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International Edition

Asturias Is the Unsung Spanish Vacation Destination You Need to Visit This Year

By Paul Richardson

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Me and Asturias? We go way back. I first pitched up here in the mid-1980s as a backpacking student with an Interrail pass, riding the old-fashioned trains that rattled along the Cantabrian coast from Bilbao to La Coruña. I still remember my wide-eyed delight at seeing for the first time the verdant valleys rolling down to the sea, the huge beaches pummeled by big Atlantic breakers, the fishing villages stuck like limpets to the rocky coastline. Cold climates often imply caution and reserve, but there was a friendliness and warmth about the locals that reminded me—counter-intuitively, perhaps—of the laid-back Mediterranean.

Asturias is one of four regions along Spain's north coast, from Galicia in the west to the Basque Country in the east. The Principality of Asturias, as it’s officially known, brims with distinctiveness and diversity. It has its language, culture, and cuisine; its cool and damp climate harbors lush pastures, deciduous forests, and mighty mountain ranges. As a holiday spot, Asturias has historically been favored mainly by Spaniards, but as summer temperatures rise inexorably in the Med, a trickle of wised-up foreigners are choosing to take their vacations in these temperate northern climes.

The decades that followed that eye-opening Interrail trip saw me returning again and again. There was a memorable long weekend in Oviedo, the charmingly buttoned-up capital with its bustling provincial air; and another in Gijón—the polar opposite of Oviedo—a boisterous coastal town with a surf-tastic beach scene and a salty seaside vibe. In the rough-and-tumble harborside neighborhood of Cimadevilla in Gijón, I had my first swig of Asturian cider, which was poured in a thin stream into a flat-bottomed glass for a deliciously fresh (as well as intoxicating) draught.

More than anything, Asturias's food and drink kept me coming back for more. The wonderfully hearty local cuisine turns around classics like fabada asturiana, a rib-sticking stew of thumb-sized faba beans with cured pork meat and smoked sausage, and the creamy and unctuous rice pudding that is arroz con leche. I soon learned to value such fine asturiano ingredients as grass-fed beef and lamb, fish from the Cantabrian ports, and artisan cheeses—of which the region is said to have more individual varieties per square kilometer even than France . At a series of rustic eating houses run by the stalwart women cooks known as guisanderas (“stew-makers”), I ate my fill of down-home local favorites like onions stuffed with oxtail and maise-flour tortos with minced meat picadillo. But the excitement of new-wave Spanish cuisine had not passed the region by. A prime example was the restaurant Casa Marcial, which I first visited in the late 1990s when its chef-patron Nacho Manzano had not long been in charge of the rustic bar/shop/eatery previously run by his parents in the hamlet of La Salgar—and which now has three Michelin stars.

Over the decades, I must have made a dozen trips around this neck of the woods, making personal discoveries every time. One year, I spent a few days in the post-industrial town of Avilés, where Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer had just designed a new cultural center composed of curvaceous geometric forms in dazzling white. Driving east along the coast to Llanes, under the looming shadow of the Picos de Europa mountains, I was amazed to see how the concrete cubes of the harbor wall had been painted (by sculptor Agustín Ibarrola) in dazzling colors and madcap designs. All through the 2000s, I was obsessed with the unique Asturian heritage of pre-Romanesque churches dating from the sixth to ninth centuries. I plotted elaborate routes among these tiny, primitive, and almost unimaginably ancient buildings.

But if Asturias is big on culture, it’s even bigger on nature. The region has no less than 24 nature reserves, including a Parque Nacional and three of Spain’s largest Parques Naturales. Around a third of its surface area enjoys some sort of conservation status, making Asturias an ecological resource of inestimable value. Big treks in the deep country have long been a feature of my travels here. In the summer of 2009, in the company of mountain expert Guillermo Mañana, I made a four-day hike along the Camin Real de la Mesa, a Roman road winding spectacularly through the wild and lonely landscapes of Somiedo Natural Park. Wolves and bears still roam the silent valleys of the Principality’s unsullied interior, and a new kind of wildlife tourism has sprung up to cater for visitors keen to peer at them through telescopes. My bear-spotting safari with Wild Spain Travel in May 2022 was undoubtedly one of my life's most thrilling travel experiences.

Shannon McMahon

CNT Editors

Hannah Towey

Meanwhile, Asturias and I have become like some cozy long-term couple, comfortable in each other’s company, but not yet at the point where familiarity breeds contempt. When summer heats frazzle the south of Spain, I still head north annually towards those pristine beaches, those rolling valleys lined with oak and chestnut woods. And the latest chapter of this particular love story is both a happy ending and a promising new start. Reader, I’ve just bought a house here.

Where to stay in Asturias

Solopalacio.

Nothing about SoloPalacio conforms to conventional notions of country-house luxury. First, there’s the location: way down south in a little-populated, little-visited corner of the region among grandiose mountain scenery and hardscrabble villages. Then there’s the back story. The country seat of the aristocratic Miranda-Quirós family, a rambling rural property in the hamlet of Llanuces, was rescued from ruin by Madrid entrepreneur Carlos Díaz. With his partner, designer Sofia Tejerina, Díaz transformed the property into a collection of 11 apartments occupying various outbuildings and a chapel plus the original 16th-century dwelling house, opening as SoloPalacio in June 2023. The USP here is Tejerina’s extraordinary design for the palacio – a radically stripped-down aesthetic employing basic and often humble materials to strikingly beautiful effect. (Think ‘wabi-sabi’ but without the shabby.) The high-ceilinged interiors are devoid of decoration beyond the occasional hand-woven basket or rustic implement; the walls are ruthlessly, unsparingly white. Colour has no place in this warm monastic minimalism: it’s all about the touchy-feely textures of polished- cement floors, bare stone walls and architectural-salvage furniture. Bathroom fixtures might be cheap hardware-store staples, yet the big squishy sofas are acres of cool white linen. Forget five-star fripperies like the big TV, the room service menu, the chocolate on the pillow - though a coffee machine and a bottle of Asturian wine would certainly be nice. On the plus side, there’s a stone-built Wellness Space and an infinity pool with mind-boggling mountain views. It may help to ease the pain of the room rate (whose high-season ceiling of 1059€ has caused quite a stir locally) to know that Diaz intends all profits from the hotel to go towards social projects and conservation schemes in the vicinity. As I said, SoloPalacio is anything but conventional.

Pueblo Astur

This thoroughgoing makeover of an entire country village (Cofiño, near Parres) raised the bar for high-end accommodation in Asturias when it opened in 2016. The sprawling property, which encompasses a church, traditional wooden paneras (granaries), and stables housing rare-breed farm animals, also includes 30 rooms in converted village houses, an excellent spa, river pools for swimming, and two restaurants using produce from the farm. The result is an interesting fusion of rusticism with highly geared luxe.

As Asturias’ brightest and boldest city and a seaside hub of urban culture often compared to Brighton in the UK, Gijón is just the right place for this sleek, chic boutique hotel in a carefully restored 1931 art-deco building.

CoolRooms Palacio de Luces

Asturias has never been prodigal in really fine hotels, but Palacio de Luces is a notable exception. First opened in 2006, it was recently acquired by the small but energetic Spanish group CoolRooms, who have made their mark on what was already a remarkable building, combining as it does a 16th-century mansion in pale yellow stone with a modernist wing surgically grafted on to the original buildings. Natural light floods in from all sides through plate-glass windows affording huge views of meadows and farmland, the coastline stretching away to east and west, and the hulking form of the Sueve mountain range. The 44 bedrooms, distributed equally between old and new wings, have undergone a total refit since the hotel changed hands in 2018, sweeping away the earlier incarnation’s dowdy brown-and-beige interior in favor of an elegant contemporary-classic look in a palette of greens that almost feels like a continuation of the landscape. Service, pitched five-star high, never feels starchy or formal. Nearby Lastres has some great eating places, but it’s worth staying for dinner at the hotel restaurant Tella. The views from the dining room, through floor-to-ceiling windows opened wide on summer nights, are as delectable as Francisco Ruiz’s new-gen Asturian cuisine with its emphasis on locally sourced produce and cunning nods to the region’s Latin American connections.

Casona de Indias

This bijou 7-room hotel in a former casa de indianos (built for a successful emigré on his return from the Americas) is beautifully sited in a quiet rural setting within reach of the Redes natural park. Owner-manager Pedro Armas is a madrileño incomer whose well-judged taste and hospitality make the casona feel like a particularly well-upholstered and civilized B&B.

Parador de Corias

A former monastery in the remote southwest of the region, this imposing granite building (known as “the El Escorial of Asturias”) is a stand-out among recent incorporations to the state-owned Paradores chain. Having arrived at this out-of-the-way location, be sure to visit the nearby nature reserve of Muñiellos, one of Europe’s largest areas of first-growth deciduous forest and a haunt of the Cantabrian brown bear.

Hotel de la Reconquista

The storied Reconquista in Oviedo, all red velvet and antique wood, where dignitaries and celebrities lay their heads during the annual Princess of Asturias awards, is the kind of hotel that Spaniards describe as “de toda la vida”— it’s been there forever .

Casonas Asturianas

Founded 30 years ago in 1994, this association of farmhouse stays, foursquare village houses, and stone-built historic palacios continues to offer exceptional quality and value. It’s worth browsing the website to find jewels like Villa Argentina in Luarca and Casona de la Paca in Cudillero, both examples of the extravagant modernista houses built by wealthy Asturians on their return from the Americas in the early years of the twentieth century.

Where to eat and drink in Asturias

Restaurante guëyu mar.

Top-quality fish and seafood landed at the small-scale fishing harbors along the Cantabrian coast is a major selling point of Asturian eating. This celebrated beachside restaurant at Playa de Vega does a great line in whole fish (try the virrey, a firm-fleshed local species) cooked over coals or a la plancha.

Address: Playa de Vega, 84, 33560 Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain Website: gueyumar.es

Casa Marcial

In the same former farmhouse where his parents once ran a rustic shop and bar, Nacho Manzano now presides over a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, generally agreed to be the region's finest, where the food is both inventive and sophisticated but never loses touch with Manzano's asturiano country roots.

Address: 33549 Arriondas, Parres, Asturias, Spain Website: casamarcial.es

Casa Chuchu

This no-frills locale in the post-industrial town of Mieres looks like a standard-issue Asturian cider house, but it's actually way more interesting. Rafael Rodríguez pours natural wines, cult sherries, and new-wave ciders while his wife Natalia Menéndez serves a market-led menu that, depending on the day and season, might run from shellfish salpicón and stuffed onions to roast beetroot with anchovy and hazelnuts and hake with fresh apple and cucumber sauce.

Address: El Parque, s/n, 33610 Turón, Asturias, Spain Website: instagram.com/casachuchu

Calle Gascona

Cider is a pillar of Asturian life, and cider houses abound in the region. They usually serve plates of fried pixín (monkfish) and platters of cheese along with cider by the bottle. This Oviedo street, teeming with sidrerías, is good for a total immersion in cider culture and its curious customs, like the escanciado: The drink is oxygenated by expert servers pouring it from an arm’s height.

Address: C. Gascona, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain Website: gasconaoviedo.es

Vino de Asturias

Visitors to the deep green landscapes of the southwest corner of Asturias are often surprised to see vineyards among the oak and chestnut woods. In fact, wine has been made here since the ninth century, but is currently undergoing a revival, now with its own quality seal (Denominación de Origen Cangas) and forward-thinking bodegas like Antón Chicote, La Muriella, and Monasterio de Corias.

Address: Centro de Empresas de Obanca, 33800 Cangas del Narcea, Asturias Website: docangas.es

Asturias is one of our Best Places to Go in Europe for 2024 , part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024 —find more travel inspiration here .

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The World Through a Lens

A Local’s Tour of Asturias, Spain’s ‘Natural Paradise’

After a decade spent living abroad, a photographer returns to her homeland — and revels in the breadth of its beauty.

Ribadesella, a small town in eastern Asturias. Credit...

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Photographs and Text by Mónica R. Goya

• Nov. 2, 2020

At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with travel restrictions in place worldwide, we launched a new series — The World Through a Lens — in which photojournalists help transport you, virtually, to some of our planet’s most beautiful and intriguing places. This week, Mónica R. Goya shares a collection of images from northwest Spain.

Asturias, a region in northwest Spain that’s separated from the Castilian Plateau by the Cantabrian Mountains, is a land of contrasts. Once an industrial and mining powerhouse, the area has earned its nickname, Natural Paradise; a third of its territory is now environmentally protected.

This year I had the chance to spend over two months there. It was a unique opportunity to rediscover my homeland after a decade spent living abroad. Asturias boasts a range of forests — oak, beech, chestnut, birch — and a mostly unspoiled coastline. Its beaches come in all sizes: a palette of turquoise blue waters surrounded by imposing cliffs and green pastures.

Traces of the region’s pastoral heritage are still visible. On a hike through chestnut woods, I spotted a corripa, a circular stone enclosure built near a tree to store its chestnuts in their burrs, a way of prolonging their shelf life.

The region is also dotted with hórreos, ancient wooden granaries built on stilts, and protected by heritage status since the 1970s.

And since tending the land is rooted in the soul of many locals, you’re never far from a bursting vegetable garden.

Asturias is home to just over a million people, half of whom live along the region’s midline, where its main three towns are: Oviedo, the capital city, which showcases immaculately preserved pre-Romanesque architecture, and the harbor towns of Gijón and Avilés.

Somiedo, one of Asturias’ seven UNESCO biosphere reserves , is as far as it gets from the sun-drenched Spain of most people’s imagination. There, I was moved by the timeless beauty of the teitos, little thatched roof huts scattered across the emerald valleys. Often associated with the pre-Roman settlements known as castros, these traditional buildings are an important part of the culture of the Vaqueiros de Alzada, a nomadic people who practiced a transhumant lifestyle and who used to stay in the teitos while moving their cattle to the high mountain grazing pastures in the summer. Today there is an emerging movement to prevent this cultural heritage from vanishing.

Western Asturias, where Cantabrian brown bears roam free, is considered the cradle of rural tourism in Spain. (The bears’ presence is on the rise, a result of conservation efforts.) There, castros abound and stone houses with slate roofs are the norm. Ancient oak forests — such as Muniellos, the largest in Spain and one of the best preserved in Europe — as well as beech and birch woods are at their prettiest in autumn, when the deciduous trees put on a show.

Across Spain, many areas that are partially uninhabited because of a rural exodus come back to life in the summer. On the way to my grandmother’s village, I took the slower route, visiting the charming fishing villages of Llastres, Cudillero and Luarca. I took time to reflect on the many rural Spaniards who emigrated to the Americas over a century ago — and to reflect on the legacy of the indianos , the few who made fortunes abroad and returned to their hometowns to build grandiose mansions and, sometimes, schools, thereby helping to reduce the widespread illiteracy among the rural classes into which they were born.

Picos de Europa, created in 1918, is the only national park in Asturias. Its exquisite natural beauty cannot be understood apart from the shepherds who for centuries have shaped the park’s landscapes, tending their livestock and producing award-winning cheeses such as Cabrales and Gamonéu, still aged in difficult-to-access caves.

Around 80 percent of all Spanish cider is produced in Asturias, and sidrerías, or cider houses, are a staple in society. Local customs call for natural cider — which is traditionally poured into a wide-mouth glass from high above — to be drunk quickly, in one go. The local cuisine is hearty, the portions abundant and locals’ gluttonous reputation not unfounded.

