The 10 most interesting things to see and do in Los Oscos

There is a place straight out of a fairy tale, which could well be home to the xanas and the trasgos, as well as the nuberu and the busgosu, and every mythological creature you can imagine. A place made up of peaceful hamlets and gentle mountains, patches of woodland, and small rivers and waterfalls. A place where the green of Asturian nature blends with the black of the slate on its bare-walled buildings, and where fire and iron have found the home of their dreams. That place is called Los Oscos, and amongst many other distinctions and accolades, it holds the title of Exemplary Village of Asturias 2016.

Los Oscos is three in one: Santa Eulalia, San Martín and Villanueva, and all three municipalities bear the surname ‘De Oscos’, which they wear with pride. Three peaceful places where, in addition to the serene beauty of the landscape, the warm hospitality of their inhabitants stands out above all else; they are always ready to make their home your own… The very essence of western Asturias!

They also form part of the Oscos-Eo Biosphere Reserve, which, of the seven such reserves in Asturias, is the only one that stretches to the coast, allowing you to enjoy a stay in the mountains whilst having the added bonus of fantastic beaches just half an hour’s drive away.

So there are plenty of things to do in Los Oscos. Here are just a few!

The Oscos is a world of blacksmiths, or ‘ferreiros’. A world where water-powered machinery, which utilised raw materials such as water, fire and iron, has shaped an entire way of life and an entire era.

A living testament to this reality is the hamlet of Mazonovo , a secluded and welcoming place if ever there was one, situated in the municipality of Santa Eulalia de Oscos, and home to one of the oldest ‘blacksmith’s workshops’ in Asturias, dating back to the early 18th century.

This ‘blacksmith’s workshop’ is open to visitors and is well worth a visit to see it for yourself, with its enormous waterwheel and its ‘banzao’ (water reservoir). Furthermore, the walk down the path is exceptionally beautiful, offering views of the village of Mazonovo nestled beside the River Agüeira.

And undoubtedly another example of artistic expression that confirms this tradition are the iron sculptures , created by various ‘ferreiros’ at the National Meetings organised by the Iron Council, and which are scattered throughout Santalla , the capital of the municipality.

The sculptures depict motifs as varied as a motorbike-riding cow, a ‘ferreiro’ at work, a giant nail and a bust of the Marquis of Sargadelos. And the truth is that they display remarkable technical virtuosity; a stroll through Santalla is well worth it to admire them at their location at your leisure. You can check opening times and guided tours on their website.

The people of Los Oscos – the demonym used to refer to those native to the region – are generally kind and hospitable folk, with a humble demeanour. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that they are accustomed to building worlds with their own hands…

The fact is that in this part of western Asturias, there is a rich tradition of craftsmanship which has been kept alive to this day and has even seen a resurgence in recent times.

Weaving and knife-making are two of the crafts you’ll come across in Los Oscos.

When you meet Irene, the first thing you’ll exclaim is ‘What a loom!’, and that’s because this artisan is determined to revive the spirit of the weaving tradition by using natural materials such as wool, silk, cotton and linen. She has one very old loom and another that’s not quite so old, and it’s on the latter that she creates more avant-garde and contemporary garments such as shirts, shawls and scarves; for Irene, tradition blends perfectly with modernity.

It’s much the same story with pocket knives. A craftsman named Jorge Toquero shapes these prized tools using techniques he learnt in Japan – these are the Hyttoko pocket knives – thereby bringing together Asturian and Japanese traditions and making his pocket knives a unique craft product in Spain.

The craftsmanship of Los Oscos skilfully combines all the knowledge passed down through the generations with modern techniques and styles, and that is what makes it so special – and, above all, different from what you might find elsewhere.

Los Oscos is one of those places where you can step back in time with complete peace of mind and ease. Everything there seems to be focused on preserving traditions and the way of life of days gone by.

