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The Province of
Asturias is located
in the northwest of
Spain. It covers 10,564
km2 and has around a
million inhabitants.
It borders with 4 other
provinces: Galicia to
the west, Cantabria
to the east and to the
south León
and Burgos. The capital
of Asturias is Oviedo
(see Guide
to Oviedo).
Asturias is also known
as the 'Spanish Switzerland
' or 'Green Spain' due
to its lush countryside
and high mountinous
areas. In reality the
landscape here varies
enormously. Around 30%
of the area consists
of protected countryside.
It has 1 National Park,
3 Nature Parks, 10 Nature
Reserves and 10 Protected
Natural Areas as well
as 35 natural monuments.
Due to the rise in popularity
of rural tourism, Asturias
offers visitors all
sorts of accommodation
options from quality
hotels (for further
information see reviews:
Hotels
in Asturias), to
a wide variety of country
cottages, holiday apartments
and campsites.
There are high mountinous
areas: the Picos
de Europa, the Bosque
Atlántico(the
Atlantic forest), the
Cordillera Cantábrica
mountains and many valleys
and coastal areas stretching
345 kms. Asturias is
separated from Castilla-León
by the mountain range
known as the Cordillera
Cantábrica.
The Asturian coastline
is made up of open beaches
and steep cliffs with
pretty coves. The Tina
Menor, Ribadesella,
Villaviciosa, Avilés,
Pravía, Eo, Navía
rivers all flow into
the Cantabrican sea.
As mentioned above the
vegetation varies widely
depending on where you
are in Asturias. In the
area characterized by
its valleys and fast flowing
rivers in the north of
the province there are
meadows and forests consisting
of oak, beech, walnut
and lime trees and there
are lots of pastures where
animals graze. The south
of the province is characterized
by its mountains, some
of which are the highest
in Spain. This is where
the 'the Picos de Europa'
are situated, some say
they are one of nature's
natural wonders shared
by both Asturias and Cantabria
alike. El Naranjo de Bulnes,
Torre Carredo, Peña
Santa are just some of
the summits here. For
those who are fans of
skiing there are some
excellent ski slopes such
as: Valgrande-Pajares
which is just 75 kms from
Oviedo in the Cordillera
Cantábrica mountain
range.
Oviedo,
the capital, is
the administrative,
commercial and political
centre of the province.
There are 2 other important
cities ,Gijón,
which has the largest
number of inhabitants
and is the most industrial
part of the province
as well as being a tourist
centre. Avilés
is the third largest
city in Asturias.
Because of its geographical
position pilgrims making
their way to Santiago
de Compostela pass through
this province which
forms part of the Camino
de Santiago. Asturias
is an important tourist
destination partly due
to its historical and
artistic heritiage but
also for its excellent
gastronomy.
Climate: Asturias
has a typical Atlantic
climate except in the
moutinous areas where
its colder in winter.
Temperatures are moderate
and it rains often throughout
the year. Summer temperatures
are quite cool compared
to other parts of the
country, on average
just 22º and the
sea here is cold. Winters
are quite mild. Another
reason why people come
to Asturias is to escape
the heat.
Asturias is
connected to the rest
of Spain by road:
the N-634 connects
it to the east
(Irún, Cantábria,
the Basque Country);
the N-634
connects it to the west
(Tuy, Galicia); the
A-66 and the
N-630 connect it
to the south (Castilla-León,
Madrid....) This province
is also connected to
the rest ofthe country
by rail: RENFE
(98 526 02 02) and there
is also an important
coach network that connects
it to the whole of Spain.
There is an airport
in Oviedo (located
in Castrillón-Santiago
del Monte, 43 Kms from
Oviedo, Tel: 985 127
500) Iberia operates
flights to: Barcelona,
Madrid; Air Nostrum:
Barcelona, Paris and
London; Air Europa operates
flights to: Alicante,
Mallorca and Tenerife
and Spainair operates
flights to Madrid.
Places
to visit in the province
of Asturias:
There are several touristic
routes to follow in
Asturias. Perhaps the
most popular is the
Pre-Romanesque route
(Before the Asturian
kingdom was created)
and the Asturian part
of the Camino
de Santiago.
- The Pre-Romanesque
Route: This is
where you can see
the creation of the
Asturian Kingdom which
was the first Christian
kingdom in the Peninsula
and is represented
by 14 religious buildings
built between the
9th and 10th centuries.
The Dynasty began
during the reconquest
led by King Don Pelayo,
the victor in the
battle of Covadonga
against the Moors
in 722 and ended with
Alfonso III el Magno
in 910, following
this the kingdom was
annexed by the kingdom
of Castilla-León
and the capital moved
to León. There
are 4 specific routes
to follow:
- Route
1 - In
and near Oviedo
: the Cathedral,
San Tirso el Real
church, La Foncalada
fountain, San
Julián
de los Prados
church in Santullano,
Santa María
del Naranco Palace
and San Miguel
de Lillo church.
- Route
2 - The
area around Oviedo:
Santa María
de Bendones church
5 kms away, Santa
Cristina de Lena
church in Pola
de Lena.
- Route
3 - Nalón
and nearby: San
Pedro de Nora
church in Llanera
12 Kms from Oviedo
on the road to
Galicia; Santo
Adriano de Tuñón
church in Santo
Adriano, San Juan
de Santianes Basílica
in Pravia also
on the road to
Galicia.
- Route
4 - Villaviciosa
and Colunga: San
Salvador de Valdediós
church in San
Pedro de Ambás-
Villaviciosa,
San Salvador Priesca
church in Villaviciosa,
Santiago de Gobiendes
church in Colunga.
- The Asturian
Camino de Santiago:
In the 9th century
King Alfonso II created
the Jacobean route
to connect Oviedo
with Santiago de Compostela
through the interior
of Asturias - the
Interior Route passes
through Oviedo, Las
Regueras, Girado,
Salas, Tineo, Allande
and Grandas de Salime
. The Coastal Route
passes through all
the Asturian coastal
towns and villages.
The Interior Route
was used until the
Coastal Route (also
known as the French
Route) was created
in the 13th century
and became the most
popular. It passed
through León,
Lena, Mieres, Ribera
de Arriba and Oviedo.
.jpg) The
History of Asturias
Asturias historical
legacy begins in Prehistory
in the Bronze Age from
which important archeological
remains of Celtic settlements,
cave paintings and various
tools used during this
period remain. Later
the Romans arrived under
Emperor Augusto who
occupied and imposed
Roman culture and traditions
on the existing Cantabrican
tribes. Roads were built
to connect cities and
transport riches to
Rome as well as aquaducts
and bridges to take
water to cities. Thermal
baths and great houses
were also built during
the Roman occupation.
Asturias was
also reconquered by
King Don Pelayo, who
in the well known battle
for Covandonga, in 723
defeated the Arabs in
their attempt to occupy
these lands.
Since then Covadonga
was given a royal title
and has become a place
of pilgrimage every
year on 8th September.
King Don Pelayo was
responsible for imposing
the Asturian dynasty
which lasted until 910
the year in which the
kingdom of Asturias
was incorporated in
to the kingdom of Castilla.
During this dynasty's
reign the Asturian Pre-Romanesque
style was created mainly
thanks to King Alfonso
II el Casto, who was
responsible for creating
the model for religious
buildings as much for
the rest of the country
as for Europe. There
are some magnificent
Pre-Romanesque buildings
as there are Romanesque.
.jpg) In
1388 the Principality
of Asturias was created
which is why all those
first in line to the
Spanish throne are given
the title of Príncipe
de Asturias (Prince
of Asturias).
During the Renaissance
important houses and
palaces in a Baroque
or Renaissance style
were built. Later on
more palaces were built
by emigrants returning
from the Americas using
thier new found wealth.
Centuries later Asturias
underwent industrialization
with the creation of
coal mines and the steel
industry which completely
changed its outlook
of Spain which had depended
until then on seafaring
and agriculture. In
1934 a revolt by coal
miners and their unions
had a significant impact
on Spanish politics
which 2 years later
ended up in civil war.
What
to buy in Asturias
Asturias is
well known for its handmade
crafts which means that
there are many interesting
things to buy here.
Typical products to
buy are black ceramics,
wooden clogs and hand
crafted wooden objects,
knives and leather goods...
Where to buy:
- Wooden Clogs
(called Madreñas
here): Casomera,
Campo de Caso, Penacoba.
