Free walking tour in Gijón: how it works and how much to tip

A free walking tour is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to get to know Gijón on your first day: a local guide walks you through the old town, tells you the city’s history and quirks, and at the end you decide what to pay. Here is exactly what it is, how tipping works and what to expect.

What is a free walking tour?

A free walking tour is a guided walk with no fixed price. You book a place (usually at no cost), turn up at the meeting point at the stated time and explore the city in a group with a guide. At the end, each participant hands the guide a tip of whatever amount they feel is right.

The name can be misleading: “free” does not mean the guide works for nothing, but that you set the price according to how much you enjoyed it and what you can afford.

How tipping works

• You pay at the end, directly to the guide, usually in cash. Some guides also accept card or mobile payments: if you are not carrying cash, ask at the start.
• There is no compulsory minimum. Think about what a conventional guided tour of a similar length would cost and adjust according to what you got out of it.
• It is per person, not per group or family, although people usually adjust for children.
• If you did not enjoy it, you can tip less. Bear in mind, though, that guides often pay the booking platform for every person who signs up.

Tip: if you book and then cannot go, cancel. Places are limited and no-shows can cost the guide money and keep other travellers off the tour.

What a free walking tour of Gijón usually covers

Every guide designs their own route, but most focus on the historic core, which is easy to cover on foot:

• Plaza Mayor and the marina, the heart of the city and a typical meeting point.
• Cimavilla, the old fishermen’s quarter, with its legends, narrow lanes and close bond with the sea.
• Santa Catalina hill and Chillida’s Elogio del Horizonte.
• The area around the Roman baths of Campo Valdés and San Pedro church, where the city’s Roman origins come to life.
• The start of the San Lorenzo promenade.

Along the way you will probably hear about Jovellanos, Gijón’s Enlightenment hero, the cider tradition, the city’s industrial past and the character of its people.

Tours generally last between an hour and a half and two and a half hours. Check the exact length, meeting point and languages when you book.

Tips to get the most out of it

• Comfortable shoes: Cimavilla has slopes and some cobbles.
• A rain jacket: tours usually go ahead rain or shine. In very bad weather the guide may shorten or cancel the walk.
• Ask questions: guides are locals and know cider houses, hidden corners and plans that are not in the guidebooks. Ask for recommendations.
• Do it on day one: it helps you get your bearings and decide what to come back to later.

Free tour or paid guided tour?

A free walking tour is ideal for a first look at the centre. If you want to go deeper into a particular theme, visit places outside the old town or need a tailored schedule, a fixed-price guided tour or a private guide may suit you better. See more options in tours and activities in Gijón.

After the tour

Round off the day with our Gijón in one day itinerary, pop into the nearby museums (many are free: see free things to do in Gijón) or finish with a sunset from one of the city’s best viewpoints.

Below you will find free walking tours in Gijón that you can book.