Asturias Travel Guide: Discovering Spain’s Green Gem and Picos de Europa

Every summer, the Mediterranean coast gets hotter and more crowded, and more travellers are looking north for relief. Asturias is the answer many of them find. It has mountains, cliffs, cider houses and 30 °C days instead of 40 °C ones. Since the high-speed Pajares tunnel opened in 2023, reaching it from Madrid has also become much easier. This guide covers what to see, where to eat, and how to plan a trip in 2026.

Why Asturias Feels Different

Asturias is a small region on Spain‘s northern coast, squeezed between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Mountains. Within about 100 km you can go from surf beaches to 2,600-metre peaks. Locals call it “Paraíso Natural,” and the green hills explain why. It rains often here, usually as a fine drizzle called orbayu that you barely notice until your jacket is soaked.

The culture is also its own. Asturias was the starting point of the Christian Reconquista, and the region has a strong Celtic-style identity, with bagpipes (gaita) at village fiestas. Expect fewer tour groups than in Andalusia and more locals in hiking boots. Summer highs sit around 22–26 °C, which makes walking pleasant.

Picos de Europa: Lakes, Gorges and Hikes

The Picos de Europa National Park is the reason most people come. It is shared with Cantabria and Castilla y León, but the Asturian side holds the most famous spots. Limestone walls rise straight out of green valleys, and in the morning you can hear cowbells drifting across the meadows.

Lagos de Covadonga

Lake Enol and Lake Ercina sit high above the Covadonga sanctuary, a basilica and cave chapel that is Spain’s symbolic birthplace of the Reconquista. In busy periods (summer, Easter and long weekends) private cars are restricted on the mountain road, and you must take the shuttle bus from Cangas de Onís or Covadonga. Cows roam freely around the lakes, so watch where you step. The easy Lake Ercina loop takes about an hour.

Ruta del Cares

The Cares Trail is the best-known walk in the park. It runs about 12 km one way from Poncebos to Caín, following a path cut into the gorge wall, with a river far below. Most people walk part of it and turn back. The full round trip is around 24 km and takes six to seven hours. Rockfalls sometimes close sections, so check the park’s website before you go.

Other options

For a quieter day, try the village of Bulnes. You can walk up from Poncebos or take the funicular. The Mirador del Fitu, on the road to the coast, gives wide views of both the mountains and the sea on clear days.

Oviedo, Gijón and the Coast

Oviedo is the elegant capital. Its old town is compact and walkable, with a Gothic cathedral and clean pedestrian streets. Just outside the centre, on Mount Naranco, sit two pre-Romanesque churches, Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo. They date from the 9th century and are UNESCO-listed. The stone feels cool and ancient when you step inside.

Gijón is more relaxed and sits right on the sea. Walk the long San Lorenzo beach promenade, then climb into Cimavilla, the old fishermen’s quarter, to see the huge concrete sculpture Elogio del Horizonte. In the evening, the smell of grilled fish drifts from the harbour streets.

The coast between them has the real charm. Cudillero is a fishing village built like an amphitheatre around its port. Lastres climbs a steep hillside above the sea. Llanes and Ribadesella have beaches and lively old towns. Near Llanes, Playa de Gulpiyuri is a tiny beach fed by seawater through underground tunnels, far from the open sea. Check tide times before visiting beaches with narrow access.

Where to Eat and Drink

Asturian food is heavy, generous and made for cold, wet days. Come hungry.

• Sidra natural: The local cider is sour, flat and poured from a height (escanciar) to add bubbles. Go to Calle Gascona in Oviedo, nicknamed the “Boulevard de la Sidra,” or the sidrerías of Cimavilla in Gijón. You usually share a bottle among the table. Drink your small glass quickly, in one go, as locals do.
• Fabada asturiana: A rich stew of white beans, chorizo, morcilla and pork. Order it at lunch, not dinner, unless you want to sleep through the evening.
• Cachopo: Two thin veal fillets wrapped around ham and cheese, then breaded and fried. It is usually enough for two people.
• Cabrales: A strong blue cheese matured in mountain caves near Arenas de Cabrales. Try it on bread with a glass of cider.



