15 suggestions for Christmas in Asturias at full throttle

Asturias is an ideal paradise for Christmas without stopping, and without tiring. In Asturias, letting yourself be carried away by the clichés will not be boring; on the contrary, you will enjoy the naivety and illusion of childhood. You will discover a world of infinite leisure possibilities, different, rich and unique. So much so that you will be able to see for yourself in these 15 suggestions for Christmas in Asturias at full throttle, without one being like the other, in other words, always surprising you for the better.

Asturias is the ideal place to lose yourself in the streets of towns and cities, discovering that street, that fountain, that promenade, those panoramic views of the sea or the mountains, that craft shop... and all wrapped up in warm lighting.

It is the most beautiful land to discover that mountain route, to reach the summit where you dreamt so much or where you never imagined, to discover a new activity in nature, to sit right next to the fire in the fireplace, or to arrive with appetite to a table that is always good to eat.

Asturias is the perfect land for the best shopping, to surprise others with unique and unrepeatable details. That's why it's a place that allows you to make the most of the Christmas festivities and holidays.

In this map of suggestions for Christmas, you will walk in our company through the 15 tourist regions, so that you can take the best memories - material and immaterial - from each and every one of them, and share them with those you most want to.

Ready for the Asturian Christmas? Let's get started!

Oscos-Eo: river, sea and mountain beauty

The Osco-Eo region is the most north-western region of Asturias. Its bordering condition makes it cosmopolitan and welcoming. Its landscapes are always surprising, combining the beauty of the river, the sea and the mountains.

The cradle of Spanish rural tourism, it is still a more than ideal destination for tasting the delights of rest and relaxation in remote and warm villages, where people still look each other in the eye with sincerity and where a handshake has a lot of value... It is perfect for the warmth of Christmas next to a lareira, to see the world's largest razor in Taramundi or buy the smallest, or to take all the vitamins of the sea and the estuary to your mouth with the oysters of the Eo.

What an original trinomial for Christmas!

Lands of Navia-Porcía, between honey, forts and delicious seafood

The region of Tierras del Navia-Porcía, large in every sense of the word, offers kilometres and kilometres of landscape. Mountains, rivers and reservoirs, under the serene influence of the Navia, will make Christmas an unrepeatable experience, sweetened, for example, by the rich and healthy honey of Boal.

A route through the many interesting forts in the area, and a good seafood platter in Tapia de Casariego, are other vivid examples for a different kind of Christmas.

You'll want to lose yourself in this land for Christmas!

Vaqueira region: brañas, veal and sausages, and fishing villages

The region that takes its name from the Vaqueiro people will welcome you with open arms, because it is welcoming by nature, and much of its charm lies in its people, as well as in its immense landscapes.

It is a land of high and striking "brañas", some of which overlook the sea, giving rise to incredible viewpoints. Precisely because the pastures are of such high quality, the livestock is of the best, and this means that the meat is excellent, or that, for example, Tineo is a veritable world capital of sausages, with the famous Chosco, prized as the gold of western Asturias.

And if it is a question of looking out to sea, what better vantage points than Luarca or Cudillero. The beauty of these villages, their atmosphere and their cuisine will completely captivate you.

Don't miss out on a cowboy Christmas!

Fuentes del Narcea: you will never forget its endless forests and heroic vineyards.

If you go, you will never forget it. The region of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias, is a land of infinite forests, like Muniellos; of mighty rivers like the Narcea; of mines and cunqueiros... And suddenly, on its steep and sunny slopes, you will discover heroic vineyards... It is the Asturian wine! Or you may be lucky enough to taste androya (a typical local sausage) in a restaurant or cider house.

At Christmas the brown bears that inhabit the area are hibernating, but you can walk through their habitat and discover the places where they enjoy a peaceful existence.

Who knew you could make a Christmas toast with a good Asturian wine!

Lower Nalon: from elver to salmon, via the fabes (beans)

The Lower Nalon has always stood out for the richness and variety of its vegetable garden, which translates at the table into delicious and typical dishes. Without detracting from the beauty of its landscapes, where river, estuary and sea come together; where salmon and elvers - born from the perfect fusion of estuary and sea - are twinned.

It is precisely the enriched silts of the Narcea and the Nalón that make its soil fertile, like its people and its history. So the fabes (beans) that are grown and cooked here are some of the best.

If you make a stop in Bajo Nalón, you won't regret it. You will get to know the Asturian soul in first person, and if you are lucky, you will even be able to see the Angulero on Christmas Eve (a sort of Father Christmas but in the unique local version).

And you will also be able to see, in the middle of Christmas, the mouth of the Nalón river, the longest river in Asturias!

Camín Real de la Mesa or the seduction of a Roman road

It takes its name from a famous Roman road that linked Asturias with the Meseta since ancient times. And that is its vocation: a land of passage where it is great to stay.

The Camín Real de la Mesa offers splendid views, first-class home cooking, cycle touring trails such as the Senda del Oso (Bear's Path), so that you can take a ride in the middle of nature, with the river, the mines and even the Pre-Romanesque Art at your heels.

And if you are a bit more daring and are not afraid of winter, in Teverga you will find huge limestone "pareones" for climbing. It is an area that resembles the Picos de Europa, but let's say in miniature.

Tackle a Christmas for the intrepid on the Camín Real de la Mesa, as if you were a Roman "pecholata" or a classic Roman!

Avilés, a prodigious region if ever there was one

In the Avilés region you will experience extraordinary discoveries. You will be able to see in the distance the castle of Gauzón, the most emblematic fortress of the Asturian Monarchy, where it is said that the Victoria Cross was covered with precious stones.

Or visit an underwater mine...