Despite the never-ending engineering works to link Asturias with Madrid by high-speed rail (a project scheduled to be completed by 2010 and still underway), visitor numbers are increasing annually. Last year, a record 2.3 million visited Asturias, 82 percent of them Spanish nationals.

And yet, in August, Asturias is a green oasis where I can blissfully find trails to walk in silence for hours without encountering another soul.

Mónica R. Goya is a London-based journalist and photographer. You can follow her work on Instagram and Twitter .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.

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The Complete Guide To: Asturias

This rugged mountainous region along spain’s north coast is as inspiring for walkers as it is alluring for wildlife lovers, and there’s no shortage of fascinating history and culture in between., article bookmarked.

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Where - and why?

Asturias is a region in the middle of Spain’s north coast, cosying up to the Bay of Biscay. It manages to cram a great deal into very little space, whether you are seeking surf, turf or city life. There are few other places where you could walk at an altitude of 2,000m in pristine wilderness – home to bears, wolves and eagles – in the morning; relax on an uncrowded beach in the afternoon; and eat in a bustling city in the evening. Equally surprising is how accessible Asturias is from the UK, whether you sail, rail or fly.

Who has been this way before?

Asturian history is an unbalanced mix of lead role and anonymous fringe player. Rome’s imperious advance across Iberia came unstuck when they reached Spain’s northerly mountains. Eight Roman legions (over 70,000 men) and Emperor Augustus himself were needed to subdue the Asturian and Cantabrian tribes. The magnificent Roman bridge at Cangas de Onís and the Roman baths in Gijón (00 34 98 518 5151; 10am-1pm and 5-8pm daily except Mondays; ¤2.40, free on Sundays) are proof of their stay.

Asturias’s moment of defining glory came in the early 8th century, when the region became the last refuge of Christian Spain in the face of Moorish conquest; in 722, an Asturian noble, Pelayo, defeated a Moorish force at Covadonga. The victory was heralded as the moment when Islamic Conquest became Christian Reconquest. Today, Covadonga is popular among Spaniards as a pilgrimage destination: a basilica (open daily 9.30am-6pm; free), a shrine and a statue immortalise King Pelayo.

Asturias’s importance as a bastion of Christianity (the Reconquest was to take nearly eight more centuries to complete) saw an explosion of pre-Romanesque religious architecture. Perhaps most emblematic of this simple, handsome style is the ninth-century church of Santa María del Naranco (10am-1pm daily, 3.30-5pm except Sunday and Monday; ¤3). The former palace of King Ramiro I is built on a fold in the green fields just outside Oviedo, and is an easy, worthwhile excursion from the city; you can walk it in about an hour.

A longer walk?

Good idea. Asturias offers superlative hiking for all levels. Around a third of the region is protected natural space; Unesco has recognised four biosphere reserves. Head for the Cordillera Cantabrica, the curtain of rock drawn across northern Spain from the Basque Country to Galicia. The calendar girl of the range is the Picos de Europa National Park, with several summits above 2,000m. At 2,648m, the highest, Torre de Cerredo, is twice as high as anything in the UK. The mountains have been mauled and carved by rain, leaving bald towers of rock and dramatic cleavages. The greatest of these canyons is the 16km Garganta del Cares, the Cares gorge, well over a mile deep at points. A walk along it, on a path cut into the rock, makes for a memorable jaunt.

One of the great pleasures of walking in Asturias is staying in the red-roofed mountain villages; as almost every hamlet in the Picos now offers accommodation, you can walk from village to village. Casas rurales or aldeas are often-charming traditional lodgings offering a self-catering option (casasdealdea.com and casas.co.uk are good places to look). Alternatively, there are plenty of small, family-run hotels. The higher mountains have a number of refuges, or you can camp.

Can someone else organise it for me?

Yes. Pura Aventura (0845 225 5058; pura-aventura.com) offers fully guided walking holidays. It has a departure on 6 June for £1,379; the one-week trip includes double room, full-time guide, all meals, transfers and transport but not flights. Exodus (020-8675 5550; exodus.co.uk) also does walking trips, and in addition offers a one-week mountain-bike trip with departures in May for £749 per person, and in June for £779, including flights, accommodation, breakfast and five dinners.

Somewhere more tranquilo?

Somiedo Natural Park, in the south-west of the region, offers breathtaking walking on paths less trodden. If you don’t want to hire a car, you can get there by bus, with two departures a day from Oviedo (change in Grado). The Natural Park is home to the largest population of brown bears in Western Europe, and although sightings are rare, the potential to see one adds a thrill to the walking. You have got a good chance of seeing magnificent eagles and griffon vultures soaring past you on thermals here.

The hub of the park is the cosy, if sleepy, village of Pola de Somiedo, which has a friendly information office that can help to plan your route. Avoid August and public holidays, and you’ve every chance of having many of the tracks to yourself, with only the occasional shepherd or cow as company.

An authentic local experience?

For an insight into Asturian village life, spend a night in the hamlet of Saliencia: you can end a day’s walking here by starting in Valle de Lago, walking up the valley to the lakes, then returning down the parallel northern valley. The charming Juan and Belé*run the no-frills Casa Bernabé (00 34 985763474; [email protected], details on casasdealdea.com), where a double room with breakfast costs ¤40. Speaking Spanish is not essential, but obviously helpful.

Juan farms cattle (“It’s not worth keeping goats as the wolves get them”) and is likely to have tended to them before you wake in the morning. Salencia is also a good starting point to access an old Roman road with dramatic ridge views and world-beating picnic potential.

If you get the chance to eat in the village of Valle de Lago during your time in Somiedo, do so at the restaurant-bar Carbrona – it’s nothing to look at, but the food is first rate and great value: the fabada Asturiana, the hearty regional stew, is particularly good here, as is the tenera de cabrales (veal with blue cabrales cheese), add a quality bottle of Bilbao rioja, and you’ll still pay less than ¤20. They also make substantial bocadillos for picnics.

Naturetrek (01962 733051; naturetrek.co.uk) is one of the few companies offering trips here; as the name suggests, it runs specialist tours combining walking with education on flora and fauna. Two one-week trips are scheduled for June, based out of Pola de Somiedo, costing £985 including flights, transfers, meals and accommodation based on two sharing.

Family friendly hikes?

The Ruta de Alba in Redes Natural Park, and the Ruta de Los Lagos in Somiedo are both family friendly. La Senda del Oso, accessible by car or bus from Oviedo, is a former railway, now a 21km walk or ride through a landscape of green hills and steep valleys, between the villages of Entrago and Tun; a lengthy, though flat, day’s exercise. Paca and Tola, two bears, rescued as cubs after their mother was illegally shot, are the bonus attractions on the route. They are now looked after by the Asturian Bear Foundation, and enjoy a large enclosure, so feeding time (midday) is the best chance to see them.

Asturias’s three principle cities are Oviedo, Gijó*and Aviles. All are of a manageable size and eminently walkable, though their attractive cores tend to be surrounded by grim industrial suburbs.

Oviedo, perhaps the most handsome, was once capital not just of Asturias but of all Christian Spain. The cathedral, university and fine-arts museum (00 34 985 212057; museobbaa.com) are all worth a detour; the last is open 11am-2.30pm and 5-8pm daily except Sunday afternoons and Mondays, admission free. It boasts paintings by El Greco and Picasso as well as Asturian artists. Calle Gascona, near the cathedral, u

oapparently has more cider houses (sidrerias) than any other street in the world – a good place to sample Asturias’s national tipple, along with regional tapas.

Gijó*is a sort of Newcastle of Spain, with an attractive centre, declining industry and warm-hearted hospitality. Meanwhile, carnival will be celebrated today in Avilés with a ferocity that astounds even this fiesta-loving nation. Fancy dress is almost obligatory for the street-party that takes place the Saturday preceding AshWednesday.

Check into the Parador of El Viejo Molino (00 34 985 370 511; parador.es), a stylish conversion of a 100-year-old mill in one of the most beautiful sites in Gijón; from ¤135, without breakfast. At the opulent Hotel Reconquista (00 34 985241100; hoteldelareconquista.com) in Oviedo, a double room in an 18th-century hospice will set you back ¤235.

Splurge on food at Casa Fermin in Oviedo (00 34 985216452; casafermin.com), or in one of Arriondas’ two Michelin-starred restaurants: Casa Marcial (00 34 985840991; casamarcial.com) and El Corral de Indianu. (00 34 985841072; elcorraldelindianu.com).

When should I go?

You can go to the Asturian mountains at any time of year, but the first snows usually fall in October and can continue through to April, making the higher mountains off-limits for all but the specialists during these months (except for Asturias’s three ski stations). If you plan an independent trip, check weather forecasts, seek local knowledge, pack suitable clothing and ensure you have at least basic navigation skills.

The climate is sunnier and warmer than the UK. If an Atlantic depression does come calling, there are a number of quirky museums in which to pass a few hours: you can go down a mine at the Mining and Industry Museum (00 34 985 663 133; mumi.es), open 10am-2pm and 4-7pm daily except Monday, admission ¤5; learn about Asturias’s cider culture at the Cider Museum in Nava (00 34 985 717422; museodelasidra.com; noon-2pm and 4-7pm Tuesday-Friday, ¤3.50); or, at the architecturally striking Jurassic Museum (00 34 985 868 000; museojurasicoasturias.com; ¤6), you can get can information on several Asturian beaches where you can search for your own dinosaur footprints.

Very clever clogs

It's not every day that you walk past someone wearing a pair of large, raised wooden shoes, but spend any time in rural Asturias and it will happen.

Madreñas, a type of clog, are still very popular here. Hailed as the ideal footwear for the damp climate, they're made to be worn over a snug pair of slippers – you’ll see them left outside the doors of many houses. Contrary to appearance, they are actually remarkably light, and the wood not only keeps the feet dry, but also warm in winter and cool in summer.

Most of the madreñas worn today are machine-made, but there are still a few, very few madreñeros – artisans who craft the shoes by hand. You can find 60-year-old Luis Teson Lozano, for example, in Pendones, a village in the Nálon valley. Ask for him in the bar, and you’ll be directed to his workshop where he’s likely to be deep in sawdust, with a cigarette in his mouth.

Luis made his first pair of madreñas 50 years ago to exchange for food, and hasn’t stopped making them since. He can, like a good tailor, tell you the size of your foot by sight alone, and is only too happy to show you how he sculpts a block of wood (despite, amazingly, lacking a thumb, thanks to a moment of carelessness with an axe when 20), and is delighted if you want to have a go.

His engraving tool of choice? A sharpened umbrella spoke. Luis can knock off a pair of the finest clogs in a couple of days, and sells them for ¤25.

To learn more about madreñas, and the importance of timber in Asturian culture, visit the Museum of Wood and Madreñas in nearby Veneros (00 354 985 60 80 97; open noon-2pm and 5-7pm daily except Monday; ¤1.50).

Vamos a la playa!

The Asturian coastline has more than a passing resemblance to Pembrokeshire. Of the 200 or so beaches, some offer decent surf, others are ideal for swimming, while all along the coast there are attractive seaside towns and villages. As yet, there isn’t development on anything like the scale of Mediterranean shores.

Llanes, a popular fishing-harbour town in Eastern Asturias, makes a good place to relax after excursions in the Picos. For pretty fishing villages, Luarca, Llastres and Cudillero are good bets, with a variety of accommodation.

If you want the scenery, but don't like sitting still, get yourself on to the coastal path between Pendueles and LLanes; with the right tide, you'll see bufones, the natural blowholes that give noisy geyser-like performances.

Inntravel (01653 617945; inntravel.co.uk) has a week’s self-guided walking holiday based on the Picos, which includes coastal walking. There are spaces on 12 April; prices start at £622 based on two sharing, breakfast, dinner and some picnic lunches, but not including flights.

You can discover your own beaches simply by travelling along the coast. Playa de Ballota, an eyebrow of sand with a craggy island near the Cantabrian border, or Playa del Salencia, near Cudillero, are two stand-out beauties. Good for families is Playa de la Griega, near Colunga.

Walking Asturias

Just over an hour’s drive from Asturias airport is a place that dolefully claims it is unknown to international visitors and forgotten by domestic ones: Redes Natural Park. Superb, varied walking from craggy high mountain to native beach forest is on offer here. The people are friendly and helpful; speaking a little Spanish will pay rich rewards. The park information centre in Caso (00 34 985 60 80 22; redes@taxusmedioambi ente.com) is the largest building in town. The walks around Branagallones offer exhilarating high-mountain routes; your hotel can book you a taxi to get to the trail-head for ¤30. But to combine valley and gorge, low pasture and expansive high vista then the challenging route between the villages of Caleao and La Infiesta takes some beating. The valley of Nalon saw heavy fighting in the Spanish civil war. There are few sadder places than the village of Tarna, located near the pass into Leon and the plains of the Meseta; it was razed to the ground in the fighting. It’s been rebuilt, but a definite chill hangs over it. Redes does not readily lend itself to inn-to-inn walking – you will need either a local taxi or your own vehicle. Caso makes a good base. Hotel La Lastra (00 34 985608084; hotellalastra.com) in an 18th-century villa, commands wonderful views down the valley. It has doubles for ¤45 including breakfast. Hotel Reciegos (00 34 985927109; complejoreciegos.com) is run by Marigel Álvarez, who makes ancient Casin cheese in her adjoining micro-dairy. There are only eight rooms, starting at ¤71 with breakfast.

Asturias: travel essentials

Getting there

EasyJet (0905 821 0905; easyjet.com) has daily flights from Stansted into Asturias airport, near Aviles; while Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ryanair.com) flies London to Santander, two hours by car, bus or train from the Picos.

Brittany Ferries (0871 244 0439; brittany-ferries.co.uk) is adding to its Plymouth-Santander route with another sailing from Portsmouth starting in March, journey time is about 24 hours, and fares start from £186 return for two and a car, but do not include accommodation.

Getting around

You can get to most places by bus or train, as long as you're not in a great hurry. Alsa is the principle bus company – check timetables and routes at alsa.es.

Another option is the Feve narrow-gauge railway, which offers excellent value if not velocity as it winds its way across northern Spain. It connects all the main urban centres, as well as an eclectic mix of smaller stops. You can plan your route at feve.es, or pay Explore (0845 013 1539; explore.co.uk) £1,245 and take its 12-day trip through Asturias to Galicia on the Feve, accommodation and breakfasts included, but not flights.

Further information

Watch Ben Ross and Simon Calder travel through Asturias as part of their video rail journey through northern Spain: visit tiny.cc/hNOH3.

Infoasturias.com is an official website, but the Hotel Posada del Valle (00 34 985 841157) has the best English-language guide to the area (asturiaspicosdeeuropa. com/english).

The Spanish tourist office: 08459 400180; spain.info/uk/ ToursSpain

Click here to view Spanish tours and holidays, with Independent Holidays.

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This Asturias Road Trip Itinerary Will Show You the Secret Side of Spain

November 24, 2022

Taste the green side of Spain with this Asturias road trip through the vivid peaks and crashing coast of the north. This itinerary also combines well with a road trip through Galicia.

See also the best road trips in Spain and don’t miss this guide on what to eat in Asturias.

Table of Contents

Why plan an Asturias road trip?

Asturias is still a hidden gem in Europe. An almost fairytale place where green cloaked mountains crash into the Cantabrian Sea. It’s a place for adventurers, with hiking paths, nature reserves, deserted coves, medieval villages and secret crypts riven into the rock.

All combined with an unmistakable identity. A place where cider sits next to tapas and hearty fadeba stews fire up the hearts of locals.

It’s a place that surprises me each time I visit. A place of natural beauty, yes, but also history at the heart of modern Spain. It helps, too, that it has some great spas and gorgeous hotels.

The winding roads and secret locations mean that the best way to explore the place is by car. So, I’ve gathered together the perfect itinerary for you to plan your Asturias road trip.

Disclosure – I last travelled to Spain in partnership with Green Spain and Traverse as part of the #inGreenSpain project. As ever, as always, I kept the right to write what I like. Otherwise, there’s just no point. Also, if you book or buy through any of the links on this page, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you Thank you!

What is Green Spain?

The autonomous region of Asturias is part of the “Green Coast”, a name given to an area that includes Cantabria, Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country.

Not only green by nature, it’s green by development, too, with an eye on sustainability and a dislike of mass resorts. This Asturias road trip is designed for those who need a week far from the big cities, to inhale the air of the forest and get in touch with their inner selves again.

How to use this Asturias Road Trip Itinerary

If you’ve decided to go on a road trip through Northern Spain, you have two realistic options. Either rent a car and enjoy the freedom. Or book a guided tour and enjoy the stress free flow of knowledge.

I’ve travelled to Asturias a few times, now, and this itinerary is loosely based on my last trip, with a few tweaks here and there. If you’re a keen hiker, slow this down to a seven day itinerary, and give yourself more time on the trails.

You can follow it as an independent traveller or use it for inspiration to book onto a guided trip.

Ready for a new adventure? Let’s take a look at this Asturias Road Trip.

How to Get to Asturias

There are three main ways to reach this part of Spain: plane, bus, and train.

The easiest way to arrive in Asturias is by plane. The main airport (OVD) receives direct flights from Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, and London, and from here, there’s only a short drive to San Esteban de Pravia, where your road trip begins.

If you land in Madrid, one of your best options to reach Asturias is to take the bus. It is a cheap way of travelling, but you must be prepared to spend 5 hours on the road even before your trip begins.

Travel more comfortably from Madrid by train. Although the prices are higher, this route offers beautiful views that make up for it and Spanish trains are very comfortable.

Of course, you could start your road trip through Asturias right away if you land in Madrid or Barcelona. Rent a car and enjoy some of the best road trips in Spain.

How to Get Around Asturias

Asturias has small towns and villages, so you can simply walk or take a taxi or bus if your legs are too tired. Typically, the most you would pay for a taxi to get you from one side of a town to another is around £7.

Travelling between towns and villages is also simple and cheap, with buses departing every day early in the morning and running up to 11 PM. Trains are available, but it is more difficult to create an itinerary based on their schedule since there are not too many options.

Really, your best bet for independent travel in Asturias is to have your own wheels. Which is why most of this article is based on an Asturias road trip.

If you choose a tour, this is no longer your problem, of course, as the tour company will be in charge of the transfer services.

• Recommended reading: how to plan a road trip by yourself

Day 1: Arrive in Asturias

Your Asturias road trip begins at the airport with a quick transfer to San Esteban de Pravia. Either join your tour or pick up your rental car and start the 20 minute journey.

San Esteban de Pravia

This picturesque small town was once one of the most active on the peninsula due to its coal port, the first in Spain, which helped San Esteban’s economy to grow. Today, the loading docks and cranes are no longer used, but they stay in place as huge artefacts of what this port used to be, lending a certain nostalgia to the whole place.

Here, the longest river in the region, El Nalon, meets the Cantabrian Sea. Unsurprisingly, this results in great fresh fish and seafood, with monkfish a highlight.

San Esteban de Pravia is the starting point for the breathtaking Route of the Viewpoints, and this makes it the best place to start your Asturias itinerary.

Where to Stay in San Esteban de Pravia

El Gran Hotel Brillante – this fabulous hotel has spacious rooms and the best view over the sea. It recently went through an extensive renovation, so everything is brand new. The food is also great and traditional and the staff are friendly and helpful. Check availability for El Gran Hotel Brillante here.

Day 2: San Esteban de Pravia – Senda de los Miradores – Cudillero – Cadavedo – Cangas de Narcea

The second day of your Asturias itinerary takes you along the Nolan River to discover a stunning landscape with pine and eucalyptus groves, gorgeous viewpoints, and wild beaches. Lace up those hiking boots for a mild to moderate day on the trails.

Hermitage of the Holy Spirit

Start your day at Mirador del Espíritu Santo in San Esteban. The small chapel is situated on the highest point of the coastal path of Muros de Nalon and offers a stunning view over the Bay of Biscay. It is often used for weddings since it is easily accessible by road.

Senda de los Miradores: Hike the path of the viewpoints

From the chapel, your hike continues along the Senda de los Miradores, the path of the viewpoints. It travels along the coast of the Cantabrian Sea, through a portion of the Bajo Nalón region amid wild beauty and luxuriant forests. The Senda de los Miradores takes you further to the beaches of Focarón and Los Espinos, surrounded by the majestic mountain range of the Pico de Europa, sometimes shrouded in mist.

Prepare to breathe the freshest air in Europe as you cross the pine and eucalyptus forests to a calm rest area where you can have a sandwich and some tea and enjoy the scenery before getting ready to explore the Atalaya viewpoint.

You are once again high, looking at the dazzling waters of the Cantabrian Sea that blend with the sky at the horizon. From Atalaya, you can spot the Vidio lighthouse, once the only guide for the seamen sailing at night in this area. Look down to be dazzled by the roughness of three beaches: La Atalaya, La Conchiquina, and La Cazonera.

 As you leave the town of Muros del Nalón behind, you are welcomed into the same rich vegetation of pine trees and eucalyptus leading you to the end of this route, the Aguilar beach. Beautiful landscapes open up ready for the grand finale.

And only when you get very close to the beach, do you begin to understand how soft the sand is, even in the middle of this rocky land.

Cudillero: the rainbow fishing town

Allegedly founded by the Vikings, the cute and curious town of Cudillero reaches from the sea up along the mountains in a terracotta wave of tumbling, characteristic houses. The word cudillero means “elbow” and once you’ve climbed to the main viewpoint and gazed back down at the time, you can see why. In the peak season, Cudillero is one of the most popular tourist spots. But even in the early days of September, the crowds subside and you’ll have the place to yourself. Keep an ear out for the local language pixueto and look for the local gems, the quiastolita. These natural stones show the shape of the Celtic cross when they’re sliced in two.

Cadavedo, Valdés

The next stop is in this small village in Valdés, which in 1954 was awarded the title of “Most Beautiful People of Asturias” and in 2022 the “Exemplary village of the Princess of Asturias Awards”. Cadavedo is famous for its many hórreos, some rustic granaries specific to Asturias, and its Indian architecture. 

Its stunning Ermita de la Regalina is also a main attraction. This church clings to a grassy headland surrounded only by the beauty of the mountains and the sandy beaches that slide into the sea.

In Cadavedo, you have the chance to meet those who take the famous El Camino de Santiago (also known as the way of St James) going from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela.

Lunch at El Casino

Rest your feet and restock on energy at one of the local restaurants in the village. El Casino is one of the most popular, with a nice terrace right on the grass and a friendly, chatty atmosphere. You shouldn’t expect something fancy, but the food is good, and their ice cream is definitely worth trying.

Cangas del Narcea

As the end of the first day, head to Cangas del Narcea for dinner and a walk around one of the richest wineries in Asturias. This area is fascinating with its picturesque old town and biosphere reserve that offers a wide range of trails through the heart of the forest.

But the real highlight is the Parador de Corias, a hotel housed in an 11th-century building, the former Benedictine Monastery of St. John the Baptist of Corias. The vineyards surround the hotel, giving it a very romantic vibe and a walk between the rows of grapes in the gentle light of sunset will soothe even the most jaded of travellers. Plus, you can finish with a glass of wine from one of the best wine regions in the country.

Dinner at Parador de Corias

It’s difficult to find another restaurant that can beat dining inside an old monastery, so don’t even bother. Enjoy dining at your hotel this evening. As expected, since this is a luxury hotel, the food and services are nothing but exceptional. The Parador also focuses on traditional, regional dishes so expect to taste the hearty stews of caldareta and fadeba, with requeson yoghurt mand honey as dessert.

Day 3: Cangas del Narcea – Oviedo

Lace up those boots again as your itinerary takes you through one of the most spectacular nature reserves in Spain and leaves you in a thermal springs spa.

Altu del Campillo

The first stop is at the Altu del Campillo viewpoint, which is one of the best places to see the valley of Degaña and its deep green and blue landscape. The Asturias road trip itinerary continues to the viewpoint of Fonduveigas, where if you’re incredibly lucky, you can spot some brown bears. Other viewpoints are just a 10-minute drive from each other, so stop for more amazing views until you reach the entrance to the national park reserve.

Moal – Tablizas through the Muniellos Biosphere Reserve

Moal is the entry point to the Integral Natural Reserve of Muniellos (Biosphere Reserve) that takes you along the Tablizas river to the Muniellos Visitor’s Reception Center in Tablizas. This is a relaxing walk through a chestnut wood where you will find the traditional “corripas” where chestnuts are gathered and left until they become easier to open.

To enter the reserve, you will need a permit, so plan ahead if you’re keen to go hiking here.

For a break from the green side of spain, head out of the wildness and straight into one of the most cosmopolitan towns in the area. Oviedo is not the typical sleep fishing village or former industrial town that makes up the landscape of Asturias. Instead, it’s a popular destination for those interested in history, shopping, and trying food at restaurants with several Michelin stars.

Itself a UNESCO World heritage Site, this beautiful city has a university, a grand cathedral and a series of places and temples dating back to the 8th and 10th centuries. Take a break in one of the many squares around the town and sip some local Asturian cider. Pair it with some Vidiago or Cabrales cheese, almond cake, and ore frixuelos.

Oviedo can get pretty crowded during the high season, as it’s a useful point on many routes which cross Asturias and Galicia. It’s the main base for the Picos de Europa National Park and Cangas de Onís and a key location on several Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trails. So, in short, book ahead.

Where to Stay near Oviedo

Head to the Hotel Las Caldas Villa Termal , a sprawling complex with a thermal spa and spacious restaurant based on the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

Day 4: Picos de Europa, Covadonga and Cangas de Onís

It’s time for the big hitters: the Picos de Europa National Park, the birthplace of modern Spain and the Celtic cross that simply is the symbol of Asturias.

Mirador de San Roque, Lastres

The first stop on today’s itinerary is in Lastres, a charming fishing town with narrow cobbled stones and houses situated so close to each other that it is almost impossible for the beams of the Bay of Biscay to invade them. The Mirador de San Roque in Lastres offers a dazzling view over the city and the sea, opening your appetite for more natural beauties. And worry not, they are on their way.

Stand in Dinosaur Footprints at La Griega Beach

As if the beaches weren’t impressive enough, La Griega goes one step further by providing real, actual dinosaur footprints pressed into the rock. Stand in the imprints and get a sense of just how huge these creatures used to be.

Mirador del Fitu, Colunga

At 1,100 metres above sea level, Mirador del Fitu offers a 360-degree view that will stop you in your tracks. From here, you can see the Ponga Natural Park and the Sueve Nature Reserve, along with the mighty Picos de Europa National Park. And if you look to the south, Cangas de Onis and Covadonga appear on the horizon.

Mirador del Fitu to the Majada de Bustacu Route

This 3-kilometre trail takes you through a small wood until you reach the Majada de Bustacu high mountain meadow. I know I keep writing it but spectacular views await here, with the Cantabrian Sea shimmering on one side and the Picos de Europa on the other. This is the best place to spot the lovely Asturcones horses, one of the purest breeds of ponies in the world. 

Cangas de Onís: the famous spot in Asturias

This town is famous for its Roman Bridge with a reproduction of the Victoria Cross that hangs from its centre. Stop for lunch at Vega Redonda cider house , where you can try Asturias’ home cider brand, poured from a great height and drunk in a single slurp.

• Read the secret to pouring Spanish cider here.

Lugos of Covadonga (Enol and Ercina)

The day is still young, so your trip continues to visit some of the highest lakes in Asturias. Situated in the heart of the Picos de Europa Natural Park at an altitude of over 1,000 metres, Enol and Ercina are accessible through an easy climb, and theirstill waters and stunning surroundings attract thousands of tourists every year.

The Royal Site of Covadonga

Do not miss the Royal Site of Covadonga to learn one of the most important stories about the foundation of Asturias. In this place, it is said that King Pelayo defeated the Moors and started his campaign of recovering the Iberian Peninsula from the “barbarians,” aka the Moors.

Enter the waterfall-hidden cave to find the sanctuary of “La Santina” and take a few moments to meditate and embrace this unique Spanish monument of spirituality.

Ribadesella

The last stop is the seaside town of Ribadesella, famous for its prehistoric Cave of Tito Bustillo, which was inhabited by humans before the year 10,000 BC. 

Where to stay in Ribadesella

Hotel Villa Rosario is a fantastic pick for accommodation. A sumptuous villa with amazing views of the sea, luxurious rooms, and excellent breakfast options, it forms one of the famous Indiana houses that line the seafront.

Day 5: Ribadesella – Cabo Peñas, Gozón – Asturias Airport

The last day of your Asturias road trip still has plenty going on. Today, stroll around the town of Ribadesella and hike up to the viewpoint. Then discover the Cabo Peñas before heading back to the airport.

Head to the cave to see the marks made by some of the earliest humans to live in this region. Take a walk on the Santa Marina seafront or stop for a coffee in one of the many restaurants. Finally, stretch your legs by hiking up to the viewpoint that shows the unusual outline of Ribadesella in all her glory.

Cabo Peñas, Gozón

On your way to the airport, there’s the last stop and an amazing one at that. Drive to the Cabo Peñas Protected Area to visit the lighthouse there. It’s been in operation since 1852, guiding sailors across the treacherous yet beautiful Asturian coast.

When to Visit Asturias

The best time of the year for an Asturias road trip is between June and September. Compared to other regions of Spain, which become scorching hot during this period, Asturias enjoys comfortable temperatures that tend to stay below 30 degrees Celsius. The weather is typically sunny with sporadic rain, so prepare for everything and always pack a waterproof.

During the winter, the cliffs of Asturias are covered in snow, and the region becomes home to ski lovers. Christmas fairs are held in every city, and New Year’s Eve is celebrated with sumptuous parties.

In October, many villages hold hazelnut festivals, whilst bigger cities like Gijon and Aviles are famous for their summer music festivals.

Bookmark this Asturias Road Trip Itinerary

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• 49 Interesting facts about Spain
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• How to plan a road trip through Andalucia
• Galicia: how to travel through the salty north of Spain
• The best road trips in Spain
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BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN NORTHERN SPAIN: ASTURIAS AND GALICIA

The regions of Asturias and Galicia in northern Spain are full of natural beauty, outstanding unique cuisine and history dating from the Paleolithic.

These regions, frequently referred to as “green Spain” are very different from the rest of the country. The landscapes are lush and green, crisscrossed by rushing rivers and dotted with snow capped mountains.

The customs and traditions are also unique to northern Spain. Here bagpipes are common, and pouring alcoholic cider from a meter above the glass is, well, the way you do it.

We’ve collected some of the top places to visit in Asturias and Galicia here, direct from the travel experts who know the area well. Enjoy!

Vigo Estuary

As a Galician, telling you that my land is special could come across as meaningless. In any case, you have to believe me. I have traveled all over the world since I was a teenager, and my land has nothing to envy to some of the ‘best’ and ‘most famous’ destinations in the world.

One of the areas of my region, Galicia, where it is possible to find lots of attractions together is Rias Baixas. And among them, the southernmost one, Vigo estuary.

This city, one of the largest and most industrial in Galicia, is also the prelude to Atlantic Islands National Park , which encompasses Cies Islands, Ons Islands, and other islets.

In addition, it is a city in which the love for traditional cuisine and organic products is always present. Nonetheless, Galician products that come from the sea, such as octopus, seafood and a great variety of fish, have fame throughout the Iberian peninsula and beyond our borders.

Visiting Vigo in northern Spain and its surroundings is a great idea all year long. Its temperatures do not suffer great changes in winter and it is already known that, in Galicia, the rain turns everything into art.

You will not regret it! The Vigo Estuary is one of the nest places to visit on your trip around northern Spain. 

Where to stay in Vigo

Inma blogs at A World to Travel 

Asturias’ History

There is a lot to love about northern Spain but the Principality of Asturias, in particular, has it all.  Asturias’ inhabited history dates back to the Paleolithic with cave dweller’s paintings decorating the Altamira caves.

Several 1,200 year old UNESCO World Heritage structures remain as testaments to the determination of the Asturian Kings who alone resisted the conquest of Spain by the Moors in the 7th Century CE.

The Roman period of Asturias is well represented in its bridges, aqueducts and roads.

The charming medieval towns that are found throughout the region are beautifully  preserved and contemporary art is also celebrated in the creation of the Niemeyer International Center in Aviles.

The capital city of Oviedo is a wonderland of stunning architecture, cuisine, history and Asturian traditions like the famous bagpipes performances. Another unique tradition is the alcoholic cider poured from around one meter above the glass without missing a drop!

It is for good reason that Asturias is called ” Nature’s Paradise.” It has an abundance of national parks dotting the landscape. One of the most spectacular is Picos de Europa National Park, one of Europe’s first.

The soaring, snow caped mountains  in the park separate Asturias from the neighboring province of Leon. The park is a hiker’s paradise with the Cares River Trail route being one of the most popular.

A hiker in this area is likely to encounter mountain goats, birds of prey and many other local fauna native to the region of northern Spain. An itinerary of two weeks in Asturias , or more, will deliver a perfect holiday for the nature, food and history lover.  wonderful place to spend 

There are tons of things to do in Asturias and something for everyone.

Where to stay in Oviedo

Talek Nantes blogs at Travels with Talek 

The Fishing Village of Moaña

If you are looking for a relaxed slow-paced vacation in an unspoiled destination, then the fishing village of Moaña , Galicia in northern Spain should be on your bucket list! 

The village is considered one of the best places on the Rias Baixas Atlantic coast to enjoy beautiful golden beaches with clear waters like the popular Xunqueira Beach.

Don’t miss tasting the delicious seafood at the local restaurants. Moaña faces the bay of Vigo, and forms part of the O Morrazo peninsula in the province of Pontevedra. This village is connected to the largest city of Galicia also known for its fishing tradition, Vigo, one of the prettiest cities in northern Spain .

The bay holds not only fruits of the sea, but it is full of the history of sunken treasures and pirate attacks. Moaña is a very traditional and hardworking village famous around the world for the cultivation of mussels, where you can see the typical Galician Bateas (sustainable mussel farms) in the bay.

Get to know the Galician coastal lifestyle, walk along its long promenade, admire beautiful sculptures along the way and visit the market to see locally sourced products: fresh fish, seafood, vegetables, and everything else northern Spain has to offer!

Tiernan blogs at Eat and Walkabout

Table of Contents

Tower of Hercules

When exploring Galicia in northern Spain , you will come across a lighthouse. Stark and imposing, the lighthouse on the shores of La Coruna has every justification for its stern appearance: it’s been here for nearly two thousand years.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the “Tower of Hercules” began life during the Roman Empire. It took the natural advantage of the rock (all 57 metres of it) and built up from there.

Thirty-four metres involve Roman masonry and a final 21 metres stand as a result of 18th century engineering. Architect Eustaquio Giannini added two octagonal forms to provide the silhouette found today.

Inside, a visitor’s centre allows travellers to peer at Roman rocks through the gloom and climb high to see a gently curving view of the Galician coastline.

The site also contains a Muslim cemetery, the Monte dos Bicos rock carvings from the Iron Age and a sculpture park.

Galicia is fond of its lighthouses, finding them essential to navigate its curiously convoluted coast. Any self-respecting road trip through Galicia should notch up plenty. The Tower of Hercules may not be the prettiest, but it is the most significant.

It’s the only Greco-Roman lighthouse to still be intact and still function. And it does lie within easy reach of unpretentious cafes for some post-museum tapas. Seafood anyone?

Abi blogs at Inside the Travel Lab .

Castro Chao Sanmartin

Castro Chao Samartín in Asturias is an ancient Roman and also pre-Roman archaeological site that’s well off the beaten track and one of the most interesting things to see on a tour of Asturias in northern Spain . It lies on the Camino Primitivo trail, which is a lesser-known version of the Camino de Santiago , but it seems most of the pilgrims who pass through here don’t bother visiting the ruins.

Despite our sore feet, my husband and I were very glad that we made the effort to tour the archaeological site, which is well-presented. The entrance fee is four euros and includes a visit of the museum as well as a guided tour of the ruins. We were the only visitors that afternoon, so we got a private tour for just eight euros!

A castro is a fortified settlement, usually from the Bronze or Iron Age, and there are quite a few of these castros scattered around Asturias.

This particular one, Castro Chao Sanmartín, was founded about 3,000 years ago during the Bronze Age. Its heyday came much later, though, with the arrival of the Roman Empire, when gold was discovered in the nearby hills.

Fortifications of many buildings are still visible, along with a few columns that remains standing inside a Roman nobleman’s house.

Wendy blogs at The Nomadic Vegan

Portomarín in Galicia

Portomarín is a bit of a paradox. It is blessed with some remarkable medieval architecture, and yet the town itself as we see it today is only a few decades old. In the 1960s, the Miño river was dammed to create a reservoir.

This flooded the area where the original Portomarín had stood, leaving most of the town underwater.

In an effort to preserve as much as possible of the historic town, its most important buildings were completely dismantled and reassembled piece by piece at the site of the new Portomarín, located on top of a hill, well above the water line.

The most impressive of these buildings is the 13th-century fortress-church of Saint Nicolas, built by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.

For lunch, El Italiano is run by an Italian family and serves authentic pizza and pasta dishes, with a great view of the Saint Nicholas church from the outside terrace.

They even offer dairy-free cheese — a welcome surprise for any vegans traveling in Spain ! Be sure to pick up a box of the local chocolates too, called Piedras de Portomarín. These are small bunches of almonds dipped in dark chocolate.

Where to stay in Portomarin

Santiago de Compostela

If you ever find yourself in Galicia, in the north coast of Spain , then one of the cities you must visit is Santiago de Compostela. This fascinating city has one of the richest and most important histories of any city in Spain. Why? Well, because it’s the end point of the infamous Camino de Santiago .

This is an 800km walk that takes pilgrims all the way across the north of Spain, from the border with France.

If you are interested in exploring northern Spain travel properly, then I highly recommend doing the entire Camino. However, visiting Santiago de Compostela on its own is certainly very rewarding.

Here, you will discover a large variety of old and architecturally stunning buildings. Most notably, the main Cathedral of Santiago, one of the most impressive cathedrals in Europe , the Monastery of San Martiño Pinario and Pazo de Raxoi.

By night time, the city really comes alive. When walking the cobbled streets of the city, you will find endless bars and restaurants, all serving wonderful Spanish food and wine.

You will also find street performers and singers all throughout the old city. The best we found was an opera singer who performs under the arches outside the main cathedral.

Where to stay in Santiago de Compostela

Covadonga Lakes

Covadonga Lakes are located 13 kilometers away from Covadonga village famous for the beginning of Reconquista.

Getting to the Lakes is a bit more difficult than it seems: all 13 kilometers of the road consist of continuous mountain serpentine, even an experienced driver gets cold blood while driving there. But two amazingly beautiful lakes located in mountain valleys are totally worth the hassle!

The great thing is that the lakes are stunning regardless of the weather or time of day.

On clear days you will see mountains reflected in the clear water, and on gloomy days fog and rain will create a mysterious and grotesque atmosphere, two of which any/all photographers would love.

The Lakes are connected by easily walkable trails. Besides that, there are many hiking trails of varying complexity that will cater to any skill set.

The routes are very well marked and obvious, making it so you’re sure not to get lost. While hiking around you will also see cows and goats freely roaming and feeding on healthy organic fields.

My tip is that if you have a chance, do stay there for the sunset as it’s absolutely breathtaking!

Another benefit is that after visiting the Lakes you can get to to the Peaks of Europe National Park on foot. The Peaks of Europe used to be called Covadonga Mountains and many tourists prefer to combine the visit of these two places for a perfect northern Spain holiday.

Inna blogs at The Executive Thrillseeker

Closer to the border with neighboring Cantabria, about 100 km east of Gijon and 30 km from Ribadesella, you can find the picturesque cute little northern Spain town of Llanes.

It is a medieval town with a lively fishing port, well-preserved historic center, a variety of stores, souvenir shops, and restaurants.

Locals and visitors alike love it for cozy old town, beautiful ancient architecture and wide beaches against the backdrop of majestic mountains. The historical and cultural heritage of the center includes the tower and city walls of the XIII century, the basilica, numerous palaces and luxurious mansions of the XVI-XVIII centuries.

If you get to visit, make sure to walk along the Sea Boulevard San Pedro which has a watchtower from where you can see the whole city and one of the secluded rocky beaches.

From late fall to early spring Llanes stays quiet and peaceful, simply because not many people come to visit. But in the summer, when hosting traditional folk holidays and gastronomic festivals, it draws many holidaymakers to the streets.

It is a great place to try some of the best Asturian dishes, local cheeses, fish and seafood. And no matter when you visit, Llanes is the right town for tasting famous Asturian cider in one of the local cafes overlooking the sea, a lovely tradition. 

Anya blogs at Road is Calling

The most amazing place to stay in Llanes is the Hotel Miracielos.   

Asturias and Galicia have amazing fishing villages. Along the coast in Asturias you can find some of the best.

My favorite is the beautiful town called Cudillero, one of the prettiest towns of northern Spain. It is not hard to see why: if you walk towards along the coast, you will see the houses of Cudillero cascading down the mountain towards the sea.

The inhabitants used to live from fishing and agriculture, but nowadays they also get some income from visiting tourists.

In Cudillero you can do several walking routes to explore the town.

They all have a different color and help you to discover cute little alleys and see the town from above. Or head out and walk towards the lighthouse to have a nice view over the sea.

After doing one of maybe even all of these walking routes, you can rest while eating one of the delicious meals served in the restaurants or taverns down on Plaza Marina. Or combine your visit with one of the other cute fishermen towns like Luarca.

Manouk blogs at Groetjes uit Verweggistan

Here are some guides and background on these remarkable destinations. 91 Days in Oviedo, Spain is an account from two travelers who explored the area for three months.  It has great photos and interesting cultural insight. Galicia Rough Guides and Galicia: The Green Corner of Spain are also worthwhile. 

Still can’t get enough of Spain?  Try anyone of these 8 epic off-the-beaten-track adventures in Spain . 

Would you add Asturias and Galicia to your Spain itinerary next time?  Do you think these areas are worth a trip on their own?

Learn more about Northern Spain with these handy guides:

BTW, if you are getting ready for your trip, make sure to take advantage of these useful,  money-saving links  to book your trip:

• Research and  book your flight  with  Skyscanner . I have found them to be the best because they list all airlines including the budget ones. You are always sure of having researched all options.
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• Book your accommodation  with  Booking.com . I find they have a wide selection and a nice, user-friendly, transparent website.
• Protect your trip  and, more importantly, protect yourself with travel insurance. I use  Travelinsurance.com  and have been very happy with them.
• Looking for a  small group tour  to unforgettable destinations with top professionals?  Intrepid Trave l is your choice.
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• Need a visa?   Get your visa  for all countries with   Passport Visa Exp ress.
• Looking for a cool walking tour to explore a city? My favorite walking tours are offered by Take Walks.
• Food and drink tours are the best way to enjoy a city. And Devour Tours are my favorite.
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I personally use, and can recommend, all the companies listed here and elsewhere on my blog. By booking through these sites, the small commission we earn – at no cost to you – helps us maintain this site so we can continue to offer our readers valuable travel tips and advice.

Talek Nantes

3 thoughts on “best places to visit in northern spain: asturias and galicia”.

Pingback: HOW TO EXPERIENCE CUBAN CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES - Travels with Talek

Jeff: I’ll respond to you in detail via email.

Hello, I spent nearly three months in Spain as a newly minted college grad near the end of the Franco era. I speak Spanish and Portuguese, was able to see many of the places I studied, and people were beyond incredibly friendly to me.

I am now old, but healthy, and would like to spend two to three weeks on my own (wife doesn’t like going anywhere) to Leon, Asturias and Galicia, as this is the one area I was unable to visit on my earlier trip.

Like the outdoors, historical places and meeting local people. Not into the Santiago de Compostela religious experience.

Anything to point me in right direction would be appreciated!

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• 12 Reasons We Have To...

12 Reasons We Have to Share Spain's Best-Kept Secret, Asturias

Asturias may be one of Spain’s lesser known regions but there are many reasons to visit this beautiful landscape, found on the northern coast between Cantabria and Galicia . From the incredible scenery to its Unesco Biosphere Reserves, the delicious cheese and stunning coastline, here are 12 reasons why we just have to share Spain’s best-kept secret.

The incredible scenery.

Asturias looks out onto the Bay of Biscay on one side, with mountains on the other; part of Green Spain, in the northeast, it’s always verdant, unlike some of the more desert-like landscapes of southern regions such as Andalucia. So there’s a lot of scenery to take in.

The tasty dairy products

The charming city of oviedo.

The capital of Asturias is the delightful city of Oviedo, with many historic monuments, churches and charming medieval quarter. It’s lively and elegant, with lots of restaurants and places for shopping, as well as a few museums and palaces to visit.

The traditional cider

Asturias is the cider capital of Spain, but the Spanish variety may be a little different to the cider you’re used to. It’s cloudy and flat, rather than clear and sparkling, and it’s not overly sweet, more tart and crisp. Look out for the sidrerias , or cider houses, where you can taste it straight from the barrel and watch it being served in the traditional way – poured from a great height. Take a look at our article on everything you need to know about Spanish cider to learn more.

The excellent hiking opportunities

Asturias is a great region for hiking, thanks to its natural parks. One of the best places to test your new boots is the Picos de Europa National Park , which covers Asturias, Castilla y León and Cantabria. With everything from deep valleys and vast gorges to rivers and limestone mountains, this is one of Spain’s most scenic hikes.

The lively city of Gijón

The city of Gijón, on the coast, is the biggest city in Asturias. It may lack the charm of nearby hilltop villages or coastal towns, but it is a lively cultural hub full of seafront promenades, beaches, pedestrian streets and squares packed with restaurants and bars. As you wander along the many pretty streets you’ll find plenty of museums and monuments of Roman architecture, including a mightily impressive Roman wall dating back to the third century.

The picturesque coastline

Asturias boasts a gorgeous coastline overlooking the Bay of Biscay. You’ll find quaint fishing villages and beautiful beaches every few miles. In fact, two of northern Spain’s best seaside towns to visit are in Asturias – Lastres and Cudillero. If you’re here in summer and want somewhere to soak up the sun, head to Playa Rodiles near Villaviciosa, Playa de la Griega in Lastres, or Playa de Santa Marina in Ribadesella.

