The best places for a getaway in Asturias

Various municipalities, towns and regions across Asturias offer you dozens of opportunities for leisure, relaxation, rest and unwinding… In short, for a healthy lifestyle and unique, unforgettable experiences.

In this post, we’ve picked out loads of destinations, and we’ve suggested 10 different things to do at each one!

So, that’s quite something! No less than over a hundred options to help you fill your Asturian travel journal with wonderful, happy moments.

Piloña, Los Oscos, Taramundi, Ribadesella, Cabrales, Cangas del Narcea, Cudillero, Luarca/Ḷḷuarca, the Navia Historical Park, the Cider Region, the Redes Natural Park and the cities of Asturias are all showing off their very best!

Piloña is one of those places where there’s always a new corner to discover. Villages that seem to belong to another era, historic rivers, waterfalls that will steal your heart, lovely walking routes, and stunning valleys and mountains.

It is also home to the Asturcones, and boasts some of the finest mineral waters you’ll find, not to mention being one of the major sites for European Neanderthal remains, thanks to the significant prehistoric finds at the Sidrón Cave.

In Piloña, you can go on an ethnographic tour or a hike, explore unique villages, visit the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Cave, or enjoy excellent local delicacies anywhere in this municipality. And, of course, a must-do is to head up to Sueve, to the Espineres sheepfold, to watch the Asturcones in the wild.

For all these reasons…Here are the 10 best things to see and do in Piloña!

An idyllic place, the perfect haven for mythological creatures. A place of peaceful villages and gentle hills. With forests, 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 their true home. That place is called Los Oscos, and it was named ‘Exemplary Village of Asturias’ in 2016.

Los Oscos is three in one: Santa Eulalia, San Martín and Villanueva, and all three municipalities bear the surname ‘De Oscos’. Three places where, in addition to the serene beauty of the landscape, the hospitality of their inhabitants stands out.

The Oscos region boasts an impressive network of walking routes, including the A Seimeira trail (the cover photo for this post is of this route), one of the most iconic, featuring a waterfall with a drop of over 30 metres. And as a land of blacksmiths since ancient times, it offers you the chance to see a working forge in Mazonovo and to immerse yourself fully in this craft through workshops and guided tours.

Another tradition that is still very much alive in Los Oscos is weaving and the craft of pocket knife-making.

What’s more, it is one of the seven Biosphere Reserves in Asturias, and the only one with a coastline. So whilst you’ll be in the mountains, you’ll be just half an hour’s drive away from some fantastic beaches.

Discover the 10 best things to see and do in Los Oscos!

Taramundi is set amidst mountains and valleys, between sunshine and mist, amongst villages that cascade down the hillsides; it is also notable for its abundance of water, which flows through rivers and streams, making the forests lush and green.

Taramundi is a magical world, where the lustre of slate and stone in the villages stands out, as does the gleam of the blades of the thousands of pocket knives that, over the centuries, have emerged from the workshops of its craftsmen.

To all this must be added the tranquillity of the loom, the warmth of the fire and the blacksmiths, the poetry of iron, and the delicious flavours that emerge from the hearth…

Taramundi is, in short, a vast open-air theme park where water and iron take centre stage, and where the museums are alive and bring to life the history, traditions and culture of centuries past.

Here are the top 10 things to see and do in Taramundi!

Ribadesella – both the municipality and the town itself – is a real gem on the east coast of Asturias.

The town is a seaside town through and through, with a charming historic centre where you can admire the ‘Indiana’ architectural style, which is at its most striking along the promenade at Santa Marina beach.

As the gateway to the Picos de Europa and its beach, this town is steeped in prehistory in its own right, and is home to one of the finest examples of European cave art: the Tito Bustillo Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As well as its beaches – Santa Marina and La Atalaya – the town offers visitors the Pier Promenade, the Grúa Promenade, the Guía Chapel and the Sella Winners’ Promenade. It also boasts a lively tourist and sporting atmosphere, with strong historical ties to canoeing.

If you like to get out and about and make the most of your destination, within a few kilometres the town takes you to such incredible places as the village of Tereñes, with its lighthouse and Jurassic cliffs; the vast sandy beach at Vega; and hamlets such as Ardines, Cueves, Sardalla, Sebreñu, El Carmen/El Carme, to cliffs and beaches such as Guadamía, all via beautiful roads, coastal paths and trails.

And of course, Ribadesella as a whole is part of the Way of St James. The Coastal Way of St James passes right through the heart of the town, as well as through some of its best-known hamlets and beaches.

So here are the top 10 things to see and do in Ribadesella and the surrounding area!

Cabrales can boast of harbouring within its borders some of the most iconic mountains on the entire Iberian Peninsula; indeed, the lifeblood of the central massif of the Picos de Europa and the Urrielles flows through its veins, where Spain’s greatest climbing icon is situated: the Naranjo de Bulnes or Picu Urriellu.

