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Asturias and Cantabria

Astúrias · Cantábria · Spain

Asturias and Cantabria

Spain's green north: Oviedo and the pre-Romanesque, Gijón and the Cimadevilla neighborhood, Santander and La Magdalena, between the Cantabrian Sea, the Picos de Europa and the cider.

North

In the photo: Lake Enol, the lakes of Covadonga

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Asturias and Cantabria are two neighboring communities on Spain's northern coast, between the Cantabrian Sea and the Cantabrian mountain range. It is Spain's green region: hills covered with pasture and forest descending to beaches and cliffs, fishing villages and, inland, the mountains of the Picos de Europa, a national park shared between the two regions and Castilla y León. It rains at any time of year, and that rain is what keeps the landscape green.

Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, preserves the churches of Asturian pre-Romanesque architecture, built in the 9th and 10th centuries, when the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias: Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo on Mount Naranco, and the Cámara Santa of the cathedral are part of the World Heritage. It is also the starting point of the Camino Primitivo, the oldest route to Santiago, which passes through Grado to the west. Gijón, Asturias' largest city, is on the coast about 30 km away, with the old fishermen's quarter of Cimadevilla on a peninsula over the sea, and the beach of San Lorenzo.

In Asturias, cider is part of life: in the sidrerías it is poured from a bottle held high above the head so it falls into the glass and becomes fizzy. Besides Spanish, Asturian is spoken — a protected regional language that appears on signs and place names.

Santander, the capital of Cantabria, is a bay city, with the peninsula of La Magdalena, where the summer palace built for King Alfonso XIII stands, the beaches of El Sardinero and the Centro Botín by the water. The Camino del Norte, which follows the coast, goes through Santander and Gijón.

This destination brings together 4 cities: Oviedo, Gijón, Grado, Santander.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Asturias and Cantabria is
SantanderGijónOviedoGrado

Contornos: IGN/CNIG, unidades administrativas, CC BY 4.0. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Asturias and Cantabria

✈ Aeroporto das Astúrias (Aeropuerto de Asturias) (OVD) · 45 km to Oviedo

Check before you buy. Asturias Airport is located between Oviedo and Gijón, and Santander has its own airport; both have flights from Madrid and elsewhere in Europe. From Madrid, trains take you to Oviedo, Gijón and Santander in a few hours. By bus, the trip between Oviedo and Santander takes about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Suggested arrival point: Oviedo

Oviedo
Astúrias · Asturias and Cantabria Capital Suggested arrival point

Oviedo

Oviedo is the capital of Asturias and was the capital of the former Kingdom of Asturias in the 9th and 10th centuries. From that time remain the monuments of Asturian pre-Romanesque, a World Heritage: the Cámara Santa, inside the Gothic cathedral, the church of San Julián de los Prados and, on Monte Naranco, Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo. The old town has the square and market of Fontán, the street Gascona, known for its cider bars, with the Foncalada fountain, the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo Arqueológico. The Parque de San Francisco lies next to the teatro Campoamor. It is the starting point of the Caminho Primitivo.
Gijón
Astúrias · Asturias and Cantabria

Gijón

Gijón is Asturias' largest city on the Cantabrian coast, about 30 km from Oviedo. The Cimadevilla quarter, an old fishermen's neighborhood on a peninsula, preserves the Roman baths, the Plaza Mayor and the Palacio de Revillagigedo, and atop the Santa Catalina hill stands the sculpture Elogio del Horizonte by Eduardo Chillida. Beside it, San Lorenzo beach forms a 1.5 km shell next to the center. To the east lie the Universidad Laboral, the largest building in Spain, and the Atlantic Botanical Garden. There is also the Museum of the People of Asturias and the aquarium.
Grado
Astúrias · Asturias and Cantabria

