Visit Asturias

If you are visiting Asturias, you need to know where to go, what to see, and most importantly, what to eat and drink! Especially if it is your first visit. I have written at length about the reasons you should visit Asturias. Here I want to share with you what in Asturias you should go see.

Where To Go

The first thing to do is to decide where you want to go in Asturias. Do you want a cosmopolitan city adventure, mountainous hiking and cheese making, or bucolic farmlands and ancient fishing villages? Or maybe you have time and want all three?

The Regions

Asturias is made up of 78 conceyos, which are roughly equivalent to an American county or a British council. Those conceyos are grouped together into comarcas.

These comarcas are (in Asturias at least) contemporary creations designed to promote tourism at a more regional level. Therefore, they have no administrative or government powers, unlike comarcas elsewhere in Spain. For our purposes, we can group these comarcas into three regions.

The East

Comprised entirely of the Oriente comarca, this area is known for both its mountains and its coastal towns. Containing both Llanes and Cabrales.

Central Asturias

Populous,

The West

Formed out of the comarcas of Eo-Navia and Narcea, the west of Asturias is a melting pot of Galician, Asturian and Leónese influences. Wild game absolutely dominates the cooking of this region.

It is notable as the only wine-growing area in Asturias, and since 2009 has had a DOP.

The Cities of Asturias

Asturias has three main cities. Oviedo, Gijón, and Avilés. They are all relatively close to each other - clustered together in the central valley of Asturias. Along with the smaller towns of Siero, Langreo, Mieres, and Castrillón, they account for the majority of the population of Asturias.

Oviedo

Cathedral - Ego Fakilo

El Fontan

Calle Gascona

El Desarme

Feria de la Ascension

Rialto - Muscovitas

Gijón

Mercado del Sur

Arbol de la sidra

Caldereta

Avilés

Fisherman's quarter

Noteworthy Towns & Villages

Langreo

Mieres

Llanes

Ribadesella

What To See and Do

Once you are in Asturias, and have chosen a general area to concentrate on, you need some things to see and do.

Markets

Every day of the week in Asturias is market day somewhere. In addition to the large central markets in the main cities, Asturias has multiple markets every day of the week. Add in organic produce markets, seasonal markets, the ever-popular winter medieval markets, and a couple of Christmas events, and you have a very full market calendar. Indeed, it is so full that I have made both a Complete Guide to Asturian Market days and an interactive map for finding the closest markets to where you are in Asturias.

Tours

I offer guided tours of Asturias in English for travelers who want to delve a little deeper into the local food culture while visiting Asturias. I offer both walking tours of the cities and towns of Asturias, as well as destination trips to specific artisan producers, fishing villages, and other gastronomic destinations.

Calendar of Events

I also maintain a food events calendar for Asturias. I strive to keep it updated with all of the upcoming food, cider, beer, wine, and craft events going on across Asturias. From huge yearly events like Gijón Cider Festival to small local events like village fiestas, I collect them all here.

What To Eat and Drink

Cider Makers

Bars

Travel Tips

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