Aviles Voyage Tips and guide

Avilés is a post-industrial city in Asturias in northwest Spain. With a population of 76,000 in 2024, it's best known for the Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre.

The northwest coast of Spain is indented by rías, river valleys flooded by a combination of sea-level rise and landmass sink. They're deep and sheltered, so they attracted settlement and became ports. Avilés is first documented in 905 AD when it was two small towns divided by an inlet of the ría: Sabugo north side was a fishing village. South was the more prosperous La Villa, with stout walls to protect its mercantile wealth. In the 19th century the inlet was filled in to become Muelle Park, the medieval walls were taken down, and the two towns merged.

Although Avilés had early industry through salt and ship-building, it was small-scale. Only in the 20th century did steel, glass and similar smokestack industries arrive; city population burgeoned but its surrounds became ugly and polluted. Towards the end of the century these industries withered, leaving a sad brownfield mess. The city perforce got into new industry such as IT, and also sought a new cultural identity. It took its cue from Bilbao's signature development of the Guggenheim art gallery: here the equivalent is the Oscar Niemeyer Cultural Centre, completed in 2011.

The climate of Avilés is dominated by the restless Atlantic and Bay of Biscay. It's cool and wet, seldom below zero or warmer than 30 °C. Pack your rainwear not your beach clothes.

Oficina de Turismo is in the old fish market square by the riverside, open daily 10:00-15:00.

Aviles.es is the city information portal.

43°33′18″N 5°55′12″W

Map of Aviles

43.5636-6.03471 Asturias Airport (OVD  ^IATA) has frequent flights from Madrid, and at least daily from Barcelona, Seville and Palma de Mallorca. Other domestic flights are from the Canary Islands, Málaga and Granada. International flights are from London Gatwick, Paris Orly and Amsterdam.

The airport is on the coast 15 km west of Avilés. An Alsa bus runs hourly 08:00-01:00 to Avilés, Oviedo and Gijón.

From Madrid follow A6 / AP66 (toll) past León and Oviedo. Turn west onto coastal A8 to come into Avilés.

ALSA buses run hourly from Madrid Sur (some starting from MAD airport terminal 4), taking 6 hr 30 min via Madrid Moncloa, León and Oviedo - where you usually change, but three per day are direct. Buses from Oviedo to Avilés run every 30 min and take 30 min, and buses from Gijón likewise.

The bus station is co-located with the railway station.

One train per day is direct from Madrid Chamartin, taking 4 hours via Valladolid, Palencia, León and Oviedo. Otherwise change at Oviedo, where they run every couple of hours. See Renfe for times and tickets.

Cercanías (commuter) train C3 runs every 30 min from Oviedo, taking 40 min. Train C4 runs hourly from Gijón , taking 55 min.

FEVE metre-gauge trains no longer run along the coast. The line was damaged by floods in early 2025; Renfe would like to be rid of it and has made no attempt at repairs.

43.5613-5.92282 Avilés station for trains and buses is on Av Telares near the river.

Tranvia Aviles is the city bus company, with 8 lines around town.

Alsa buses run further out, including to the airport.

A dozen taxi firms ply in town.

• St Thomas of Canterbury, Plaza Merced. Daily 07:30-13:30, 17:00-20:00. Neo-gothic church completed in 1903, with striking twin towers. Free. (updated Nov 2025)
• Old St Thomas is 100 m northwest at Plaza Carbayo 2. This was the original St Thomas, a dinky 13th century church that the fisherfolk of Sabugo outgrew. It's seldom open.
• St Nicholas of Bari is a late 14th century church, built in Romanesque style as part of a monastery and also known as San Francisco. It's on the plaza by Town Hall and open M 18:00-19:30, Tu-Sa 11:00-13:00, 18:00-19:30, Su 09:30-13:00, 17:30-19:00.
• 43.557253-5.9214441 Museum of Avilés Urban History, La Ferrería 33, ☏ +34 985 565512. Tu-Sa 10:30-13:30, 16:00-20:00, Su 11:00-13:30. Three floors of exhibits on city history from 1085 to the present day. Free. (updated Nov 2025)
• Sala Permanente de Cómic de Avilés is a small free museum about the comic cartoon format. It's at La Ferrería 35 next to the Urban History Museum and open same hours.
• Palacio de Camposagrado is west side of the museum at San Bernardo 35, a square baroque building from 17th century. It now houses an art school, no public access, and in any case the interior is entirely modern.
• Casa Ratoncito Pérez is a bit twee but kids will love it. It's at Muralla 33 east side of Palacio de Camposagrado: open the wooden shutter to reveal the cosy residence of a mouse.
• St Antony of Padua is a 13th century Romanesque church east side of the museum at Alfolíes 1. It's also known as Church of the Franciscan Fathers as those monks occupied it 1919-2013. Within is the tomb of Pedro Menéndez (1519-74), who organised the Spanish treasure fleet and associated defences, secured Spanish control of Florida, and founded the city of St Augustine. The church is open M & F 08:30-14:30, Tu-Th 08:30-17:00. On its north flank, Chapel of the Alas is the burial place of the Alas family, and the interior is closed.
• Palacio de Valdecarzana is a sturdy 14th century Gothic building 100 m south of the museum at Sol 1. It was a merchant's mansion, making it the oldest secular building in the city, and also known as Casa de las Baragañas. It now holds the city archives, no public access.
• El Eslabón - "The Link" - is an artwork at Jovellanos 6, a block east of the Palacio. It's a large broken chain link set into the wall of a former prison.
• Muelle Park is a small park just east of the bus and railway stations and north of the old town. It's built on reclaimed land over the former harbour. Notable artworks include La foca (the seal) and Pedro Menéndez defended by cannon.