Grado

Grado, Grau in Asturian, is a village in the center of the Astúrias, about 25 km from Oviedo, in the Cubia river valley. It is known for the traditional market that fills the streets of the center on Wednesdays and Sundays, with products from the Asturian countryside. The protected historic center includes the baroque palace of Miranda-Valdecarzana, now a library, and the chapel of Dolores, from the early 18th century. On the outskirts of the village, the Museu Etnográfico shows rural life in the central Astúrias. It is the first major village on the Caminho Primitivo after Oviedo. Spanish and Asturian are spoken.
Santander
Cantábria · Asturias and Cantabria Capital

Santander

Santander is the capital of Cantábria, on a bay of the Cantabrian Sea in northern Spain. The península da Madalena has the palácio built to be the royal summer residence, and next to it are the beaches do Sardinero, which made the city a seaside resort in the early 20th century. In the center are the Gothic cathedral, the mercado de ferro da Esperança and the Centro Botín, by Renzo Piano, over the bay next to the Paseo de Pereda. The Cabo Mayor lighthouse marks the entrance to the port. About 30 km away is the Museu de Altamira, with a replica of the cave of prehistoric paintings, and 17 km away is the Cabárceno park.

The local experience

Things to do in Asturias and Cantabria

Catedral de Oviedo
Oviedo · Astúrias · Church

Catedral de Oviedo

Gothic Catedral de San Salvador, built from the 13th to the 16th century, with the 9th-century Cámara Santa, a World Heritage, which houses the Cruz de los Ángeles, the Cruz de la Victoria and the Arca Santa.

Cimadevilla
Gijón · Astúrias · Historic neighborhood

Cimadevilla

Gijón's oldest neighborhood, of Roman origin, on the peninsula of Santa Catalina, with streets of the old fishing quarter, the arcaded Plaza Mayor and the sidrerías.

Palacio de la Magdalena
Santander · Cantábria · Palace

Palacio de la Magdalena

Palácio built between 1909 and 1911 by public subscription to serve as the summer residence of King Afonso XIII, on the península da Madalena, surrounded by a seaside park.

Palacio de Miranda-Valdecarzana
Grado · Astúrias · Palace

Palacio de Miranda-Valdecarzana

Palace of medieval origin remodeled in the baroque style in the 17th and 18th centuries, with a columned courtyard, and the chapel of Dolores, dating from 1713, beside it; a historic-artistic monument in the center of Grado.

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Mercado de Grado
Grado · Astúrias · Market

Mercado de Grado

Traditional market that fills the streets and squares of Grado’s historic center on Wednesdays and Sundays, with cheeses, bread, cured meats, fruits, vegetables and products from the Asturian countryside.

Playa de San Lorenzo
Gijón · Astúrias · Beach

Playa de San Lorenzo

Urban, 1.5 km shell-shaped beach in Gijón's center, accompanied by the Muro promenade, with the church of San Pedro at one end and the mouth of the Piles River at the other.

Playas de El Sardinero
Santander · Cantábria · Beach

Playas de El Sardinero

The two large beaches do Sardinero, which turned Santander into a resort for royalty and the bourgeoisie in the early 20th century, with the Gran Casino and the gardens of Piquío.

Santa María del Naranco
Oviedo · Astúrias · Monument

Santa María del Naranco

Old palace of King Ramiro I, built around 842 on Monte Naranco and later converted into a church; a masterpiece of Asturian pre‑Romanesque and a World Heritage site.

Catedral de Santander
Santander · Cantábria · Church

Catedral de Santander

Gothic Cathedral of the Assumption, on the former hill of Somorrostro, with a church-crypt below and visible Roman remains; it houses the mausoleum of Menéndez Pelayo.

Grado · Astúrias · Museum

Museo Etnográfico de Grado

Museum of rural life in the center of the Astúrias, opened in 1982, with the mill for hulling spelt, the traditional house with a central kitchen, the cider press and workshops of old trades.

