Parque de Ferrera
Tucked behind the old town, the Parque de Ferrera is a 19th-century English-style landscaped garden that most visitors to Avilés never find — yet locals consider it the soul of the city. Towering sequoias, a lily-covered pond, a neo-Gothic chapel and winding gravel paths make it feel like a corner of the English countryside transplanted to northern Spain.
The Garden in Detail
The park was the private estate of the Marquis of Ferrera and opened to the public in 1845, making it one of the oldest public gardens in Asturias. The centrepiece is a glassy ornamental lake ringed by weeping willows and populated by ducks that show absolutely no fear of humans.
The neo-Gothic chapel of San Juan, draped in ivy at the garden's northern edge, is a favourite subject for local photographers and an atmospheric spot for a quiet sit-down. In spring, the wisteria covering the old iron pergola near the main entrance erupts in cascades of violet that are almost aggressively photogenic.
When to Visit and What to Bring
The park is at its most magical in early morning when mist sits over the pond and the light filters through the giant sequoias, or in late afternoon when families and elderly couples fill the benches and the city slows to a pleasant halt.
Bring a book and a sandwich — there are no cafés inside the park, but the benches beside the lake are among the most peaceful spots in the entire city. Entry is free and the park is open daily from dawn to dusk.
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