Cabrales is a land of pastures and cheese, specifically one of the finest blue cheeses in the world, Cabrales, which holds Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.

A land, therefore, of struggle, of hard work and of survival. So much so that this Asturian region enjoys a worldwide reputation and has made its mark on the most glorious – and at times most challenging – chapters of the great mountaineering feats and major achievements, whether in the sporting, scientific or technical spheres.

Its villages and mountains are a great school and an open-air training ground. They have welcomed – and continue to welcome – sportspeople and scientists from all over the world who come to the Picos de Europa in search of their own personal goal of self-improvement and great discovery. So it’s no wonder that this area is one of the meccas of nature tourism in Spain.

With all this in mind, it’s no wonder there’s so much to see and do… Here are the top 10 things to see and do in Cabrales!

Cangas del Narcea is a veritable green paradise where you’ll find one of the most extensive, well-maintained and representative areas of Atlantic forest in Europe: Munieḷḷos.

In fact, given its size, landscapes and entirely unique characteristics, Cangas del Narcea, rather than a municipality, seems like a miniature continent, because it is not only an exquisite stretch of woodland – with the Munieḷḷos forest as its emblem – through which the Cantabrian brown bear roams freely, but it is also a veritable treasure trove of medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and contemporary architecture.

Cangas del Narcea is also that special place where you can develop a taste for fireworks and fine wine, or where you can feel like a pilgrim as you make your way up to the Santuario del Acebo.

It is a place where you’ll discover idyllic villages with a bucolic charm, and ancient traditions such as that of the blacksmiths or the black pottery of Ḷḷamas del Mouro. It’s the place where you’ll find monasteries with a rich history and impressive architecture, such as Corias, or where you can stroll through one of the most remarkable historic and monumental towns in the whole of Asturias – the capital of this great municipality.

Let’s start with an itinerary featuring the 10 best things to see and do in Cangas del Narcea!

The municipality of Cudillero is another of those places with a magical heritage, boasting dreamlike landscapes and incredible traditions, which make it a fascinating and unique destination in western Asturias.

Cudillero is a prime example of the rugged terrain that characterises Asturias; across its nearly one hundred square kilometres, the landscape is shaped by mountain pastures and peaks that plunge steeply down into the valleys and towards a rocky coastline of towering cliffs. A coastline that is at times swept by fierce waves and at other times calm and still, a haven for delicious fish and shellfish, and a training ground, a means of livelihood and, of course, a haven for leisure, for the most passionate and experienced seafarers.

Enchanting and alluring, with that touch of mystery and that feeling of having been touched by a deity that renders this fishing village almost invisible, both on land and at sea, Cudillero – town and municipal district – has it all and gives you everything: its own language with a fascinating history – the ‘pixueto’ – beautiful panoramic views, palaces with a Versailles-like air, ‘indiana’ architecture, lighthouses in stunning locations such as the one in the town itself or at Cabo Vidio, unique festivals such as L’Amuravela, and first-class cuisine with traditions such as ‘curadillo’…And what’s more, the Coastal Way of St James runs right through its heart, with chapels dedicated to St James such as Santa Ana de Montarés.

In short, a land of legend and hundreds of stories of the sea and the land.

When you see the colourful amphitheatre of the town of Cudillero, you’ll be simply dazzled and will want to discover so much more…

That’s why we’re bringing you the 10 best things to see and do in Cudillero!

The municipality of Valdés, with its capital in Ḷḷuarca, is vast, not only in physical terms but also culturally. Indeed, it offers truly stunning landscapes, carved out amongst valleys, mountains and high mountain pastures, with magnificent views of the Cantabrian Sea.

A land of cowherds, sailors and even medieval pirates, its capital –Luarca/Ḷḷuarca – is today a peaceful fishing village, which has been an important fishing port since the Middle Ages and retains many traces of that glorious past: historic neighbourhoods, the remains of a fortress, the Mesa de Mareantes y Navegantes, legendary bridges, and palaces and houses bearing coats of arms. As if that were not enough, it was the birthplace of the Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Severo Ochoa, and many memories of him remain.

Another fact that you will find curious, to say the least, is that the town of Luarca/Ḷḷuarca is so white that it doesn’t look like it belongs on the Atlantic coast. What’s more, it is the only town in the whole of Asturias flanked by two viewpoints and two chapels:the white one to the east and the Chapel of San Roque to the west, and it boasts the most beautiful cemetery in the whole of the Cantabrian coast.

And of course you must explore the surroundings of the ‘White Town’, as you’ll find an inexhaustible source of discoveries: one of the largest and most exotic botanical gardens in the whole of Europe, the Fonte Baixa Gardens; a headland – Cabo Busto – where the best winds blow and Spain’s finest cakes are baked; an Asturian pilgrimage at the foot of a cliff in Cadavéu; and the most beautiful beaches, perfect for enjoying unique landscapes, idyllic swims and incredible waves.

