Aviles Carnival, Spain

---

 

What is the Carnival of Avilés?

.
The carnival of Avilés, also known as the Antroxu, is a celebration that takes place every year in the city of Avilés. The Antroxu es considered one of the most visited and important celebrations of the Asturian carnival. In fact, it has been commemorated as a Fiesta of Tourist Interest.

During the festivities, the city becomes a great stage where the people wear costumes and the city dresses up as a party. Also, the bars are part of the festivities, decorating the exterior and interior of their establishments and compete among themselves to get the best atmosphere of the dates.
In addition, on Mondays and Tuesdays of Carnival, there are gastronomic days where products typical of the date and of the region are served. It’s definitely a celebration you won’t want to miss.

Join us to discover everything you need to know about the Carnival of Avilés or Antroxu..

 

.

 

When is the Carnival of Avilés?

Lthe carnival of Avilés or Antroxu, will take place approximately from the 10th of February until the 17th of that month.

 

 

History of the Carnivals of Avilés

.
The carnival of Aviles or Antroxu was a celebration held before the new year, even taking place on Christmas, having originated in the pagan celebrations of the campesino localities of Europe where events were held from the winter equinox to spring. That is, the birth of light and spring were celebrated, which is why it bears some relation to the traditional carnivals.

Likewise, many adjacent towns would dress up to welcome the festivities, playing jokes and ringing cowbells. Likewise, parties were accompanied with exaggerated food and drink and in large quantities, musicians and singers who created unique pieces for the parties, most of them under anonymity, were incorporated. However, the religious organizations did not understand or accept such celebrations as scandalous and unsuitable, resulting in several attempts to ban them.

During the Civil War, the festivities came to near extinction. However, after the arrival of democracy, the festivities were recovered, somewhat influenced by the traditional carnival festivities of the rest of the countries, losing over time important masks, known as mazcaraes.

 

Where is the Carnival of Aviles?

.
The carnival of Avilés or Antroxu, are held in the city of Avilés, Asturias. The points of greatest concentration are in Plaza de España.

 

 

How is the Carnival of Avilés celebrated?

 

The carnival of Aviles consists of different activities and celebrations throughout the week of festivities of which the following stand out: the opening ceremony called “Delivery of the Sardines“, which are received by different personalities; the snacks and dinners of the Comadres in the different bars and restaurants; the coronation of the Queen of the Goxu and the Faba; the International and Fluvial Descent of Calle Galiana; Murgas Festival, Charangas and Fanfarrias; The Gran Desfile d’Antroxos, Moxigangues and Carroces and finally the entierro de la Sardina.

Also, different small parades, concerts, musical performances, costume parties and Charangas are held.

 

Tips to go to the Carnivals of Avilés

.
If you want to go to the Antroxu or Avilés Carnival, it is important that you plan your trip in advance, make a travel itinerary with all the activities you want to do before, during and after the carnival and book your preferred accommodation.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country, I recommend this guide:

 

Events in Carnival of Avilés

.
The first day of celebrations takes place the inauguration, where a parade of mazcaritos, moxigangues and fanfarrias. After this takes place thedelivery of the Sardinas to the different personalities in the Plaza Mayor. That same week, the meriendas and cenas of the comadres take place in the different bars and restaurants of the city. Also, the parade of the schools and the coronation of the Queen of the Goxu and the Faba take place. The week ends with concerts and costume parties.

On Saturday, the International and Fluvial Descent of the Galiana Street takes place, which is a celebration that consists of making artifice that resemble boats that slide down the foam that are placed in the streets. Also, there are concerts and performances. Then there is the Ginkana Automovilistica d’Antroxu, where people perform concerts and ridiculous competitions..

 

 

On Monday there is the festival of Murgas, charangas and fanfares, making processions through the city. OnTuesday of Carnival is theGrand Parade, in which the carrozas, groups and bandas musicales take part. Lthe streets are filled with color with the multiple dresses and masks and traditional costumes.

Finally, on Cinder Wednesday, the Burial of La Sardina takes place along with its velorio, thus bringing the carnival festivities in Avilés to an end.

 

.

 

Avilés Carnival Parades

.
The main parade of the Avilés Carnival or Antroxu takes place on Carnival Tuesday, when the streets of the city are filled with festivities. People take to the streets to participate, watch the processions and joy floods the city. The groups are presented in the streets and avenues of the city, many of them follow a theme and perform dances and choreographies, others use masks and traditional costumes. Likewise, floats occupy the streets and the city is filled with lights and colors, finally celebrating the great night of the carnivals.

