Asturias Travel Guide
Everything you need to enjoy Gijón and Asturias like a local. Originally created as a wedding guest guide, this site grew into the most fun travel resource for northern Spain's greenest region.
🍎 Cider (Sidra) — The Sacred Drink
Asturian cider is natural apple cider — no bubbles, no sweetness, just pure fermented apple juice. It's poured from height (escanciado) so it hits the glass and gets oxygenated. You drink a small amount called a culín in one gulp, then pour out what's left. This isn't just tradition — glasses used to be shared, so tossing the leftover cider cleaned the rim for the next person. A bottle costs €4-6 and gets you 6-7 culines.
Best cider spots: Calle Gascona in Oviedo ("Cider Boulevard"), Barrio de la Sidra in Gijón, and Casa Trabanco in Lavandera (the OG cider house). See our full restaurant list.
🍴 What to Eat
Fabada asturiana: white bean stew with chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage) and bacon. Rich, hearty and the national dish. Only order if you're genuinely hungry.
Cachopo: two massive breaded veal fillets stuffed with ham and cheese. One "individual" portion can feed two normal humans. Available with Cabrales blue cheese, crab, mushrooms and more. Costs around €12-18.
Seafood: sea urchins (oricios), barnacles (percebes), monkfish (pixín), and northern tuna (bonito) are all exceptional and fresh from the Cantabrian Sea.
Cheese: Asturias has 40+ cheese varieties. Try Cabrales (intense blue), Gamonéu (smoked), Afuega'l Pitu (creamy). Order a local cheese board and explore.
🏖️ Gijón Highlights
- Playa de San Lorenzo: 1.5 km of golden sand in the city centre. One of Spain's best urban beaches.
- Cimadevilla: the old fishermen's quarter on a headland. Narrow streets, bars and the famous Elogio del Horizonte sculpture.
- Universidad Laboral: Spain's largest building. Stunning architecture, theatre and cultural centre.
- Puerto Deportivo: the marina with restaurants, terraces and sunset views.
🏛️ Oviedo — 30 Minutes Away
The capital of Asturias: Gothic cathedral, pre-Romanesque churches (UNESCO), the charming old town, Woody Allen statue, and Calle Gascona — the best street in Spain for cider houses.
🏔️ Day Trips
- Covadonga Lakes: glacial lakes in the Picos de Europa mountains. Stunning views, 1.5h drive.
- Lastres: picturesque fishing village on a cliff. Where "Doctor Mateo" was filmed.
- Luarca: "The White Village of the Costa Verde". Beautiful harbour and beaches.
- Cudillero: colourful houses cascading down to a tiny harbour.
🎪 Festivals
Descenso del Sella (first Saturday of August): massive canoe race with a huge party. Semana Grande (August): Gijón's biggest festival week. Semana Negra (July): crime fiction festival with concerts and culture. See our full festival calendar (60+ events year-round).
📋 Practical Info
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Airport | Asturias (OVD), 40 km from Gijón |
| Currency | Euro (€). Cards accepted almost everywhere. |
| Language | Spanish (official) + Asturian/Bable (co-official in progress) |
| Weather | Oceanic climate. Summer 18-25°C. Always pack a rain jacket. |
| Tap water | Safe and excellent quality. Among the best in Spain. |
| Tipping | Not mandatory. Rounding up or leaving €1-2 is appreciated. |
| Getting around | Walk in cities. Rent a car for villages and mountains. |
| Emergency | 112 (police, ambulance, fire) |
🗣️ Useful Asturian Phrases
| Asturian | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Puxa Asturies! | Long live Asturias! | Always. The battle cry. |
| Ponme un culín | Pour me a cider | At any cider house. |
| Presta mucho | I love it / It's great | When something's awesome. |
| Ye lo que hai | It is what it is | Philosophical resignation. |
| ¡Puxa Sporting! | Go Sporting! | The only acceptable football answer. |