The Unesco World Heritage and Biosphere sites

The Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of Asturias, made up of six ninth-century buildings, is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, while the region is also home to six incredible Unesco Biosphere Reserves, rich in wildlife and natural beauty that promote sustainability, biodiversity and conservation. For brown bears and oak trees in the hundreds, head to Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias Nature Park. There’s also the impressive River Eo at Oscos-Eo, while Redes Natural Park has a range of glacial formations worth visiting, and the mountainous Picos de Europa is home to the Iberian wolf.

The varied and delicious cuisine

Asturias, like most Spanish regions, has its own cuisine, characterised by its hearty stews, seafood and dairy products. A typical dish is f abada Asturiana , a thick stew made from white beans, Asturian sausage, black pudding, pork and bacon, flavoured with saffron. Fish stew and arroz con leche (rice pudding) are also popular dishes – and don’t forget the cheese.

The ancient cave art

Asturias is one of the few places in Spain that is home to ancient rock and cave art. There are five caves in the Comarca de Oriente area that contain remarkable ancient art: the Tito Bustillo Cave in Ribadesella, the Cave of Candamo in Candamo, the Cave of La Covaciella in Las Estazadas, Cave of Llonín in Peñamellera Alta and the Cave del Pindal in Cape San Emeterio. Most of the paleolithic rock art here dates back to between 35,000 and 11,000 BCE.

The Dinosaur Coast

Ancient history is rife here in Asturias, and the coastline between Gijón and Ribadesella is known as the Dinosaur Coast thanks to the number of fossilised dinosaur footprints and bones found here, which date back around 150m years. To find out more about the dinosaurs here, visit the Museo del Jurásico de Asturias in the village of Colunga, one of the best dinosaur museums in Europe.

The fascinating museums

You may think that Asturias is only for outdoor pursuits, but it also has plenty of excellent museums. As well as the Museo del Jurásico de Asturias, you have the Fine Arts Museum of Asturias , where you’ll find works from Picasso, Dalí and Goya, and the Archaeological Museum of Asturias, the best place to learn about this land’s ancient history.

The old churches of Villaviciosa

If you’re a fan of old churches and charming architecture then head to the town of Villaviciosa. The main church in town is the Iglesia de Santa María de la Oliva, but stroll around the area and you’ll find a number of architectural gems, such as the Parroquia de San Juan de Amandi and the Capilla de la Concepción de la Torre.

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Travel Guide To Asturias

The rain in Spain falls mainly in the north, which keeps it lush, green and blessedly free of tourists. Delight in the empty beaches, delicious cheeses and ciderhouses of Asturias, one of Spain's four 'autonomous communities' facing north into the Cantabrian Sea along with Galicia, Cantabria and the Basque country. The region is vibrantly urban in parts, but profoundly rural in others. It is maritime, but also mountainous - utterly distinctive, but oddly hard to pin down.

Where to stay in Asturias

Ballota, Cudillero, Asturias (00 34 985 598 111; www.artehotel.net ). A curious example of what can happen when you put urban minimalism in a rural context. This is not high design, but 'domestic modern', breezily put together with affordable materials in black, white and primary colours. Everything is brand new. Not to everyone's taste, maybe, but certainly refreshing. £

CASONA DE BUSTIELLO

Carretera Infiesto-Villaviciosa km16, Piloña, Asturias (00 34 985 710 445; www.hotelcasonadebustiello.com ). Rambling country house in a splendid rural setting on an 11-hectare finca , with stables, a conservatory for cold, bright days, and nine guest rooms. £

CASONA DE LA PACA

El Pito, Cudillero, Asturias (00 34 985 591 303). A splendid casa de Indianos (see Villa La Argentina below for an explanation) from 1877, set in a garden of camellias and magnolias. Chintzy, comfortable, English-style decoration. £

CASONA DE SAN ANDRES

San Andrés, Bárcena del Monasterio, Tineo, Asturias (00 34 985 804 071; www.sanandreshotel.com ). Clean-lined, renovated farmhouse that's dog-friendly, family-friendly and refreshingly unpretentious. Owner Iris Garcia is your super-helpful host. £

Carrales, Caravia, Asturias (00 34 985 853 272; www.elbabu.com ). Between the Sueve mountains and the coast, this stone village house was brought radically up to date by its owners and architect Ricardo Lajara. The design is clever and chic, using neutral colours and modern materials, from RSJs to lime-and-mortar rendering. £

LA POSADA DE BABEL

La Preda, Llanes, Asturias (00 34 985 402 525; www.laposadadebabel.com ). Few rural hotels in Spain are more daringly contemporary than this. The design scheme is original and fascinating, and it works superbly in its rural context. Two suites and 10 rooms are housed in four highly individual buildings. £

LA RECTORAL

Taramundi, Asturias (00 34 985 646 760; www.larectoral.com ). The village of Taramundi, hard by the Galician border in a lush sylvan setting, was an early pioneer of rural tourism and is now almost entirely given over to it. La Rectoral is its most comfortable hotel, housed in what was once the rectory. £££

Comandante Vallespín, Oviedo, Asturias (00 34 985 274 060; www.librettohotel.com ). The hotel to stay at in Oviedo was until recently the Reconquista, a grand old pile done out in suffocating 19th-century style. The M Hotel and is sister establishment, the Libretto, have brought a breath of fresh air to a city as yet unused to contemporary style. M occupies a round tower-block a little way outside the old city, with rooms cleverly incorporated and thus unusually shaped. Decor is quirkily post-modern, with a touch of brothel kitsch in the zebra-skin alcove behind the beds. £££

NH PALACIO DE FERRERA

9 Plaza de España, Avilés, Asturias (00 34 985 129 080; www.nh-hotels.com ). This restored 17th-century palace, on the main square in Avilés, makes a wonderful base for a visit to this rather under-appreciated city. ££

PALACIO DE PRELO

Prelo, Boal, Asturias (00 34 985 620 718; www.palaciodeprelo.com ). This modest 'palace' in a remote hamlet in western Asturias, lay in ruins until Antonio Gomez Mendoza, an economist and Oxford don, transformed it into a small, luxury hotel. He has seamlessly combined rustic and modern, using local chestnut wood for the ceilings and multi-coloured slate for the floors, and lovingly preserving parts of the original house, such as the extraordinary chapel. The surroundings are beautiful, the silence deep. £££

TORRE DE VILLADEMOROS

Cadavedo, Valdés, Asturias (00 34 985 645 264; www.torrevillademoros.com ). Sea breezes provide the air-conditioning at this former farmhouse with a medieval stone tower on the flat coastal shelf known as the 'Rasa Costera'. The interior design fearlessly combines the original stone with concrete columns, bright colours and plate-glass windows. Rooms are on the small side. £

VILLA LA ARGENTINA

Villar de Luarca, Asturias (00 34 985 640 102; www.villalaargentina.com ). The Indianos were immigrants from Asturias who returned from the Americas with vast fortunes and built extravagant, colonial-style casas . Several are now hotels; this one, built in 1899, makes for a charming place to stay and is competitively priced. £

VILLA ROSARIO

6 Dionisio Ruisánchez, Ribadesella, Asturias (00 34 985 860 090; www.hotelvillarosario.com ). This stunning casa de Indianos , an Art Nouveau masterpiece on the seafront at Santa Marina beach, dominates the surroundings with its delicious façade in Mediterranean blue. The first-floor suite is vast. £

Where to eat out in Asturias

CIDER HOUSES

CASA MUNIZ 16 La Lila, Oviedo, Asturias (00 34 985 203 259). Long-established sidrería just off Gascona (Oviedo's main cider drag). A little pricey but good, with plenty of atmosphere and free pinchos (snacks) handed round the tables.

EL TITI Basoreu, Nava, Asturias (00 34 985 716 711). This sidrería , run by Vicente 'Titi' Lafuente, sits in rolling countryside with views over apple and pear orchards and the mountains of Peña Mayor. Not far away is Nava, the cider capital of Asturias.

LA ZAMORANA Hermanos, 38-40 Felgueroso, Gijón, Asturias (00 34 985 380 632). Gijón's most prestigious cider house and seafood bar.

SIDRERIA EL PLANETA Tránsito de las Ballenas, Gijón, Asturias (00 34 985 346 508). There are excellent fish dishes, including an impeccable besugo a la espalda (whole fish split down the middle and baked in the oven), at this classic sidrería with panoramic views of Gijón harbour.

SIDRERIA TININ 18 M Caso de la Villa, Ribadesella, Asturias (00 34 985 861 261). Tinin is one of several sidrerías around the port of Ribadesella specialising in seafood raciones washed down with cider.

TIERRA ASTUR 1 Gascona, Oviedo, Asturias (00 34 985 20 05 02; www.tierra-astur.com ). On Gascona, this sidrería is run by the reliable Crivencar group and is pleasantly decorated in rustic style. A small shop near the entrance sells Asturian products. Crivencar also has a bigger shop up by the central market.

CNT Editors

CNT Editors , CN Traveller

RESTAURANTS

CASA GERARDO Carretera, Prendes, Asturias (00 34 985 588 7797; www.casa-gerardo.com ). Both the arroz con leche and the fabada asturiana , twin pillars of the local repertoire, reach a pitch of perfection at Casa Gerardo. These days, however, under Pedro Morán and his son Marcos, this renowned restaurant is as well known for inventive modern cooking as for traditional Asturian staples.

CASA MARCIAL 10 La Salgar, Arriondas, Asturias (00 34 985 840 991; www.casamarcial.com ). Chef Nacho Manzano holds court in what was once the family home, in a bucolic setting outside Arriondas. Manzano's reinterpreted traditional cuisine has won him two Michelin stars: maize tortillas with onion confit, egg, cream and Cabrales cheese, and his crunchy pancetta with fabada vinaigrette and raw vegetables are definitely worth trying.

EL ROMPEOLAS El Puerto, Tazones, Asturias (00 34 985 860 287). Famous for its delicious fritos de pixin (deep-fried monkfish), locally landed andaricas (crabs) and oven-baked fish.

GALLERY ART & FOOD 118 Carretera de la Costa, Gijón, Asturias (00 34 985 196 666). This new place - a combination of art space, contemporary restaurant and trendy watering-hole - has revolutionised the food scene in Gijón.

RESTAURANTE SIDRERIA JORGE Calle del Muelle, Asturias (00 34 985 648 211). Super-fresh fish and shellfish, just off the boat, are the best reasons to come here. Caldeirada , a mixed fish stew (originating in Portugal), is typical of the cuisine around Navia, as is venera , a kind of almond tart. https://www.cntraveller.com/article/travel-guide-asturias

What to see in Asturias

BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS

ANCIENT SITE OF CASTRO DE COANA Coaña, Asturias. Driving inland from Navia on the AS-12, this neolithic site looms on a hilltop above the road, outside the town of Coaña. Castros (fortified villages) are two-a-penny in Asturias, but this one, with its honeycomb arrangement of circular stone huts, is impressive.

CHURCH OF SAN JULIAN DE LOS PRADOS, OVIEDO Oviedo, Asturias. It was once surrounded by meadows; now a motorway access road screams by. The interior of this ancient church (dating from the late eight century) is magical. San Julian is famous for its murals, which are geometrical and richly coloured.

CHURCH OF SAN SALVADOR DE VALDEDIOS Valdediós, Asturias. El Conventín ('The Little Convent'), as it's known locally, is a well-preserved late-ninth-century church in the lovely village of Valdediós, a few miles outside Villaviciosa.

PALACE OF SANTA MARIA DEL NARANCO, OVIEDO Monte Naranco, Oviedo, Asturias. This pre-Romanesque building, in a hillside pasture of Monte Naranco above Oviedo, is an exquisite little palace in pinkish stone, built for Asturian King Ramiro I in the mid-ninth century, and converted to a church in the 12th century. The entire corpus of Asturian pre-Romanesque architecture has now been declared a World Heritage site.

RURAL HOUSES AT BRANA DE LA PRONACAL, SOMIEDO Parque Natural de Somiedo, Asturias. Brañas were the communities of stone shacks which were inhabited by shepherds during their long stays in the high pastures in summer. This braña , in the heart of the Parque Natural de Somiedo, is one of the biggest and best-preserved in Asturias, and is still partly in use. It is reached on foot from the village of Villar de Vildas.

FUNDACION ARCHIVO DE INDIANOS: MUSEO DE LA EMIGRACION, COLOMBRES Quinta Guadalupe, Colombres, Asturias ( www.archivodeindianos.es ). Asturias' museum about the phenomenon of local emigration to Cuba, Argentina and Mexico is housed in the Quinta Guadalupe, built by Iñigo Noriega Laso when he returned from Mexico a rich man in 1906. A collection of documents and objects, as well as the house itself, throw light on this fascinating subject. The quinta 's gardens are among the finest in the region.

MUSEO DE LA SIDRA - THE CIDER MUSEUM Plaza Principe de Asturias, Nava, Asturias ( www.museodelasidra.com ). Drive out to the orchards and the rolling hills between Nava, the capital town of 'La Comarca de la Sidra' (Cider County), and Villaviciosa.

TOWNS AND VILLAGES

CIMADEVILLA Gijón, Asturias. Gijón's old town, once the fishing quarter, still has loads of atmosphere and some great cider houses.

CUDILLERO Cudillero, Asturias. This attractive harbour town has something of a Mediterranean look when the sun is on it, picking out the colours of the brightly painted façades. The town has its own dialect, pixueto , shown off once a year on 29 June at the fiesta of San Pedro.

LASTRES Lastres, Asturias. Just when you thought the authentic working fishing village was a thing of the past, you come across Lastres: a real gem, bursting with salty charm.

LUARCA Luarca, Asturias. For many, Luarca is the most pleasant and genuine of all Asturian coastal villages. The village still depends largely on fishing to survive, and tourism has not yet made much of an impact. Mesón de la Mar on the harbourside does good seafood tapas.

PUERTO DE VEGA Puerto de Vega, Asturias. A perfect little fishing port midway between Navia and Luarca, reminiscent of the harbour villages on Cornwall's coast, only without the trippers.

TAZONES Tazones, Asturias. Little white houses with coloured balconies crowd up the cliffside, stone pathways rising steeply among them. Just 15 minutes' drive from Gijón on the new motorway, Tazones is in danger of becoming a victim of its own picturesqueness.

Things to do in Asturias

PLAYA DEL AGUILAR

East of Cudillero, Asturias. This splendid beach is reached by a narrow road which winds down through eucalyptus woods. Summer weekends see it fill up with families from nearby Avilés.

PLAYA DEL BARAYO

Near Sabugo, Asturias. The beach forms part of a natural park in Valdés, which includes a river estuary inhabited by otters. A path from the clifftop leads through forests and fields down to a superb stretch of sand. Few visitors bother to make the half-hour trek, which is why you should.

PLAYA DEL SILENCIO

Near Cudillero, Asturias. This aptly named beach (one of Spain's most beautiful) near Cudillero is remarkable not so much for the sand-and-stone beach itself, as for its impressive surrounding landscape of rock formations, cliffs and meadows. The bay encloses a circle of calm water for snorkelling.

PLAYA DE POO

Between Ribadesella and Llanes, Asturias. Popular with families, this is one of a string of pretty beaches between Ribadesella and Llanes. It follows the narrow mouth of an estuary, the rising tide transforming the energetic breakers into a peaceful lagoon. Various restaurants serve seafood and Asturian specialities.

