The best farms offering guided tours in Asturias

Farm tourism, or agritourism, is an increasingly popular way to discover and enjoy the countryside and natural surroundings.

Asturias boasts numerous projects that perfectly combine rural tourism with outdoor activities and others directly linked to farming and livestock rearing, where you can experience first-hand the daily chores of a traditional farmhouse.

Feeding the animals, looking after them, learning to make traditional products such as cider, cheese and desserts, etc., all whilst relaxing in an idyllic setting – this embodies a philosophy of healthy and educational leisure, ideal for families and groups with an appreciation for the environment and all things natural.

Here we begin a tour of farms of very different styles, but all sharing a common love for the countryside!

The Vega de Tordín Cheese Dairy and Farm, located in Arenas de Cabrales, is the ideal place to learn about the entire process of making Cabrales cheese with PDO status

This dairy and cattle farm organises guided tours during which, through glass windows and information panels, you can see everything from the care, feeding and milking of the cows, to the production area, the drying and storage chambers, as well as the Cabrales cheese labelling area.

To round off this fascinating tour, you’ll enjoy a tasting of the products from this cheese dairy and cattle farm.

Given its nature, this is an ideal activity for families, where the little ones have a brilliant time feeding the cows and calves.

Furthermore, the facilities are accessible to people with reduced mobility and also feature a large car park.

Los Caserinos is much more than just a cheese dairy. To begin with, the founding family behind this brand has the tradition of livestock farming, inherited from their ancestors, in their very DNA.

Located in the village of Grases, in Villaviciosa, it is a prime example of the heart of rural Asturias. That part of Asturias where, early in the morning, the air often smells of freshly milked milk, just as it does at this farm.

At Los Caserinos, everything is genuinely homemade. If you’d like to see how cheese, rice pudding, organic yoghurt and even cider are made, you’ve come to the right place.

What’s more, if you want to see happy cows and goats, you’ve also come to the perfect place. You’ll spend an unforgettable day enjoying the native breeds that live at Los Caserinos.

Just as ‘every master has his own way of doing things’, every farm has its own speciality and its very own style when it comes to introducing visitors to the countryside and nature.

In the case of the Conlléu Farm School, situated in the parish of Pernús, in the municipality of Colunga, it was founded back in 2005 with the aim of bringing traditional ways closer to children. They therefore decided to specialise in native Asturian breeds and are one of the few farms in the Principality to have specimens of all the species: the Gochu Asturcelta, the Pita Pinta, the Asturian cow, the Bermeya goat, the Xalda sheep and the Asturcón.

So this Asturian-style ‘Noah’s Ark’ has, over the years, welcomed hundreds of schoolchildren from both within and outside Asturias, as well as families, who have enjoyed a variety of experiences – and no doubt unforgettable moments – at its facilities, set in a wonderful natural environment.

The Amaido estate, situated on the westernmost edge of Asturias, in San Tirso de Abres, is a pioneering agritourism complex where you’ll find a world in which to engage all your senses – and then some.

Fruit trees and greenhouses where you can learn all about farming: harvesting vegetables, planting seeds, taking cuttings, and so on. And if you love animals, Amaido has a farm where you can interact ‘up close’ with chickens, rabbits, geese, ducks, sheep, pigs and goats.

Of course, these activities are guided. What’s more, there’s a wide range of rural games on offer, as well as workshops on cider-making, traditional cooking, husking maize, and gathering chestnuts and ‘magüesto’ (a gathering to roast chestnuts, which are eaten with sweet cider).

Furthermore, Amaido offers the perfect setting for enjoying hiking and other outdoor activities.

El Trasgu La Fronda is a multi-themed venue situated in the idyllic hamlet of Villoria, in the municipality of Laviana. At El Trasgu La Fronda, you can do almost anything, always against the backdrop of the spectacular landscapes of the Alto Nalón.

If you’re keen on outdoor adventure activities, at El Trasgu La Fronda you can try an archery course deep in the woods in true Robin Hood style, beautiful hiking trails, yoga and aeroyoga retreats in spectacular surroundings (also suitable for families), dramatised walking tours, paintball, and, if you’re visiting in autumn, you can also be guided to hear the deer bellowing.

Children can enjoy memorable experiences at the educational farm, taking part in treasure hunts, celebrating birthdays, and so on.