- Gold and Silver
Jewellery with Jet:
Villaviciosa
- Wine ...:
Langreo.
- Bags and Leather
Goods: Mieres.
- Black Ceramics:
Llamas del Mouro,
Miranda, Faro (Limanes),
 Restored
Antique Furniture:
Mieres.
- Glazed Ceramics:
Faro (Limanes)
- Knives: Taramundi
is famous for these.
- Earthenware and
Wicker Baskets:
Pasaron.
- Different types
of Cheese, honey,
cold meats like chorizo
(spicy sausages) tinned
tuna and sardines,
peppers...
Asturian
Gastronomy: The
gastronomy here is based
on local products such
as potatoes, courgettes,
beetroot, pulses above
all las fabes
which are green beans.
Asturias has a rich
variety of fruit trees
so there is always a
wide range of different
types of fresh fruit
and other products to
eat such as apples,
cherries, pears, figs,
chestnuts and walnuts.
The meat from this province
is very good (beef,
pork and lamb), cold
meats and cheese also
have an excellent reputation
as do its dishes based
on game. As far as fish
is concerned Asturias
has excellent fish and
seafood and a wide variety
too: angler fish, sea
bass, hake, tuna, sardines,
anchovies, scorpion
fish (tiñoso),
squid, baby squid, mussels,
clams, crab and spider
crabs.
Typical Dishes :
Fabada Asturiana, Fabes
with clams, roast lamb
with potatoes Cordero
asado con Patatines),
octopus, Fabes soup,
soup with clams, spider
crab cooked in cider,
Asturian stew, Calderetas
(seafood with potatoes),
spider crab cooked au
gratin, fried blue cheese
(Cabrales frito) steak
with Cabrales (blue
cheese), pork ribs cooked
with honey, chicken
cooked in cider...for
dessert you could try
home made marzipan,
rice pudding, curd cheese
tart, yoghurt sponge
or a variety of cheeses.
Asturian cider
deserves a special mention.
It is made locally from
Asturian apples which
are not very ripe and
quite acidic using a
process based on traditional
methods which produces
an indespensable alcoholic
drink found on any Asturian
dinner table. There
is a special way of
drinking this cider
too. It is always served
at room temperature,
never cold and the most
famous is from Valdediós
and Villaviciosa although
it is made all over
Asturias. There is a
special way of serving
it too which is to pour
it into a wide glass
from a height which
produces a light fizz.
Cucumber, cherry or
blackberry liquer are
just some of Asturias
many different liquers
to choose from.
Cheese: Asturias
has a wide variety of
cheeses: Cabrales,
Casin, Beyos, Gamonedo,
Vidiago, Peñamellera,
La Peña, La Peral,
Taramundi, Aguega el
Pitu, Monje, Los Oscos...With
a doubt the best known
cheese from this province
is Cabrales
D.O. which is
made in Cabrales and
Peñamellera Alta
using traditional methods
(click the link for
further information).
Resturants
in Asturias
 Restaurants
in the Province of Asturias:
Restaurante El Cafetín
(c/ Matemático
Pedrayes, in Lastres,
Tel: 98 585 00 85):
traditional Asturian
cuisine specializing
in fish and seafood;
Restaurante Real
Balneario de Salinas,
(c/ Juan Sitges,
3, in Salinas-Avilés,
Tel: 98 551 86 13):
traditional cuisine
specializing in seafood
and elvers (angulas);
Restaurante Villa
Blanca (Avenida
de Galicia, 25-27, in
Luarca, Tel: 98 564
10 79): traditional
Asturian cuisine;
Restaurante La Cabaña
(c/ Susierra, 34, Tel:
98 594 00 84, in Cangas
de Onís): traditional
cuisine speicalizing
in lamb and pork dishes;
Restaurante El Risón
(Calle del Puerto, in
Castropol, Tel: 98 563
50 65): Delicious traditonal
Asturian cuisine;
Resturante Mariño
(la Concha de Artedo
beach in Cudillero,
Tel: 98 559 01 86):
traditonal Asturian
cuisine specializing
in calderetas
and curadillo in
sauce; Restaurante
El Mazo ( on
la Rectoral hill in
Taramundi, Tel: 98 564
67 60): traditional
Asturian cuisine specializing
in steak with cabrales
cheese.
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