Or discover the historic centre of the Villa del Adelantado, in other words, Avilés, where every corner, every street has a prodigious history. Not to mention the pastry shops in this sweet city.

And if cheese is your thing, then try the excellent blue cheeses made in Illas....

In Avilés you will undoubtedly discover a different kind of Christmas!

The Nora region, the heart of Asturias

In the heart of Asturias, in a striking plain, crowned by gentle mountains, is the Nora region, named after the river that flows through it.

It is a land of meat industries and good cured meats, such as in Noreña, where you can also enjoy the best tripe and the famous sabadiego at Christmas. You will feel like you are in the kingdom of the gochu (Asturian for pig).

And if walking, hiking and routes are your thing, in Siero you have many options: from mining routes to other very green routes, for walking or cycling. And of course the Camino de Santiago or a splendid rural Romanesque awaits you here.

In the heart of Asturias your Christmas will beat stronger than ever!

Oviedo, a hyperactive capital city

Oh Oviedo, what a capital and what a pleasant city, and its council is no less so!

Its size and atmosphere is very human, warm and welcoming. It is an ideal place to enjoy culture, good gastronomy, shopping and partying.

In Oviedo, you'll get lost in its historic centre and you won't want to leave. You'll experience first-hand the magic of the Asturian Monarchy, the Pre-Romanesque Art, or the Camino de Santiago at the very edge of the Cathedral of El Salvador, all framed by the Christmas lights.

And if you are a "llambión" (Asturian for "sweet-toothed"), you have incredible confectionary shops where you can taste or buy unique sweets, created and made in Oviedo. And also wonderful and atmospheric cafés, gastronomic shops...

In Oviedo you will experience the most hyperactive and Jacobean Christmas you have ever imagined!

Montaña Central, to feel like an Asturian Father Christmas

If there is one thing that stands out in Asturias, it is its mountains. There are mountains for all times, for all desires, for all tastes, for all ages... Asturias would not be the same without its mountains and mountain ranges. So it is not surprising that there is a whole region called Montaña Central, where the landscapes will leave you speechless.

It is the ideal area for a holiday with the mountains as a backdrop or as the star of the show. It is in this region that you will find the two ski and mountain resorts in Asturias: Valgrande-Pajares (the oldest in northern Spain), and Fuentes de Invierno (the most recent).

And if you prefer other ways of enjoying the mountains, here you have all the most famous summits - together with those of Picos de Europa - in international sport: L'Angliru, Coto Bello, Cuitu Negru, etc... True legends of cycling and mountaineering.

In the Central Mountains you will feel like an Asturian Father Christmas!

Cabo Peñas or the panoramic Christmas

This region, which takes its name from the most northerly point of Asturias - Cabo Peñas -, is a seafaring and fishing region if ever there was one, and its imprint is marked by the goodness of the Bay of Biscay, by its fishing villages - Candás and Luanco -, which are delicious and very typical, and by the charm and naturalness of its gastronomy.

If you want to indulge yourself in a good meal of stews and seafood cuisine during these holidays, this is the place for you. And of course, if you like sardines, you have to try them in Candás. Or if you're more of a sweet tooth, be sure to try the marañuelas in one of the confectioner's shops in Luanco or Candás?

And of course you can look out over the breeze and the dizzying cliffs of Cabo Peñas, for a truly panoramic Christmas!

Gijón, Christmas with cider

Gijón of the soul! The town of Jovellanos - as it is popularly known - is a city with a sweet tooth, where you can taste and buy all kinds of sweets made in Asturias and Gijón, which also go perfectly with Christmas time.

But it's much more: lots of cultural and sporting activities, atmosphere, partying, cider bars bursting at the seams, terraces that call out to you, shops that invite you to come in... Gijón is very much alive at Christmas, and it's also very brightly lit!

You have to experience Gijón's Christmas atmosphere!

Nalon Valley, between the sky and the subsoil

The Nalón Valley offers you a mining and industrial landscape in one area, and a Biosphere Reserve in another - the Redes Nature Reserve - where you will be amazed by the purity of nature.

Both in its industrial and natural aspects, the Nalón Valley will seduce you. You will be able to experience unforgettable episodes underground, in a mine, or to reach the summit in the domains of the capercaillie. And while you indulge your palate in cider houses and restaurants that will not fail to surprise you with their cuisine, which is both elaborate and simple at the same time.

Of course, don't forget to try and take home a good Casín cheese.

You can spend a Christmas between heaven and the underground!

Cider Shire, under the influence of Asturian apples

The Cider District has a name that tastes of apples, and when poured, of bubbles and carbon dioxide. This area, which also stands out for the beauty of its landscapes, is home to many of the apple orchards and cider houses in Asturias, as well as numerous cider makers.

And among its many other advantages is the fact that it boasts a wealth of Romanesque and pre-Romanesque art that is more than interesting.

So in the Cider Shire you will be very entertained: between walks, the occasional espicha or visit to a cider mill, and of course a good cider house and various tastings, you won't have time to get bored.

You'll have the best cider Christmas of your life!

Eastern Asturias, the jewel in the Asturian crown

The Oriente de Asturias region is well known for being home to the Picos de Europa, one of the most emblematic National Parks on the European continent, both for its peaks, its habitat and its history. It is precisely this history that will come to the fore in Covadonga, which at Christmas time is ideal with its Nativity Scene, its cave, its Basilica and the surrounding landscape.

You can also take the opportunity to enjoy nature with an activity, or sample the region's best cheeses - of which there are many and very good - at the Sunday market in Cangas de Onís, or in one of the charming restaurants in the region, which stands out as a remarkable gastronomic destination.

Oh, and there are also excellent gastronomic shops that will leave you speechless!

Nibble to your heart's content in this jewel in the Asturian crown!