Hidden On Spain's Green Coast Is A Wildly Underrated Beach Paradise With Exceptional Food, Charm And Art

While Andalucía gets all the attention for its blissful Costa del Sol, you would be missing out if you overlooked the north of Spain as your next beach destination. There are many empty beaches you can find from Galicia all the way to the Basque country, but if you're looking for a beach town that combines the cultural and historic offerings of a larger city and the soft sands of an ideal coastal vacation, Gijón is where you want to go.

Located on the Green Coast, which happens to be a wildly underrated foodie region, Gijón is the largest city in the province of Asturias but only the 15th largest city in Spain. The city sits 27 miles from the nearest airport in Santiago del Monte or a two-hour drive east from Santander in the Cantabria region and makes a great base for exploring the whole Asturias coastal region. There's a lot to see in town beyond the golden beaches, like appreciating historic architecture from Roman to Art Nouveau. Here's everything you need to know to get started in planning a trip to the underrated city of Gijón.

There are a few beaches in town that offer a wide variety of landscapes, from spacious sands to cozy coves. Playa de San Lorenzo is the city's main and busiest beach. If you keep walking west along the promenade, past the haunting Monumento a la Madre del Emigrante sculpture, you'll find the more secluded Playa Cervigón, which is a small rocky beach tucked into the coastline. The better beach option is perhaps located on the other side of the historic Cimadevilla neighborhood, at Playa de Poniente, which is in a central location with sheltered water, making it great for swimming with little ones.

Gijón is just one small part of the beautiful Costa Verde (Green Coast), and if you stay here, you'll also be close to one of Europe's prettiest national parks, Picos de Europa. However, if you got too caught exploring all the wonderful towns and beaches around Gijón to make it to the mountains, that's understandable. From Gijón, you can hit the road and visit some of the gorgeous beaches around Llanes, such as Playa de Torimbia, a stunning stretch of white sand in a wild green landscape complemented by a turquoise sea. It can only be reached by a walking path and is a one-hour drive from Gijón, two things which keep the crowds at bay.

If the summer weather is in full swing, you may naturally want to hang out on the beaches in and around Gijón but not get sidetracked from some of Gijón's many historic and cultural attractions. The best way to get a sense of the whole city is to walk the full length of the five-mile coastal promenade, which will bring you past many parks and monuments that speak to the city's history, such as the Cerro de Santa Catalina. Here, you'll find great views and an 18th-century fort.

One of the most impressive landmarks in Gijón is the Campo Valdés Roman Baths, which date back to the first century B.C. but were only recently discovered in the early 20th century. In the museum, you'll be able to look at the ancient stones, thanks to the elevated platforms. If Roman architecture interests you, consider visiting more ruins at sister museums like Campa Torres Archaeological-Natural Park on the edge of the city and the Roman Villa of Veranes, which is about a half-hour drive away. If you prefer something more modern, take a walk through the largest building in Spain: The Universidad Laboral de Gijón, a two-million-square-foot facility that was originally an orphanage built in the 1950s. Or you can take a walk down Calle Corrida to see the influence of the Art Nouveau movement in the city through decorative facades.