 

Parade route

 

 

The Grand Parade starts at José Cueto Street and touches the different points of the city such as Plaza de la Merced, Pedro Menéndez Street, Pedro Menéndez Square, La Muralla, La Cámara and ends at Plaza de España..

 

 

What to eat in the Carnival of Avilés?

.
During the Avilés Carnival a gastronomic route is celebrated in the bars and restaurants of the city, where you can find dishes such as the Asturian stew which is composed of potatoes, pork, Asturian sausage, black pudding and cabbage. Likewise, you can also find the bollines, a dough of wheat flour with anise, lemon peel and sugar that is kneaded, molded and fried in plenty of oil.

The city also offers you some options for eating out, some of these are: Tierra Astur Avilés, Casa Lin and La tenada.

 

.

 

Travel Insurance

 

From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Carnival of Avilés?

 

Carnivals have a great list of activities that you can be part of or attend. One of them is theopening ceremony with the delivery of sardines. Likewise, you can watch the different small parades by the groupings and thecrowning of the Queen of the Goxu and the Faba. You can also attend the concerts and musical performances.

One of the activities that you can not miss is the International and Fluvial Descent of the Galiana Street and see all the structures and the streets full of foam. This is one of the most emblematic celebrations, so you should not miss it. Similarly, you can attend the main parade, another of the most anticipated celebrations, where you can see the groups performing choreographies and parade through the streets of the city.

Finally, you can attend the burial of the Sardine ceremony, which is the closing ceremony that ends the celebrations.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside of the Carnivals of Aviles?

 

The Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury

.
Also known as the cathedral of Aviles. It was built between 1895 and 1903, replacing the Convent of La Merced. It contains neo-Gothic and medievalist architectural elements.

 

Church of San Nicolás de Bari

.
It was built at the end of the 14th century, when it was part of the monastery of the Order of St. Francis. It was occupied during the Spanish Civil War, resulting in the destruction of its facilities and theft of valuable pieces. Later, it was renovated in the middle of the 19th century.

 

Ferrera Park

.
It is English garden located in the center of the city. It is a public park formerly owned by the marquises. However, it later passed into the hands of the city council constituting itself as a public attraction.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety in the Carnival of Avilés

.

 

Aviles is a safe city, in fact, the principality of Asturias is considered one of the safest locations in Europe, so you can feel safe and at home if you decide to spend your carnivals here.

It is always a good idea to keep your important items in a safe place to avoid theft and misplacement. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your items safe:

 

 

Weather in the Carnival of Avilés

 

The weather during the carnival is somewhat cold, with temperatures ranging between 6 and 14 degrees Celsius. It also has some precipitation during the month.

 

.

 

How to get to the Carnival of Aviles

.

How to get there by plane

.
The closest airport to Avilés is Airport of Asturias, which receives domestic flights from Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Malaga and other cities. It also receives flights from some cities in Europe. Once you arrive at the airport, you can use the different means of transportation to get to the city of Aviles.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

How to get there by train

.
From Madrid you can reach Avilés from Puerta de Atocha using the ALV line, passing through Oviedo. The journey takes almost 7 hours.

 

How to get there by bus

.
From Madrid you can reach Avilés from Madrid South Station Madrid, passing through Gijón. The trip takes 6 and a half hours.

 

How to get there by car

.
From Asturias Airport take the N-632 road to Avilés.

From Madrid you can take the A-6 to Avilés. The drive is almost 5 hours.

 

Where to stay in the Carnival of Avilés

.

Booking.com

 

NH Collection Palacio de Avilés

.
5-star hotel 100 meters from the center. Rooms feature views of the gardens. The hotel offers free internet, bar and parking.

 

Hotel Villalegre

3 star hotel 1.9 km from the city center. Facilities offer free internet, bar and parking.

 

OYO Hotel Parque Empresarial

3 star hotel 1.4 km from the center. Rooms have satellite TV, closet and private bathroom with toiletries. Facilities offer free wifi, free parking and bar.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

Booking.com

 

Thanks for reading

.

If you liked this article and found it useful share it on your social networks or collaborate by inviting us for a coffee at Paypal so we can continue creating useful content. Click here to collaborate: