22 Essentials: The best things to see and do in Asturias

When considering a trip to Asturias, riding a Spain, has many interesting and attractive places to visit and we already told you that it is one of our favorite regions.

You will find green and leafy mountain scenery, or very beautiful coastal corners with great beaches, but with many coves.

As well picturesque towns with rural corners where the granaries, and, of course, monuments, among which the pre-romanesque churches.

What to see and visit for tourism in Asturias

Facing your tourism trip to Asturias, we are going to give you a vision of the very varied corners that you can visit, so that you yourself, taking into account your preferences, can plan your own route.

As I have mentioned, apart from the beautiful mountain and coastal landscapes that you can enjoy in a route through Asturias, one of the characteristics of said Spanish region is its wide cultural and industrial heritage.

Indeed, the important industrial past of this Community Northern Spain can now be visited with visits to different places that have been converted into tourist attractions.

In this article you have an overview of the facet of cultural and industrial tourism shows Asturias to your visitors.

On the other hand, here we highlight 22 places What you should take into account see and visit in Asturias, with links to articles that offer very detailed information about them.

They are places that we have recently visited and about which we have published articles.

There are other Asturian corners that we also know, where we have traveled for too long, so we do not have anything published, but we hope to add them soon.

That would be the case, for example, of places like Llanes, Covandonga and the place of The Lakes, Cudillero, Luarca or Picos de Europa.

Oviedo

The Asturian capital is well worth a visit.

But I can tell you that, above all, for visiting the two great pre-Romanesque jewels in Asturias which are located on the slope of the Mount Naranco.

On a walk through the historic center of the city of Oviedo you must have the charming one as a reference Fontán square, and in the great in the Plaza de Alfonso II el Casto, Gothic cathedral.

In this cathedral is the pre-Romanesque corner of the 9th century known as the Holy Chamber, in which several historical jewels and the relic of the Holy shroud.

This corner is declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco as a stage of Camino de Santiago of northern Spain.

In the city ​​of Oviedo you should also see the historical Focalada fountain or the building Campoamor Theater from the end of the 19th century, the cultural heart of the city.

And you can't leave the city without having a cider in one of the popular places Gascon Street.

Santa María del Naranco in Oviedo

Santa María del Naranco It is the most famous of the aforementioned jewels of the pre-romanesque what you should visit near Oviedo.

It is a small building from the 9th century that is currently one of the iconic images of Asturias.

San Miguel de Lillo in Oviedo

San Miguel de Lillo is a pre-romanesque church whose building was also part of the palace complex that Ramiro I built in the middle of the 9th century on the slope of the aforementioned Naranco mountain.

Recently restored as it was suffering great deterioration, it has a plan with three naves and a barrel-vaulted roof, and inside the sculptural decoration in relief stands out.

Gijón

La city ​​of Gijón It is an essential visit for a trip to Asturias with its various cultural and leisure themes.

Of course you should walk through the popular Cimavilla neighborhood, with notable corners such as Revillagigedo palace, Valdés palace, St. Peter's Church or the sculpture of Praise of the Horizon.

An outstanding place to visit is the Jovellanos Birthplace Museum, which houses the large polychrome wooden table altarpiece of the sea by the Asturian sculptor Santiago Miranda.

You should also walk along the promenade that runs in front of the popular San Lorenzo beach, as well as through the streets and squares of the city's commercial center, where you can see some modern-style buildings. art nouveau from the beginning of the XNUMXth century.

Outside the urban area and in an elevated place above the Port of El Musel, you can walk through the park where the Campa Torres, the archaeological site with the remains of a fort from the 6th century BC where the first settlers of the area lived.

And, of course, during your visit you can also enjoy its gastronomy, with a proposal as interesting as the card Gijón Gourmet, which allows you to eat at advantageous prices in seven of the best restaurants in the city, including the three with Michelin Star.

or the card Gijón Goloso, to taste typical sweets from up to 15 pastry shops in the city.

La Laboral Cultural Center of Gijón

A visit to make in the surroundings of Gijón is the La Laboral cultural center which now houses the majestic building of what was the Labor University.

With the current name of Labor, City of Culture, when you visit you will discover a complex of buildings of great majesty that is considered the largest in Spain.

• Here you have information with Historical curiosities of the La Laboral cultural center in Gijón

Roman remains in Gijón and surroundings

In Gijón and its surroundings you can visit places with archaeological remains from Roman times.

Specifically, at the foot of the historic Cimavilla neighborhood you have the remains of the Roman baths of Campo Valdés under the square of the same name that opens next to the San Lorenzo beach.

And a few kilometers from Gijón you can visit the remains of the Roman Villa of Veranes, from the 4th century AD, where you will see some mosaic floors.

Here you have detailed information on the Roman museums of Termas de Campo Valdés and Villa de Veranes in Gijón

Avilés

After its urban recovery, Avilés now shows interesting attractions to visit, from its historical Center until Niemeyer Cultural Center.

The historic center of what was an ancient medieval village offers interesting corners where you can see from a 13th century church, palatial buildings, ancestral houses of Indians or its famous Galiana street, with porticoed galleries where tapas bars are located.

