Playa de Salinas (Castrillón)

Playa de Salinas is a 1,200 m town beach in Salinas, in the municipality of Castrillón, about 4 km in a straight line north-west of Avilés on the central coast of Asturias. It joins San Juan beach to the east, and together they form about three kilometres of golden sand and dunes; you can reach it by car, with free car parks along the seafront, or by the Avilés bus line L11. It suits families who want a long, well-equipped beach with lifeguards, surfers, and walkers on the promenade out to the Anchor Museum on La Peñona headland. Skip it if you want a quiet natural cove: Turismo Asturias calls it one of the most popular beaches on the whole Asturian coast.

Quick facts

• Names: Playa de Salinas (Spanish), Salinas beach. Its eastern continuation is San Juan beach, with the dune of El Espartal (Sablera del Espartal in Asturian).
• Where: the seafront of Salinas, Castrillón, west of the mouth of the Avilés estuary. About 4 km from Avilés, 24 km from Gijón and 26 km from Oviedo in a straight line.
• Coordinates: 43.5774, -5.9621 (Turismo Asturias; it falls on the beach front by the public toilets in OpenStreetMap).
• Length: 1,200 m; with San Juan beach, about 3 km of sand and dunes.
• Sea: a moderate swell, used for swimming and surfing.
• Lifeguards: every day from 1 June to 30 September (checked November 2026).
• Dogs: not allowed on the beach from 15 May to 15 September.
• Anchor Museum: the open-air Museo de las Anclas Philippe Cousteau on La Peñona headland; OpenStreetMap tags it as free.

Access and parking

By car: Salinas is on the coast just west of Avilés, which the A-8 motorway reaches from east and west and the A-66 from the south (Turismo Asturias). Asturias Airport is also in the municipality of Castrillón.

Parking: OpenStreetMap shows several free surface car parks behind the eastern part of the beach, the nearest about 300 m from the beach centre, street parking along the western front towards La Peñona, and a free car park by the Pinos Altos picnic area above the west end. We could not confirm how full they get in August.

By bus: OpenStreetMap maps the Avilés urban bus line L11 (Piedras Blancas – Salinas – Raíces – Hospital San Agustín, run by CTEA) through Salinas, with stops such as Balneario and Clarín – Guardia Civil a short walk from the sand. Check current timetables with the operator or the Asturias transport consortium (CTA).

On foot: the beach is on the town frontage, with ramps and numbered staircases from the promenade.

What to expect

Salinas is a town beach with a long promenade along its whole length. Turismo Asturias calls it very well equipped and one of the longest beaches in Asturias once you count San Juan. Its subtitle on the official page is “long walks from Salinas to San Juan”: you can walk east along the sand towards the dunes of El Espartal and San Juan beach.

The promenade ends at a rocky headland, La Peñona, where the Anchor Museum (Museo de las Anclas Philippe Cousteau) displays anchors and sculptures in the open air. OpenStreetMap marks several viewpoints there, including the Mirador de los Cuatro Vientos, a monument to Philippe Cousteau and anchors from named ships. Beyond the headland are the small beaches of El Cuerno and El Dólar.

The waves are moderate, so the beach works for both bathers and surfers; OpenStreetMap shows several surf camps and hostels in the streets behind the front. Salinas is also known for food: Turismo Asturias describes a high standard of restaurants and mentions the Real Balneario de Salinas, which has a Michelin star, at the west end of the beach.

Nearby, Turismo Asturias’s lighthouse route points out the San Juan lighthouse on Castillo Point, built from 1861 partly with material from an artillery battery against English pirates, with views over the Avilés estuary.

Practical details

• Toilets: free public toilets on the beach front (OpenStreetMap), including accessible toilets (Turismo Asturias).
• Tourist office: the Salinas tourist office opens Monday to Friday, 08:00–15:00 (Turismo Asturias, checked November 2026).
• Picnics: the Pinos Altos picnic area is above the west end (OpenStreetMap).
• Sailing: the Real Club Náutico de Salinas is on the front (OpenStreetMap).

Accessibility and safety

Turismo Asturias lists access ramps to the sand, accessible toilets (including facilities for people with stomas) and a defibrillator at the lifeguard station. An amphibious chair is available from 7 June to 8 September, daily 12:00–19:00: ask the lifeguards at staircase 1, and bring your own helper for using the toilet (checked November 2026).

Swim when the lifeguards are on duty, from 1 June to 30 September. In an emergency call 112.

Dogs: not allowed on the beach from 15 May to 15 September. On the promenades they are allowed all year on a fixed lead of no more than two metres (with a muzzle where needed), except in the dune areas and on La Peñona.

Best time to visit

For a beach day with lifeguards, come between 1 June and 30 September. The promenade walk to the Anchor Museum and the dunes of El Espartal work all year, and outside the dog ban (16 September to 14 May) dog owners can use the beach.

Nearby alternatives

• Isla de la Deva, 6 km away: Asturias’s largest island, a seabird colony off the Playón de Bayas, also in Castrillón.
• Cabo de Peñas, 13 km away: the northernmost point of Asturias, with cliffs and a lighthouse.
• Luanco, 15 km away: a fishing village with the Asturias Maritime Museum.
• Cudillero, 15 km away: coloured houses around a harbour, further west.
• Gijón, 24 km away: the San Lorenzo beach and the Cimadevilla quarter.
• Oviedo, 26 km away: the capital of Asturias.

Distances are in a straight line from Salinas beach. Avilés, 4 km away, has no CostaMap page yet: Turismo Asturias describes its historic quarter as one of the best preserved in northern Spain, with the Niemeyer Centre on the estuary.

FAQ

Is there parking at Salinas beach?

Yes. OpenStreetMap shows several free car parks behind the east part of the beach and street parking along the west part of the front.

How do I get to Salinas beach by bus?

The Avilés urban line L11 runs through Salinas (OpenStreetMap), with stops a short walk from the sand. Check the timetable before you travel.

Can you swim at Salinas?

Yes. The swell is moderate and lifeguards are on duty every day from 1 June to 30 September.

Are dogs allowed on Salinas beach?

Not from 15 May to 15 September. On the promenades, dogs on a lead of up to two metres are allowed all year, except in the dunes and on La Peñona.

What is the Anchor Museum in Salinas?

The Museo de las Anclas Philippe Cousteau, an open-air collection of anchors and sculptures on La Peñona headland at the west end of the promenade.

Sources and freshness