PLAYA DE TORIMBIA

Niembro, Asturias. A spectacular, sweeping arc of sand, reached on foot from a clifftop car park, close to Niembro, west of Llanes. A small chiringuito above the beach sells drinks and snacks. Torimbia is known as Asturias' main nudist beach.

PLAYA DE VEGA

La Vega, Asturias. Reached through a narrow gorge with lush vegetation harbouring rare species, plant and amphibian. The village of La Vega is charming, the wide beach and dunes well preserved, and a few decent restaurants complete the picture.

( www.feve.es ). This narrow-gauge train creeps along the coast from Santander to Gijón and back, stopping at every tiny station along the way. Don't be in a hurry: the service runs just once or twice a day, depending on the season.

When to go to Asturias

Summers are warm, with plenty of sunshine, though cooler, cloudier and wetter than elsewhere in Spain. Autumns and winters tend to be fairly wet and cloudy, hit by depressions from the Atlantic. The best month to go is July.

The best way to get around Asturias

BY TRAIN Asturias and Santander is on Spain's national train grid - RENFE ( www.renfe.es ) trains run from many parts of the country and stop in Oviedo and Gijón.

BY BUS When travelling from one part of Asturias to another, or from Spain's interior to the province, check the regional bus company ALSA's schedules ( www.alsa.es ).

Travel tips for Asturias

CLASSIC ASTURIANO DISHES

Fabada - the signature dish of Asturias: a powerful stew of fabas (big white beans) with smoked chorizo, ham, morcilla and bacon.

Cabrales - Asturias has no fewer than 43 cheese products, making it undoubtedly the cheese capital of Spain. Cabrales, a powerful cow's-milk blue cheese, is a worthy rival to both Stilton and Roquefort, and possibly finer than either.

Empanada - shallow covered pie with a thick crust and various fillings such as tuna, minced meat or sardines.

Fritos de pixin - deep-fried monkfish chunks.

Torto de maiz - small maize-flour tortilla, often fried until it puffs up.

Pote - take-no-prisoners stew, typical of western Asturias, containing potato, cabbage, mixed meats and sausages.

Lacón - sweet-cured ham from the shoulder.

Chorizo a la sidra - chorizo in cider.

Arroz con leche - creamy rice pudding: the Asturiano dessert.

Casadielles - puff-pastry sweetmeats with walnut stuffing.

CIDERHOUSE RULES

Cider consumption in Asturias requires the drinker to observe three certain rules: \1. Sidra natural (natural, still cider) must always be served escanciada . The verb 'escanciar' means to tip the cider from the bottle into the glass from as great a height as possible, so that it splashes on the side of the glass (always thin and flat-bottomed) and becomes cloudy and oxygenated. The waiter will do this for you, or you can try it yourself. (No one will mind, except you, if most of the cider ends up on the floor.) \2. Once poured, the glassful must be downed in one. The oxygenating effect of escanciada only lasts a few seconds, after which the cider is thought to 'die'. \3. It is considered polite to leave a little cider in the bottom of the glass, to be thrown either on the floor or into a receptacle provided. This practice dates from the days when the glass was often shared between drinkers: the remaining liquid would be rinsed around the glass and thrown away before passing it on.

• DESTINATIONS
• EXPERIENCES

The Ultimate Travel Guide to Asturias in Spain

I was born in Gijon which is a medium-sized city on the coast of Asturias in Spain. I’ve been living here for most of my 32 years. My love of nature and the outdoors began when I first picked up a surfboard at the age of 16. The search for good waves forced me and my friends to explore the coastline.

We found amazing beaches tucked behind mountains cascading to the sea and wide-open windswept sand dunes just waiting to be explored. A couple of years later (when I was totally lost on what to do next in life), I had the chance to try a reflex camera. I enjoyed it from the first click.

Suddenly, I had the power to capture my vision of the world. What’s better – people liked the photos I was taking. I was hooked from then onwards.

Why Visit Asturias in Northwest Spain

Asturias is off the beaten track. We’re not exactly inundated with tourists. Most visitors to Spain want guaranteed sun, beaches with turquoise waters, paella and fiesta – so they head to the Mediterranean or the south. This makes Asturias a quieter and more authentic region of Spain.

Sure, the weather is unpredictable but the rain is why we’re the garden of Spain and part of the Costa Verde. If you like adventures, the outdoor life and access to nature then this could be the perfect little paradise for you.

The thing I like most about Asturias is the fact that you can have all kinds of experiences in a very small place. You can hike a 6000-foot mountain in the morning, surf a wild beach in the afternoon and have dinner in a charming fishing village at night. The food and wine is as good as any place in Spain .

Cities are not too big and they all have “Casco Viejos” (Old Quarters) which reveal the history of the province. These towns were home to seafarers, fishermen and warriors who defended the towns from invaders.

Unique People and Culture of Asturias

I think the people here are not the most naturally open people. Although, other Spaniards consider us to be kind, helpful and authentic. People might not invite you into their house on day one but they will definitely show you the beauty and culture of Asturias and soon you will be friends.

The culture differs to the rest of Spain quite a lot. This is especially true when comparing Asturias to the south. We have more in common with Ireland or Scotland than we do with Andalusia . There is a lot of mythology related to nature and also the remains of the Celtic culture.

In fact, the traditional instrument of this region is not the guitar but the bagpipes! This unique instrument heavily influences our music.

My Favourite Places in Asturias: Lagos de Covadonga & Playa de Xago

It would be difficult to choose just one favourite place as Asturias is full of places I love for one reason or another. Lagos de Covadonga has to be one of my favourite places. Just picture two beautiful lakes beneath big mountains which are surrounded by green fields where cows graze.

I remember going there as a child with my father and being impressed by the beauty of it. I am not surprised that now it is a very popular place. Playa de Xago is definitely another favourite spot. It’s a wide and wild beach.

Sometimes when I’m stressed, sad or bored – all I need to do is drive over with my surfboard, score some nice waves and enjoy the sunset from the sand dunes. Xago will always cheer you up and put you in a good mood.

7-Day Travel Itinerary for Asturias

To take advantage of Asturias – a mix of experiences in the mountains, sea, villages and cities – you need at least seven days. And you might want to stay longer once you taste the gastronomic delights.

If you fly into Bilbao or come from France by car, start by spending a night on the eastern edge of Asturias in Llanes. The neighbouring coastline is full of little beaches and stunning cliffs – some of which include “bufones” or “gestures” where waves shoot up through the rocks like a fountain!

This area is also perfect for hiking, horse-riding and other activities. You also get to take advantage of the narrow streets of the Old Town of Llanes on foot. From there book into the Parador de Cangas de Onis or find another launching pad to take in some history and views of the Picos de Europa.

Cangas de Onis has an iconic humpback Roman footbridge but it’s the invaders who came after that who created much of the folklore of the area. About 1300 years ago the area was “reconquered” from the Moors under the leadership of Pelayo or Pelagius. His statue can be seen across Asturias.

Pelagius and his troops, depending on who you believe, either received sustenance in the Caves of Covadonga or were inspired by a statue of the Virgin there. The natural cave is now home to a church and shrine. And you’re not far from the Lagos de Covadonga that I mentioned before.

If you enjoy the mountains and the outdoors, the Picos de Europa National Park will show you some of the country’s biggest – including the famous Urriellu peak. Here you can spot the climbers on their way to the top looking like little ants in the middle of that 2300 foot wall.

Spend a day there trekking and checking out the miradors or take cable cars to enjoy the heights. Driving back to the coast, you should visit Ribadesella and go kayaking on the green waters of the Sella River. This is a summertime tradition and you will fall in love with the seaside villages.

Especially a place called Llastres which was the location of the Spanish television series Doctor Mateo . Get lost in the narrow streets that negotiate the hillside village and find fantastic seafood restaurants tucked into different vantage points overlooking the Cantabrico or the Bay of Biscay.

From there, head to Gijon, the biggest city of Asturias. It’s dominated by the two-kilometre long San Lorenzo beach. This beach is bordered by bars and restaurants. There’s also a promenade where visitors can watch the beach life and stunning tide transformations change throughout the day.

There are surfing schools for beginners or you can just chill in one of the quiet plazas in the old town, which is near old Roman Baths and narrow streets full of nightlife. Gijon is a great place to hang out for a few days.

Other must-visit cities in Asturias include Oviedo and Aviles. Both of which are close to Gijon. Oviedo is the cultural heart and capital of the Asturias province known for its fine architecture. Aviles, on the other hand, is a one-time industrial city that hides an alluring old town and cultural centre.

To end the trip, head west to Cabo de Penas and Cabo Vidio. These two places offer breathtaking views over the sea and are dominated by lighthouses. If you want to get back to fishing villages, try visiting Luarca and Puerto de Vega. The Asturias airport is close to Aviles and Gijon.

Incredible Food Scene of Northwest Spain

This is one of the best areas of Spain to enjoy eating! You can have any kind of food here but the fish and seafood will always make your day. Try the local pixin (monkfish). It’s the best-tasting ugly fish you’ll ever eat.

There are several high-end restaurants in Asturias and the traditional restaurants specialize in Fabada Asturiana (beans with chorizo) and Cachopo, the local steak/cheese/ham schnitzel or cordon bleu equivalent.

The best places are “sidrerias” (cider houses), another Asturian tradition. You can’t just pour the apple concoction into your glass – you must hold the bottle over your head and keep the glass tilted at your hip to catch it.

It’s worth a visit to a sidreria just to see the local camareros demonstrate this skill while you eat authentic Asturian food. And you better be hungry!

Best Accommodation Options in Asturias

There are plenty of options to stay here in Asturias depending on your style and budget – from high end paradors to Airbnbs. I would recommend spending some nights in a casa rural. These are traditional houses in a village or in the middle of nature that were turned into a guest house.

Houses such as these are perfect to chill at, meet the local people and immerse yourself in the culture of Asturias in the most authentic way.

In Gijon there is a wide range of accommodation but if you are looking for something different I would recommend North Surf House . This hostel offers the chance to practice some activities like yoga, pilates and of course, surfing. It’s the perfect place to relax during your visit to the city.

If you’re looking for something slightly more fancy then don’t miss Tierra del Agua . This eco-resort has an infinity pool, a little spa and a nice restaurant among other things. Tierra del Agua is situated in the middle of the mountains next to a natural park. You are going to love this place!

And if the budget isn’t a problem, there is an amazing place called Puebloastur . This five-star luxury resort is situated in the middle of the mountains and is probably the best in Asturias. To be honest, I haven’t been able to afford it but one day I will go! It looks incredible.

Favourite Experience: Lagos de Covadonga in Winter

Three years ago I went back to Lagos de Covadonga after a long time without visiting. It was winter and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The lakes were frozen and were surrounded by a beautiful snowy landscape with the last sun rays lighting the peaks of the mountains in the background.

In summer this place is crowded but at that moment I was almost the only one there. The mood was just perfect. I thought: “Wow, I should explore my own backyard more often.” At that time I was in the habit of travelling to far away countries. I realised that my own backyard had so much to offer.

Key Tips for your Visit to Asturias

The weather can change in the blink of an eye in Asturias so bring a good raincoat, a light sweater for nighttime when it can get cold, and bring some comfortable shoes because you are going to walk and hike a lot.

Public transport is good and cheap between the cities but rent a car if you want to visit remote places in the mountains or explore the coast and all the beaches and villages that aren’t served by buses.

At the restaurants feel free to ask the waiters if you are ordering too much because they don’t like wasting food. You can get a bottle of sidra for €2 so make sure you pace yourself because the hangovers are memorable!

I also recommend learning some Spanish before visiting. English is not commonly known, especially in the villages. If you go on to learn a few words in Asturian then you will definitely win people’s hearts and affection.

My last piece of advice (which sounds contradictory) is to enjoy Asturias and not tell people! As I said, the charm is that it’s off the beaten track. The major highway across the north was only completed this century.

If you find a fantastic vista or a stunning location away from the masses, keep it to yourself. By doing this, travellers are always going to be welcome here. Everyone has the right to visit paradise at least once!

BY JAVI SANCHEZ IG: @JAVISPICS WWW.JAVISANCHEZFOTOGRAFIA.ES

Author:  Javi Sanchez

Javi Sanchez is an Asturian boy who has been taking photos since he was 18. You can find him on Instagram at @javispics where he shares some amazing photos of Spain.

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The Ultimate 5 to 7 Days in Asturias Itinerary

Published on January 31, 2024

by Neota Langley

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Discover the secret side of Spain by planning a 5 to 7 days in Asturias itinerary. The official slogan is  “Asturias, paraíso natural” (Asturias, natural paradise) and there is no better way to describe this region on the north coast of Spain.

A real hidden gem, this region is well and truly off the beaten track. You won’t find the usual crowded beaches synonymous with Spain here, this is where the Spanish spend their holidays. Gastronomical delights paired with incredible vistas, endless hiking trails and pristine beaches.

Spend your days exploring the local gems before settling in to indulge in the region’s famed Asturian cider, smoky bean stews, and fresh seafood harvested from its abundant coastal waters.

Table of Contents

How Many Days in Asturias?

Asturias is a region covering over 10,000 square kilometres so deciding how long you need to get the most out of the area can be tricky.

You could easily spend endless weeks and months delving into the beauty and history of this region and taking in cities like Oviedo or Gijón , but 5 to 7 days is the sweet spot for an adventurous holiday into the hidden side of Spain that you will never forget.  

With 5 days in Asturias, you will have plenty of time to visit traditional Spanish fishing villages, vibrant cities and head inland to discover the dramatic Picos De Europa National Park. Hike your way through the mountains and watch the sunset over the cliffs on the wild coastline.

For the first 5 days of our Asturias itinerary, we will be focused on the eastern side of the region, slowly traversing towards the west. You won’t have time to see everything this region has to offer but by following this itinerary, you’ll get to visit the hotspots. 

If you have additional time to spend in Spain and want to extend your holiday to 7 days, this will give you a little more time to delve deeper. Discover the far reaches of the region in the lesser-known national park Somiedo and explore the coastline along the western edge of Asturias, bordering Galicia.

Getting To & Around Asturias

Asturias is a more off-the-beaten-path destination, making it perfect for those seeking an authentic sense of adventure, but does this mean it is harder to get to and around?

While public transport links may not be as plentiful as the more built up regions, it is still possible to visit, especially with local tours such as this full-day tour that pick you up and whisk you away deep into the mountains, no car required.

However, if you want to travel independently and follow the route outlined below, then it’s going to be necessary to have your own vehicle to get around the region. You can browse Rentalcars.com to compare prices for hire cars across several companies.

To reach Asturias, you have several options. If you are travelling from further afield, you will most likely be boarding an aeroplane.

There is an airport in Asturias itself but it is very small and only offers a handful of destination options so you may have to make use of the nearby Santander Airport or the larger Madrid airport then either hire a car or use public transport to reach your final destination.

If you are already in Europe, you can take a train to Asturias from most major cities in Spain. The biggest train station in Asturias is in Oviedo, providing easy access to the rest of the region from cities like Madrid . You can browse schedules here.

Buses also connect various Spanish cities to Asturias. If you are visiting during the off-season however it is worth noting there will be a reduced service so make sure to check up-to-date timetables before heading off. 

If you’re coming from the UK or Ireland, you can take a ferry to Santander or Bilbao and then drive or take public transportation to Asturias. This ferry takes 31 hrs however so it is by no means the fastest route. This does mean you could bring your own vehicle however, perfect if you are travelling by campervan. 

