Avilés is a town in Asturias, Spain. Avilés is with Oviedo and Gijón, one of the main cities in the Principality of Asturias.

The town occupies the flattest land in the municipality, partially in a land that belonged to the sea, surrounded by small promontories, all of them having an altitude of less than 140 metres. Situated in the Avilés estuary, in the Northern Central area of the Asturian coast, west of Peñas Cape, is its national seaport.

Avilés is mainly an industrial city. It is close to popular beaches like Salinas. It also has important churches like St. Thomas of Canterbury. Avilés has also cultural spaces such as the Palacio Valdés Theatre (in Spanish: Teatro Palacio Valdés) or the Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre (in Spanish: Centro Cultural Internacional Oscar Niemeyer).

Culture

Architecture

Sights include:

• St. Thomas of Canterbury church (dating from the 13th century)
• Church of Saint Nicholas of Bari (12th-13th century), in Romanesque style
• Palacio de Valdecarzana, the sole example of civil medieval architecture in the town
• Palacio de Llano Ponte (1700–1706)
• Baroque Palacio de Camposagrado, fortified in its north façade against the English pirates
• Capilla de los Alas, a 14th-century funerary monument in Romanesque-Gothic transition style
• Old church of Sabugo (13th century)
• Palacio de Balsera, in Modernist style
• Palacio Valdés Theatre, in Neobaroque style

Museums and arts centres

• Museum of Avilés Urban History
• Black Pottery Museum
• Alfercam Museum, where visitors can find a combination of world musical instruments and vintage cars.
• Casa de Cultura, including the Bances Candamo public library, art gallery, reading and study areas.
• CMAE – Centro municipal de arte y exposiciones – arts and exhibicion centre in El Arbolón area, not far from the town centre.
• Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre, designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. It is a magnet for different personalities, including winners of the Prince of Asturias Awards, the Nobel prize, musicians, actors, the United Nations, etc.

Sculptures

Throughout the town there are sculptures in various styles: the set of sculptures in El Muelle park,^[2] specially the Pedro Menendez sculpture and La foca (the seal); the Ruta del acero set of sculptures along the Avilés estuary; Avilés sculpture, and others such as Marta y María, El hombre que escucha la piedra (The Man who Listens to the Stone), El eslabón, Entre bambalines,^[3] etc.Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre, by Oscar Niemeyer, on one of the sides of the Avilés estuary

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Feasts and traditions

Some of the most famous are:Avilés old townPalacio Valdés theatre

In autumn:

• Feast of the Amagüestu (Autumn).

In winter:

• The Antroxu (Carnival in Asturian) which includes the Galiana Street International and Fluvial Descent [es].

In spring:

• The Feast of the Bollo [es]; the bollo is a traditional cake—Easter bun from Avilés [es].
• Lunch in the street (Comida en la Calle).
• The LGBTIQ+ Asturian Cinema Festival [es].

In summer:

• The Celsius 232, a terror, fantasy and science fiction literature festival.^[6]
• The Interceltic Festival of Avilés, which takes place in summer, with people coming from all Celtic nations (Brittany, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Galicia, Asturias).
• Feast of Saint Augustine (Avilés’ patron saint).
• La Mar de Ruido rock festival.

Festivals

• Interceltic Festival of Avilés, which takes place in summer, with people coming from all Celtic nations (Brittany, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Galicia, Asturias).
• Avilés International Cinema and Architecture Festival
• Beer Festival
• Avilés Acción Film Festival, an international short film festival.
• Sol Celta  organized from Sol Street.
• IndieGo Alley Festival, International Creative Commons film and music festival (live music, videoclips, experimental cinema and short films) organized in Palacio Valdés street. It takes place for one evening.