Gijón

Gijón, also known in Asturian as Xixón, is a city and municipality in the autonomous community of Asturias, Spain. It lies on the Bay of San Lorenzo on the Cantabrian Sea. The municipality has about 270,000 inhabitants, making it the most populous in Asturias.

The area has early settlements dating back to Roman times; Gijón developed as a fishing port and shipbuilding center, later industrialized in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today its economy is diversified, with port activities, services, tourism, and culture. The city hosts the Laboral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial, a large cultural complex built in the mid-20th century, now used for arts, conferences, and exhibitions. The Atlantic Botanic Garden (Jardín Botánico Atlántico) is a notable green space opened in 2003.

The Cimavilla neighborhood is the historic old town overlooking the port. The Cerro de Santa Catalina hill features the Elogio del Horizonte sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, with panoramic sea views. The beaches of San Lorenzo and Poniente are major urban beaches. The Semana Negra festival, established in 1988, is a major annual cultural event combining crime fiction, politics, and music. The city is home to Sporting de Gijón, a traditional football club playing at El Molinón.

Gijón is served by the Port of Gijón, and is connected by the A-8 highway and the Renfe railway network; it has a local bus system.