• 43.557443-5.917712 Niemeyer Center, Av del Zinc (footbridge from city centre), ☏ +34 984 835031. Daily 09:00-00:00. Striking modernist complex designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907 – 2012). It hosts art exhibitions, cinema, music and events, and guided tours are available. (updated Nov 2025)
• Marta and María are an artwork on Prado outside Hotel Oca Villa de Avilés. They're the title characters of a novel by Armando Palacio Valdés.
• 43.5528-5.92273 Ferrera Park is the city's main park, a former palace garden. It's open daily 07:30-00:00 and extends south into Magdalena Park, open 24 hours.
• Casa de Cultura is north end of Ferrera Park. It includes Bances Candamo public library, an art gallery, and reading and study areas.
• 43.5511-5.9184 Centro Municipal de Arte y Exposiciones (CMAE), Llano Ponte 49, ☏ +34 985 129004. Tu-Su 18:00-21:00. Arts and exhibition centre and conference hall. (updated Nov 2025)
• El hombre que escucha la piedra - "The man who listens to the stone" - is an artwork on Cabruñana at its corner with Julia de la Riva.

• Teatro Palacio Valdés was completed in 1920 in neobaroque style.
• Balsera Palace now houses the Julián Orbón Music Conservatory, with regular concerts. Orbón (1925-1991) was a composer born in Aviles, working mostly in Cuba, Mexico and the US. The Palace is at Ferrería 14; it was built in 1909 as a merchant's residence in Art Nouveau style.
• Football: Real Avilés CF were promoted in 2025 so they now play soccer in Primera Federación, the third tier. Their Estadio Román Suárez Puerta (capacity 5400) is on José Cueto, 500 m west of city centre.
• Palacio de Deportes is a sports complex and athletics stadium 200 m west of the football ground.
• La Ruta del Acero - "the steel road" - is a walking and cycling path for 2 km along the south river bank towards Llaranes. It's dotted with sculptures symbolising Avilés' industrial heritage, and the ArcelorMittal steelworks looms large on the north bank.

• Antroxu is roughly equivalent to Mardi Gras, a fiesta just before Lent, with various dressings-up and hurling of eggs. Descenso Internacional y Fluvial is a parade of floats and mock-boats along Calle de Galiana.
• Fiesta del Bollo is on Easter Sunday and Monday. Bollo is a traditional cake.
• Intercéltico is about the culture of all Celtic regions, second half of July.
• La Mar de Ruido is a rock festival in August.
• Feast of Saint Augustine, Avilés' patron saint, is on 28 Aug. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was a theologian whose writings greatly influenced western Christendom.
• Fifty-Fifty is a jazz festival in September.
• Avilés Acción is a festival of short films (under 40 min) screened over a week in October.
• Amagüestu means in August but is nowadays in November, with the gathering and roasting of chestnuts.

• El Mercado is the traditional market, on Plaza Hermanos Orbón 100 m west of Muell Park. It's open M-Sa 08:30-20:00. The flea market is Monday morning.
• El Atrio is a shopping centre 100 m west of El Mercado on Cámara.
• Lots of small supermarkets in town.
• Hipercor is a large shopping centre 2 km southwest on C de Grado, open M-Sa 10:00-22:00. El Corte Inglés is the anchor store.

Most restaurants are in the old town strip between riverbank and Av de Cervantes.

