Asturian Coast: Cudillero and more

On our second full day in Aviles, we made a day trip to the fishing village of Cudillero. There must be hundreds of villages like it on the Mediterranean, except this one is on the Atlantic and equally popular with visitors. We made the rounds to the various viewpoints, then headed out of town to walk over the coastal walk "Paseo de los Miradores" which turned out to be the highlight of our visit to the Asturian coast; steep cliffs over aquamarine water. What can be more scenic?!

On the Feve train from Aviles to Cudillero. An hour well spent enjoying the metre gauge railway.

Cudillero Feve Station from which it is a pleasant 2.1 km downhill walk to the port.

Cudillero is proud of its miradors (viewpoints) and has several self-guided routes for the visitor.













And so after taking way too many "scenic mirador" shots of Cudillero, we climbed up the hill past the lighthouse, walked on several back roads for 4 kms to get on the coastal "Paseo de los Miradores" trail at Playa de Aguilar and walked it 7 kilometers to the San Esteban Feve Station. On the way we passed more than one old granary.



Here's a map of the trail.

The stunning, nearly deserted, Playa de Aguilar.

Here's a short video taken from our lunch spot.

Our lunch set-up did not compare to that of these ladies who had settled in about 20 meters from us.

After Playa de Aguilar, there was one spectacular headland and beach after another, punctuated by a grassy field or maritime forest.













Finally descending past Ermita del Espíritu Santo to the Río Nalón breakwater.

From there it's a flat, speedy walk to pick up the Feve in the neat, small, port town of San Esteban de Pravia for another pleasant train ride home.

Arriving back at Cudillero Station.

Asturian Coast: Aviles and Gijon

From A Coruna, we started to head east for our eventual BCN-SFO flight. Having visited inland Asturias previously, we decided to have a look on the coast. We chose Aviles, situated deep in an inlet and the third largest city Austrias, as our base. Being in Aviles during the week, it seems a rather relaxed, laid back place, with many sidrerías (cider pubs). Much of the historic center is rooted in the New World. The conquistador founder of Florida, Pedro Menendez, is from Aviles.

From Aviles, we took the meter gauge train, feve, for day trips. The train didn't have much business; during an hour-long journey there would be fewer than ten passengers. I wondered how long Renfe will continue the service. I am envious of the rural communities along the line. They are much less dense than where we live in Raleigh. When the train came in the 1800s, I imagine these communities didn't even have roads.

One of the day trips from Aviles was east to Gijon, the largest city in Asturias. Gijon was already a population center during Roman times, and kept up its pace of development, including a dozen or so Modernismo buildings in the center, from the last century.

Another day we headed the opposite direction to Cudillero, a "scenic" village right on the Atlantic Ocean. Stay tuned for that post.

The Plaza Mayor in Aviles has a laid back atmosphere, day and night.

Arcades and sidrerías emanate from the Plaza.

A park in the city center has a traditional granary of the type found in northern Spain and Portugal, and which still dot the countryside in these parts.

We made two day trips from the feve train station. Each day I admired the old warehouses next to the station, and there is a string of factories along the train line between Aviles and Gijon.

On our first full day in Aviles we made a day trip to Gijon. In this photo I'm standing in front of the yacht basin that is next to the Old Town

The Old Town is on a once fortified headland, surrounded by the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Roman Thermal Baths are very cool, next to the water, and more or less under the Church of San Pedro (far right below).

A few Moderismo buildings.





My fav was this one with a sole caryatid.

There were also a few very nice Art Deco buildings, among them this Streamline gem.

One with a ziggurat tower, and floral motifs.

And one with Socialist Realism reliefs. Cool!

We visited several art museums in Gijon, full of scenes of working folks and the sea.

This one by native Nicanor Piñole.

The feve train at Gijon station waiting to take us back to Aviles.