So don’t miss the 10 best things to see and do in Luarca and the surrounding area!

In western Asturias lies the Navia Historical Park, a place where history, nature and the landscape intertwine to offer unforgettable experiences. This region is centred around the mighty River Navia, which invites visitors to explore its diverse landscapes and traditions.

The municipalities that make up the Navia Historical Park are Boal, Coaña, El Franco, Grandas de Salime, Illano, Navia, Pesoz, Tapia de Casariego and Villayón.

From the coastline bathed by the Cantabrian Sea to the mountains hidden inland, the Navia Historical Park is a true journey through time and a place that surprises at every turn.

The Navia Historical Park offers many unmissable highlights, including its coastal villages such as Ortigueira, El Porto/Viávelez, Navia, Puerto de Vega and Tapia.

Its beaches are another major attraction. Frexulfe, Penarronada, Santa Gadea and Porcía are just a few examples of what this region has to offer; here you can enjoy all kinds of water sports, and if surfing is your thing, Tapia beach is one of the Cantabrian meccas for the sport.

You can also enjoy the charm of a river trip along the final stretch of the River Navia, from the Arbón reservoir to the harbour in the town of Navia, or, if you prefer, take part in other active tourism activities in Boal.

As for museums, the region boasts iconic venues such as the Grandas de Salime Ethnographic Museum, the Pesoz Ethnological Museum and the Juan Pérez Villamil Ethnographic Museum.

Furthermore, this destination boasts medieval villages such as Argul, workers’ settlements such as A Paicega, trails such as the Oneta Waterfalls route, hill forts such as Coaña, and caves such as those at Andina.

And as if that weren’t enough, it lies on the Way of St James.

Plenty of reasons not to miss the 10 best things to see and do in the Navia Historical Park!

A healthy, peaceful and thoroughly natural lifestyle finds its unmissable benchmark in the Cider Region. This region has everything you need for a happy stay: a balanced combination of sea and mountains, beautiful coastal villages and marvellous hamlets inland.

When it comes to art, it’s simply amazing. It boasts some of the finest examples of Romanesque and pre-Romanesque architecture in Asturias, such as San Salvador de Valdedios. In fact, in this region it’s very easy to visit museums, go on sightseeing tours, or walk the Camino de Santiago, which passes through here.

You can even follow an itinerary through its ‘Exemplary Villages’: the fishing village of Llastres, as well as Sariego, Torazu and Poreñu.

And you mustn’t miss the ports of Tazones and El Puntal, which offer pure beauty and the taste of the sea in their cuisine.

Oh! And very importantly: do take a stroll through the historic centre of Villaviciosa, and also along its estuary, which is a large nature reserve.

So you don’t miss out on any of the essentials in this part of Asturias, here are the 10 best things to see and do in the Cider Region!

Caso and Sobrescobio, Sobrescobio and Caso – it amounts to the same thing – are the two parts of an indivisible whole, where the River Nalón is the lifeblood, and without whose waters—gushing crystal-clear and unassuming from the Tarna pass—nothing in these lands, with their beautiful villages and which have long served as an eternal gateway to the Meseta and back, would be the same. Both municipalities form the ideal combination that makes up the marvellous Redes Natural Park, which was deservedly designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 20 years ago.

The Redes Natural Park embodies the very essence of southern Asturias, and one of its great assets is that it offers some of the finest views of the Picos de Europa themselves. It takes its name from a beech forest in Caso, and is undoubtedly one of Asturias’s greatest natural, aquatic, ethnographic and cultural reserves.

In fact, we could say, without exaggerating, that Redes has a surprise in store for you at every turn: a marvellous granary, a timber museum, a fountain, a stream, a reservoir, a walking route… Not to mention truly idyllic villages, utterly authentic and genuine, just like their inhabitants, and just like the ‘casinas’ cows themselves, which are a native breed.

In Redes, to give just one example, you can still come across a ‘madreñero’ (wooden-shoe maker) at work, a legacy of an ancestral culture…

So don’t hesitate – come to the Redes Natural Park , and to help you on your journey, here are the 10 best things to see and do in the Redes Natural Park!

The cities of Asturias – Oviedo/Uviéu, Gijón/Xixón and Avilés – are three of the most welcoming destinations for making the most of the atmosphere, hospitality and vibrancy that characterise them. They are cities on a very human scale, easy to get to grips with, simple to explore and discover, and brimming with cultural charm. Historic and monumental city centres steeped in history, a lively atmosphere on terraces, cider houses and restaurants, and stunning walks along the foothills, estuaries or the coast. There are dozens of things to do, all within easy reach. In fact, these are very comfortable towns, both for their residents and for visitors.