Asturias, a fascinating journey through the world of cheese

Asturias is an infinite cheese paradise. Its diverse and pleasant orography shelters valleys, mountains, caves, rivers and forests, among other precious natural treasures, which are unique settings not only for the production of artisan cheeses that are unique in the world, but also for the rich pastures for livestock that, in the form of milk, provide an unparalleled raw material.

You are in one of the regions that produces the most varieties of cheese in Europe. In total, 329 varieties of cheese in the 97 cheese-making businesses in the Principality. With the added value of having 4 PDO cheeses: Cabrales, Gamonéu, Afuega'l Pitu and Casín, and one with PGI, Los Beyos cheese.

With this richness and variety, you can imagine that cheese makes an appearance at any gastronomic event, at any time of the day. It is also one of the most prized gifts. It is a common sight at markets and festivals, and goes perfectly with a variety of drinks, including cider.

But it is also the main ingredient or "delivery" ingredient in dozens and dozens of recipes that combine the best Asturian raw materials.

In addition, several of the PDO and PGI cheeses are celebrating the anniversary of their certification.

The Cabrales cheese PDO is 40 years old, Gamonéu cheese is coming of age, and Casín cheese is 10 years old.

And so, between anniversaries, tastings, festivals, awards, tourist visits, markets, gourmet shops and the most varied experiences, cheese and especially the cheeses of Asturias will continue to be very present in our lives.

One of the healthiest, most enjoyable and interesting options that Asturias has to offer is the chance to visit cheese dairies, and thus familiarise yourself with a unique experience: learning about the cheese-making process, as well as immersing yourself in the landscape, people, customs and traditions that the world of cheese in this Natural Paradise has brought with it since ancient times.

Given the resounding boom in everything related to the rural world, with natural and organic food, with the landscapes and landscapes of always, and with ancestral customs and traditions, there are more and more cheese dairies that offer tourist visits.

Cheese factories such as Maín, Vega de Tordín or El Cabriteru, in Cabrales, will show you the excellence of one of the most famous blue cheeses in the world: Cabrales, which has PDO.

Some Cabrales cheesemakers accurately describe the whole philosophy and effort involved in the production of this gastronomic treasure: 'These are unique pieces, as to reach the cave where they rest for this long period, you have to walk for an hour and a half with the cheeses in your backpack along rocky high mountain paths. Once deposited there, you have to go up periodically every week to turn them over and clean them so that their fermentation can develop properly".

The Vega de Ario and Demués cheese dairies, both in Onís, will take you into the world of Gamonéu cheese, another of the great cheeses of Asturias, which also has a PDO.

Also in the east of Asturias, but closer to the coast, in the council of Llanes, is the Bedón cheese dairy, which makes three types of cheese using the milk of its own animals; Leche Leche, a livestock farm that can be visited, which produces and sells a wide range of products derived from milk, including cheeses, and the cheese factory and tavern Los Cuetos, which is in Puertas de Vidiago and produces several types of artisan cheeses, including Queso Vidiago.

Meanwhile, the Ca Sanchu and Temia cheese dairies, located in the council of Grado, will allow you to discover the secrets of Afuelga'l pitu cheese, also with PDO. Another reference for this cheese is the La Peñona cheese factory, in Somao (Pravia).

The delights of Casín cheese, another Asturian cheese with PDO, can be tasted in situ at La Corte, in Tañes, and also at the Redes Cheese Factory, located in El Campu. Both are cheese references in Caso, in the heart of the Redes Nature Reserve.

And for a comprehensive approach to the world of dairy products, Los Caserinos, in Villaviciosa, is the perfect place, because they make various types of cheese and also have other products derived from milk, as well as showing you the livestock and ecological environment in which all the delicacies of Los Caserinos are produced on a daily basis, with a visit to their animal farm.

Western Asturias is also a land of cheeses and in Taramundi you can discover and taste some of them, such as the famous walnut and hazelnut cheese.

As you can see, the cheese tourist gastro-map takes you all over Asturias: from the east, through the centre of Asturias and on to the west!

The Llagar is the place where cider is made, and that is why it is such an important part of Asturian culture. That popular, hospitable culture, where no one feels like a foreigner and where everyone participates in the joy, the conversation, the cancios (songs), and of course, the best Asturian gastronomy in the espicha.

And in the midst of all this, a new tradition is growing: that of visiting the "llagares" (cider presses) and fully immersing oneself in the world of cider.

Different types of guided tours, tastings and samplings are the common denominator in this successful agri-food experience. Moreover, a visit to a cider cider press in Asturias can be made at any time of the year, and from September to December (the months when the apples are harvested) you will be able to see the cider-making process "in situ".

Villaviciosa is home to most of the cider houses that can be visited: the classic Sidra El Gaitero, Sidra Castañón, Sidra Cortina, and Pomarada Finca La Rionda.

In Gijón/Xixón there are the well-known Sidra Trabanco, Sidra Bernueces and Sidra Menéndez.

Completing the tour are Sidra Viuda de Angelón, in Nava, and Sidra Crespo, in Colunga, both in the Cider District.

