© 2010 maps.com
NOTES
F R A N C E
Gijon
S P A I N
M
a n
n e
r a
r
e
i t
e d
a
S e
M O R O C C O
S PA I N
HISTORY The rugged mountains, deep valleys and sweeping costal regions
of Asturias were inhabited hundreds of thousands of years before recorded history. Modern man has a tendency to think of the people of any prehistoric age
as brutish and ignorant, little more than grunting, loutish beasts. However, discovered in mountains of Asturias, the stunning beauty and unqualified sophistication of the 30,000 BC Neolithic cave paintings rival or surpass anything
ever created countless generations later by renowned Spanish masters such as
Velázquez and El Greco, Dali and Picasso…artists whose great work justly
adorns the walls of museums and cathedrals throughout the world.
The original people of this region are of Celtic lineage and
they gained a reputation over the centuries as proud, brave
and fierce warriors. It will be explained more fully in the
History section but there is an old saying: “Asturias es
España y el resto es tierra conquistada” - Asturias is Spain
… the rest is just conquered territory”.
A settlement known as Gigia would be established in the area of modern Gijón
around 19 BC as the legions of Rome completed their conquest of the Iberian
Peninsula. It was a vicious war and no easy task for Caesar Augustus and the
Romans to conquer Asturias, the last holdouts in Iberia. The Celtic men of
the Cantabrian Mountains had a well earned reputation as tenacious fighters.
With their knowledge and understanding of the difficult terrain they were able
to wage an effective guerrilla war. Rather than taking the vanquished Celts
as slaves, as was their usual custom, the Romans slaughtered with the sword
or crucified all Asturian prisoners. In the face of the inevitable, many Celts
choose to take their own lives, by blade, fire or poison, thus, as they believed,
dying with honor as free men. Eventually the tribes of Asturias and the Cantabrian Mountains succumbed to the overwhelming power of Imperial Rome.
After centuries the Roman Empire slowly collapsed in the 400s AD as Germanic Visigoths swept into Iberia from the northern Europe.
Gijón, with a population of around 270,000, plays host to
many tourists who take advantage of the town’s central
location in order to enjoy and explore the beautiful and
historic Principality of Asturias.
© RCCL 2010. All rights reserved.
Gijón
GENERAL INFORMATION The Principality and former kingdom of Asturias stretches along the northwest
coast of Spain. With the rugged Cantabrian Mountains to
its back and facing out over the Mar Cantábrico (Bay of
Biscay) Asturias is one of the oldest continually inhabited
regions in all of Europe. Though others lived along this
beautiful coast long before their (unwelcome) arrival, 1st
century Romans are credited with founding the settlement
that would become Gijón.
What began as a simple fishing village and remained as
such for hundreds of years, Gijón slowly grew into an important port for the northern regions of the country. In the
20th century, Gijón developed into a small industrial town
and today its port, known as “El Musel”, is one of the largest and busiest in northern Spain.
This information has been compiled for the convenience of our guests and is intended solely for that
purpose. While we work to ensure that the information contained herein is correct, we cannot accept
responsibility for any changes that may have taken place since printing.
P
PO
OR
R TT E
EX
XP
P LL O
OR
RE
ER
R
&
& S
SH
HO
OP
PP
P II N
NG
G G
GU
U II D
DE
E
For a century-and-a-half the Visigoths ruled Iberia. But with the successful
invasion of the Islamic Moors in the early 700s many Visigoth nobles and
warriors retreated north once again to Asturias and the Cantabrian Mountains.
© 2010 maps.com
1
4
The Gijón Museum is located in the former home and birthplace
of one of Spain’s most important and influential statesmen, Gijón’s most famous son, Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744-1811).
The building was constructed in the 1500s and houses a number of
interesting pieces of art. The tomb of Jovellanos is in a small chapel
next door.
5
6
The Collegiate Church of San Juan Bautista and the Palace
of Revillagigedo are both located on the Plaza del Marqués. The
palace was built in the 1700s and is often the venue for art exhibits.
Playa de San Lorenzo is the town’s beautiful beach. It has all
the amenities such as lifeguards and showers. Cafes and shops
line the beach so when visitors have had enough sun they can cool off
with a refreshing drink or go in search of bargains.
4
5
7
The Ruins of the Roman Baths are one of the interesting sites
in Gijón. They date back to the 1st century when the Roman
Empire controlled all of Spain.
7
Beyond Gijón
3
6
2
PLACES OF INTEREST
A Visigoth noble by the name of Pelayo became their leader. Though
Gijón itself would be captured by the Moors, the Islamists paid little
attention to Pelayo and his seemingly insignificant “break away kingdom”. The Muslims saw Pelayo as nothing more than a nuisance.
Flush with victory in their conquest of Iberia, in 721 AD the Muslim
army crossed the Pyrenees Mountains into southern France (Gaul).
The Muslims laid siege to the city of Toulouse where they, in turn,
were attacked by the Duke of Aquitaine and his Frankish army amidst
great slaughter. The Islamists that survived the battle fled in desperate
retreat back over the Pyrenees into Iberia. To placate their wounded
pride the Muslim army turned on Pelayo and his “insignificant” Asturias kingdom. Determined on taking revenge for their disastrous rout
at Toulouse the Islamists planed to destroy the Christian Visigoths
once and for all.
