Visit Asturias, Spain

A verdant province on the northern coast of Spain, Asturias sits between the rocky summits of the Cantabrian mountains and the deep blue waters of the Atlantic. This geographic isolation means it has a language, climate, and culture that’s distinct from the rest of the country.

Here, you’ll find cities with lively nightlife scenes and rural fishing villages that cling to the coastline. Pristine curves of sand in secluded bays and lush green valleys punctuated by precipitous limestone peaks. Pre-Romanesque churches and prehistoric caves. And we can help you discover them all.

You could go hiking in the Picos de Europa National Park, take a private walking tour of Oviedo’s storied streets, unwind on the silver sands of Playa del Silencio, or sample authentic local sidra (alcoholic cider) poured from a height to aerate it.

Exploring varied landscapes

Part of the region known as “Green Spain”, Asturias is blanketed in rolling hills dotted with apple orchards and flower-filled meadows. To one side, you’ll find sheer peaks jutting upwards to the sky, skirted by dense forests where brown bears and Iberian wolves roam. To the other, surf-splashed beaches and coves sheltered by grass-topped cliffs.

The mountainous Picos de Europa National Park is laced with a network of hiking trails that will lead you past picturesque villages, glacial lakes, and rocky outcrops. While on Asturias’ Jurassic coast, you could head to La Griega beach to spot dinosaur footprints and fossils along the cliffs.

Touring historic cities

Asturias is home to a number of cities with a rich heritage and culture to discover. We can arrange for you to take a private walking tour of Oviedo, where your guide will bring its history to life as you explore its winding streets. You’ll visit notable pre-Romanesque churches, which you can contrast with the Gothic grandeur of the Cathedral of San Salvador.

Or, you could delve even further back in time by entering the Tito Bustillo caves near Ribadesella, whose walls are decorated with prehistoric art. Alternatively, head to lively seaside Gijón or the coastal town of Llanes to spend time at the beach.

Discovering culinary delights

From hearty fabada (white bean stew) to cachopo (a type of escalope stuffed with cheese), Asturian cuisine puts the focus on regional ingredients. Thanks to its coastal location, you can dine on an array of fresh seafood dishes in Asturias. Locally sourced salmon, clams, hake, sea urchin, and crab all feature prominently on restaurant menus here. The area is also renowned for its cheeses, such as Cabrales, a strong blue cheese that’s aged in limestone caves deep within the Picos de Europa mountains.

When it comes to drinks, we recommend heading to a bar for a glass of sidra. To enjoy it the local way, pour it from high above your head into a glass at waist height for maximum aeration (or, leave the task in the competent hands of your server).

Best time to visit Asturias

Asturias experiences mild summers and winters alike, and more rainfall year-round than other parts of Spain. Snow is common in the mountains from around October to May. We recommend visiting between mid-April and June, or September and October. During these periods, the weather is pleasant but you can avoid the crowds that July and August bring.