This land of western Asturias has a soul divided between two worlds: the rough sea and the quiet brañas. Gold is still to be found in its rivers and authenticity shines everywhere. In the undulating hills, the stone huts that keep the memory of the vaqueiros, nomadic and tenacious shepherds that give their name to the region, resist. We see cattle in the wild, sit in the shade of the oak groves and then descend towards the coast, which surprises us with wild beaches, hidden coves and unspoilt seascapes. In the fishing villages of Luarca/Ḷḷuarca and Cudillero, the fishermen preserve rites and words that further strengthen the roots of this territory.
History of the Comarca Vaqueira
From the dolmen of Merillés in the highlands of Tineo, to the villages overlooking the sea, every corner of this region holds a legacy that clings to the land. The castro of San Chuis, in Allande, has been inhabited since the Bronze Age: it was a fortress, a Roman enclave and the epicentre of the gold rush that left its mark on the area with place names such as Valledor, Montefurao or Río Oro. This gold mining tradition still continues in Navelgas, known as the "Valley of Gold", the annual venue for the National Goldpanning Championship and the Asturias Gold Museum - as well as being named an Exemplary Town of Asturias in 2005 -.
Roads to Santiago
But in the Comarca Vaqueira you don't have to "bat" history to find it, it is very much in sight. There are two paths that "cross" it and explain it: the Primitive Way and the Coastal Way to Santiago, both World Heritage Sites since 2015. The Primitive Way, the oldest of them all, crosses the Comarca Vaqueira to the Puerto del Palo, sowing history at every step. Starting with the monastery of San Salvador de Cornellana (1024), a great spiritual and economic centre of its time. Further on, at the entrance to the village of Salas, the church of San Martín and its thousand-year-old yew tree await. The tombstones of the church are preserved today in the Pre-Romanesque Museum of this town, whose headquarters are in the former chapel of the Palace of Valdés Salas, the house of the influential archbishop and inquisitor who founded the University of Oviedo. The Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor, conceived as the archbishop's pantheon, adds Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles to the monumental landscape of the town.
In Tinéu, the church of San Pedro houses the Museum of Sacred Art, with an outstanding collection of religious silverwork and medieval and Baroque carvings. Nearby, the village of Tuña (Exemplary Village of Asturias in 2000) preserves elegant mansions such as the Campomanes Tower and the birthplace of General Riego, famous for his pronouncement in favour of the Constitution of 1812. Without leaving Tineo, the monastery of Obona preserves its noble air and its relationship with the Primitive Way since the time of Alfonso II the Chaste. But it was in the 13th century when Alfonso IX made it an obligatory stop for pilgrims, thus increasing its importance in the economic and spiritual life of the region.
In Allande, the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago de Compostela climbs up the Puerto del Palo, one of its most beautiful and demanding stretches. Pola de Allande boasts the palace of the Cienfuegos de Peñalba, a powerful silhouette on a hill, a mixture of fortress and stately residence from the 16th century.
But the other road - the coastal road - also left its mark on the region. In Cudillero, the church of Santa María de Soto de Luiña is one of the most remarkable Baroque complexes in Asturias. Thanks to its links to the Pilgrim's Way, it has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, as has the aforementioned monastery of Cornellana, as part of the universal legacy that both routes represent. In the municipality of Valdés, the tower of the Peláez de Villademoros, an Asturian family descended from King Don Pelayo, stands out. A defensive construction, possibly used for military purposes during the Asturian monarchy.
Vaqueira traditions
Since the Middle Ages, the Vaqueiros de Alzada were transhumant shepherds who lived in a seasonal coming and going between the valleys and the mountains. This practice - the alzada - was not only an economic strategy, but a self-sufficient way of life, with a strong community spirit and deeply linked to the landscape. But because of their wandering nature, for speaking differently, for not submitting to parish registers or tithes, the vaqueiros were discriminated against, excluded from churches and cemeteries, and considered "non-neighbours" by the sedentary inhabitants known as "xaldos". To confront this stigma, they became even more united through music, gastronomy and rituals such as the vaqueira wedding, which is still celebrated every last Sunday in July in the braña of Aristébano ( between Tineo and Valdés), as part of the Fiesta Vaqueira or Vaqueirada (Festival of Tourist Interest of the Principality of Asturias), which recreates this wedding celebration in the traditional manner, enlivened with dances and songs, and faithfully represented in vaqueira costume.
