Asturias, an ideal destination for your holidays

Thinking of holidays, rest, relaxation, happiness... is synonymous with Asturias. And the fact is that this land, which for decades has had the surname of Natural Paradise, is the ideal place to forget about worries, to forget stress and fatigue, and to give oneself completely to fully enjoying corners, places, experiences, moments, to enjoy company or solitude, in short, freedom and an endless number of very personal sensations.

Mountains and valleys, beaches and cliffs, museums of the most entertaining, varied and imaginative kind, active tourism activities for all ages, eco proposals, hiking and cycle touring, "friendly" cities, dream villages, landscape cuisine, friendly people always ready to make you live the best of moments... All this and much more is Asturias, that Asturias that always awaits you with all its heart.

Here are some suggestions that are sure to seduce you and transport you directly to the Natural Paradise.

In any case, Asturias is an ideal destination to train your eyes, because there are so many beautiful places, corners, details and panoramic views, that your senses will be in a continuous, slow and pleasant visual training.

The numerous natural vantage points that Asturias has, both inland and on the coast, will show you dozens and dozens of points of view of the geography and landscape. Massifs, mountain ranges, peaks, mountains, valleys, villages in the middle of the landscape, "brañas", "majadas", the course of rivers, the estuaries that flow into the sea, beaches, cliffs, fauna, flora, forests... Nothing escapes the contemplative avidity of the viewpoints and their dwellers - among which you find yourself - in Asturias.

You can "map" Asturias on your retina, in a wide and varied itinerary of viewpoints, combining mountainous areas with the coastline.

You will be amazed by the result!

The beaches of Asturias are truly paradisiacal, which is why it is not unusual for them to be among the most attractive, natural or environmentally sustainable, or to receive blue flags for the quality of their waters. They are beaches where, often, the mountains and the greenery of the meadows merge with the blue of the sea, and this will awaken unusual sensations in you.

Large and small sandy beaches, fine sandy or pebble beaches, rocky areas... the Asturian coast is morphologically very rich and offers a multitude of plans. Plans with sun, without sun, with rain, or after rain. Plans if you like bathing, if you love the sea breeze, if you like to walk contemplating the coast, if you like to feel the touch of the sand. Plans to inspire you and take a deep breath, to talk, to stroll, to read, to photograph, to paint, to investigate, or to let yourself be carried away by absolute tranquillity.

The beaches of Asturias - more than 200 in total - offer you much more than just a swim!

An endless number of routes, on foot or by bike - depending on your preferences - await you in Asturias. If your thing is connecting with nature in the form of walks, hikes and excursions, you've found the ideal place.

Asturias has thousands of trails, of all possible levels and difficulties. But they all have a common denominator: they pass through places of great beauty, where you will always find places or landmarks of historical, archaeological, natural, geological, etc. interest. You will find elements that embellish the landscapes such as mills, hermitages, caves, waterfalls, remains of Roman and medieval roads, fountains, etc.

So hiking or cycle touring in Asturias has a remarkable cultural and human added value, which gives it a unique value.

In addition, many hiking and/or cycling trails are well signposted, making it easy to do these activities either with a specialised guide or on your own.

Hiking and cycle touring are very healthy and sustainable activities, and even more so in Asturias!

In Asturias, culture surfaces in every corner, in every nook and cranny, in every moment.

Urban, rural and open-airmuseums. Castros that can be visited and with their interpretation centres. Mines from all periods. Pre-Romanesque monuments scattered throughout the region. A succession of interesting Romanesque churches. Monasteries linked to the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela, and an endless number of cultural plans, among which the cultural programmes of theatres and other venues are of vital importance.

Caves that can be visited and also with their interpretation centres. Cave shelters and other manifestations. All the Ages of Humanity at your disposal.

In reality, Asturias is a great multicultural space, both outdoors and indoors, and this is evident on a journey throughout its geography. You can find an ethnographic museum in the heart of a village, or a medieval monastery in the middle of a quiet village. Or remarkable museums in the historic city centre, as is the case, for example, in Oviedo/Uviedo.

