Then we were inside Saint Peter. Very simple and very pretty.
The murals behind the alter were outstanding.
And the mosaics in a side chapel were lovely.
Lunch in Plaza Mayor, in front of the town hall, was great. Here is a photo of the restaurant before anyone was seated. We had to wait for 1pm for the restaurant to open and be seated. I made a reservation for 1pm and we had a very pleasant table and an enjoyable lunch of Monchego cheese and Iberian ham followed by a giant bean and sausage stew. By the time we were finished, around 2:30pm, the place was filled with people waiting for tables
Then we were back on the shuttle, heading back to the Sojourn. Goodbye Gijon; goodbye sunset.
This seems like a pretty cool place, the pictures and commentary are so interesting.
Thanks Barbara. Nice to know you are following along. More to come.