Rural culture is also proudly celebrated in Navelgas, where in November the Noche Mágica y Festival Esfoyón y Amagüestu revives the corn husking gatherings, including songs, stories, chestnuts and frixuelos. In San Martín de Luiña, every first weekend in August, the Mercado Vaqueiro turns the village into a festival with bagpipes, parades and excursions to the brañas.
If you want to get a closer look at this culture - one of the most valuable intangible heritages of Asturias - you can visit the Museo Vaqueiro de Asturias (Asturian Cowherd Museum) in Naraval (Tineo). The visit includes an 18th-century house with its barn and haystack, and a tour of the Folgueras del Río braña, where you can see an old summer house.
Seafarers, Indianos and palaces
While the vaqueiros travelled through mountain passes and mountain passes, other forms of life were developing on the coast, no less intense: sailors, fishermen and emigrants wove their identity between nets, tides and dreams of overseas.
In the town of Cudillero, the "pixueta" jargon was born in the Middle Ages as a way of speaking among the fishermen who fished together: it was used to understand each other and, above all, so that others would not understand them. Its highest expression is the Feast of L'Amuravela, which has its roots in the 16th century and is held annually on St. Peter's Day (29 June). Its central act is a sermon in verse, recited in pixueto, which summarises the events of the year with humour and irony. Further west, in the famous fishing village of Luarca/Ḷḷuarca, in the highest part of the "El Cambaral" district, there is still the Mesa de Mareantes y Navegantes, where this guild used to meet to discuss their affairs as far back as medieval times.
But the people of the region not only went to sea to fish or trade, but also to emigrate, especially from the mid-19th century onwards. Many returned with fortune and built majestic houses, such as those seen in Viḷḷar de Ḷḷuarca, a neighbourhood that looks like an open-air museum and which reflects the fulfilled dream of the Indianos in buildings such as Casa Guatemala, Villa Carmen (where Severo Ochoa was born), Villa Argentina or the impressive Villa Excelsior. Although there are examples of this architecture throughout the region, Malleza, in Salas, known as Little Havana, stands out in particular because its streets are full of large houses built by those who emigrated to Cuba.
In parallel to the Indiano money, the Selgas brothers, financiers and philanthropists who made their fortune in Spain, invested their immense fortune in creating a palace worthy of a museum: the Quinta de Selgas. Its rooms house works by Goya, Rubens and Brueghel the Younger, among tapestries, coffered ceilings and royal furniture. The palace is located in El Pito (Cudillero), it is nicknamed the Asturian Versailles and can be visited in summer(opens in a new tab).
Routes in nature: brañas and coast
The Vaqueira region, with its 1,600 square kilometres, is an inimitable mosaic of Atlantic landscapes: hills, brañas, valleys, native forests, rivers, cliffs and wild beaches.
Cowboy routes
For the hiker with the soul of an ethnographer, the Rutas Vaqueiras help to understand a large part of this territory while walking. There are many itineraries that allow you to rediscover the memory of the transhumant people who were the Vaqueiros. Perhaps the most popular option is the Ruta de las Brañas Vaqueiras, in Cudillero, a circular route of about 24 km that starts in San Martín de Luiña and goes through old cattle routes, forests and high pastures.
In Valdés alone there are 58 catalogued brañas, and 9 of them are in the parish of Paredes, an area articulated around the river Esva, which has shaped a landscape of deep gorges such as the popular Hoces del Esva, declared a Natural Monument. An impressive canyon with walls of up to 500 metres in height and one of the best riverside forests on the peninsula. The route runs between footbridges, forests and brañas, and there are routes of varying length and difficulty, with access from villages such as Bustiello, Caeras or San Pedru.