Of course, you cannot overlook such a special landmark from a scenic, cultural and spiritual point of view as the Sanctuary of Covadonga, which is also part of the Picos de Europa National Park.

Young and old alike can be extremely happy in Asturias. And there are many plans to share with the family.

Museums where children go crazy with excitement, such as the Jurassic Museum of Asturias (MUJA) in Colunga, which has more than 20 dinosaur replicas on the outside alone, or the Prehistoric Park in Teverga where, in addition to the reproductions of cave art, there are bison and prehistoric horses in an enclosure, and the little ones can see them and enjoy their presence. The Tito Bustillo Cave Art Centre in Ribadesella/Ribeseya is also very entertaining and educational. All these museums also offer different activities and workshops throughout the year.

But the offer is wide and varied. You can travel to the rural past of Asturias in the Ethnographic Museum of Grandas de Salime "Pepe el Ferreiro", or to the Bread Ecomuseum in Santa Eufemia (Villanueva de Oscos). Or to contemplate the hydraulic ingenuity of Os Teixois (Taramundi), or to feel like a ferreiro for a day in Mazonovo (Santa Eulalia de Oscos).

Of course, there are dozens of easy routes to do with children all over Asturias, some even with mythological figures to impress the little ones. There is also a wide range of workshops and shows for children in Laboral Ciudad de la Cultura ( Gijón/Xixón).

Asturias has a wide range of children's events not to be missed!

If you have not yet been to a village in Asturias, you are missing a very comforting sensory experience. What's more, you can't miss it.

On your travels through Asturias, it is highly recommended to get lost on those secondary roads that usually have little traffic and that lead you to discover villages and corners that you never imagined existed.

Some are villages full of life, with locals and foreigners coming and going. Very well preserved villages, with their traditional buildings, their bars and shops, their cultural activities, their markets and festivals, their rural tourism establishments, their restaurants, etc.

Others are villages that are more depopulated and even abandoned, but which make you feel all the magic of a past world, which remains standing to this day, like a legacy that sends out its message.

And others are striking places with their hórreos and paneras, eternal symbols of a form of culture and way of life that has brought us to the present day.

The truth is that all of them make up a map of unparalleled landscapes and emotions. At the top of a hill, at the bottom of a valley, close to a forest, next to a river, hanging down a hillside... Hidden or more obvious.

The villages of Asturias anchor you in a Natural Paradise!

In Asturias there are a lot of towns that have the official award of being exemplary, and the truth is that the cities of this land are also exemplary, although they do not have this official recognition.

Oviedo/Uviéu, Gijón/Xixón and Avilés are three exemplary places. And they are so because of their history, their urban landscapes, their atmosphere and activities and the quality of their inhabitants, among other circumstances.

The three cities of Asturias are ideal for a guided tour, where you'll learn about their history and monuments. You'll also find places with a great atmosphere to enjoy the best Asturian cuisine and the life of the cider houses. Museums and a wide variety of cultural venues complete a very enjoyable urban offer.

Oviedo/Uviéu will show you the spirit of the ancient kingdom of Asturias and the origin of the Way of St. James. The cradle of Pre-Romanesque Art, the capital of Asturias has five monuments declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, San Julián de los Prados, the Holy Chamber of the Cathedral and the Foncalada fountain. A historic, monumental and atmospheric city.

Gijón/Xixón, on the coast, will bring you closer to the Bay of Biscay in the broadest sense, and will allow you to discover its remarkable pre-Roman and Roman past. Its neighbourhood of Cimavilla, its natural archaeological park of Campa Torres, its beaches, its parks, its paths, its river Piles... Everything in Gijón/Xixón is designed for a quiet and pleasant life.

