Asturias

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Matt Munro

Overview

‘Ser español es un orgullo’, the saying goes, ‘ser asturiano es un título.’ ‘If being Spanish is a matter of pride, to be Asturian is a mark of nobility'. Asturias, the sole patch of Spain never conquered by the Muslims is, some claim, the real Spain: the rest is simply tierra de reconquista (reconquered land).

01 / Attractions

Must-see attractions

Catedral de San Salvador
Oviedo
Oviedo's stunning cathedral complex was built mainly in Gothic and baroque styles between the 13th and 18th centuries. But its origins and greatest…
Palacio de Santa María del Naranco
Oviedo
On the slopes of Monte Naranco, 3.5km northwest of central Oviedo, this tall, narrow palace – built by Ramiro I (842–50), Alfonso II’s successor…
Cueva de Tito Bustillo
Asturias
Some of Spain’s finest cave art, including superb horse paintings probably done around 15,000 to 10,000 BCE, is within this World Heritage–listed cave,…
Museo Arqueológico de Asturias
Oviedo
Partly within a restored 16th-century monastery, Asturias’ archaeology museum makes the most of the region’s archaeological riches through video and…
Playa de Torimbia
Asturias
A beautiful, gold-blonde crescent bounded by rocky headlands and a bowl of green hills, 9km west of Llanes, Torimbia is truly spectacular. Turn off the…
Cercados Oseros
Asturias
About 5km south of Tuñón (or a 1km walk south from the Área Recreativa Buyera, where cars can park), the Senda del Oso reaches the Cercados Oseros, two…
Museo de la Emigración
Asturias
The small town of Colombres, 21km east of Llanes, has a particularly fine collection of indiano architecture –florid buildings of eclectic styles…
Playa de Toranda
Asturias
About 8km west of Llanes, the 250m-long sands of Playa de Toranda are backed by green fields and a forested headland. Snorkellers should see a good…