In a narrow valley near the mountain village of Covadonga, a few
miles southeast of Gijón, Pelayo and his men caught the Muslims and
defeated them. No one at the time understood the significance of Pelayo’s triumph. Spanish history calls the Battle of Covadonga a great
victory. Muslim records of the period refer to the fight as an inconsequential skirmish. Whatever the facts may be the Muslims never again
attacked the northern Christian Kingdom of Asturias. With victory at
the Battle of Covadonga, it would be from this Kingdom of Asturias
that the “Reconquista” (the reconquest of Spain) would be launched
against the Islamic invaders. Beginning in the Cantabrian Mountains
and culminating in the capture of Muslim held Granada by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel in 1492, the “Reconquista” of Spain would
only take 770 years…only.
GIJÓN PLACES OF INTEREST
The historic part of the town sits between Santa Catalina Hill and the
fisherman’s enclave known as Cimadevilla.
1
The “Elogio del Horizonte” (Eulogy of the Horizon), is located
atop Santa Catalina Hill. This massive sculpture was created by
the famous Basque artist, Eduardo Chillida. The views from the hill
top are wonderful.
2
3
Cimadevilla is the traditional neighborhood of the town’s fishermen. Visitors who explore the narrow streets simply step back in
time.
City Hall is located on Plaza Mayor. The building was constructed in the 1800s.
The Picos de Europa (Peaks of Europe) National Park is one of the
most stunning natural settings in all of Spain. The park is about 50
miles southeast of Gijón, as the crow flies. In 1918 it was established
as Spain’s first National Park. There are wonderful hiking trails along
the riverbanks and lakeshores and through the park’s majestic mountains, dark forests and lush green valleys. A funicular takes visitors
high up the mountain and provides amazing views of the surrounding
countryside.
SHORE EXCURSIONS To make the most of your visit to Gijón and
surrounding areas we suggest you take one of our organized Shore
Excursions. For information concerning tour content and pricing, consult your Shore Excursion Brochure, Shore Excursion TV Channel or
contact the Shore Excursion Desk. When going ashore, be advised to
take only necessary items and secure any valuables on board.
LOCAL CUSTOMS Bargaining: Except for the swap-markets, prices are usually fixed.
Tipping: Tips are accepted and appreciated however there is no set
rule for tipping.
Local Cuisine: Stretching along the Bay of Biscay it is understandable
that the Asturias region is famous for its sea food. Among their catch
local fishermen bring in sea bass, shrimp, crab and squid. Not to be
outdone by the sea, a number of the rivers in Asturias provide great
salmon. Stews and soups are an important part of traditional Asturias
cooking. Fabada Asturiana is perhaps the regions most famous dish.
Though this stew can be made in many ways its base is fabes (white
beans) and lacón (pork). Caldereta is a hearty seafood stew made with
fresh fish and crabs combined with tomatoes, onions and a splash of
cognac and white wine. Salmon a la Ribereña is made by steaming
the fresh fish and a bit of bacon in cider. Carne Gobernada is slow
cooked beef combined with white wine and onions. Cebollas Rellenas
con Atún are large onions stuffed with tuna and slowly baked. The
Asturias region is also famous for its Cabrales Cheese. Named for the
town from which it comes, this blue cheese is produced from cow’s
milk and aged, as it has been for countless generations, in many of the
hundreds of limestone caves and caverns that are found throughout
the mountains. Strict European Union rules must be adhered to for
the cheese to be produced, named and sold as Cabrales (rules apply to
most food and drink products in Europe…not just cheese). Many of
the older generation living in the mountains of Asturias produce their
own cheese in the “traditional” (pre-EU rules) manner but they are
prohibited from calling it “Cabrales” or offering it for sale. Each of the
older cheese makers will probably tell you that theirs is far better than
that which is regulated and allowed to go to market.
Drink Specialties: The Asturias region is famous for its wonderful cider. In Asturias it is known as sizra. The apple orchards of Asturias
are called pomares. Apples have been grown in Asturias further back
than the region’s recorded history and today they are some of the best
in all of Europe. So it stands to reason that from great apples comes
great cider. When ordered in a café or restaurant the manner in which
the cider is served is rather unique…you will see. The custom is to
drink the cup in one sip.
SHOPPING FACILITIES The main shopping area in Gijón is in the
center of town around the Plaza Mayor and along Calle Corrida (Corrida Street) & Calle Moros
Value added Tax (VAT), is added to most purchases. Visitors who
spend over a certain amount may be entitled to re-claim some or all of
the tax paid, however, regulations and conditions governing the refund
of VAT are subject to change and RCCL cannot guarantee the cooperation of local authorities.
LOCAL CURRENCY The unit of currency in this port of call is the
euro. Every euro coin carries a common European face. On the obverse, each Member State decorates the coins with their own motifs.
No matter which motif is on the coins they can be used anywhere
inside the Member States. There are 7 euro notes. The notes are uniform throughout the euro area. All euro notes are legal tender in all
countries of the euro area. ATMs are plentiful. Major credit cards are
widely accepted.
POST OFFICE AND TELEPHONE FACILITIES There is a Post Office located on Plaza del 6 de Agosto (6th August Square).
Dial the following access numbers to use a personal calling card:
AT&T: 900.99.0011
MCI: 800.099.357
TOURIST INFORMATION The Gijon Port Authority and the Tourism Office of Gijón have information booths pier side.
TRANSPORTATION Taxis are generally available near the Pier.
There are few English speaking drivers and it is advisable to negotiate
a fare prior to departing. In order to rent a car drivers must be 21 and
have held their license for one year.
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
The official language in Asturias is Spanish but the Asturian language,
“Bable”, is also taught and protected by law.
Yes - Si No - No
Good Day - Buenos Dias
Good Bye - Adios
Thank-you - Gracias
You’re welcome - De Nada