Another highly recommended route is the one that starts in the town of Salas and follows part of the Primitive Way until it reaches the Nonaya waterfall, a very photogenic spot. The route is linear, 8.2 km round trip, easy and perfect for the whole family.
In addition to the routes, the region is full of natural spots that are well worth discovering. One of them is the reservoir of La Barca, between Tineo and Salas, one of the largest in western Asturias, surrounded by mountains and pine forests. Another special place is the village of Valentín (Tineo), where, next to its hermitage, you will find the Carbayón de Valentín, a huge, hundred-year-old oak tree, declared a Natural Monument. It measures more than 10 metres in perimeter and its crown extends 20 metres. It is believed to be more than 700 years old and is already mentioned in documents prior to the discovery of America.
Capes, lighthouses and beaches
As we descend from the highlands to the coast of the Vaqueira region, the landscape is transformed and the last open meadows of the coastal plain give way to steep cliffs and beaches that range from rugged to familiar. Cape Busto, in the council of Valdés, is one of the best viewpoints on the western coast of Asturias. The circular route around it, well signposted and with hardly any gradient, allows you to walk some 8 km with continuous views of the Bay of Biscay, especially beautiful at sunset. Along the way, eight viewpoints allow you to look out over a wild landscape: hidden beaches such as Bozo, Serrón or Barchinas, vertical cliffs, and the Busto lighthouse itself, which has been guiding navigators since 1858.
Cape Vidio, in Oviñana (Cudillero), imposes its beauty from a height of 100 metres. Its lighthouse, active since 1950, offers views that on clear days stretch from Cabo Peñas to Estaca de Bares. Its surroundings, ideal for strolling or contemplating the landscape, have viewpoints such as Sablón, famous for its bench facing the sea.
From here, a route leads to the beach of Silencio or Gavieiro, perhaps the most iconic beach on the western coast of Asturias. Sheltered by cliffs and dotted with islets, it preserves an intact atmosphere that reinforces its beautiful name. Other beaches in Cudillero, such as Concha de Artedo or San Pedro de la Ribera, both with a blue flag, are perfect to enjoy with the family. On the other hand, enclaves such as Oleiros, Vallina or Gueirúa offer unspoilt and rugged landscapes, with spectacular rock formations, the remains of ancient cetareas and a rich marine biodiversity that invites exploration during low tide.
In the council of Valdés there are several beaches that are easily accessible and very busy in summer. Cadavedo or Ribeirona, shaped like a shell, was a former whaling port. The shell-shaped beach of Cueva, with dark sand and stones, is located in a very beautiful spot, at the mouth of the river Esva. Otur beach is a 600-metre sandy area with dunes, fine sand, good beach services and a great surfing tradition. Portizuelo is not an ordinary beach, but a hidden corner with surprising rock formations. One of them reminds some of Sauron's mask from Lord of the Rings. Meanwhile, in the town of Luarca/Ḷḷuarca, the beaches of Primera and Segunda and, the most secluded, Tercera or Salinas, unfold consecutively. They are urban and very popular with families and strollers. Finally, the Barayo Partial Nature Reserve, on the border between Navia and Valdés, is much more than a beach: it is a nature sanctuary with river, sea, forest, dunes, migratory birds and very fine sand.
Guide to enjoy the region
In addition to its landscapes and heritage, the Vaqueira region vibrates with its festivals, is savoured at its tables and is best enjoyed with the warmth of its people. A good example is La Regalina (Cadavéu, Valdés), which is not only a hermitage and a spectacular viewpoint over the Bay of Biscay, but also the setting for a Festival of Tourist Interest in the Principality of Asturias. It is held on the last Sunday in August, with a colourful procession to this special place. The seascape, the traditional costumes, the bunches of alfiladas and the hermitage itself form a vibrant scene.
