City: Asturias
Top Things to do in Asturias
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The 10 Best Points of Interest & Landmarks in Asturias, Spain
Asturias (/æˈstʊəriəs, ə-/; Spanish: [asˈtuɾjas]; Asturian: Asturies [asˈtuɾjes]; Galician: Asturias), officially the Principality of Asturias (Spanish: Principado de Asturias; Asturian: Principáu d'Asturies), is an autonomous community in north-west Spain. It is coextensive with the province of Asturias, and contains some of the territory that was part of the larger Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages. Divided into eight comarcas (counties), the autonomous community of Asturias is bordered by Cantabria to the east, by Castile and León to the south, by Galicia to the west, and by the Bay of Biscay to the north.
Restaurants in Asturias
1. El Cuelebre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 52 reviews
Exclusive Spanish school in the mountains of Somiedo Natural Park, Asturias, Spain.
Reviewed By cocobeanz08 - Sisters, United States
Most people know that the best way to learn a language is through immersion. But the idea of immersion can be intimidating – or it certainly was to me. Well, how about immersion tailored to your specific needs and desires, with all the comforts of life, coziness, delectable food, magnificent scenery, and warm, friendly, and knowledgeable hosts? That’s what I had the good fortune to experience at El Cuelebre Spanish school in La Peral, Somiedo Natural Park, Asturias. I decided to take a week “off” and study at El Cuelebre. Little did I know that I would not only have customized Spanish classes but that I would be spoiled in so many ways. Jimena and Alfredo, owners, teachers, guides, and chef extraordinaire went above and beyond any expectations. As for language learning, know that Jimena and Alfredo are professionally trained and experienced teachers who have traveled widely and learned a variety of foreign languages themselves. As a result, they're well-acquainted with the needs and challenges of learning a foreign language. They're also very flexible in quickly understanding an individual's difficulties and can customize accordingly. Learning languages is not one of my talents, and I'm insecure about that, but both of them were amazing in making me feel comfortable and encouraging me. We did two formal classroom sessions per day. I initially wondered if that would really be enough, but we covered a lot of ground in each session. For me, the "breaks" consisted of independent study time, walks with my hosts (and their adorable dog) in the surrounding mountains and charming villages, siestas ????, and meals together. Both Jimena and Alfredo are so generous in sharing their deep and broad knowledge of the area, the history, customs, culture and the flora and fauna and their passion for all the above. I have an interest in politics and both Jimena and Alfredo were very kind and patient to indulge me and answer my many questions. I believe it was through our more casual/informal interactions that I was able to improve my comprehension along with developing a great love and respect for the country and people. I was there off-season, so our outside activities were somewhat dictated by the weather. For me, the "downtime" was perfect to allow me to absorb all the learning in addition to providing me with a calm that I was in desperate need of. I look forward to returning during spring/summer seasons when we’ll seek out other opportunities to visit more historic sites and attractions. Of note: Jimena previously worked for a conservation non-profit and is a font of knowledge on the area flora and fauna. I discovered rather late in the week that she has an enthusiasm and knowledge of butterflies. That alone is reason enough for me to return, IMO. The accommodation is in Jimena and Alfredo's own charming home, but in a separate area with its own entrance, en-suite bathroom, and (if you go off-season as I did) heating system. The room is spotless, spacious, yet cozy. It is large enough to accommodate not only a sleeping area, but there's a bank of closets, a table with laptop along one window looking out over the mountains, a sitting area with a flat-screen tv, and plenty of space (if you're like me) to do yoga and stretching in the morning. It's well-equipped with all necessary+ amenities, e.g., good Wi-Fi, hairdryer, shampoo and soap, towels, in-room electric kettle for coffee and tea. Basically, if you wanted to you could go with your clothing and cellphone (oh and hiking shoes, of course). There's also an additional sleeping loft. I went on my own, but there's more than enough space for a couple or even 2-3 good friends. Last, but certainly not least, is the cuisine. Jimena prepared some of the most scrumptious meals I've had -- and I'm a well-traveled food enthusiast! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all-inclusive, and I dined on paella, fabada, stuffed trout, and tortillas to name just a few. She used only the freshest of ingredients and was very mindful of food sensitivities and dietary requirements. Thank goodness for the opportunity for walks, otherwise, I would've surely gained a lot of weight! To ensure that the learning wouldn't stop with the classes, Alfredo was generous in providing online links to other resources and YouTube videos, as well as suggested leisure reading books for my level. I'm currently enjoying reading some fun mysteries in Spanish. If I've left you with any question, let me just say that my time with Jimena and Alfredo was educational, informative, delightful, delicious, head-clearing, relaxing, and inspiring. I arrived there a nervous, stressed out novice student and left there calm, energized, more confident, feeling like a princess, with a little bit of sadness to leave friends behind. I look forward to my next stay at El Cuelebre!
2. Pozo Soton
3. Plaza del Fontan
4. Cabo de Penas
5. Santa Maria del Naranco
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,421 reviews
Reviewed By VadimM67 - Murmansk, Russia
Santa Maria del Naranco was included as part of the monuments of Oviedo in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1985. Only Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona's Gaudi, Escorial and Burgos were included a year earlier. All the other almost 40 monuments are later or much later. It's hard to understand without being Spanish. Asturias is the core, the starting point of Spain. Everything else, as the asturians proudly say, is just an increment of territory. Santa Maria del Naranco doesn't look like a Church. It was actually built originally as the state hall of a country Royal Palace for Ramiro I in 842. The forest for hunting was here at that time. The Church turned out to be elegant because of the open loggias and external stairs. Its fragility is given by its location on the meadow. The Church is located outside the city limits. You can get here by bus number 2, but I walked from the IBIS hotel in the morning. I didn't get inside, everything was closed, but judging by the photo, the exterior is better than the interior.
6. Centro de cultura Antiguo Instituto
7. Capilla de la Atalaya y faro
8. Castro de Coana
9. Centro de Arte Rupestre Tito Bustillo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 127 reviews
10. Monumento a la Madre del emigrante
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 348 reviews
Reviewed By TimDore - Marana, United States
This beautiful statue is in honor of the Mothers of the Asturians that emigrated to find a land with more opportunity. The Mother is saying goodbye to her children with the wave of her hand. The look on her face is haunting in that it is despair, fear and loneliness yet hope for a bright future. The statue is by Ramón Muriedas and was placed there in 1970. If you arrive in Gijon via cruise ship it is about a 4 mile walk to the park, but taxis are plentiful and this park might be included in a shore excursion.
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