• Seafood: Look for grilled sea bass, pixín (monkfish) and fresh mussels in Cudillero and Lastres.

For a classic meal, look for a sidrería with no tourist menu in the window and a crowd of locals at the bar. The lunchtime menú del día is the best-value way to try regional dishes.

Getting There and Getting Around

The Variante de Pajares tunnel, opened in 2023, cut rail travel time between Madrid and Asturias to roughly 3.5 hours. Direct Renfe trains run from Madrid Chamartín to Oviedo and Gijón. Book early for summer, since cheaper fares sell out. Asturias Airport (OVD), near Avilés, has domestic flights and a few international routes. Check current schedules, as airlines change routes each season.

Within the region, ALSA buses connect Oviedo and Gijón with towns like Cangas de Onís, Llanes and Ribadesella. Local routes into the mountains run less often, especially outside summer. Regional Cercanías trains link Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés quickly and cheaply.

If you want to see villages and beaches in one trip, rent a car. Roads are good but narrow and winding in the mountains. In the Picos, parking is limited and fines for blocking farm tracks are real.

Day Trip or Overnight?

From Madrid or Barcelona, Asturias is not a day trip. You need at least three nights, and four to five is better if you want mountains and coast.

Once you are in the region, the answer depends on your base:

• Oviedo or Gijón as a base: Good for city lovers and rail users. Day trips to Covadonga and the coast work by bus or car, though a full Picos day will be long.
• Cangas de Onís or Arenas de Cabrales: Better for hikers. You wake up near the trails and avoid the drive each morning.
• Llanes or Ribadesella: Best if you want beaches plus easy access to the mountains in the east.

A good plan is two nights in Oviedo or Gijón, then two or three nights in the mountains or on the east coast.

2026 Budget Reality

Asturias is cheaper than Barcelona, Madrid or the Basque coast, but mountain lodging and car rental get expensive in July and August. These are typical 2026 ranges per person unless noted.

• Budget: €60–85 per day. Hostel bed or simple pension (€30–50), menú del día (€14–17), local buses and free hikes.



• Mid-range: €110–170 per day. Hotel or rural house for two (€90–140 per night), a sidrería dinner with cachopo (€20–30 each), and a rental car (€40–70 per day).
• Comfortable: €200–320 per day. Boutique hotel or restored country house (€160–250 per night), a seafood tasting meal (€50–80 each), guided hikes or private transfers.

A bottle of cider in a sidrería usually costs €3–5, and the Covadonga shuttle is around €10 round trip. The Cares Trail is free. At the time of writing, Asturias has no regional tourist tax, but local rules can change, so check your hotel’s final price.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Asturias?

June and September are ideal, with mild weather, open trails and fewer crowds than July and August. Spring is green but wet, and snow can close high paths until late May. Winter is quiet and good for cities and food, but mountain access is limited.

Is it easy to visit the Picos de Europa without a car?

It is possible but takes planning. ALSA buses run from Oviedo to Cangas de Onís, and from there you can take shuttles to Covadonga or Poncebos in season. Outside summer, services are less frequent. A car gives far more freedom, especially for smaller villages and trailheads.

How long does the train from Madrid to Oviedo take?

Since the Pajares tunnel opened in 2023, direct Renfe trains from Madrid to Oviedo take about 3.5 hours. Gijón takes slightly longer. Prices vary by date, with cheaper tickets released early. For summer weekends, book several weeks ahead to get a reasonable fare.

Is the Cares Trail difficult?

It is not technically hard, but it is long and exposed. The path is wide and mostly flat, yet the full round trip is around 24 km. Drops beside the path can bother people afraid of heights. Wear proper shoes, carry water and start early.

📷 Featured image by Emma Johnston on Unsplash.