San Timoteo is the jovial and complicit saint that Luarca/Ḷḷuarca celebrates every 22 August in one of the most lively and multitudinous pilgrimages in the region, also declared a Festival of Tourist Interest of the Principality of Asturias. The origin of this celebration is more than curious: first the date was chosen in the saints' calendar, then the "prao" of the festival, then the chapel was built and, finally, the figure of the saint was commissioned (a made-to-measure saint, therefore). Dressed in their chequered chambron, with their walking sticks and the "T" of bread around their necks, the Timoteínos turn this event into a hive of bagpipes, brass bands, giants and big-heads, and unleashed chants, with sticks in the air and the unmistakable refrain of "San Timoteo, eo, eo".
The fishing of the first salmon in the Narcea marks the start of the season and gives way to the auction of the Campanu in Cornellana, a central event of the Salmon Fair, declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in Asturias.
Gastronomy has one of its most special corners in Cudillero. A town with a scenic vocation, which has a striking amphitheatre of coloured houses hanging over the sea, with its gaze set on the horizon, and with the Holy Christ of the medieval chapel of El Humilladero protecting the place on a stormy day. But here the sea is not only contemplated, it is also eaten. The fish market is still active every day, and inshore fishing feeds kitchens where Cantabrian seafood and noble fish such as hake on skewers, monkfish, sea bream or turbot, prepared in the oven, grilled or in stews, shine.
In Luarca/Ḷḷuarca, people cook as they live: between the sea and the countryside. In addition to the Asturian tradition of "fabada" and "pote" (stew), there are also local flavours such as squid, "sopa de pixín" (squid soup) and conger eel "a la luarquesa" (conger eel). The so-called Villa Blanca of the Costa Verde cascades down from its famous cemetery of La Atalaya to the port, as if it wanted to dive into the water. In neighbourhoods such as La Pescadería or El Cambaral you can still breathe the medieval air. The port continues to bring in fresh fish every day. The beaches, the promenades and the Fonte Baxa Forest-Garden, with its twenty hectares of botanical gardens by the sea, complete one of the most famous postcards of Asturias.
Tinéu can also be tasted. Its star product is Chosco, a sausage with a seal of quality (PGI), very versatile: it can be eaten with vegetables, peas, trout, potatoes or simply on its own. On the other hand, the town centre, declared a Historic Site, preserves its rural atmosphere in its granaries and washing places, and shows corners such as the Paseo de los Frailes, the fountain of the Muses, the Jacobean sundial or the bowling alley of San Roque, the heart of its festivities. In its Main Street you can see coats of arms and the remains of the old pilgrims' hospital. Figures such as Campomanes, a key figure in the Enlightenment, and Maldonado, the last president of the Second Spanish Republic in exile, were born in this municipality.
For dessert we have left Salas, that medieval town which has no less than four National Monuments - as we have already seen in the historical section -, and which sweetens those who visit it with the Carajitos del Profesor, hazelnut pastries made in 1918 in the house of a certain Falín, a music teacher, undertaker and amateur confectioner.
The time has come to have a coffee while waiting for an astronomy lesson. Because in addition to its land, this region also shines with its night sky. Allande, the first Starlight Council in Spain, turns darkness into a spectacle, with its nights guided by astrophysicists and an observatory on the way. And since we are talking about science, there is nothing like a family visit to the Parque de la Vida ( La Mata, Valdés), where rockets, fossils and giant squid teach us to see the world through different eyes.
If we want to get closer to this land, we should bear in mind that, from the east, it can be easily accessed via the A-63 ( Oviedo/Uviéu-La Espina). From there, a network of secondary roads - the AS-15 to Cangas del Narcea, the AS-14 that skirts Allande, or the AS-219 that links Tineo - allows you to enter valleys, mountains and villages. The coast, meanwhile, can be discovered along the N-634. As for accommodation, there are options for everyone: charming rural houses, Indian mansions, family hotels, pilgrim hostels or campsites under the pines, where you can contemplate the stars and stay in silence for longer than usual.
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What to see
- Villa de Luarca/Ḷḷuarca, Cabo Busto and Braña de Aristébano.
- Natural Reserve of Barayo
- Village of Cudillero and Cape Vidio.
- Village of Salas and Cornellana.
- Town of Tinéu, Tuña and Navelgas.
- Pola de Allande and San Emiliano.