Towns and Cities

Ribadesella - This lively town is divided into two halves by the river Sella. To the east of the Sella is the old town set around the harbour, where you will find beautiful old buildings, pretty plazas, and many shops, bars and restaurants. At the far end of the quay steps climb up to the Ermita de Guia, a small chapel, from where you have great views of Ribadesella town, its beach, and Atalaya beach to the west. The Santa Marina beach and the promenade are located across the bridge to the west of the river Sella. The beach front has some excellent examples of Asturian architecture. At the far end of the beach and promenade have a look for the Jurassic dinosaur footprints that have been found in the cliffs!

Llanes - A very pretty seaside town with cobbled streets and interesting shops selling traditional Asturian produce. In the medieval centre of Llanes you can find the Basilica of Santa Maria del Conceyu, the castle tower which now houses the tourist information centre, and the city walls, all dating back to the 13th century. You can also take a spectacular cliff top walk along the Paseo de San Pedro or visit one of the three town beaches.

Oviedo - The capital of the principality of Asturias and a UNESCO world heritage site. The city boasts ancient cobbled streets and beautiful architecture including the gothic cathedral of San Salvador. Oviedo also has a great night life and is well known for it's cake shops and the famous Calle Gascona also known as Calle Sidreria because it's lined with cider bars.

Gijon - Larger and busier than Oviedo, the coastal city of Gijon has an attractive seafront with several long sandy beaches, great shopping and a lively night life.

Beaches

There are many beautiful beaches to choose from in Eastern Asturias, many hold blue flags for cleanliness. The list below is just a few of the best.

Barro - A sandy beach, protected from the open sea by two islets. There is a cafe on the sea front and parking.

Sablon/Buelna - Sandy coves in Llanes town. Plenty of parking but can get very busy in summer.

Palombina - Sandy cove in Celorio village. Has a blue flag award.

Torimbia - A large sandy cove that's a little hard to find. Accessed through the village of Niembro. The car park on the cliff above the beach is a great coastal view point that's worth a visit, from where there's 15 minutes walk down to the beach. Good surf spot. Nudist beach.

San Antolin - The nearest beach to the house. Large and sandy with car park and easy access from the main road.

Cuevas del Mar - A small, pretty cove. Accessed through the village of Nueva. Car parking.

Ribadesella/Santa Marina - A long, fine sandy beach in Ribadesella town. Popular surf spot. Car park at the western end of the beach.

Vega - Huge beach of fine sand west of Ribadesella. Declared a Natural Monument due to the sand dunes backing the beach. Large car park.

Arenal de Moris - Large sandy beach near Colunga. Popular surf spot. Easily accessible.

Rodiles - Large sandy beach near Villaviciosa. Known as one of the best surf spots in Northern Spain, for experienced surfers.

Historic Covadonga

At the battle of Covadonga in 722 AD the Christian Iberians, lead by the Asturian King Pelayo, defeated the Moors, who occupied the rest of the Spanish peninsula. This battle marked the start of the Spanish Reconquista, and Covadonga is known as the birthplace of Spain as a nation. In Covadonga today you can visit the 19th century neo-Romanesque Basilica de Covadonga, and the cave or shrine which houses the tomb of King Pelayo, as well as many other monuments to the Asturian king.

 Prehistoric Caves of Tito Bustillo

The caves of Tito Bustillo, located in Ribadesella, were discovered in 1969 and are one of the most important sites of Paleolithic art in Europe. The walls of the 800m stretch of caverns and tunnels are painted with prehistoric art dating from between 10,000 and 22,000 BC.

Guided tours last about one hour and are given in Spanish, although written information in English is available.

Open March-September Wednesday-Sunday 10am-4:30pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Entrance fees €3.50 adults, €1.75 children.

Visit www.titobustillo.com for more information.

Jurassic Museum of Asturias

An exhibition on dinosaurs and the Jurassic period in Asturias. The museum is situated on what is known as the 'dinosaur coast', where nine sites of dinosaur footprints can be found dating from around 150 million years ago. Suitable for families. 

San Juan de Duz, Colunga. Open 10:30am-2:30pm and 4pm-7pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Adults €5.30, children €3.20.

Visit www.museojurasicoasturias.com for more information.

 

Gastronomy

Asturias is well known for its cider and cheese. Asturian cider is produce of the cider apple orchards in the Villaviciosa area. The technique used for pouring the cider, that is into the glass from a height, is said to bring the drink to life! The most famous cheese of the area is Cabrales, a very pungent blue cheese.

The most well known local dish, seen on every restaurant menu, is the Fabada Asturiana. A tasty filling stew made of white fava beans, chorizo, ham and morcilla (Spanish blood sausage). Fish and seafood are also popular.