• Casa Lin is a sidrería at Telares 3 by the station, open daily 12:00-23:45.
• El Pañol is also near the station at Plaza Carbayo 1, open F Sa 12:00-17:00, 19:00-00:30, Su 12:00-17:00.
• Sal de Vinos is by St Antony at Muralla 36, open Tu-Th 11:30-17:00, F Sa M 11:30-23:00.
• L'Alfareria is 50 m south of the museum at Ferreria 25, open Su W Th 12:00-17:00, F Sa 12:00-17:00, 20:00-23:30.
• Punto de Encuentro La Madreña is another 100 m down that street at Ferreria 3, open Tu 12:00-17:00, W-M 12:00-17:00, 20:00-00:00.
• 100 Montaditos is a chain cafe and sandwich bar at Ruiz Gómez 1, open daily 10:00-00:00.
• Al Kasbah serves Moroccan food at Ruiz Gómez 15 near the theatre, open daily 13:30-17:00, 21:00-23:00.
• Café Lord Byron, Palacio Valdés 1 (next to theatre). M-F 10:00-15:30, 18:00-22:00, Sa 12:00-15:30. Friendly little cafe. (updated Nov 2025)

• La Dársena is at Llano Ponte 7, open W Th Su M 12:00-17:30, F Sa 12:00-17:00, 20:00-01:00.
• Tierra Astur is a sidrería at San Francisco 4, open daily 10:00-00:00.
• Del'Alba, Alfonso VII 2, ☏ +34 984 394701. Su Tu W 10:30-17:00, Th-Sa 10:30-16:30, 20:30-00:00. Relaxed place with Asturian fare. (updated Nov 2025)
• La Latería de la Calleja is a tapas bar at Alfonso VII 7, open Tu-Th 19:30-23:00, F Sa 19:30-02:30.
• Ronda 14 calls itself a Peruvian restaurant, but the cuisine is Asturian with Japanese influence. It's at Alfonso VII 20, open Su 13:00-16:00, Tu-Sa 13:00-16:00, 20:30-23:30.
• El Bello Otero is a tapas bar at Plaza Domingo Álvarez Acebal 10, open M-F 08:30-00:00, Sa 10:00-01:00, Su 10:00-17:00.
• Cabruñana is a sidrería at Cabruñana 24, open W-Sa 12:00-18:00, 20:00-00:00, Su 12:00-18:00.
• Mascareta is a trattoria at Galiana 18.
• La Garnacha is at Galiana 50.
• Bar Tuercebotas is a tapas bar at Galiana 62, open Su-Tu 11:30-23:00, F Sa 11:30-01:30.
• Casa Tataguyo serves trad fare at Plaza Carbayedo 4, open 11:00-23:00.
• Mesón Astur is a sidrería at Av de Cervantes 2, open M-F 09:00-01:00, Sa Su 11:00-00:00.
• Suculentas, Rivero 96 (southeast of Ferrera Park), ☏ +34 984 083198. W-Su 13:30-15:30, 20:00-23:00. Japanese restaurant with sushi, poke and the like. (updated Nov 2025)

• Cider is the main drink in Asturias, and sidrerías are restaurants specialising in this.
• Wine: Asturias produces limited amounts so you're unlikely to find it elsewhere. Cangas is its only DO region.

• 43.5584-5.92931 Hotel Oca Villa de Avilés, Calle del Prado 3, ☏ +34 985 526116. Central and inexpensive, interior is tired. B&B double €90. (updated Nov 2025)
• Hotel Alda Palacio Valdés, Llano Ponte 4, ☏ +34 984 091088. Simple central hotel. B&B double €90. (updated Nov 2025)
• Hotel La Serrana, La Fruta 9 (100 m north of Palacio de Avilés), ☏ +34 985 525754. Simple but comfy, some street noise. B&B double €80. (updated Nov 2025)
• Hotel Don Pedro is a basic place by La Serrana at La Fruta 22.
• 43.5551-5.92242 Palacio de Avilés, Plaza de España 9, ☏ +34 985 129080. Comfy spacious hotel in a 17th-century building by Town Hall. B&B double €90. (updated Nov 2025)
• 43.5512-5.91943 Albergue de Peregrinos, Magdalena 1, ☏ +34 684 658208. Pilgrim hostel with good kitchen facilities, but the 48-bed dorm is noisy. Bunk €10. (updated Nov 2025)
• 43.5514-5.91464 Hostal Puente Azud, Acero 5, ☏ +34 985 550177. Small pension not a hostel. Tatty exterior but good value overall. B&B double €60. (updated Nov 2025)

As of Nov 2025, Avilés and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

• Oviedo is another old town with various UNESCO-listed monuments.
• Gijón is a lively coastal town with a Roman archaeological site.