An excellent example of houses that tell the story of the past is the Casa del Marqués de Sargadelos , where you will learn, amongst other things, what a ‘polavila’ (a get-together amongst neighbours) is, whilst gathered round an old lareira (a traditional local kitchen). And step by step, room by room, you will discover what life was like in those days, and that of the marquis himself, Antonio Raimundo Ibáñez, who was born in 1749 in Santalla and who was a prolific merchant, industrialist and man of the Enlightenment, creating the still-famous Sargadelos pottery in the late 18th century.

Furthermore, the Marqués de Sargadelos Museum offers guided tours and cultural activities, as well as craft workshops and rural heritage interpretation sessions for children and adults. It is located in Santalla.

Another example of this enduring tribute to the past is the Casa del Marco. This Museum of Rural Life, in the hamlet of Villarquille (San Martín de Oscos), offers an insight into what rural life was like in centuries past: the loom, carpentry, bread ovens, and so on. In short, all the essential activities of rural life. You can visit this site free of charge by booking in advance, either by telephone on 615 37 57 01 or by email at turismo@sanmartindeoscos.es.

As you approach Santa Eufemia, in Villanueva de Oscos, you’ll realise just how vital bread is in our lives, and that in this village you’ll find a ‘museum-quality’ loaf in the broadest sense of the term.

At the Bread Ecomuseum you’ll learn, in a simple and highly educational way, the entire process of making this food with such a rich history, from sowing the grain to baking, including harvesting, milling – which you can watch in an old 19th-century mill – and kneading.

The Ecomuseum is truly a model of thematic organisation. It consists of three rooms, and everything in each of them is very well displayed. The room entitled ‘From the Field to the Threshing Floor’ deals with sowing and harvesting; the room called “From the Threshing Floor to the Granary” looks at threshing and grain storage, and in the third, entitled “From the Granary to the Table”, you’ll learn about milling, baking and consumption.

In short, you’ll embark on a journey through the world of bread, which leaves no one indifferent – neither adults nor children, who usually have a brilliant time – and all in a warm and welcoming setting with lovely scenery.

The Oscos region has a wonderful river beach in the village of Ferreira, in Santa Eulalia de Oscos. That’s right. And that will be one of your greatest discoveries in the area.

Ferreira is a long, secluded and peaceful hamlet, showcasing the finest and most traditional western architecture. Nestled against a gentle mountainside, the River Agüeira pools there to form a natural swimming hole, creating an idyllic landscape that is perfect for a peaceful swim or any kind of river activity.

As if that weren’t enough, the area also features a leisure area and a children’s playground. So Ferreira is a must-visit on your Huesca itinerary, whether you fancy a dip in the river or simply want to relax whilst taking in the scenery.

Los Oscos is not just a nature destination. If you’re an architecture lover, you simply must visit the Palacio de Mon in San Martín de Oscos.

Dating from the late 17th to the early 18th century, it retains all the grandeur and charm of Baroque-style civil palace architecture.

Its main façade is particularly striking because it features two coats of arms, which are truly impressive. You’ll find yourself standing before two works of art in a magnificent state of preservation, which tell you a great deal about the history of those who once lived in the stately home before your eyes.

The Palacio de Mon, with its irregular layout centred around a central courtyard and its slate roof, symbolises like no other the stately past of the rural west of Asturias.

What’s more, this palace is the starting point for one of the most beautiful and popular walking routes in Los Oscos: the Mon Route.

Guided tours are available. To book, please make a reservation in advance either by telephone on 615 375 701 or by email at turismo@sanmartindeoscos.es.

Naturally, in a place as evocative and magical as Los Oscos, a monastery was bound to be there…

So when you arrive in Villanueva de Oscos, the first thing to greet you is the Monastery of Santa María, which is very well preserved, having been recently restored, and where, amongst other curiosities, a 17th-century sewerage system has been discovered.

The monastery, with its imposing presence, lends Villanueva a touch of mystery and legend – something that is always welcome in a place so conducive to fantasy.

Dating back to the 12th century, it has seen Cistercians and Benedictines pass through its walls, witnessed thousands of prayers and rituals, and has seen so much monastic and secular life!

