{"id":12961,"date":"2021-05-20T16:16:01","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/?post_type=inspiracion&p=12961"},"modified":"2021-10-01T10:45:22","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T08:45:22","slug":"aviles-attractions","status":"publish","type":"inspiracion","link":"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/en\/cities\/asturias\/aviles-attractions\/","title":{"rendered":"Avil\u00e9s and its most surprising attractions"},"content":{"rendered":"
It may not be the biggest or most famous town in the principality of Asturias, but Avil\u00e9s<\/a> is one of the territory\u2019s very well-hidden treasures and, dare we say, probably the most surprising urban town that you\u2019ll see during your visit to Asturias. Today, we\u2019d like to offer you the chance to familiarise yourself with this hidden gem.<\/h5>\n

Avil\u00e9s: Naval Identity and Hundred-Year History<\/h2>\n

Avil\u00e9s is one vertex of the Asturias urban triangle, along with Oviedo and Gij\u00f3n. A naval town par excellence, it\u2019s very easy to reach by sea, land or sky<\/strong> (it\u2019s the closest town to Asturias airport), but despite its strategic location, many tourists opt to skip it because they see it as a purely industrial city. It may be true that Avil\u00e9s has long been a powerhouse of the principality of Asturias thanks to its steel and mining industries, and though these characteristics are still very present, the city holds many interesting attractions waiting to be discovered.<\/p>\n

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Calle Galiana, Avil\u00e9s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Avil\u00e9s\u2019 history is documented all the way back to the 10th century, but it was in the Middle Ages that it expanded and the town was fortified (during the 11th century) as a result of its strategic location. Since that time, its population continued to grow until the 17th century, when the Old Town was built. Nowadays Avil\u00e9s is an industrial city, home to the region\u2019s second-busiest commercial port and primary fishing port.<\/p>\n

Discovering One of Asturias\u2019 Most Beautiful Historical Centres<\/h2>\n

Avil\u00e9s has taken great pains to lovingly preserve its medieval heritage, and it\u2019s on display in the impressive and well-kept Old Town<\/strong>, where the streets, many of which are colonnaded, have made it the most porticoed space in all of Asturias<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Galiana, Rivero, La Ferrer\u00eda, Bances Candamo, La C\u00e1mara, La Fruta, San Bernardo or La Estaci\u00f3n are classic references found in these streets, and places like the Palacio of Valdecarzana (the Palace of Valdecarzana<\/em>), the Romanesque Iglesia de los Padres Franciscanos (the Church of the Franciscan Fathers<\/em>), the Iglesia Vieja de Sabugo<\/strong> y San Nicol\u00e1s de Bari (the Old Church of Sabugo and Saint Nicholas of Bari<\/em>) (who were both from the 18th Century), the Plaza del Mercado, the Palacio de Ferrera (the Palace of Ferrera<\/em>) (which has since been converted into a hotel), the Fuente de los Ca\u00f1os de San Francisco (the Saint Francis Pipe Fountain<\/em>), the Parque de Ferrera (Ferrera Park<\/em>) or the Plaza del Carbayedo… These are all part of the essence of Avil\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

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Camposagrado Square<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The city is known as the Town of Adelantados<\/em>, a high-ranking military title, in reference to Pedro Men\u00e9ndez de Avil\u00e9s, who was known as the Adelantado of Florida for keeping Florida part of the Kingdom of Spain, and for founding the first city in the United States. It\u2019s easy to follow in his footsteps as you go around the city: you can visit his birth house in Plaza de Camposagrado, the monument in Parque del Muelle or the Romanesque church of San Antonio de Padua (known as the Church of the Padres Franciscanos<\/em>, or Franciscan Fathers) where his remains were laid to rest, and in which you can find the Avil\u00e9s Museum of Urban History.<\/p>\n

Some Avil\u00e9s Must-Sees<\/h3>\n

If we\u2019ve convinced you to pay a visit to Avil\u00e9s, here are some mandatory stops to be found around this beautiful Asturian city:<\/p>\n