the Principality Asturias is on the Cantabrian coast of Spain and adjoins to the west Galicia, in the east Cantabria and in the south Leon. Autonomous region and province have the same name. One million people live in Asturias, which is the tenth largest region in Spain with an area of around 10,000 km².
Regions
Asturias extends from the Costa Verde Atlantic coast to the Cantabrian Mountains, but the most spectacular mountain is the 2,518 m high 1 Naranjo de Bulnes
. From a geographical point of view, the region can be described as a coastal mountain range. This characteristic together with its history results in a unique combination of nature, culture and gastronomy from which the tourist offer of Asturias benefits.
places
- 1 Oviedo
is the capital of the region and has a population of around 200,000. Recommended are the old town with the cathedral and the pre-Romanesque monuments within and around the city, they have been designated by UNESCO World Heritage explained. There are also many museums to choose from and the modern center of the city is well worth a stroll.
- 2 Gijón is an industrial port city with around 280,000 inhabitants. The ruins of the Roman thermal baths, the building of the Universidad Laboral and a walk from the marina over the old town (Cimadevilla) to the end of the beach from San Lorenzo close. The city's cultural offer (La Semana Negra, Feria Internacional de Muestras de Asturias, etc.) is also noteworthy.
- 3 Avilés
is an industrial port city on the banks of the Ria de Avilés with about 100,000 inhabitants. The old town, which is just as worthy as Oviedo, is recommended. The city is experiencing a renaissance after the industrial crisis of the 80s: the estuary was renovated and the Oscar Niemeyer cultural center is located on an island of the Ria built up. Its modern architecture and planned cultural program will transform the city. The Carnival of Avilés is one of the most famous in Asturias. - 4 Llanes is a fishing village in the east with about 12,000 inhabitants, which is near the park of Picos de Europa lies. It is an important tourist center. As for architecture, its main points are the old town and the Casas de Indianos, Villas that were built in the 19th and early 20th centuries by emigrants who emigrated to America. But above all the strategic location and the nature of Llanes make this village a popular holiday destination. Its beaches have light, fine sand and a unique view of the mountains Picos de Europa.
- Ribadesella is a fishing village with about 6000 inhabitants, which borders on Llanes in the east. We recommend the old town, the promenade on the banks of the Ria and its beach. The first Sunday after the 2nd of Aug. will be the biggest fiesta in Asturias due to the international canoe competition that takes place between Arriondas and Ribadesella (Las Piraguas) celebrated. In the municipality, a visit to some caves is recommended, such as the cave of Tito Bustillo with her palaeolitical painting. The village has recently become fashionable because some of the relatives of Princess Letizia live in Ribadesella.
- Siero
- Langreo
- Mieres
- Castrillón
- San Martin del Rey Aurelio
- Corvera de Asturias
- Cangas del Narcea
- Cangas de Onís
Other goals
background
language
The official language is Spanish. Besides, will also Asturiano (Bable), the original language of the Kingdom of Asturias and León. It is not an official language but it is protected and supported by the regional authorities, widely used by the Asturians, especially in rural areas, and its influence on the local Spanish is easy to remember.
getting there
By plane
Asturias Airport (OVD) is 47 km from the capital Oviedo, 40 km from Gijón and 13 km from Avilés away. From there you can take the bus (AS A; e.g .: Oviedo, approx. 6 €) or take a taxi (approx. 1 € / km) to these cities. The airport has many national (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Seville, Mallorca and the Canary Islands) and international flights (London, Paris, Brussels and Geneva) with various airlines (Iberia, Air Nostrum, clickAir, Air Europa, easyJet).
By train
From Madrid is Asturias by train (RENFE) in four and a half hours.
By bus
The company ALSA (http://www.alsa.es) offers numerous destinations both within Spain and abroad.
