Oviedo

Asturias, a region in the far north of Spain, is picturesque and unspoilt, a genuine natural paradise, which is extremely varied, being dotted with forests, mountains, steep cliffs as well as long white sandy beaches and fishermen’s villages with small ports that in the past served as refuges during storms or as quays for whalers.

 

The chief town of what is in reality the Principality of Asturias - the heir to the Spanish throne still bears the title of Prince of Asturias - is Oviedo, which is served by the increasingly large numbers of tourists from the nearby airport of Oviedo. The city displays uniquely charming pre-Romanesque architecture, a mark left by the Asturian monarchy in the tenth century, the period in which Asturias was an autonomous kingdom.

 

One of the first things to see is the Foncalada Fountain, one of the oldest drinking water fountains in Europe and the only example of pre-Romanesque civil architecture on the continent. The historic building of the University of Oviedo stands in Calle San Francisco, and in the nearby Plaza de Porlier lies Palacio de Camposagrado which looks onto San Salvador Cathedral, a splendid building that is a rare example of Flamboyant Gothic style. It has preserved, since the tenth century, one of the symbols that is most dear to the inhabitants of Asturias, a symbol that dominates their coat of arms: the Cruz de la Victoria (Victory Cross), which is kept as a relic in the ‘Cámara Santa’ in remembrance of the victory of Covadonga against the Moors in 722 during the period of the ’Reconquista’ by the legendary King Pelagius with the miraculous intervention of the Virgin Mary. 

 

In the city, alongside these remains of a distance past, are the famous Museum of Fine Arts, which is full of important works, and the building of theUniversity. For lovers of music, there is the prestigious opera season that takes place each year in summer at the Campoamor Theatre, famous for being the place where the prizes of the Princess of Asturias, a sort of Spanish Nobel prize, are awarded.

 

 

Easily accessible from Oviedo is the Picos de Europa mountain, site of the cave where the Virgin of Covadonga is worshipped and the location of the battle. This simple cave has been a place of Marian pilgrimage for centuries. Nearby, in beautiful Romanesque style and with a splendid pink facade, is the Basilica de Santa Maria de Covadonga.

 

Virgin of Covadonga. Photo: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock  

 

Asturias is steeped in the old religious traditions of Spain, to the extent that in the beautiful Plaza Alfonso II a plaque on the flagged pavement states that the first Compostela pilgrimage departed from here in the tenth century. The pilgrimage was desired by King Alfonso after the discovery in Compostella of St. James’ tomb and the sovereign was the first pilgrim to pay homage to the Saint on foot. Oviedo still remains an important stage in the ‘Way of St. James’, a long route to be carried out on foot, which begins in the Pyrenees and ends in Compostela.

 

 

Crossing Asturias is a unique experience: the roads wind along a lush, fertile valley, which since distant times has experienced great prosperity, not just due to farming, but also for the iron and coal mines and for the craft activities of a hard-working people, an activity that continues today to be expressed in the small traditional hand-crafted items such as baskets, sculptures, ceramics and wooden clogs (madreñas) similar to Dutch clogs. Ancient craft traditions are also seen in certain unique constructions such as the hórreos and cabazos, food and grain stores raised on pillars, and in the teitos, small houses with thatched roofs.

 

 

Asturias is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, not just Oviedo, but also the rock art of the spectacular caves in the surroundings. Don’t miss the caves of Tito Bustillo, del Pindal in Ribadedeva, de la Peña in Candamo, de la Covaciella in Cabrales, Llonin in Peñamellera Alta. The caves are set among unspoilt landscapes of great beauty. A visit is well worth while to the National Park and Muniellos-Fuentes del Narcea, which has the largest oak forest in Spain and is the natural habitat of brown bears.

 

The region is attached to tradition even in its recipes, the most popular of which is the fabada, a flavoursome bean soup enriched with pieces of pork, a staple dish of the local cuisine; another ritual is drinking cider, a local drink made from apple juice, which is poured from a reasonable height - another ritual - to allow for greater oxygenation. Typical products and recipes can also be enjoyed at the festivals dedicated to gastronomy with Asturian culinary delights such as fabada or natural cider which is celebrated during the Preba De La Sidra festival, scheduled every year on 4 June from 12pm to 3pm in the via Gascona in Oviedo.

 

Avion Tourism Magazine
Photos: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock / Depositphotos
Copyright © Sisterscom.com

Video: www.turismoasturias.es

 

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