About Gijón, Spain

Gijón, Spain sits almost due north of Madrid, on the Atlantic Coast. It is a city of 300,000 people that combines the aspects of a working port and a resort. It is in the region called Asturias. It's climate, in the summer months, is a moderate one. Afternoons may warm to just the low 80s. Cool sea breezes temper the warmer days. Gentle afternoon showers, often lasting only a few minutes, often blow in from the ocean. Evenings can be cool - 60s. This climate contrasts with the brutally hot weather experienced in Spain's more noted resort cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Sevilla.

Also in contrast with those better known cities is the absence of Americans in Gijón. It is rare to find an American tourist wandering the streets of Gijón. And it's even rare to find anyone other than Spaniards (it's too cool for the German and English vacationers!!). The Spanish know it as a beautiful, oceanfront city, and vacation there to take advantage of its ocean, restaurants, and clubs. Thus, the weather, societal atmosphere, and its diversity make Gijòn a perfect site for our program.

Gijón is also a family town. Every afternoon from about 5 to 8pm we are always amazed and delighted to see the boardwalk jammed with families walking, arm-in-arm down the boardwalk -grandparents pushing grandchildren in baby carriages, parents walking with their teenager children, kids playing on the beach, lifeguards (yes, believe it or not, in red, Baywatch-like suits) hawking the surf, sun umbrellas going up, surfers scouting the perfect wave. It is a fabulous city to get to know - not too small, not too large, and so very friendly.

The families that host our students, like all our programs, come from all walks of life. They are personally chosen by our close friend and host mother and her daughter, a professor here at Dartmouth. As you might imagine, they are characteristically warm and open people.