If you are an avid hiker, you will have heard of the pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago. This famous long distance hike traverses the northern half of Spain from the mountains of the Pyrenees to the city of Santiago De Compostela. The Northern Way (Camino del Norte) passes through Asturias, offering a unique way to explore the area.

5 to 7-Day Asturias Itinerary

This region has it all, plenty of high-octane adventures for the adrenaline seekers and endless beaches for those who prefer to sit back and relax with a glass of local sidra and some delicious tapas. 

Day 1 – Explore the East Coast

There’s so much to see and do along the Asturian coast. Endless beaches, dramatic cliffs, quaint fishing villages and hillside olive groves. The best way to see as much as possible is by taking a full day meandering along the coastal road on the ultimate Asturias road trip.

Lastres 

Perched on steep cliffs, Lastres is a charming fishing village straight out of a storybook. Breathtaking views of the Cantabrian Sea, blending maritime charm with dramatic landscapes.

Wander through cobbled streets, taking in the colourful houses adorned with vibrant flowers while fishing boats bob gently in the harbour.

Lastres is a haven for seafood enthusiasts, offering fresh catches at seaside restaurants. For the best views of the village, along the coastline and even across to the Picos de Europa mountain range, drive up to the Mirador de San Roque viewpoint.

Ribadesella

Another picturesque town along the coast, cradled between the Cantabrian Sea and the imposing Sierra del Sueve mountains, Ribadesella is home to cobbled streets adorned with traditional Asturian architecture, landmarks like the Church of Santa Maria and pristine sandy beaches, including the renowned Santa Marina Beach.

As you would expect from another fishing village, the cuisine on offer here is based around fresh seafood. Ribadesella is also a gateway to nature, with plenty of nearby excursions, hikes and cultural experiences such as exploring the stunning Tito Bustillo Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site showcasing prehistoric art.

Bufones de Pria

A true natural spectacle, these sea geysers send powerful jets of water high into the air, accompanied by an exhilarating symphony of echoing roars. Carved into chimneys in the cliff by the relentless force of the Cantabrian sea, these blowholes are mesmerising to watch. 

The best time to visit is at high tide, especially on a wild stormy day. This is when you will get the best show but this beautiful stretch of coastline is still worth visiting regardless of the tide and the weather. 

Gulpiyuri Beach

There are endless rocky coves, sandy beaches and harbours along this varied coastline. It’s difficult to pick just one to visit but the most intriguing by far is the Playa de Gulpiyuri. It is a true hidden gem. Technically classed as an ‘inland beach’ this natural marvel is tucked between limestone cliffs.

Gulpiyuri is a small, circular inlet connected to the Cantabrian Sea through underground caves. The turquoise waters gently lap against a small area of golden shore, a true tranquil oasis surrounded by lush greenery.

The final destination on our road trip along the east coast and the most convenient place to stay for the next 3 nights is Llanes. Llanes’ historic centre is truly enchanting, home to mediaeval architecture and the iconic Cubes of Memory, a modern art installation overlooking the sea.

Wander through cobbled streets, discovering quaint shops and traditional cider houses. Then, after indulging in the catch of the day, the best way to end the day is by taking a stroll to watch the sunset at one of the many beautiful sandy beaches accessible from the village including Playa de Toro and Playa de Sablón.

Where to Stay in Llanes

Don Paco – A cosy hotel in a converted convent, this is a great mid-range option in Llanes. They have free parking, double and family rooms available, an on-site restaurant and bar and a fab breakfast daily.

Apartamentos Turísticos Llanes – These apartments are a good choice for those after their own flat in Llanes. There are one-bedroom and studio options available, some with balconies or terraces.

Albergue La Estación – An excellent budget option, this hostel has a great, central location, kitchen facilities, a living room and dorms and private rooms available.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Llanes hotels!

Day 2 – Hiking in the Picos De Europa

Ruta del cares.

Easily one of the most unique hikes in the whole of Europe, this route that weaves along the side of the Picos de Europa mountains is one you will never forget.

The most popular section starts in Poncebos, continuing for 12km until you reach Caín. It’s an out-and-back, 24 km full-day hike but if you wanted to do a shorter walk, you could easily turn around halfway. 

The route runs through the deep-sided Cares River gorge, the path precariously perched on the side of the cliff, tunnelling through caves, ancient bridges and past abandoned villages alongside plenty of mountain goats.

There really is no other hike quite like it, every corner you turn is jaw-dropping. It’s worth noting, the deep ravines, narrow paths and sheer drops are best suited to hikers with a good head for heights. 

Head back to Llanes for the evening after your hike. There may be minimal elevation gain on the hike but 24 km is a fair distance so you are bound to have worked up an appetite. Settle in for an evening in one of Llanes’ many restaurants and rest before heading back into the mountains on day 3.     

Day 3 – Covadonga

Covadonga .

Nestled deep within the Picos de Europa range, Covadonga is a hidden mountain village near the with a profound cultural and spiritual significance. You can get here by this full-day tour or this full-day tour if you’re not driving.

The focal point is the Covadonga Sanctuary, a historical building cut into the side of a rock face where the Basilica of Santa María la Real and the Holy Cave pay homage to the legendary Battle of Covadonga in 722 CE. 

The village itself is fairly small, with just one restaurant, a smattering of local homes and a few hotels. It is worth stopping in Covadonga to visit the Sanctuary but the main reason we have led you up this winding mountain road is our next stop, the Lakes of Covadonga.

Going to or from the village, make sure to make a stop in the nearby Cangas de Onís municipality where you can see the beautiful Roman Bridge in the village.

Lagos de Covadonga

Surrounded by lush meadows and craggy peaks, you will find two pristine glacial lakes—Enol and Ercina. Casting mirror perfect reflections of the limestone mountains that tower above them, these lakes are truly breathtaking. 

There is a short hike over the hill to view both lakes but if you want to explore more of this area’s endless natural beauty, this is the starting point for several excellent longer hikes. This is the perfect place to take a picnic, especially when the sun is shining – the grassy hillside provides excellent mountain views, ideal for enjoying some local cold meats, cheese (including the noteworthy Cabrales Cheese) and wine. 

During the summer months the Covadonga lakes are only accessible via shuttle bus from the village of Covadonga. Outside of the peak tourism season, you can drive up in your own vehicle. 

After another day exploring the best of the Picos de Europa National Park, it’s time to head back to Llanes. This is your last evening in this picturesque coastal town so if you are a food enthusiast, tonight is the perfect night to go all out in the town’s Michelin Star restaurant El Retiro . A family run restaurant with a keen focus on traditional Asturian cuisine, cooked to perfection.   

Day 4 – Gijón

San lorenzo beach.

Our itinerary continues in the region’s largest city, Gijon. Perched along the coast, right in the centre of the region this maritime city is the central hub of Asturias. Here you will get a real feel for the more metropolitan side of the region, indulge in delicious Spanish cuisine and discover the history of this mediaeval city.  

Take a leisurely morning walk to San Lorenzo Beach, one of Gijón’s most iconic stretches of sand. The sea breeze, lapping waves, and the stunning views of the Bay of Biscay. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider a refreshing morning swim or simply relax with a cup of ‘cafe con leche’ on the golden sands.

Cimavilla, the historic old town of Gijón is not to be missed. Explore its narrow streets filled with charming local stores and restaurants.

Try a traditional sidrería for lunch, where you can taste the local cider and indulge in Asturian specialities like fabada (bean stew) or fresh seafood dishes caught that morning off the coast. There are multiple museums, galleries and the 18th-century Revillagigedo Palace to explore throughout the afternoon. 

For unbeatable views of the bay, especially as the sun begins to set, take a stroll up the cobbled paths and through the lush green park to Santa Catalina hill. At the summit you will find Elogio del Horizonte, created by the sculptor Eduardo Chillida. This is the perfect place to enjoy a tranquil escape from the urban bustle. 

After watching the sunset, it’s time to explore the vibrant nightlife scene here in the region’s largest city. Explore the bars and pubs around Plaza Mayor and Cimavilla for a taste of the local nightlife. From traditional Asturian cider houses to modern cocktail bars, there is something to suit everyone. 

To make the most out of the city and its nightlife, you will want to find accommodation in or around Gijon. Because of its central position, you could easily opt to stay in this coastal city for the rest of your trip. 

Where to Stay in Gijón

Hotel Alcomar – Overlooking the seaside promenade, this hotel has plenty of comfortable rooms on offer along with a daily breakfast, 24-hour reception and a bar for guests to enjoy.

El Môderne Hotel – A chic, modern hotel in the centre of Gijón, there are double rooms and suites to choose from. There is also a daily buffet breakfast and a fitness centre.

Apartamentos Bahia San Lorenzo – These seafront apartments are a great self-catering option in Gijón. There are one- and two-bedroom flats on offer and the property has a lot of amenities to offer guests.

Gijón Surf Hostel – Centrally located in Gijón, this hostel is great for backpackers. There are several dorms to choose from along withe nice communal areas and a shared kitchen to prepare meals.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Gijón hotels!

Day 5 – Oviedo

Oviedo old town.

The official capital city of the Asturias region, Oviedo is another picturesque city that you don’t want to miss. With traditional stone houses, flower-filled courtyards, and narrow winding streets, you would be forgiven for thinking you had been transported to a bygone era.

Begin your day by strolling through the charming streets of Oviedo either independently or on a walking tour . Admiring the rustic architecture along the way.

Visit the central square, Plaza de Alfonso II and marvel at the 8th-century Cathedral of San Salvador. This sacred site has undergone various transformations over the centuries, blending Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance influences.

You can also take in the lovely Plaza del Fontán, another gorgeous square in the city.

Oviedo’s Countryside

Oviedo is not a coastal city but what it lacks in ocean views, it makes up for with lush countryside, rolling hills and towering mountains on the horizon.

You can either head out into the pastures beyond the city streets for a relaxing stroll or, for some green spaces within the city itself, head to the central Park San Francisco. 

If you choose to head outside of the city centre, than make sure to make a stop at the Iglesia de San Miguel de Lillo, a 9th-century church that is absolutely beautiful. Nearby, there is the Iglesia de Santa María del Naranco, also constructed in the 9th century.

Visit a Sidrería

Asturias is synonymous with sidra (Spanish for cider), a drink made from fermented apples. This historic beverage is part of the foundations of this region, and is part of local culture and folk law.

If you have reached day 5 of this itinerary and have not yet sampled a glass, Oviedo is the place to do it. Gascona is a street right in the centre of the city, full of traditional Sidrerías.

Make sure to watch the bar person pour the sidra, it’s usually done from a great height to create bubbles and can be quite the spectacle. 

If you have 5 days to devote to your itinerary for Asturias, Oviedo is the perfect place to end your trip. From here, you have convenient access to airports and public transport options for your onward journey. 

Day 6 – Somiedo Mountains

Located about 1.5 hours from Gijón, Somiedo is an incredible area to explore on a road trip through Asturias.

Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, this enchanting natural park is home to towering mountains, emerald lakes and traditional stone villages hidden amongst the hills. You can also take an organised tour here from Gijón or Oviedo.

This area is a haven for hikers, with endless trails to discover, meandering their way through dramatic landscapes, mountain villages and lush green valleys.

Lakes of Saliencia

The Lakes of Saliencia include three glacial lakes, perched high in the Somiedo mountains. The Valle del Lago route is a 11km day hike that leads you from the Alto la Farrapona car park through meadows and ancient forest to reach all three of the emerald lakes.

The elevation profile is moderate at just over 400m. Beyond these lakes, there is another, hidden up in a mountain combe. You could easily extend your walk to also include Lago del Valle but this will add another 8 km and over 600m of elevation. 

Pola de Somiedo

Spanish mountain villages have a certain charm to them, cobbled streets, old stone buildings and the friendliest locals. Pola de Somiedo is no exception, a quaint village in a breathtaking setting.

If you didn’t pack a picnic for your hike, this is a great place to grab a bite to eat before heading back into the mountains to discover the traditional stone cabins.

Wandering through the Somiedo National Park, you are likely to spot groups of small huts, scattered around lush pastures. These tiny houses were once used as shelters for shepherds who farmed these alpine meadows, usually with a flock of goats, sheep or cattle.

These alpine meadows, known as “brañas,” were rich in nutrients and had plenty of natural water sources but the unpredictable nature of the weather in mountainous regions meant the shepherds needed shelter, a home away from home. These thatched cottages, known as ‘teitos’, make the perfect place to hide out from the storms. 

There are several hiking trails that lead you to these abandoned mini villages but the most noteworthy are Saliencia, Mumián and Pornacal.

From here, you can either return to Gijón for the evening or opt to change accommodation to somewhere along the west coast. Cudillero is a beautiful small fishing town or you could head to the slightly larger Luarca.

Day 7 – West Coast of Asturias

Most of the sites on this day can be visited as part of an organised tour if you’re not driving.

Avilés is the third largest city in Asturias, after Gijón and Oviedo. The historical centre unfolds like a living museum, perfectly preserved mediaeval streets, buildings and the highlight, Plaza Mayor, surrounded by architectural gems like the Palacio de Ferrera and the Church of San Nicolás.

A captivating blend of the old and the new, Avilés is the perfect place to start your day before heading west along the coastline. Tuck into a fresh flaky pastry and a cup of coffee on the harbour before taking a stroll through the cobbled streets. Don’t forget to look up, the architecture here is particularly special. 

Our next stop on this trip to Asturias is the picture postcard village of Cudillero. A maze of colourful buildings adorned with vibrant flowers make up this little fishing village, built into the side of a steep hillside on the Cantabrian Sea.

Its narrow, winding streets lead to a bustling harbour filled with fishing boats and seafood restaurants. The iconic viewpoint, La Garita, offers a panoramic vista of the village and the Bay of Biscay. You can either climb up the metal staircase to the viewpoint from the harbour or, you can park in the car park at the top of the hill. 

Playa del Silencio

It wouldn’t be a coastal road trip without stopping in at one of the incredible beaches along the route. There are beaches along the Asturian coastline to suit everyone, from long stretches of white sands and turquoise waters to town beaches, close to amenities. 

Playa del Silencio is a real hidden gem, tucked away at the base of towering cliffs. Whilst this may not be the best beach for swimming and the shores are full of pebbles not soft white sand, this cove is one of the most spectacular on the entire north coast of Spain.

It is truly unique and could easily be mistaken for a screenshot from Jurassic Park. Huge cliffs covered in dense shrubs and if you are lucky, you may even spot the gigantic European Vultures flying overhead. 

To access this beach, you will have to walk down the side of the cliff – but don’t worry, there is a pathway with sturdy metal bannisters to hold onto.

Known as the “White Town on the Green Coast,” due to its natural setting and white buildings, Luarca is home to pristine beaches, a working harbour, and a charming old town. 

Before you lose the daylight, make sure to visit the Gardens of the Fonte Baxa. This botanical garden is the largest private botanical garden in Spain and is home to thousands of plant species as well as sculptures and water fountains.

This is the perfect place to end our road trip, especially if you happen to be passing through at dinner time, you don’t want to miss out on the locally caught seafood and traditional Asturian dishes. As the light fades, take an after-dinner stroll along the harbour. The atmospheric sparkling lights of the village to your right and the gentle sway of the ocean to your left. 

Have More Time?

If you have more than a week in Asturias, there are endless options to extend your stay. If you are an avid hiker, climber, mountain biker or general outdoor enthusiast, you may want to base yourself in the Picos de Europa National Park for longer than the 2 days in this itinerary.