Avilés, with its spectacular historic centre of medieval and Renaissance origin, and its most modern and innovative part, with the Niemeyer Centre as a symbol of the present, will be a real surprise for you. In addition, its estuary, with its marina and its riverside promenades, will make your visit to Avilés a very special moment.

In short, the three form an exemplary triangle, very close and well communicated with each other!

If there is one thing that characterises active tourism in Asturias, it is not only the quality of the activities themselves, but also the truly privileged settings in which they take place.

Imagine canoeing down idyllic rivers, river canyons of indescribable beauty, horse-riding routes through dreamlike landscapes, hiking and trekking through beautiful natural areas, all kinds of water sports, including paddle surfing, on a wonderful coastline with beaches and cliffs that create divine landscapes... Landscapes that you often reach thanks to these active tourism activities, which provide you with new points of view and perspectives of the landscape.

And so it goes on and on, because tourism in Asturias takes place in places where nature is well cared for, and is a real spectacle. A route, whether on foot, by bike or by any other means, gives us an idea of the orographic, geological, rural and natural magnitude of Asturias.

In fact, every active tourism activity is an example of sustainability and a very healthy exercise for those who practice it.

A wide range of active tourism activities for wellbeing awaits you in Asturias!

Asturias has a more than significant industrial tradition, which makes it the cradle of facilities, inventions and unique stories in its time, and unique today.

As a result of this tradition, Asturias ' industrial heritage is one of the ways of getting to know this Natural Paradise that will always surprise you with something unexpected.

Mining, iron and steel, civil engineering, hydraulic power stations, etc. form part of the Asturian landscape and its rich history. And in any activity you enjoy in Asturias, this heritage is omnipresent.

A work of engineering on a classic hiking route such as the Cares, valleys that take on surprising shapes thanks to Roman mining, lakes that emerge in old opencast mines, vertical mining shafts that today you can visit and get into the skin of a miner - such as the Pozo Sotón -, mining trains to transport you - such as the one at the Ecomuseo Minero "Valle de Samuño" -, hydraulic power stations that are like art galleries, mining villages such as Bustiello, etc. All these new and different experiences, and many more, are offered by Asturias' industrial heritage, which forms part of the landscape and has shaped it for posterity, transmitting its message and providing us with an interesting legacy.

Industrial heritage and landscape make up a balanced combination in Asturias!

One of the most pleasant, surprising and seductive experiences that Asturias provides is that in this land you taste the landscape... Yes, yes, you "eat" Asturias. And all because its cuisine, the truly genuine and unique, that which is nourished by centuries of tradition, that which is seasoned with a pinch of innovation and creativity, that cuisine is prepared with all the care and attention in the world, and uses in its peculiar alchemy the products of the land, healthy and organic where there is any. The vegetable garden, the forest, the pastures, the sea and the river appear on the tables of Asturias, not only to nourish you, but also to show you how healthy it is to eat at home - even when you are away from home - in a sustainable and natural way, making the universe of your emotions more balanced and richer.

The landscape cuisine of Asturias, due to its personality and qualities, is unique in the world, and has deep-rooted customs - such as the pouring of cider - and centuries-old recipes that make it a true tangible heritage of Humanity.

So when you are in Asturias you will be able to taste its landscape in every dish!

Everyone who knows Asturias in one way or another is unanimous in their opinion: one of the main attractions of Asturias is its people. And this is because, in general, they are friendly, open and hospitable people.

Both in the accommodation and in the hostelry establishments, the treatment is friendly and warm, and the relationship with the staff is usually friendly.

In Asturias no one feels like a stranger or an outsider. It is easy to strike up a conversation, get information or exchange views on any subject that interests you. You will feel very comfortable socially, because Asturians are, in general, willing and expressive, but also respectful of your privacy.

It is more than likely that during your stays and travels in Asturias you will make good friends, the kind that last forever.

And of course, whatever your travel experience, in Asturias you will undoubtedly find people and moments to remember.

The people of Asturias will be unforgettable!