By car
Asturias is connected to the Spanish motorway network. There are direct connections to León / Madrid (AP66 / A6) and Santander / Bilbao (A8). You have to make sure that many sections of the A8 in the direction of Galicia are still under construction.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
- Oviedo, in the 9th century capital of the then Kingdom of Asturias, with the pre-Romanesque palace chapel of San Miguel de Lillo, the pre-Romanesque churches of Santa María del Naranco, San Julián de los Prados, the pre-Romanesque fountain house La Foncalada and the Gothic cathedral, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Santa Cristina de Lena (36 km south of Oviedo), another pre-Romanesque church that is a World Heritage Site
- numerous sights along the Way of St. James(Camino de la Costa), which is also a World Heritage Site
activities
kitchen
As in the rest of the country, Asturian cuisine is Mediterranean cuisine. Because of its coastal location, it has a wide variety of fresh fish and seafood, which are usually larger than in the Mediterranean. Thanks to the mountains and the humid climate, the Asturian cuisine, unlike most of Spain, has different types of meat and milk derivatives of top quality. Local and foreign vegetables and fruits are also available in the corresponding seasons.
Traditional cuisine often consists of high-calorie dishes. The reason for this is easy to understand when you think about the fact that in the past the majority of the population was engaged in agriculture, fishing, or coal mining. Logically, the everyday menus of the Asturians have become much easier these days.
The following recommendations should not be missed:
- Fabada is the most typical and well-known dish of the Asturian cuisine. It's a white bean stew with bacon, black pudding, and paprika sausage lacón (a type of ham but made from the pig's front legs).
- cheese is very popular and there are many varieties. Perhaps the most famous is Cabrales, a type of mushroom cheese that is produced in the village of the same name. There are also other varieties made from cow or goat milk, which can sometimes be smoked or flavored with paprika. You can get one in the restaurants Tabla Order of cheeses so that you can try many different types. In this case, the cheese is usually served with nuts and apple jelly.
- fish is also very popular in Asturian cuisine. The varieties can vary greatly depending on the season and location. The small restaurants in fishing villages are recommended, although the quality of the fish in the cities is also very good.
- seafood can be ordered in almost every restaurant. The best known are local and sometimes live ordered seafood Centollo (Spider crab), bogavante (a type of lobster), llampares (a kind of clam), bígaros (small clam, which is called Tapa normally consumed), navajas, (Razor clam) and many varieties of shrimp.
- Sidra (Cider) is the national drink. It becomes commonplace in the countless Sidrerías and also consumed outdoors. So that Sidra is mixed with air to get the right taste, it has to be served in a certain way (escanciar), in which the distance between the glass and the bottle is about one meter. Usually the escanciador the bottle over your head and the glass at waist height. Each glass (culín) must be drunk in one sip so that the cider is not deflated. When you normally split the glass, you always have to end a little Sidra leave and throw away so that the glass becomes clean again. At Christmas there will also be a different type of Sidra consumed, which contains carbon dioxide and is similar to sparkling wine.
- The Asturian Desserts are also recommended. Arroz con leche (Rice pudding), casadielles (small rolls made of puff pastry and filled with nut mass), frixuelos (sweet pancakes), and different types of cakes are very typical.
nightlife
As in the rest of the country, the nightlife is very lively. In the cities there are plenty of pubs with a more or less separate dance floor, which are usually open until 4 a.m. If you want to party longer you have to go to certain pubs or discos. In summer the nightlife of the villages is very lively and there are many to be recommended Fiestas de Prao and Romerías, Fiestas that take place on a meadow (Prao) are celebrated. You always have to keep in mind that the nightlife in Spain starts at midnight.
security
In general, Asturias is safe. Even in the center of cities, you can move almost safely on the streets at night. Nevertheless, it is advisable to observe the usual safety measures (e.g .: be considerate of bags and rucksacks, etc.). In the case of certain large fiestas, the security risk for inexperienced tourists can exceptionally be higher than normal.
climate
Asturias, like the whole of the Spanish Cantabrian coast, enjoys a humid climate with frequent rain and mild temperatures all year round. It rarely snows (except in the mountains) and in summer the temperature usually stays around 25 ° C.
Useful Features of Asturian Weather:
- Because of the breeze, the temperature on the coast in summer is always a few degrees lower than in the hinterland.
- It can be very local. Therefore, the weather forecast is not as confidential as in other regions of Spain (e.g. it can be sunny in the hinterland and cloudy on the coast or vice versa).
- El orbayu is a drizzle that occurs often, especially in summer.
- Because of climate change, the weather has become warmer and drier. Droughts are more common and the ski season has become shorter.
