Gijon

Gijón sits where the Cantabrian Sea meets the green hills of Asturias, a working port city with Roman-era roots and a long beach right in the centre. The ship docks at El Musel, and a short shuttle or taxi brings you to the old quarter of Cimavilla, a cluster of colourful houses on a peninsula. San Lorenzo Beach stretches along the waterfront, backed by a broad promenade. The Elogio del Horizonte sculpture at the tip of Cimavilla offers open views along the coast, and below it lie the Roman Baths of Campo Valdés. The thing to do here is eat. Asturian cider is poured from a height (escanciado) in traditional sidrerías, and the local fabada, a heavy white-bean stew with chorizo, is the region's signature dish. Try casadielles, walnut-filled pastries, for something sweet. The Jardín Botánico Atlántico is a calm detour if you have time, and the compact centre is easy to cover on foot.