San Miguel de Lillo
Oviedo · Astúrias · Church

San Miguel de Lillo

Palatine church of King Ramiro I on monte Naranco, from the 9th century, of which one third remains, with reliefs of acrobats and mural paintings; World Heritage.

Termas romanas de Campo Valdés
Gijón · Astúrias · Archaeological site

Termas romanas de Campo Valdés

Ruins of the Roman public baths of Gijón, from the 1st century, discovered in 1903 beneath Campo Valdés, with the cold, warm and hot rooms and the underfloor heating system.

Centro Botín
Santander · Cantábria · Art centre

Centro Botín

Centro de arte da Fundação Botín, designed by Renzo Piano and Luis Vidal and opened in 2017, suspended over the bay next to the jardines de Pereda, with viewpoints over the water.

Elogio del Horizonte
Gijón · Astúrias · Sculpture

Elogio del Horizonte

Monumental concrete sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, installed in 1990 on the top of the cerro de Santa Catalina, facing the sea; it became a symbol of Gijón.

San Julián de los Prados
Oviedo · Astúrias · Church

San Julián de los Prados

Pre-Romanesque church from the early 9th century, commissioned by Afonso II, the largest preserved from the period, with mural paintings of architectural motifs inspired by Roman art; World Heritage.

Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias
Oviedo · Astúrias · Museum

Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias

Main art museum of the Astúrias, opened in 1980 in three historic buildings near the cathedral, with works by El Greco, Goya, Ribera, Picasso and Asturian painters.

Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico
Santander · Cantábria · Museum

Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico

Museum and aquarium on the shore of Santander's bay, showcasing life in the Cantábrico Sea, fishing, naval history and traditional boats.

Palacio de Revillagigedo
Gijón · Astúrias · Palace

Palacio de Revillagigedo

Baroque palace from the early 18th century on the plaza del Marqués, built atop a medieval tower, joined to the former colegiata de San Juan Bautista; it houses a cultural center.

Faro de Cabo Mayor
Santander · Cantábria · Lighthouse

Faro de Cabo Mayor

Lighthouse from 1839 on the cliffs of Cabo Mayor, 91 metres above the sea, marking the entrance to the port of Santander, with an exhibition space and coastal paths.

Museo Arqueológico de Asturias
Oviedo · Astúrias · Museum

Museo Arqueológico de Asturias

Regional archaeological museum in the former monastery of San Vicente, next to the cathedral, with pieces from prehistory, the castros, the Roman period and Asturian pre-Romanesque, arranged around a cloister.

Universidad Laboral de Gijón
Gijón · Astúrias · Monument

Universidad Laboral de Gijón

Complex built between 1948 and 1957, the largest building in Spain, with a tower of about 130 meters and an elliptical church; today it is the Laboral Cidade da Cultura.

Calle Gascona e Fuente de Foncalada
Oviedo · Astúrias · Street

Calle Gascona e Fuente de Foncalada

Rua of Oviedo's cider bars, known as the cider boulevard, which ends at the Foncalada fountain from the 9th century, considered the oldest civil monument in continuous use in Spain.

Jardín Botánico Atlántico
Gijón · Astúrias · Garden

Jardín Botánico Atlántico

Gijón's botanical garden, opened in 2003 in Cabueñes, featuring the flora of the Atlantic region, a historic garden with century-old trees and a riverside wood.

Mercado de la Esperanza
Santander · Cantábria · Market

Mercado de la Esperanza

Iron market opened in 1904 in central Santander, next to the town hall, with fish and seafood stalls on the ground floor and meats, cheeses and vegetables on the upper floor.

Museo de Altamira
Santander · Cantábria · Museum

Museo de Altamira

National museum next to the cave of Altamira, a World Heritage Site, in Santillana del Mar, about 30 km from Santander, featuring the Neocave, a faithful replica of the prehistoric paintings.

Museo del Pueblo de Asturias
Gijón · Astúrias · Museum

Museo del Pueblo de Asturias

Open-air ethnographic museum opened in 1968, with hórreos, traditional houses, a cider press and the museu da gaita, in a park of 35,000 m² near the praia de San Lorenzo.

