Ecotourism activities for all tastes in Asturias

Ecotourism is a very healthy practice and is here to stay. And it is clear that there are ideal destinations for ecotourism experiences and one of them is undoubtedly Asturias.

If you like contact with nature, with the authenticity of villages and corners, if you enjoy patiently observing the native flora and fauna, if you love contemplating the landscape with the outlines of the peaks and the depths of the valleys, if you let yourself be carried away by the whisper of the waves and the tides or by the peaceful flow of rivers and streams, Asturias is your great home for ecotourism and much more.

In fact, it's very easy, because all you have to do is let yourself be captivated by , one of the most select lists of protected natural areas in Europe, which represents no less than a third of the surface area of this ancient and historic Principality. So the list of attractions for nature tourism is almost unlimited.

So relax and think about the green ecotourism that awaits you in Asturias!

Here we suggest some irresistible ecotourism plans.

Did you know that the Asturian natural parks of Somiedo and Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias are home to the largest number of brown bears in the Iberian Peninsula? That's right. So it is easy to deduce that you are in the best place to follow the tracks and wanderings of the brown bear, and to learn all about its life habits and ecosystem.

Moreover, with the added advantage that both parks are Biosphere Reserves, and that means that you will find yourself in a natural environment that is as well cared for and authentic, both in the case of Somiedo and in that of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias.

You will enjoy unique landscapes, where human presence - mainly livestock and agricultural - has shaped the landscape for centuries. For this reason it is highly recommended that you do some routes - there are some of low difficulty -, and in this way you can discover the "brañas somedanas" with their "cabanas" of teito, and the history of the "vaqueiros de alzada" (transhumant livestock breeders who have had a strong presence in the area).

And if you go to Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias, as well as following - ideally on a guided route - the trail of the brown bear, you can, for example, go into its forests, such as Mual or Munieḷḷos - the largest oak forest in Europe -, which are truly prodigious.

Dozens of routes for all levels await you in both places, and you have the chance to do them with the best nature guides!

The mountains of Asturias, from mid-September until well into October, the mountains of Asturias offer you an unparalleled natural spectacle: the bellowing of the deer or stag.

What is the rut? It is the courtship and mating stage of these animals, which are among the most impressive in the Iberian fauna. Precisely to guarantee the future of the species, the males compete for power, strength and hierarchy, under the attentive observation of the females. Their way of competing for the attention of the females is to bellow with all their power, as a strategy to attract the potential harem and other males willing to compete for the females' attention.

So this moment becomes very special. In addition, the natural scenery, with the intense colours of autumn in Asturias, make it even more special. Places such as the Redes Natural Park, Aller, Somiedo, Nava, Piloña, Proaza, Teverga and Ponga are ideal for experiencing the rut in all its glory.

And of course, to make the most of the experience, we recommend that you enjoy this visual and auditory spectacle with a specialised guide!

The Asturian coast is a "safe harbour" for gulls and other birds, many of them aquatic, which undoubtedly lend themselves to observation, both resident and migratory.

There are many beautiful birdwatching sites, but among all of them, scattered along the more than 350 kilometres of Asturias' coastline, there are two wetlands of international importance: the Eo estuary - the natural border between Asturias and Galicia - and the Villaviciosa estuary.

The Ría de Villaviciosa Partial Nature Reserve is considered one of the most important birdwatching spots in Spain, and also has an Interpretation Centre to help you learn about the types of birds that coexist in this ecosystem and their travel habits (in the case of migratory birds).

Also, bear in mind that the Asturian coast is the ideal home for biodiversity: islets or fortified forts, islands, cliffs, estuaries and river courses, riverside forests, or mountains and ranges very close to the sea - the Sueve and the Cuera - make Asturias a paradise for animal life.

The Tina Mayor estuary, the Ribadesella estuary, the Nalón estuary, Peñes, la Herbosa, the Barayo Reserve, the Isla de la Deva or the Isla de Tapia are some of the other places in Asturias where you can see birds.

And remember, always respect the natural environment, and if you follow the explanations of a guide, even better!

The Ponga Natural Park is one of those hidden treasures of the Cantabrian Mountains, characterised by its steep slopes where you can contemplate majestic mountain ranges, in which the Beyos Gorge is embedded like a miracle of nature.

This natural park, declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2018, and located in the vicinity of the Picos de Europa, is one of the great vegetable patches of Asturias, given that its imposing forests cover almost 40 percent of its surface.

Undoubtedly, one of its most famous attractions is the Peloño beech forest, which in autumn is a great chromatic symphony, and which can be easily reached via a route that starts at the Collada de Les Bedules pass.

And of course, another of its charms to discover, apart from its forests, is to observe how its inhabitants have maintained over time the traditional architecture based on stone, wood and tiles, especially the hórreos called beyuscos, very representative of its cultural and ethnographic heritage. The beyuscos are small in size and have a gabled or hipped roof, a unique cultural rarity that you can see in villages such as Viboli or Viego!

But Ponga is much more than that: there are countless hiking and mountain routes, with such emblematic peaks as Tiatordos and Peña Ten. There are also centuries-old traditions, handed down from generation to generation, including Los Beyos cheese, made by shepherds in the area around the gorge of the same name.

In the heart of Asturias, the Bear Valleys, made up of the councils of Proaza, Quirós, Santo Adriano and Teverga, are a privileged area from a landscape and natural point of view, and therefore one of the perfect places for your nature photographs.

Nature in its purest state, which forms part of the Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Biosphere Reserve, and is one of the refuges of the Cantabrian brown bear, as well as other species such as the golden eagle, Egyptian vulture and griffon vulture.

It is also an ideal area for hiking and other active tourism activities (climbing, canoeing, etc.), and one of its main attractions - on foot or by bike - is the Senda del Oso, the greenway that runs through these four councils on the route of an old railway.

Also, if you decide to follow it, in Proaza you can visit the Casa del Oso (Bear House) and the bear enclosure where two specimens of brown bear, Paca and Molina, live.

Rural life and traditions are kept alive in these valleys, and the Ethnographic Museum of Quirós is the perfect place to find out more about them. There are also other very interesting museum spaces such as the Prehistoric Park in Teverga. And natural beauties such as the Xiblu waterfall, Cueva Huerta or the Montegrande beech forest, also in Teverga, or the Bermiego yew tree in Quirós, among many others.

And from a monumental point of view, don't forget to visit the pre-Romanesque church of Santo Adriano de Tuñon and the Collegiate Church in San Martín de Teverga.

On the other hand, Quirós and Teverga are places of passage of old roads and historic paths connecting with the Meseta, such emblematic routes as the Camín Real de Puerto Ventana, the Ruta de las Reliquias, or the Camín Real de la Mesa.

In short, a whole world of discoveries for culture and to fully enjoy a nature that is a top model for photography and for the observation of flora and fauna.

Here you have the best ecotourism getaways in Asturias, and also a wide menu of offers and getaways!