Oviedo
The natural base for the Picos from the Asturian side. Drink cider poured the long way.
A green, rainy, cider-soaked city that's the base for the central Picos de Europa. The old quarter and sidra culture are worth a night.
Santa María del Naranco · Fabada Asturiana · Catedral de Oviedo
At a Glance
- — You're not going into the Picos or the Asturian coast
Rain-slicked streets and ornate iron balconies define this Asturian capital, where the local culture is best experienced through the distinct sound of cider hitting a glass from high above a server's head. The old quarter is a labyrinth of medieval stone and lively sidrerías, providing a cozy, green base for exploring the central mountains of the Picos de Europa. It is a city that feels firmly rooted in the northern mountains, favoring traditional, rustic rituals over the glossy tropes of southern coastal tourism.
How it got here
Fruela I established the settlement in the eighth century, choosing the site as a defensive outpost for the Kingdom of Asturias. The city grew around the monastery of San Vicente and eventually became the royal court under Alfonso II, who commissioned the early churches of the Naranco hillside. These stone structures survived the subsequent shift of the capital to León and defined the identity of the city as a center of early medieval architecture. The royal legacy persists in the grid of the old quarter, where the remains of the medieval wall trace the original perimeter of the courtly town.
Where it sits
The city rises from a basin between the central plains and the peaks of the Cordillera Cantábrica. Wet Atlantic winds trap clouds against the northern slopes, keeping the hillsides dense with temperate rainforest and pasture. Winter brings mist and persistent rain to the stone plazas, while summer provides relief from the heat found in the southern peninsula. Reaching the city requires traversing the mountain passes that disconnect the coastal strip from the high plateau. The terrain dictates a slow pace, as the steep topography separates the center from the industrial valleys beyond the surrounding ridges.
What to eat and drink
Sidra is the primary drink, a tart, unfiltered apple cider poured from height to aerate the liquid before it hits the glass. Fabada asturiana, a rich stew of large white beans, chorizo, morcilla, and pork shoulder, forms the staple meal of the mountains. Cheeses from the surrounding peaks provide the final course, particularly Cabrales, a blue cheese aged in limestone caves that produces a sharp, pungent bite. These heavy, fatty dishes counteract the damp, cool climate of the northern valleys, providing the caloric density required for labor in the high pastures and mountain slopes.
Asturias: the whole region
Asturias fits a whole coast, a mountain range and a serious kitchen into a province you can cross in two hours. Cider poured from a height, blue cheese, working fishing ports, and the Picos de Europa standing over all of it. It rains often…
Minimum 4 days · better 7 days · deep 10-12 days
In and around Oviedo
Pair It With
In Asturias
In Asturias
In Asturias
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Experiences worth booking ahead
- Three Cities in One Day: Segovia, Avila and Toledo from Madrid4.8 (11,350)12 hrsFrom €81
- OVIEDO SCARY! Legends and Mysteries Tour4.9 (254)1.5 hrsFrom €10
- Lakes of Covadonga, Onis Cangas and Ballasts Tour from Oviedo4.7 (126)12 hrsFrom €29
- Day trip to Luarca, Cudillero and Avilés from Oviedo and Gijón4.6 (77)10 hrsFrom €25
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