In the easternmost part of Asturias, specifically in the village of Asiegu, in Cabrales, is Sidra Pamirandi, with its original cider press dug out of the rock and naturally ventilated by a blowhole.

The fabulous world of the cider houses will make you fall in love with the cider, the gastronomy and the atmosphere of Asturias.

And if you want to know even more about Asturian cider culture, the product club Sidraturismo Asturias offers you many seasonal activities, accommodation, active tourism, etc.

There are countless reasons to visit Asturias, but one of the tastiest is undoubtedly the numerous gastronomic events and festivals that are held all over the region, some of which have a lot to do with cheese.

The year kicks off with the Afuega'l Pitu Cheese Contest in La Foz de Morcín, and the Turnip and Fuente Cheese Festival in Proaza. Both are held in January.

A little later, at Easter, one of the gastronomic delights is the Cheese Fair in Taramundi.

Spring comes alive with the Cheese and Wine Fair in Avilés in May.

The month of August takes the cake, with four events: the Eastern Asturias Cheese Fair, in Llanes; the Cheese Fair, in Cuerres (Ribadesella); the Certamen del Quesu Casín in El Campu/Campo de Caso, and the Certamen del Queso de Cabrales, in Arenas de Cabrales. These last two events are also Festivals of Tourist Interest.

Autumn will also bring a taste of cheese, with the Picos de Europa Cheese Exhibition Competition in Cangues D'Onís/Cangas de Onís, and the Gamonéu Cheese Competition in Benia (Onís), which is a Festival of Tourist Interest.

It is clear that a cheese is a perfect reason to celebrate a festival and Asturias is a good example of this!

Markets are held every day of the week in Asturias, where you can buy all kinds of products at good prices, including gastronomic products.

Markets are an ideal place to get to know the culture, customs and history of a place, and enjoy the lively atmosphere.

In fact, you could visit the whole of Asturias from market to market, and explore the cheeses produced in each area.

Practically every village, town and city has its own market. And at weekends this activity intensifies. In fact, there are Sunday markets that have become a classic, such as the Fontán market in Oviedo/Uviéu; the one in Mieres; the one in Cangues de D'Onís/Cangas de Onís, where you can buy the most famous cheeses from Picos de Europa; the one in Gijón/Xixón, a city that also holds an Ecological and Artisan Market once a month in the town hall square, and the one in Grau/Grado, where you can discover and buy Afuega'l pitu cheese.

Saturdays also host famous markets in many places: Oviedo/Uviéu, Candás, Carreña de Cabrales, Nueva de Llanes; Soto de Luiña, Posada de Llanera, Pola de Lena, Felechosa, Lugo de Llanera, Arriondas, La Felguera, Las Vegas, Muros de Nalón, Nava, Noreña, Vegadeo and Cangas del Narcea.

The Monday market in Avilés is also very important.

You can consult the main markets in Asturias in our calendar.

Traditional markets to track down the artisan cheeses of Asturias!

Shopping is always a pleasure, and if it's to buy gastronomic treats, you won't even need to think about it.

Asturias is a place that has a remarkable offer of gourmet shops, where it is possible to get hold of the best gastronomic products of the land.

Both the main cities and the smaller towns and villages have shops and even bar-shops with a lot of flavour in the broadest sense of the term, and where, suddenly, you are surprised by that artisan cheese that you didn't know about...

In Oviedo/Uviéu, and also in Gijón/Xixón, Coalla Gourmet offers a wide selection of products, including cheeses. For its part, Crivencar sells local gastronomic products in the three cities of Asturias.

Likewise, in Oviedo/Uviéu, Casa Veneranda, Camponorte, Mantequerías Loli Arrieta, Aramburu or don Foodie Gourmet are references to be taken into account.

In Gijón/Xixón, La Alacena, Saroma Salas & Gayol, Gallego Vintage, Mitequiero Gourmet, or La Esquina are places to note down in the gastronomic notebook, among others.

In addition, in La Felguera (Langreo) there is Aitor Vega's cheese shop, a classic in this field.

And in Avilés, Delicatessen Antonio and Gorfolí.

Asturian cheeses are always an authentic and healthy detail!

Cheese is omnipresent in Asturian life, and it will also be omnipresent in yours: in the shops, in the recipes, in the festivities, in the gifts you make or receive, in the customs, in the landscape, and in short, in the culture.

There are dozens of ways to approach cheese, which is why you can make many plans that taste like cheese: from a menu or a tasting, to visiting a museum or an exhibition, or taking part in a tourist route.

One such place is the Cabrales Cheese Cave-Exhibition in Arenas de Cabrales, where you can learn a lot about the history and production process of this cheese.

Another interesting option is the Ethnographic Museum of La Llechería, where, in addition to the goodness of the cheese, you can discover all the charm of the Central Asturian Mountains.

In addition to museums and exhibitions, another way of approaching the world of cheese is through tourist routes such as the Quesu y la Sidra route, in the village of Asiegu, in Cabrales, a unique village that was named Exemplary Village of Asturias in 2019.