Plaza y Mercado del Fontán
Oviedo · Astúrias · Market

Plaza y Mercado del Fontán

Arcaded square in Oviedo's old town, with colorful 17th-century houses, and the iron market beside it, with stalls selling Asturian products and an outdoor market.

Acuario de Gijón
Gijón · Astúrias · Aquarium

Acuario de Gijón

Aquarium opened in 2006 on the praia de Poniente, with about 60 tanks and 250 species, organized into routes that go from Asturian rivers to the world's oceans.

Campo de San Francisco
Oviedo · Astúrias · Park

Campo de San Francisco

Oviedo's central park, on the site of the former kitchen garden of a Franciscan convent, with century-old trees, lakes and free-roaming peacocks, next to the Campoamor theatre, venue of the Prêmios Princesa das Astúrias.

Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno
Santander · Cantábria · Park

Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno

Wildlife park in semi-freedom covering 750 hectares, in a former iron-mining valley 17 km from Santander, with over 120 species in large natural enclosures.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From June to September the weather is usually more settled and mild, good for beaches and mountains, but it can rain at any time of year, especially from November to April. Bring a jacket and an umbrella even in summer. August is the busiest month.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Five to seven days: two in Oviedo, including Mount Naranco; one or two in Gijón; two in Santander. With more time, the Picos de Europa deserve at least a full day. Those doing the Camino Primitivo start in Oviedo and pass through Grado on the first stage.

Which city to stay in

In Oviedo, the old town near the cathedral lets you visit the monuments on foot; Mount Naranco is about 3 km away. In Gijón, Cimadevilla has the old streets and sidrerías, and the waterfront at San Lorenzo beach is wider and more relaxed. In Santander, the city center near the bay and the Centro Botín is convenient for train arrivals; El Sardinero, close to the beaches and La Magdalena, is calmer and focused on the sea.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Asturias and Cantabria

Does it rain a lot in Asturias and Cantabria?

It rains at any time of year, more from November to April, and that is what keeps the landscape green. Bring a jacket and an umbrella even in summer.

What is Asturian pre-Romanesque?

They are churches and palaces built in the 9th and 10th centuries, when Oviedo was the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias. Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo and the Cámara Santa of the cathedral are part of the World Heritage.

How is cider drunk in Asturias?

In the sidrerías, the server pours cider from a bottle held high above the head so it falls into the glass and becomes fizzy. A little is served at a time to be drunk immediately.

What language is spoken in Asturias?

Spanish. Asturian is a protected regional language that appears on signs and place names, but everyone speaks Spanish.

What is the difference between the Camino Primitivo and the Camino del Norte?

The Primitivo starts in Oviedo and follows the mountainous inland route to Santiago, passing through Grado. The Camino del Norte follows the coast, passing through Santander and Gijón.

Do you need a car in Asturias and Cantabria?

Not for Oviedo, Gijón and Santander, which are connected by train and bus. For the Picos de Europa and coastal villages, a car gives more freedom.

Routes in Spain

Asturias and Cantabria is on the Northern Way to Santiago on foot

The Camino de Santiago along the Cantabrian coast: from the Basque Country to Galicia on foot, via San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón, between the sea and the green mountains.

Illustrative map, not to scale. Tap a city to open its page.
Illustrated map of Northern Way to Santiago on foot
Explore the Northern Way to Santiago on foot

Routes in Spain

Asturias and Cantabria is on the Caminho Primitivo de Santiago on foot

The oldest route to Santiago: from Oviedo, through the mountains of the Astúrias and via Lugo and its Roman walls, on foot to the cathedral of Compostela.

Illustrative map, not to scale. Tap a city to open its page.
Illustrated map of Caminho Primitivo de Santiago on foot
Explore the Caminho Primitivo de Santiago on foot
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