I'm originally from Spain and usually return home for Christmas to celebrate the festivities with my family. Home is Salinas, a small seaside village in the north of Spain. My parents, my brother, and I all have bikes and enjoy cycling, especially in the summer. I decided to embark on a ‘Feliz Navidad’ or Christmas journey with my brother and document it to share it with you!
La Peñona
My brother and I decided to start our journey at ‘La Peñona’ (‘Big rock’ in English). This is a natural rock formation that rises dramatically from the Cantabrian Sea and it has become an iconic landmark in the region because of its beauty.
From La Peñona, there are breathtaking views of the beach below. Although it is accessible by bike, the terrain is slightly hilly, so we decided to walk with the bike when we were almost at the top. I brought my point-and-shoot camera to take some shots because the lighting was beautiful!
In this area, visitors can find the Museo de Anclas de Philippe Cousteau (Anchors Museum), which showcases a collection of historic anchors and a series of steel sculptures called Velas, next to each anchor, that display various marine and nautical motifs.
One of the most valuable pieces on display is the anchor of the Spanish galleon “Nuestra Señora de Atocha”. It shipwrecked off the coast of Florida in 1628 while returning to Spain with treasures from the New World, specifically from Peru and Bolivia.
There are also other sculptures scattered around the area, adding to the charm of the landscape...
The most remarkable sculpture is a bust of Jacques Cousteau, a tribute to the renowned French oceanographer, explorer, and filmmaker.
Jacques Cousteau is celebrated worldwide for his groundbreaking work in marine conservation and underwater exploration. We stayed a few minutes admiring the sculpture while the waves crashed against the lookout point.
The Cantabrian Sea can become rough during the winter months, so visitors should be careful. Even if you avoid being directly hit by a wave, it's common to experience splashes!
The weather can be unpredictable, but we were lucky to experience such clear skies and mild temperatures.
The weather was so good that for a second, we forgot it was Christmas!
Pinar de Salinas
After enjoying the views of the sea, we wanted a change of scenery and headed towards a contrasting landscape, ’El Pinar’, as is it located right next to the beach.
‘El Pinar’, which translates to 'place full of pine trees' in Spanish, is a natural area characterized by sand dunes and a coniferous forest.
It has been officially recognised and declared a natural monument due to its environmental significance.
There is also a lovely recreational area equipped with amenities such as grills, tables for dining, and fountains, where a summer music festival used to take place for several years.
Parallel to the forest, there is a fantastic bike lane adjacent to the road, with a separate lane designated for pedestrians that goes all the way to Aviles’ port and another town called San Juan. My family and I often opt for this route during our weekend cycling escapades.
We made a quick stop at the dunes, where wooden walkways have been built along the dunes to provide easy access and protect the fragile dune ecosystem.
Dunes are fragile because they have sparse vegetation and are constantly changing due to wind and waves.
Erosion presents a common challenge for Salinas Beach and the dunes and to preserve the sandy shore, authorities have implemented measures such as bringing in additional sand!
The sunset began, signaling it was time for us to head to the neighbouring city, Avilés, to see the Christmas lights.
The journey from Salinas to Avilés by bicycle is only around 15 minutes! This is one of the advantages of small towns like these — you can move between them easily and quickly! We took the main road to get there, and despite the absence of a designated separated bike lane, we didn't encounter any issues. The traffic wasn't heavy, and the road was wide enough for two-way travel.
Discovering Christmas lights!
On our way to Avilés, we passed by another small town and decided to stop to take a quick picture of one of the Christmas displays—a big Christmas tree made of lights.
Next to the Christmas tree, there was a real palm tree.
There are plenty of Palm trees in this area, that add to its coastal tropical atmosphere, even though it isn’t a tropical area at all!
Palm trees are not native to Spain, but were introduced to the region in the 19th century. A time marked by significant interest in botanical exploration and the introduction of exotic plant species to Europe.
These palm trees were brought from tropical and subtropical regions for ornamental purposes and to enhance the landscape. I personally love them and I’m happy they are able to thrive in our climate!
After our quick stop, we continued our journey to Avilés and arrived just a few minutes later! Despite its small size compared to cities like Manchester, Avilés is one of the main cities in Asturias. Primarily an industrial city, it has a population of about 84,000.
The history of Avilés stretches back to ancient times, with evidence of human settlement dating back to the pre-Roman era.
Avilés is first mentioned in medieval times, appearing for the first time in a document in the testament of King Alfonso III, dated back to the year 905.
During the Middle Ages, the city thrived as a prominent maritime and trading hub.
Avilés is renowned for its industrial heritage, specially in the steel and metallurgy sectors, which grew during the 20th century, shaping the city's economy and infrastructure.
