Things to Do in Asturias, Spain: 13 Best Places to Visit
What do you actually do in a region that has cliffs, glacial peaks, and 1,200-year-old churches within an hour of each other? Asturias packs coastal villages from Llanes to Luarca, the Picos de Europa and Somiedo for mountains, Oviedo and Gijón as urban anchors, and prehistoric caves like Tito Bustillo into one green corner of northern Spain — enough for a full week on the road.
We’ve mapped it by geography, not by scrolling a random list, so you can actually build a route instead of guessing what’s near what.
- The coast between Llanes and Luarca strings together cliff-backed beaches and working fishing villages — Cudillero and Playa del Silencio alone justify a full day.
- The Picos de Europa National Park and Somiedo Natural Park cover Asturias’ mountain side, from cable cars to brown bear territory.
- Oviedo hides two of Europe’s best-preserved pre-Romanesque monuments, Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, a short climb from the old town.
- Tito Bustillo cave near Ribadesella ranks among Spain’s key prehistoric art sites, alongside Altamira across the border in Cantabria.
- Cider houses (sidrerías) and a growing wine-tourism scene add a local-culture layer worth building a half-day around.
Asturias' wine and cider estates worth a detour
Asturias isn’t a classic Spanish wine region on the scale of Rioja, but its cider culture runs deep — the region produces the majority of Spain’s cider, pressed from local apple varieties in traditional llagares — and a small but genuine wine-tourism scene has grown alongside it, with estates opening cellars and tastings to visitors around Cangas del Narcea and the Cantabrian coast. Tastings typically pair a cellar visit with cider or wine pairing menus built around Asturian cheese and cured meats. For travelers who want to build this into their route, an asturias wine tour is the most direct way to combine a winery stop with the rest of the coastal or mountain itinerary.
The 13 best places to visit in Asturias
Asturias rewards a route built around its geography rather than a checklist: the coast for cliffs and fishing villages, the mountains for peaks and valleys, the cities for architecture and food, and a scattering of prehistoric and pre-Romanesque sites that most bucket lists skip.
1. Llanes and its coastal cliffs
Llanes anchors the eastern coast of Asturias with a walled old town, a working harbor painted with giant cubes (the Cubos de la Memoria), and a run of cliff-top beaches within walking distance. It’s a natural first or last stop if you’re crossing between Asturias and Cantabria.
2. Playa del Silencio
Tucked below the cliffs near Cudillero, Playa del Silencio is framed by rock stacks and a steep staircase down to the sand — one of the most photographed coves on the Cantabrian coast and, at high tide, mostly rock and spray rather than beach. Go at low tide for the full stretch of sand.
3. Cudillero, the fishing village stacked on a cliff
Cudillero’s houses climb the hillside in tiers above a tiny harbor, still active with fishing boats. The old town is compact enough to see on foot in an hour, but the surrounding coast — including Playa del Silencio — easily fills a half-day.
4. Luarca, the “white village” of the Cantabrian coast
Further west, Luarca sits around a river mouth with a cemetery perched dramatically on the headland above the sea. It’s quieter than Llanes or Cudillero, with a working port and a lighthouse walk worth the detour.
5. Ribadesella and the Tito Bustillo cave
Ribadesella splits into an old fishing quarter and a beach promenade across the river, but the real draw is the Tito Bustillo cave on its edge — one of Spain’s major prehistoric art sites, with painted horses and figures dated to the Paleolithic. Access is limited to timed groups to protect the paintings, so booking ahead is worth it in high season.
6. Picos de Europa National Park
The Picos de Europa National Park straddles Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León, and its Asturian side delivers some of the sharpest limestone peaks in Spain, reached via the Fuente Dé cable car (on the Cantabrian side) or on foot from Sotres and Bulnes. The Cares Gorge trail, cut into the rock between Poncebos and Caín, is the park’s best-known hike.
7. Covadonga and the Lakes
Covadonga is both a pilgrimage site — its basilica sits above the cave where Asturian resistance to the Moors began, according to local tradition — and the gateway to the Lakes of Covadonga, two glacial lakes (Enol and Ercina) reached by a mountain road that closes to private cars in peak season in favor of shuttle buses.
8. Cangas de Onís and its medieval bridge
Cangas de Onís, often called the historic gateway to the Picos, is best known for its Roman-style bridge with a cross hanging from the central arch — actually a medieval construction, despite the “Roman bridge” nickname locals still use.
9. Somiedo Natural Park
West of the Picos, Somiedo Natural Park is quieter and wilder: deep valleys, traditional thatched-roof cabañas (stone shepherd huts), and one of Spain’s last strongholds for brown bears. It’s a slower, more remote counterpart to the Picos for travelers who want mountains without the crowds.
10. Oviedo’s pre-Romanesque churches
Oviedo, the Asturian capital, holds two UNESCO-listed pre-Romanesque monuments on the slopes of Monte Naranco: Santa María del Naranco, originally a royal hall, and San Miguel de Lillo nearby, both dating to the 9th century and considered among the best-preserved examples of this architectural style in Europe.
