Avilés to Salinas

We didn’t sleep particularly well, thanks to the Saturday night revelers who kept the party going until nearly 4 a.m.—a fairly typical scene in Spain on a weekend. Fortunately, we had a good plan for the day. Rather than walk the most industrial section of the route, we decided to take the train directly to Avilés. Even the hospitalera, whom we chatted with over breakfast at the albergue, recommended skipping that stretch.

With full packs and full stomachs, we said goodbye to Gijón and boarded the train to Avilés. From there, we picked up the Camino once again, following the familiar yellow arrows and scallop shell markers toward Salinas, a coastal alternative that leads to one of the region’s most beautiful beach towns.

Salinas was a delight. Its long seaside promenade, wide sandy beach, and steady stream of surfers gave it a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. We spent time walking along the shore, swimming in the refreshing water, and enjoying a leisurely lunch by the sea.

Eventually, it was time to say goodbye. We stretched out on the sand for a while before Andrew caught a bus back toward his airport hotel near Oviedo. It had been a wonderful weekend together and a fun way to share a small piece of the Camino experience before I continued on alone.Read more