Palacio de Revillagigedo palace, statue of King Pelayo and the Torre del Reloj.

Gijón, at the centre of Spain's 345 km long Green Coast is the best choice for your holidays if you would like to discover the Asturian Natural Paradise by means of short trips throughout its overall 10564 Km2 extension.

It takes one hour by car to reach Covadonga from Gijón; 15 minutes to Villaviciosa, Tazones or Oviedo; 30 to Lastres, Ribadesella or Cudillero; 45 to Luarca and Llanes; the Biosphere Reserves of Somiedo, Picos de Europa, Muniellos, Redes and Narcea-Ibias lie at less than 2 hours' distance, in the case of the farthest.

If you enjoy the quietness of small villages but on the other hand don't wish to leave behind the bustling life of a city with a population of 270000, by choosing our centrally located hotel you can have both, without being disappointed. Surprising, but true! Furthermore, there are numerous and comfortable highway entries to the city, thus avoiding unnecessary traffic jams.

Forget all about your car upon arriving and take a quiet and safe walk so as to discover, for instance, any of the seven beaches our county has to offer, or the traditional neighbourhood of Cimadevilla with its lookout "Elogio del Horizonte", by Eduardo Chillida, not leaving aside the Roman Terms Museum or the historical and monumental area alongside the Town Hall and the Marina.

The relaxing flower gardens beside the promenade along San Lorenzo Beach, with San Pedro church and the route to the huge Elogio del Horizonte sculpture, by Chillida, over the sea cliff in the Cimadevilla fishing quarter, just next to the Pleasure Bay and Poniente Beach.

It is also to be noted that the city has over 25 km of walking routes, both along the coastline and the rural areas, such as the one reaching the Peña Francia river source through typical Asturian oak and apple tree forests and green meadows, or the one in Mount Deva Natural Park, where you can enjoy the Nature Classroom situated there. Another must, is a visit to the first Atlantic Botanic Garden in Spain, next to the Universidad Laboral Art and Industrial Creation Centre, which offers you a bird´s-eye view of Gijon from its tower.

Not to be forgotten are some of Gijon´s popular summer events, such as the Horse Show, the Trade Fair, bullfights or musical events, along with the great variety of museums: the Railway Museum, the Interational Bagpipe Museum, the "Pueblo de Asturias" Ethnographic Museum, the "Campa de Torres" Archeological and Natural Museum, the Jovellanos House and Museum (one of Europe's leading 18th century political and literary figures), the "Torre del Reloj" or the "Palacio de Revillagigedo" International Art Centre; among the Art Museums, we recommend the Barjola, the Nicanor Piñole or the Evaristo Valle Foundation, with its extraordinary gardens. All alongside Gijón's surprising Aquarium and emblematic Talasoponiente, sure to be one of the best sea water spa resorts in Spain.

Gijon is, furthermore, one of the cheapest cities in Spain, which one can discover easily by visiting any of our typical sidra environments, such as our typical Asturian cider houses or "llagares" and countless "sidrerias" (cider pubs) or by discovering, no less than two exquisite restaurants among the over 50 we recommend.

You can choose any of the 20 recommended excursions, sure to make you become addicted to our Natural Paradise during your holidays no matter the time of the year, due to our mild climate and all the charms Asturias has in store: the first region in Europe to have, in such a small and accessible area, 6 Biosphere Reserves, declared Human Patrimony by UNESCO.

Gijon is, no doubt, the centre and melting pot of the Asturian Natural Paradise, just what you are looking for and will be sure to find.

San Lorenzo Beach.