11. Gijón, the Cantabrian Sea city
Gijón mixes an old fishing quarter (Cimavilla) with the long San Lorenzo beach and a modern waterfront promenade — a good base if you want city energy with the sea a two-minute walk away. For a more structured way to combine the city with a cellar visit, Gijon wine tours are a straightforward add-on to a stay here.
12. The Niemeyer Centre in Avilés
Avilés, a short hop from Gijón, holds the Niemeyer Centre — a cultural complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer, his only completed work in Spain, with a dome, tower and auditorium overlooking the estuary. It’s a sharp contrast to the region’s medieval and pre-Romanesque architecture elsewhere.
13. Cangas del Narcea and the western wine and cider country
West of Oviedo, Cangas del Narcea anchors Asturias’ small wine-producing area, alongside cider houses scattered through the valleys toward Galicia. It’s the natural stop for travelers building a food-and-drink layer into an otherwise coast-and-mountain trip.
Distances in Asturias are short on the map but slow on mountain roads — budget more driving time than Google Maps suggests once you’re off the coastal highway.
When to visit the Asturias wine region?
Asturias is a year-round destination, but the season changes what you’ll actually be doing.
Spring brings green valleys and fuller rivers in the Picos, with hiking trails clear but weather still unpredictable at altitude.
Summer is high season on the coast — beaches fill up, the Lakes of Covadonga road restricts private cars, and Tito Bustillo’s timed slots book out faster.
Harvest season (September–October) is when cider houses press the year’s apples, a good window to combine coastal or mountain days with a cellar visit.
Autumn thins the crowds while keeping mountain trails walkable, arguably the best balance for a mixed itinerary.
Winter brings rain and shorter days on the coast but can deliver snow in the Picos, better suited to a slower, city-and-food-focused trip than heavy hiking.
How to get to the Asturias wine region?
By train
- Renfe long-distance trains connect Oviedo and Gijón to Madrid, with regional lines running along the coast toward Cantabria and Galicia.
By car
- The A-8 motorway runs along the Cantabrian coast, linking Asturias to Cantabria and the Basque Country to the east and Galicia to the west; the A-66 connects Oviedo south toward León.
By plane
- Asturias Airport (OVD), near Avilés, connects to Madrid, Barcelona and a handful of European cities, and sits within 30-40 minutes of Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés.
Getting around
- A car is the most practical option for reaching the coast, Picos de Europa and Somiedo at your own pace; regional trains and buses cover the main cities and larger coastal towns, while guided excursions are worth considering for the Lakes of Covadonga in high season or for cave visits like Tito Bustillo.
Where to stay in the Asturias wine region?
Charming hotels
- A converted townhouse in Oviedo’s old town, walking distance from the cathedral and Monte Naranco.
- A seafront hotel in Llanes with views over the harbor and Cubos de la Memoria.
- A rural hotel near Cangas de Onís, positioned for early starts into the Picos de Europa.
- A boutique stay in Gijón’s Cimavilla quarter, close to San Lorenzo beach.
- A countryside hotel near Cangas del Narcea for travelers building in a cider or wine-tasting day.
Guesthouses in the vineyards Around Cangas del Narcea and pockets of the western valleys, a handful of rural guesthouses sit close to cider houses and small wine estates, making it possible to combine a tasting with an overnight stay rather than a rushed day trip.
Living Asturias differently For a slower pace, traditional stone houses converted into rural guesthouses in Somiedo or the Picos foothills put you closer to hiking trails and mountain villages than any city hotel can, trading nightlife for silence and early starts.
Good to know before visiting Asturias
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What is Asturias known for?
Asturias is known for its Cantabrian coastline of cliffs and fishing villages, the Picos de Europa mountains, pre-Romanesque architecture in Oviedo, and cider culture — a mix that sets it apart from Spain's more typical sun-and-beach regions. -
How many days do you need to see the best of Asturias?
A week allows time to cover the coast from Llanes to Luarca, a couple of days in the Picos de Europa or Somiedo, and a stop in Oviedo or Gijón, without rushing between them. -
Is Asturias worth visiting if I've already seen Cantabria or Galicia?
Yes — Asturias sits between the two and offers its own mix: the Picos de Europa's Asturian side, pre-Romanesque churches unique to the region, and a coastline with distinct villages like Cudillero and Luarca. -
What is the best base for exploring Asturias, Oviedo or Gijón?
Oviedo suits travelers prioritizing the pre-Romanesque sites and a central location for day trips inland; Gijón works better for beach access and a livelier waterfront, with Gijon wine tours as an easy add-on. -
Can you visit the Tito Bustillo cave without booking ahead?
Access is limited to timed groups to protect the paintings, so booking ahead is recommended, especially in summer when slots fill quickly. -
Is Asturias a wine region like Rioja?
Not at that scale — Asturias is better known for cider, but a small wine-tourism scene has developed around Cangas del Narcea, and an asturias wine tour is a good way to explore it alongside the region's cider houses. -
What's the difference between the Picos de Europa and Somiedo?
The Picos de Europa offer higher, sharper peaks and more developed trail infrastructure; Somiedo Natural Park is quieter, with traditional shepherd huts and better odds of spotting brown bears.
