A guide to exploring Asturias district by district
Asturias packs an extraordinary range of landscapes into just over 10,000 km². Limestone peaks rising above 2,500 metres give way to coastal cliffs dropping straight into the Bay of Biscay, and every district offers a different kind of journey. Here is what you need to know before hitting the road.
Picos de Europa and the Cares Gorge
The Cares trail, running 12 kilometres between Poncebos and Cain through sheer limestone walls, is the most popular hike in northern Spain. But the area rewards longer stays. Bulnes, reachable only on foot or by funicular, has kept its mountain architecture intact. Sotres, the highest village in Asturias, serves as the base for reaching the Covadonga lakes and the Urriellu meadow beneath the Naranjo peak. Plan at least two full days for this part of the region.
The coast: from Llanes to Cudillero
The Asturian coastline alternates golden sand beaches, bufones (natural sea geysers) and fishing harbours with centuries of history behind them. Llanes and its colourful sea cubes, Ribadesella with its estuary and the famous Sella river descent, Lastres perched above the water, Luarca with its clifftop cemetery facing the Atlantic, and Cudillero with its houses stacked inside a natural amphitheatre. The coastal road (N-632 and local routes) is winding but worth every turn; budget twice the time your GPS suggests.
Inland: cider, heritage and food
Cangas de Onis, the first capital of the Asturian kingdom, is the starting point for the Covadonga lakes and the sanctuary that marks the beginning of the Reconquista. Villaviciosa is the cider capital, where producers open their doors for tastings and traditional espicha gatherings. Asturian cuisine deserves a route of its own: fabada bean stew with all its cured-meat accompaniments, cachopo stuffed with ham and cheese, Cabrales cheese aged in natural caves, and cider poured from height to aerate it before drinking.
Practical advice
Pack a rain jacket even in July. Asturias gets rainfall year-round, and the weather can shift within hours. Mountain roads are narrow with tight bends, so drive at a relaxed pace and make the most of the viewpoints along the way. We recommend spending at least a full weekend in each district to take it all in properly; distances look short on the map but take much longer in practice.