Kayak or canoe your way down the famous Rio Sella River – originating in the Picos, you can travel the entire way down the river to the Cantabrian Sea. If you want to explore more of this mountain range, Potes is an excellent base. 

From the mountains to the sea, if you would prefer to spend your extra time exploring hidden coves, colourful fishing villages and the bustling towns along the coast, there are plenty of options. Visit the tiny port of Ortiguera, with its slate-roofed fisherman’s cottages amongst vegetable gardens or explore more of the many beaches.

Playa de Rodiles is considered to be not just one of the best beaches in Asturias but in the whole of Spain. Visit the white sands of the (optional) naturist beach, Playa de Torimbia or go off the beaten track to the smaller Playa de San Antonio.  

You could also continue either east or west to explore other regions in Northern Spain, including Galicia to the west or the Basque Country to the east, where you can visit historic cities or eat local cuisine in cities like San Sebastian .

Visiting the North of Spain feels as if you have stumbled upon one of the best-kept secrets in Europe. Asturias is home to the real trifecta, charming mediaeval towns and cities, rugged mountains and an incredible, varied coastline.

There is something in this region to suit everybody and, after a day of exploring, you get to tuck into some of the world’s best food. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Are you planning to visit Asturias? Have any questions about this itinerary? Let us know in the comments!

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About Neota Langley

Neota is a writer for The World Was Here First. Born and bred in Cornwall, she can usually be found with hiking boots on, ready to embark on an adventure. For the last 6 years, she has travelled throughout Europe in her self-built campervan with her trusty canine companion, Ivy. She loves exploring France, the Nordics and spending time in Alpine destinations.

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Asturias (Province)

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Asturias – What to Visit: 2 days itinerary

• April 18, 2021

Home > Spain > Asturias – What to Visit: 2 days itinerary

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There was a long weekend coming up, and I was looking for a destination to visit, and Asturias came to mind. Located in northern Spain, the Asturias region is one of the most beautiful in Spain and perfect for nature lovers.

Prepare to be surprised by the beauty of the beaches, the quaint towns or the breathtaking landscapes of the Picos de Europa Park!

In this blog post, you will find several tips for planning your visit to Asturias.

How many days do you need to visit Asturias?

Although in my case, I only spent 2 days visiting Asturias, I believe you should dedicate 3 to 4 days to exploring the region . This is especially true if you want to walk some trails, such as the Ruta del Cares.

The 2-day itinerary on this blog post does not include the outward and return trip to the starting and ending points of the trip. So please take that into consideration when planning your trip to Asturias.

What is the best time of year to visit Asturias?

The weather forecast in Asturias can be a bit uncertain, as is usual in almost all of northern Spain. So, to ensure you can find milder temperatures and less likelihood of rain, I suggest you visit Asturias from June to September.

How to get to Asturias?

Asturias has only one airport, located near Santiago del Monte. This airport has some direct connections, both to other cities in Spain and to other cities in Europe:

• Portugal (Lisbon)
• United Kingdom (London)
• Italy (Rome, Milan)
• France (Paris)
• Germany (Düsseldorf, Frankfurt)

In addition to this airport, there are other airports relatively close to Asturias. These are Bilbao , Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña and Santander.

What is the best way to visit Asturias?

To ensure greater freedom when visiting the Asturias region, certainly having a car is the best option . If the aim is to visit only the most popular points of interest (such as Cangas de Onís, Gijón, Oviedo or the Picos de Europa Park), public transport is more easily available.

However, for other more isolated places, such as the beaches, then having a car available is really the best option!

Accommodation in Asturias

The answer to the question of “where to stay in Asturias?” depends a lot on the itinerary defined. In my case, for example, as I had very little time available, I chose to change accommodation every night. Unfortunately, I didn’t like any of the accommodations I tried, so I have no recommendation in that sense.

However, these are the regions/cities with the most accommodations available:

• Cangas de Onís

Activities & tours in Asturias

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What to visit in Asturias?

What to visit in asturias – day 1.

» Beach of Silence

It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when talking about Asturias, but here you will find beautiful beaches and the Beach of Silence is one of them. On many of the beaches, the colour of the water wouldn’t make you believe that you are in the North of Spain.

What’s the only bad thing about it? The water temperature… as you would expect, it is freezing!

» Cudillero

A small town by the sea with a fishing tradition and very colourful houses. You can visit it very quickly, and you’ll surely feel like taking lots of photos. 

Do not miss the La Garita viewpoint , where you can get a panoramic view of Cudillero’s main square.

Gijón is one of the best-known cities in Asturias, being the city with the largest population.

You can start your visit in the Cimavilla neighbourhood with a short walk in Cerro de Santa Catalina park. In the park, you can also observe the “ Elogio del Horizonte ” monument, which was once one of the symbols of the city.

Also take the opportunity to visit the Plaza Mayor and end with a walk in the city’s harbour.

We continue to the capital of Asturias – the city of Oviedo. Oviedo is a photogenic city, with photo opportunities on every corner.

Start the visit in the square where the Cathedral of San Salvador de Oviedo is located.

Head for one of the most lovely squares of the entire trip – Plaza del Fontán . Here you will also find El Fontán Market (open from 8h to 15h from Monday to Saturday).

Restaurants in Oviedo

A visit to Asturias would be incomplete without trying out cider (“sidra”), which is the best-known drink in the region. The cider is served from above and is drunk in “culetes” (bottoms of a glass), and should be consumed in a single sip. And the restaurant I tried in Oviedo was Sidreria Gato Negro . It’s a tapas restaurant with a nice outdoor space! Here you can also try the famous cider.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you visit Oviedo, do not miss the churches of San Miguel de Lillo and Santa María del Naranco . Both have been part of the UNESCO heritage since 1985. The two churches are situated on a hill with very beautiful views and are isolated from everything else.

What to visit in Asturias – Day 2

The morning of our second day would be dedicated to exploring a tiny part of the beautiful Picos de Europa Park . As we visited during Easter, the access to some parts of the Park was conditioned. Therefore, we had to ride the public buses that are available during these periods (more information below).

» Cangas de Onís

Cangas de Onís is a lovely small place, known for its famous Roman bridge over the river Sella which reminds me of the famous Mostar bridge in Bosnia 😊

This is also a place where you can taste the famous Asturias cheeses and one of the best places to stay overnight when visiting Picos de Europa.

» Covadonga (Basilica + Lakes)

We began our visit to Covadonga at the Basilica of Our Lady of Covadonga . The Basilica is surrounded by mountains and its exterior is in pink limestone! Moreover, this site is quite symbolic, as it is usually considered one of the places where Christians began to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula.

Useful information:

• The visit to the interior of the basilica is free
• Opening hours: 9h to 18h30 from Monday to Friday

Next to the Basilica, you will also find the Holy Cave. The Holy Cave, as its name indicates, is a cave on Mount Auseva. Next to the cave, there is also a lagoon where visitors throw coins and make wishes.

» Covadonga Lakes

Next comes the visit to one of the most beautiful landscapes in Asturias… the Covadonga lakes. Located at over 1000 meters of altitude, there are 3 different lakes, all of them of glacial origin: Lake Enol, Lake Ercina and Lake Bricial (the least known).

The road to the lakes is rather sinuous and steep. After all, this road is one of the toughest parts of Tour of Spain.

Once in the lakes area, we can explore the area freely on foot, climb to a few viewpoints or even walk along pre-defined trails – it all depends on the time you have available.

However, in order to preserve this site, access is limited during peak periods (i.e. festive seasons, and summer). During the rest of the year, it is possible to drive your own car on the road that leads to the lakes.

• It is only possible to access the lakes with your own car during certain times of the year. During busy seasons, it is necessary to take the public buses available.
• The buses are available from Cangas de Onís. Nonetheless, you are not able to take your car further, only from Covadonga (next to the P4 park).
• Where to park your car? There are several parks (2€/day) and from which you can take the buses.
• Buses leave every 10/15 minutes and the departure times depend on the time of the year.
• How much is the bus? 9€ per adult (valid for the whole day, working as a hop on/off)
• Where to purchase bus tickets? Only in the indicated parks or on the bus itself.
• There are several stops along the way at the main points of interest.
• More information here

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you have some extra time on this day, you can also add the following points to this route: Del Fitu Viewpoint and Bufones de Pria . In the case of Bufones de Pria (natural phenomenon where jets of seawater spout from cracks in the cliffs), this effect usually only occurs on high tide days with heavy swell.

» Gulpiyuri Beach

Gulpiyuri is another beautiful beach in Asturias. The beach resembles a kind of bay, with the water being very shallow.

This beach is the result of a process that took place over the years, in which the sea created a cave in its interior, having its bottom eventually collapsed.

» Torimbia Beach

Another beautiful beach that Asturias offers us! If the light allows it, you will see the beautiful blue tones of this water. But, as you would expect, only the water’s colour is heavenly … the water is VERY COLD!

This itinerary in Asturias ends in the city of Llanes – a totally lovely coastal city. Here the sea and the mountains come together in a superb scenery. 

Lose yourself in its streets, have a snack and enjoy a walk by the sea. Don’t miss the Memory Cubes , a sculpture by Agustín Ibarrola with coloured cement blocks.

Finally, take the opportunity to admire the beautiful landscapes in Cue beach or take another cute photo at the La Boriza viewpoint . These last two points require only a short drive from the centre of Llanes.

I ended this trip with the feeling that it was very short (despite the many hours spent in the car). Therefore, as you can imagine, the desire to come back with more time is great! But, even so, it’s always worth it and that’s why I decided to share this road trip with you anyway.

Disclaimer : this post may contain some affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something through my links. This doesn’t represent any additional cost to you and you’ll be supporting my work here on the blog😊

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I am Mariana from Porto, Portugal . I am truly passionate about traveling and all things travel related. And that’s exactly what led me to create this page: so I can inspire others to travel and help plan all those trips with my tips and itineraries.

Click here to find out more about me.

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We revel in the remoteness: wild camping and hiking in the Scottish Highlands

A five-day mindful adventure on the Knoydart peninsula – one of the last great wildernesses in the UK – offers the chance to fully unwind and leap into the unknown

I t’s a relief to lay my rucksack down, plunge hot feet into the cool stream and pause to revel in the fairytale surrounds. Foxgloves stand tall against a cornflower-blue sky, ferns look almost luminous, the water glints in the early summer sunshine. A patch of moss-covered ancient forest provides shade, a cuckoo calls in the distance, mountains layer on the horizon.

I’m in Knoydart in the Highlands of western Scotland, one of the last great wildernesses in the UK, on a hiking and wild camping adventure. No roads cross the 22,000-hectare (55,000-acres) peninsula, a rugged place where a trio of Munros soar skyward, sandwiched between sea lochs Nevis and Hourn (poetically translated as heaven and hell). Over five days our group of eight will explore this land on foot, carrying our sustenance and shelter on our backs, led by two guides from The Living Project, Josh and Emily.

The rest of the world feels very far away as we linger over lunch before continuing to Barrisdale Bay farther north. Today’s hike is about eight miles over undulating terrain. An old drover’s way leads up past a loch where Highland cattle drink and we climb a 450-metre pass before descending to the coast once more. We take our time, stopping often, sometimes chatting, sometimes walking in silence. The going gets tough at points, packs feel heavy, but a sense of freedom, a revelling in the remoteness, trumps any fatigue.

Set up in 2019 by Josh Bulpin and Cormac Davey (former colleagues at World Challenge Expeditions), the Living Project offers “mindful adventures in wild places,” with trips ranging from women-only weekends in Snowdonia to weeks in Nepal. The emphasis is on connecting to nature, not epic feats of endurance, with yoga, meditation and journal writing woven into our days.

“We combine adventure and wellbeing, giving people the chance to challenge themselves, but focus very much on the journey and moving slowly through the landscape,” says Josh. “It’s not about racing up summits.”

Our trip began two days earlier in Fort William, where we’re encouraged to ditch any excess luggage. Most equipment, from tents to cooking utensils, as well as food (fresh and dried) is provided. While you don’t need experience, with packs weighing upwards of 15kg and several hours walking a day on the itinerary, a decent level of fitness is advised. Our group consists of four guys celebrating a 40th birthday, and three women and a man, ranging from mid-30s to early 60s, travelling solo. For many of us, it’s a first multi-day hike.

Wild camping is permitted in Scotland and you could, of course, do this independently. But having everything taken care of, and knowing you’re in safe hands, makes it easy to focus on the simple challenges of hiking and the wonder of the wild surrounds.

To reach Knoydart we take a train to Mallaig from Fort William – crosssing Harry Potter-famed Glenfinnan viaduct – then a ferry across to Inverie, the only settlement on the peninsula, home to around 120 people. After pitching tents on the shore at Long Beach, where mirror-flat water reflects the pinks and blues of the sky, we walk to the Lookout seafood restaurant for dinner.

The next day dawns clear and bright for the hike to Barrisdale. After gentle yoga on the beach, Emily shares the first daily question to ponder as we walk (“Why am I here?”), and we set off into the wilderness. Soon we pass a hilltop monument to the notorious former landowner and Nazi sympathiser Lord Brocket; today much of Knoydart is community-owned after a buyout in 1999.

Our camp for the night is next to the bothy at Barrisdale Bay. We wash in the river and prepare dinner alfresco, chopping fresh veg and halloumi as the setting sun washes everything gold.

Our trip coincides with a heatwave in Scotland – and routes are always adapted to suit the weather and group needs. So, given soaring temperatures, we spend the next day exploring locally, pack-free, instead of moving on. Maps are pored over and soon Josh and Emily have a plan – a path neither of them have walked before.

We wind our way up the hillside, rising to open views over Loch Hourn. Further on we’re delighted to discover a series of waterfalls and plunge pools and spend a magical couple of hours clambering over rocks and dipping into crystal waters – a welcome respite from the heat. A thunderstorm soaks us on the hike home, its sudden power adding to the wildness of the day. That evening we cook in the bothy kitchen – an escape from the rain and the midges which plague us at sunset and sunrise (it’s June and the weather has made it a bumper midge year).

The next morning we pack up early and head off, slowly climbing again into the hills. The landscape is staggering – and there’s no one else around. A small creature stares at me from the valley below as I stop to rest – a pine marten perhaps? Buzzards ride air thermals in the sky above. Thoughts fall away as I focus on the feeling of the sun on my face and the utter peace of the mountains.

Our final wild camp is by a loch and we paddle out through mud and reeds for a swim in silky waters. I pitch my tent a little way from the others on the sandy shore. Looking out across the water, I could be the only person around.

It’s with mixed emotions that we arrive back in Inverie after a short hike the next morning. There’s time for quiet contemplation on the beach before the boat back to Mallaig and the need to re-engage with the rest of the world. We’re a little dirty, midge-bitten and sunburnt, but relaxed and happy as we head back to civilisation and a hotel with hot showers and clean sheets.

A final slap-up supper together is lively and fun. But beneath the chatter and laughter, the stillness and expansive sense of the wild remains. I think back to Emily’s first question: “Why was I there?” To escape from the world for a bit, to slow down, to leap into the unknown, immersed in nature. Knoydart has provided all that and more – a rekindling of wonder and deep feeling of peace; something I want to cling on to for a long time.

The trip was provided by The Living Project . The next Wild Pilgrim trip to Knoydart (for women only ) runs from 2-7 June 2024 ; or on 8-13 September 2024 (for all) and costs £975 , including all food while camping , two restaurant meals , one night in a hotel , most equipment, ferry crossings and trains to and from Fort William . Train travel and accommodation in Fort William was provided by Visit Scotland .

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