Here you have a very complete article with information on the most interesting places to visit in the historic center of Avilés.

• What to see in Avilés

Niemeyer Cultural Center in Avilés

The inauguration of the Cultural center whose design was carried out by the prestigious Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer It was a great boost for the change of image that the city of Avilés, with a great urban regeneration.

Here 7 reasons to visit the Niemeyer Cultural Center in Avilés

Central Mountain of Asturias

In the region of the Central Mountain of Asturias you find good examples of the pre-romanesque and romanesque architecture, as well as corners linked to the traditions of rural life and the mining history thereof.

Pre-Romanesque Church of Santa Cristina de Lena

Santa Cristina de Lena It is one of the best examples of the Asturian pre-Romanesque architecture, which is enhanced by its beautiful location on top of a hill in the Montaña Central region.

Here you have extensive information to visit the pre-Romanesque church of Santa Cristina de Lena

Good, pretty town with granaries

If there is a characteristic element of the Asturian rural architecture that's him granary.

Near Mieres you can visit the small town of Good in which a large number of typical Asturian granaries, and in whose interpretation center you can see its history and characteristics.

During your visit you will see that this architectural complex configures with its granaries one most beautiful towns in Asturias, and in his Interpretation Center you will be able to see information with curiosities and history of Asturian granaries.

Romanesque church of San Vicente Serrapio

La romanesque architecture It has in Asturias a good sample in church of San Vicente de Serrapio, from the 12th century, which you can visit in the Aller Valley, in the Montaña Central region.

To highlight inside Saint Vincent of Serrapio its coffered wooden ceiling and, above all, the polychrome paintings that are preserved inside.

• Here you have all the information about the Romanesque church of San Vicente Serrapio

Mining tradition in Bustiello

the so-called industrial tourism has a great role in Asturias, and a good example of the same is the old mining town of Bustiello, to visit near Mieres, where you can delve deeper into the way of life of the ancient Asturian miners.

Santa Eulalia de Ujo Romanesque Church

A curious corner of Mieres council in the Central Mountain is Romanesque church of Santa Eulalia de Ujo, whose original building at the beginning of the 20th century was moved, changing its orientation.

The reason? facilitate the expansion of the railway line that at that time transported the large coal production in the area.

Villaviciosa and Cider Region

Villaviciosa, head of the Cider Region, preserves interesting architectural corners that are worth visiting on a trip to Asturias.

To highlight their romanesque churches de Santa María de la Oliva and San Juan de Amandi, from the 13th century, as well as the palatial buildings and stately homes that you can still see in the center of this Asturian town.

Here you have complete information about the best to see and visit in Villaviciosa, with its aforementioned Romanesque churches.

Valdedios

At Puelles Valley, near Villaviciosa, is the architectural complex of Valdedios, where you can see the pre-Romanesque church of San Salvador de Valdediós, from the 9th century,

And next to it is located the monastery and church of Santa María de Valdediós. from the 13th century, with transitional architecture from Romanesque to Gothic.

A highly recommended visit to what is known as Cider Region.

• Pre-Romanesque Church of San Salvador de Valdediós

Asturias rural school in Viñón

One of the samples of ethnographic tourism what can you see in Asturias you find it in Vignon, small village near Villaviciosa, where it is preserved and you can visit a curious and old rural school now converted into a small museum.

Here you have the information to visit the museum of the Rural School of Asturias in Viñón

Descent of the Sella River

El Descent of the Sella in canoe between Arriondas and Ribadesella It is one of the great traditional festivals of the Asturian summer, and an international sports competition.

But it has also become a very popular tourist activity which you can enjoy throughout the year.

• This is the activity of descending the Sella River by canoe

Nalón Valley in Asturias

It is of the lesser known areas of Asturias, But Nalón Valley preserves important corners of the Asturian industrial heritage, as well as natural sites of great interest such as network park.

There you can also do several visits of gastronomic interest, like the place where the Casin cheese, and ethnographic, like the Pendones Madreñas Workshop.

• What to see and do on your tourist visit to the Nalón Valley
• What to eat on your tourist visit to the Nalón Valley
• What are Madreñas and how are they made at the Pendones Madreñas Workshop?

Steel Museum in La Felguera

The history of the great industrial development that the area of La Felguera, in Langreo, during the peak period of its steel factory, now you can meet it during the visit of the Asturias Steel Museum.

• Visit of the Asturias Steel Museum in La Felguera

Samuño Mining Museum 

On the visit of Samuño Mining Ecomuseum, near Langreo, you can access the interior of the old San Luis Well and know its history.

• This is the visit to the Samuño mining Ecomuseum in the Nalón Valley

Redes Natural Park

One of the most outstanding natural areas of Asturias is the Redes natural park, which you access from Langreo in the Nalón Valley, where you can enjoy lush beech and oak forests, and beautiful corners such as Brañagallons.

• This is the visit to the Redes natural park
• How to climb Brañagallones in the Redes natural park

Hotels in Asturias

For your stay during your trip, this access to booking.com to search hotel in Asturias.