Now, you can take in all those centuries of history by exploring both the exterior and the interior of the monastery, as it is open to visitors.

The Oscos region is also a lively and enjoyable destination, where you can take part in a wide range of activities, some of which are designed for the whole family to enjoy.

In Los Oscos, you’ll not only enjoy the scenery, the local cuisine and the boundless hospitality of the locals, but you’ll also be able to fill your free time with active tourism activities such as horse riding.

And if you prefer more artisanal and eco-friendly activities, the creativity of the local company Artesanamente makes it very easy for you. This summer, it’s organising workshops for children and adults on making handmade soap, candles and lanterns, natural cosmetics, plant identification, beer brewing and tasting, basket weaving, sourdough, cheeses, aromatic and medicinal plants, an introduction to shiatsu, as well as scent tastings and perfume creation.

Meanwhile, the family-run business Duxemiel offers bee products and invites you to discover the world of bees through ‘Apiturismo’. The activity involves, once you’re kitted out like a proper beekeeper, heading to the hive area to see them in situ, as well as the surrounding environment. The activity concludes with a delicious tasting of products from the hive. It’s two hours of fascinating activity in the village of Caraduxe, in Santa Eulalia de Oscos.

If you love farm life, you can immerse yourself in it in the village of As Poceiras, just 5 kilometres from Santalla.

In short, Los Oscos opens up a world of possibilities where there’s no room for boredom…

Everything in Los Oscos exudes tranquillity, and the footpaths are no exception. They are therefore a true paradise for leisurely walks – the sort with gentle routes, without steep gradients or rugged terrain.

On every route, you’ll be able to enjoy an idyllic setting of green forests and meadows, rivers and waterfalls, and villages so charming that you’ll want to stay there forever…

You’ll savour every corner, every stop and every view of the landscape with unusual pleasure.

The truth is that there are many and varied routes – more than 15 throughout the region – that you can follow in Los Oscos: the ‘Silence’ route, the Seimeira waterfall route or the Mon route, amongst others. Each one is different from the next, but they all have something in common: the boundless charm of Los Oscos…

And amongst them all, there is one that is truly innovative and pioneering. It is the ‘Ruta con Arte’ (Art Trail), which follows the route of the ‘A Mina de As Talladas’ path. This is a 12-kilometre route which, in its first phase, offers walkers a unique experience where art and nature merge. The seventeen works of art, scattered along the PR 203 trail, include a varied mix of paintings, sculptures in wood, iron, stone and wicker, ceramics and poetry in the local dialect. These pieces, created by local and national artists, blend perfectly into the landscape.

Highlights include Keiko Shimizu’s iron animal figures, the giant acorns carved by Eugenio Linares and Cristian Marne’s large stone slug. In addition, the ceramicist Natalia Suárez has created a circle of mushrooms in Ferreirela de Baxo, whilst the poetry in Fala, displayed in methacrylate frames, invites reflection. You can also admire the mural by graffiti artist Diego As and the faces carved by Antonio Martínez in As Barreiras. The installation by Busom and Cid, which combines resin and Renaissance paintings on stacked logs, brings to a close a route that, whilst respecting nature, transforms the footpath into an open-air gallery.

If there is one thing that catches the eye in the Huesca countryside, it is that, suddenly, amidst the greenery and the water, a village appears, as if by magic. In the most unexpected, most unlikely of places, there they are, like eternal companions to a landscape to which they add a touch of black with the slate roofs and their imposing walls.

These are villages with character, which you’ll find to be true oases of tranquillity, with their granaries and wicker baskets, their bridges and streams, their deep green meadows, and the forest always close by.

You’ll find the villages of Los Oscos to be quite different, idyllic, as if they’ve been waiting for you, with time standing still. Names such as Pumares, Santa Eufemia, San Cristobo, Soutelo and A Valía will remain etched in your memory as unique places to which you’ll always want to return.

As an example of all this, take a look at the cover photo for this post, which is of the beautiful village of Pumares.

Check out the accommodation options in the area here.