As we wandered through the city center, we enjoyed seeing the beautiful Christmas lights adorning every street, even the smaller ones. Our favourite light decorations were the Christmas tree in the Town Hall Square and the illuminated figures of the three wise men.
Navigating through this area on a bicycle was a bit challenging due to the crowds of people celebrating the Christmas season.
Eventually, we decided to take a break and enjoy some Spain's famous ‘chocolate caliente’ at a cafe next to the main square.
Unlike the hot chocolate in England, Spanish hot chocolate is typically very thick and rich, and it is often accompanied by churros or other pastries for dipping!
Roscón de reyes
And to finish our long journey, we decided to buy some Roscón de Reyes (King’s Rings)! This is a delicious ring-shaped cake often decorated with green-coloured and red-coloured candied fruit.
Some historians suggest that the origin of Roscon de Reyes goes back to Roman times and it it was part of the Saturnalia, which were pagan festivities celebrated in honor of Saturn.
In the 4th century, the Church converted these festivities into Christian celebrations and the history of the Roscón de Reyes (King's Cake) was forgotten, except in France.
It was re-introduced in Spain by Felipe V, and it became an important part of Spanish Christmas traditions.
El Roscon de Reyes is served on the 6th of January, marking the celebration of the Three Wise Men Day, or ‘Dia de los Reyes Magos’!
Unlike in many other places where the Christmas holidays end on New Year's Day, in Spain, the festivities continue until the ‘Dia de los Reyes Magos’. This magical day commemorates the adoration of the baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men, making it the traditional day for gift-giving.
We thought it would be nice to set up a full festive spread, featuring also some of our favourite traditional Christmas sweets!
We had ‘Polvorones’, which are soft and crumbly shortbreads, some candy-coated almonds called ‘Peladillas’ and ‘Mazapanes, which are compact marzipan dough molded into different shapes such as animals or Christmas-inspired figures.
Sharing these Christmas sweets brings back fond memories of my childhood, when the holiday season felt even more magical.
The festive atmosphere we created was the perfect way to end the day!
The next day, I went to the capital of the region, Oviedo, to see the beautiful Christmas decorations...
After spending Christmas with my family back home in Spain, my friend Lucia and I decided on an impromptu New Year's Eve trip. In Spain, it's tradition to spend New Year's Eve with family, and when the clock strikes midnight, you eat 12 grapes for good luck! I don't always celebrate New Year's Eve at home, and this time I wanted to spend it abroad...
Express visit to Atwerp!
We chose Antwerp, for its beautiful architecture, rich culture and affordable flight tickets!
We stayed at an Airbnb and befriended our host, who joined us for New Year's Eve dinner. Back home in Spain, our NYE dinner is typically elaborate, but here we opted for a simpler, more affordable but still delicious pasta dish. Nonetheless, we had a great time!
After dinner, it is tradition in Antwerp, as in many other cities, to watch a beautiful firework display. Our host knew a great spot to watch it next to the river so we walked there despite the heavy rain and strong winds that turned our umbrellas inside out! The reflection of the fireworks and streetlights on the water created a breathtaking scene.
Even while abroad, we made sure to keep our traditions alive and have the twelve grapes of good luck. To join in with the rest of the Spanish people celebrating this tradition, we tuned in online to watch the NYE TV broadcast and video called our families, sharing the joy of the moment and the views from our spot by the river.
Filled with excitement, we decided to continue our celebration in a club. We were surprised by the sight of an incredible number of bikes parked at the entrance of the venue. I was surprised to see so many people opting to cycle to the club at 4 am, even in the rain!
In addition to bike parking, there was a device where you could check your blood alcohol content!
Antwerp is considered one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe.
Even though I didn't have the chance to try it myself, I could see that cycling in the city is fantastic due to its popularity and the quality of its infrastructure, with clean and safe bike lanes and dedicated cycling paths. Two Bike sharing companies, Velo and Donkey Republic, offer affordable options and convenient app-based services.
Exploring the city...
The next day we decided to explore more of Atwerp.
With its rich history as a major European trading hub since the 16th century, is also renowned as the diamond capital of the world, handling 84% of rough diamonds and 50% of cut diamonds, making it the best place to find great prices for engagement rings.
Antwerp is also a fashion hub! Home to the MoMu Fashion Museum and the influential Antwerp Six designers, which makes it a must-visit for fashion enthusiasts.
My friend and I spent many hours in the main square, Groenplaats. It is located in the heart of the city, near the Cathedral of Our Lady and the shopping street Meir.
Groenplaats is surrounded by historical buildings, cafes, and restaurants. There, you can enjoy a delicious chocolate waffle from one of the market vendors.
There is no doubt that this charming city on the banks of the Scheldt River is a perfect Christmas and New Year's destination! Despite our short visit, the magic of Antwerp left a lasting impression on us!
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