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City and municipality in Asturias, Spain
Photo: Ana Morán, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Avilés is a post-industrial city in Asturias in northwest Spain. With a population of 76,000 in 2024, it's best known for the Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre.
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Neo-gothic church completed in 1903, with striking twin towers.
This was the original St Thomas, a dinky 13th century church that the fisherfolk of Sabugo outgrew. It's seldom open.
A late 14th century church, built in Romanesque style as part of a monastery and also known as San Francisco.
Three floors of exhibits on city history from 1085 to the present day.
Striking modernist complex designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907 – 2012). It hosts art exhibitions, cinema, music and events, and guided tours are available.
CMAE
Arts and exhibition centre and conference hall.
Friendly little cafe.
Relaxed place with Asturian fare.
Japanese restaurant with sushi, poke and the like.
Central and inexpensive, interior is tired.
Simple central hotel.
Simple but comfy, some street noise.
Comfy spacious hotel in a 17th-century building by Town Hall.
Pilgrim hostel with good kitchen facilities, but the 48-bed dorm is noisy.
Small pension not a hostel. Tatty exterior but good value overall.
By road
From Madrid follow A6 / AP66 (toll) past León and Oviedo. Turn west onto coastal A8 to come into Avilés.
By bus
ALSA buses run hourly from Madrid Sur (some starting from MAD airport terminal 4), taking 6 hr 30 min via Madrid Moncloa, León and Oviedo - where you usually change, but three per day are direct.
By train
One train per day is direct from Madrid Chamartin, taking 4 hours via Valladolid, Palencia, León and Oviedo. Otherwise change at Oviedo, where they run every couple of hours.
Tranvia Aviles is the city bus company (deceivingly not a tram), with 8 lines around town.
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Ranón · International · OVD
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