How to spend a day in Oviedo, Spain
From starting the day with morning pastries to dancing the night away to local folk music, here’s our itinerary for the perfect day in the Asturian capital.
The grand cathedral dominates the old town of Oviedo, one of Spain's most beguiling regional capitals.
9am: Start with the sweet stuff
Indulge in both of Oviedo’s signature pastries. Carbayones — doughy almond blobs glazed with egg yolk — are the house special at Camilo de Blas. Nearby Confitería Rialto, meanwhile, has built a baking empire on its moscovitas: chocolate-topped, almond-filled cookies.
11am: Wander the old town
The historic centre is dominated by five medieval spires; mightiest of them all is the bell tower of Oviedo Cathedral. Lunch on the terrace at Le Corte de Palayo, then walk it off among the peacocks in Campo San Francisco, the orchard of a former convent.
1pm:Take in centuries of Spanish art
The Fine Arts Museum of Asturias packs in a host of Spanish masters — El Greco, Goya, Sorolla, Picasso, Dalí — in a whirl of contrasting brush strokes.
3pm: Climb Monte Naranco
A gentle hike out of town takes you upward through woods and meadows that are home to roe deer and wild boar. En route you’ll pass the pre-romanesque Church of Santa María del Naranco and the Church of San Miguel de Lillo.
6pm: Make time for cider
Asturias is apple country, which makes Oviedo a cider town. You can see this nectar poured from a height — as is the local custom — at Tierra Astur and other sidrerías (cider houses) along Calle Gascona.
8pm: Eat bean stew at Casa Fermin
Locals may debate the best place to eat fabada asturiana — the region’s near-sacred stew of white beans, blood sausage, and pork shoulder — but none would warn against the version served at this temple to rustic Asturian cuisine.
10pm: Hit the music venues
In the rowdy bars on Calle Mon and at nearby live music venues Lata de Zinc and La Salvaje, you’ll hear Latin dance hits, punk tracks and Celtic-style Asturian folk tunes.
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Published in the June issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)
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