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Gijon Spain Cruise Port Guide
Location:
The port of Gijón, with deep waters, can shelter any kind of cruise ship under any weather or sea condition. It offers, at the same time, a wide range of modern facilities for the ship and for the passengers. Tourist information is provided on arrival as well as a shuttle bus to the town center (6km).
Large cruise ships, such as Anthem of the Seas, now dock at a very recently constructed long quay, so new that the 'cruise terminal', is just a large tent.
Shuttle bus tickets (10 Euros for all day unlimited return trips) and tourist maps are available at desks inside the tent. The shuttle bus trip to the town takes about 35 minutes, and delivers you to the waterfront promenade, adjacent to the marina, and some 100 meters from the entrance to Cimadevilla Old Town
No WiFi in the tent. Taxis are outside.
The tourist information building is on a pier flanking the marina, about 100 meters from the shuttle bus drop-off.
Printable map to take along.
Cruise calendar for this port.
Watch a destination video.
Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers
Monthly Climate Averages for Gijon Spain
Sightseeing:
Situated on the shore of the Cantabrian Sea, Gijón offers an attractive combination of seafaring flavor, heritage buildings and modern urban development behind the beach. Its marina bears witness to a history strongly linked to the sea. Gijon has a population of 280,000 and is the largest city in Asturias.
The main tourist attraction of the city is the historic fishing village known as Cimadevilla. The village is located on a peninsula that divides the port in half.
Other attractions include 16 large sculptures placed in public spaces throughout the city, Cerro de Santa Catalina park and Playa de San Lorenzo, the main beach of the city.
Key buildings have their roots in the city's past as a Roman settlement, in its development as of the 16th century when the Catholic Monarchs decided to establish a port here and in the boost given to these lands during the Enlightenment, mainly thanks to Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos.
Tours Excursions Transportation:
A Hop-on Hop-off bus departs every hour, on the hour, from a stop adjacent to the shuttle drop-off. The round trip takes 45 mins. Cruise ship passengers receive a 50% discount on the usual 11 Euros fare, and so pay just 5.50 Euros per person. Pay the driver, in cash, on boarding.
Entering Cimadevilla, you can walk uphill through the historic fishing village to reach a park at the top where, from the summit, the base of a modern sculpture provides a superb panoramic view of the city and sweeping bays to left and right.
Gijón's location on the Costa Verde halfway between western and eastern Asturias makes it an ideal starting point for both a tour of the coast and a trip inland. The eastern coast offers a tour of extensive beaches taking in historic towns such as Ribadesella and Llanes, and fishing villages such as Lastres or Tazones. There are also prehistoric sites like the caves of Tito Bustillo or examples of houses built by returning Asturians who had made good in America, like those we can see in Colombres.
If you prefer staying outdoors, it might be worth knowing that Gijón features more than 13 miles/21 kilometers of bike lanes. Rent a bike and get to know the city from the saddle.
It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here.
Nearby Places:
Inland, a short distance from Gijón (30mn), on the Naranco hill, the Asturian Pre-Romanic (9th century) art from the first Asturian monarchy can be admired; UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage site. From the top of the hill, you can have an ample view of Oviedo, capital city of the principality of Asturias with its gothic cathedral and old city center.
Shopping and Food
The lively shopping streets and the beach at the heart of the city deserve a walk around.
Currency:
The euro
The euro is divided into 100 cents.
• There are eight different coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent, and
1 and 2 Euro.
• There are seven different bank notes, for the following amounts:
5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro.
Communication:
Spanish is the official language in the entire national territory. However, other languages coexist with Spanish in certain regions of Spain. These are: Catalan in Catalonia, Galician in Galicia, Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Valencian in the Valencia Region and a particular variety of Catalan spoken on the Balearic Islands.
Emergency number: Dial 112 free of charge (valid throughout Spain). Service is given in Spanish, and also in English, French and German in some tourist areas.
Opening Hours and Holidays:
The most common business for shops and businesses hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9.30 h to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h.
Big shopping centers and department stores open from 10.00 h to 21.00 or 22.00 h uninterruptedly. These big stores open sometimes on Sunday.
In coastal cities, in high season, shops are usually open passed 22.00 h.
Pharmacies open from 9.30 to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. In all major cities you can find pharmacies that open 24 hours. Pharmacies follow a rolling late-hour schedule, which is published in the newspapers, and is posted at all pharmacies.
The following are the national public holidays:
• 1 January, New Year's Day.
• 6 January, the Epiphany.
• Good Friday.
• 1 May, Workers' Day.
• 15 August, the Assumption.
• 12 October, Feast of El Pilar.
• 1 November, All Saints.
• 6 December, Constitution Day.
• 8 December, the Immaculate Conception.
• 25 December, Christmas Day.
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