And if you fancy enjoying authentic Asturian cuisine, the picnic area is the ideal spot for a traditional Asturian picnic, to share a ‘corderu a la estaca’ (a speciality deeply rooted in the Alto Nalón region), or to bring your own food and enjoy it in the best of company at El Trasgu La Fronda.

The Marinas Educational Farm is situated in the village of Mariñes, right in the heart of Asturias, in the municipality of Las Regueras.

Specialising in leisure activities for children and families, it offers a wide range of activities, which are coordinated and led by graduates in Sports Science and Fine Arts, as well as leisure activity leaders, depending on the theme.

Marinas is one of those places where you and your children can enjoy artistic creation in the heart of nature: drawing, painting, pottery, cookery, theatre, upcycling, engraving and printing, music-making, physical expression and much more…

Sports enthusiasts can try their hand at a range of sports at the excellent facilities at the Marinas Farm School: swimming, tennis, football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, table tennis, badminton, etc.

The farm school is the perfect place to look after animals, explore the vegetable gardens and greenhouses, go on walks through the woods, keep field notebooks, take part in flora and fauna workshops, and, in short, receive a comprehensive environmental education.

The Albeitar farm is part of a family project that began in 2006 with the Yeguada Albeitar Rural Hotel, when the family behind this venture decided to extend their home and share it with families who wished to enjoy the same lifestyle.

And so, in the municipality of Villayón, on the heights of Oneta – a privileged vantage point overlooking the Navia Valley – lies this hotel and restaurant, where the dedicated farm area makes it an exceptional place for young and old alike to experience authentic agritourism in a relaxed, natural and welcoming atmosphere, whilst getting involved in the farm’s daily routine.

Farm work, looking after the animals, learning the basics of horse riding, and gaining an understanding of modern, sustainable livestock farming practices that respect the environment and animal welfare will all form part of your daily routine in this stunning spot in western Asturias.

And all this is complemented by the exceptional, wholesome cuisine on offer at this establishment.

The San Luis cattle farm, in the village of Berzana, in Tineo, is a highly recommended place to become a farmer for a day, taking part in the tasks involved in looking after the animals.

You’ll feed the calves and learn about the daily chores involved in the life of a cattle farmer. You’ll also be shown around the local area and introduced to the traditions of a region with a rich and ancient rural heritage.

Casa Jesusa is a rural guesthouse in Llorgozana (Carreño), situated in an idyllic setting surrounded by hills covered with native trees such as oaks, chestnut trees, holly and laurel.

It also boasts a splendid orchard with apple trees, which provide the raw ingredients for making a delicious homemade cider, as well as jams and apple jam.

The main building has a granary, where you can see numerous farming tools, and it’s all part of a large estate where you’ll find farmland planted with maize, broad beans, potatoes and pasture for the cows.

At Casa Jesusa, agritourism is the order of the day, and there you can enjoy all sorts of farm-related activities.

Located in the village of Sirviella (Onís), and just a 10-minute drive from Cangas de Onís, La oveja feliz is a farm where you’ll hear a wonderfully varied and natural soundtrack: Baa, woof-woof, cock-a-doodle-doo, cluck-cluck… and so on, with a whole host of onomatopoeic sounds in a sustainable setting – a brilliant day out for families with children.

AtLa oveja feliz you’ll find your favourite animal, because they have hens, donkeys, sheep, geese, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses and two friendly, sociable sheepdogs called Lupo and Max. During your visit to the farm, Pepín – the farmer – looks after the animals and will be your guide, allowing you to get up close to them to feed them, stroke them, brush them or take them for a walk.

You’ll also be able to watch a demonstration of the dogs in action, herding a small flock of sheep. Pepín has two Border Collies that are trained to follow his commands using whistles and words that only they understand.

And all this takes place in an unrivalled rural and natural setting, where both animals and people can enjoy themselves in the great outdoors, right on the doorstep of the Picos de Europa.
 

The ‘cabriteru’ is one of those family-friendly experiences you simply mustn’t miss. This unique farm-cheesery is situated in Arenas de Cabrales, in eastern Asturias – a region renowned for producing the world’s finest blue cheeses and boasting a unique natural setting in the vicinity of the Picos de Europa.

At the Cabriteru, you’ll sample excellent blue cheeses and you’ll also be able to visit the sheep and goat farm whose milk is used to make the cheeses.
It’s therefore a unique cultural and natural experience for the whole family to follow the journey of a cheese, whilst fully immersing yourselves in the authenticity of rural life.