Asturias, Spain: attractions, photos, reviews of tourists

Spain is one of the most visited countries of the European continent. However, travelers tend to choose for a holiday and excursions brilliant Madrid, Barcelona with its masterpieces created by the genius Gaudi, and the resorts located on the Mediterranean coast of this country. As for the northern regions, the relatively cold climate discourages guests who associate Spain with the sun and luxurious beaches. Not surprisingly, even for those who are quite often on the Iberian peninsula, they are practically unknown. And such "terra incognita" refers to Asturias. Spain is an ancient country, and Asturias is its historical pride.

Where there are some geographical information

Asturias (Spain) - a province and an autonomous formation on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, which borders on the south with Castile-Leon, in the west - with Galicia, and in the east - with Cantabria.

Its administrative center is Oviedo. Together with the cities of Aviles and Gijón, it forms a kind of triangle, within which the main part of the inhabitants of the Asturias region (Spain) is concentrated. Reviews of tourists indicate that it is in these settlements that the best hotels and entertainment establishments of the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula are located.

On the territory of the principality from the south to the north, towards the Bay of Biscay, there are many short and shallow rivers. Their energy is used to generate electricity at numerous HPPs.

Oviedo

As already mentioned, this city in Spain is the center of Asturias, in which 220,000 people live. It is the economic, cultural and administrative capital of the principality.

The city has a long and eventful history, which began more than 1300 years ago. On the tourist map of Spain, Oviedo is noted as a reserve of pre-Roman architecture in the open air. Among the most remarkable old buildings can be noted:

• The church of San Tirso;
• The Cathedral of San Salvador, in which the kings of Asturias are buried and three of the most important relics of Iberian Christianity are kept;
• 14 pre-Romanesque churches built on Mount Naranko, which are included in the number of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In addition, tourists will be interested in visiting the Archaeological Museum of Asturias (address: Calle San Vicente, 5, 33003, Oviedo), which is located in the former monastery of San Vicente.

Every year thousands of pilgrims pass through Oviedo. They repeat the path of the pilgrims who, since the early Middle Ages, visited the Christian shrines of the north of Spain every year. Travelers, previously received the blessing of the Catholic Church, move along the route, the final destination of which is the city of Santiago de Compostela. Interest in such pilgrimages revived thanks to the writer Paulo Coelho, who described in his books the adventures of pilgrims. In each monastery they are given a certificate of attendance. In many families, they become relics, passed down from generation to generation.

Gijón

This city in Spain, in Asturias, also deserves the attention of tourists. According to the population (277,559 people), it even surpasses Oviedo. In Gijón, there is a port through which most of the goods entering the region pass. The city appeared during the early Middle Ages in the place of a small fishing village, which existed in the 5th century BC. E. Its flourishing was associated with the development of navigation and sea trade.

Although Asturias is not among the popular tourist regions of Spain, during a relatively short beach season in Gijon comes a lot of people who want to rest for little money. The hotel offers comfortable beaches, where you can soak up the sand brought from the Sahara desert. To attract tourists in the summer in Gijón, various holidays are organized. Among them, the festival of San Juan, during which the beach lights up bonfires. All night there is incendiary music, and residents and guests of Gijon indulge in unrestrained fun.

The main attractions of the city include:

• Roman baths, built in the second century AD, with a heating system and ancient frescoes;
• The existing arena for bullfight, built in 1888, which holds 10,000 people;
• Palace Revillahihedo, which houses the Center for International Art.

Aviles

If you are interested in Asturias (Spain), reviews of tourists are often recommended to visit this city.

Aviles is just 14 km from the international airport. It was founded in 1085, under King Alfonso Six, on the site of a settlement known from the Roman period. Although in Aviles there are many monuments of medieval architecture, from the mid-20th century it was impossible to lure tourists. The reason was the terrible environmental situation caused by the rapid pace of industrialization. Aviles even received not too honorary title of the dirtiest city in Europe.

Only in the mid-1990s, the authorities of Aviles began to make attempts to create normal conditions for the life of citizens. For this purpose, some industrial enterprises were closed, while the others modernized systems that ensure their safety for the environment. However, the turning point that changed the history of the city was 2006, when in the course of the festival organized by the Prince of Asturias, the great architect Oscar Niemeyer presented the city with the project of the Cultural Center.

After 5 years in Aviles there was a structure that could become one of the main attractions of any European capital.

With the influx of tourists wishing to see the new architectural masterpiece, the city's economy has received a new vector of development, especially since there are many other sights that are of great interest for lovers of history and ancient architecture. These include:

• The palace of Llano Ponte;
• The temple of San Nicolás de Bari;
• The palace of Marquis Ferrera, built in the 17th century in the Baroque style;
• The house of Valdekarsan;
• Ferrer Park and others.

sights

What could be interesting for tourists Asturias? Spain, whose attractions are known throughout the world, in the Middle Ages became the arena of the struggle of Christian and Muslim civilizations, penetrated to the Iberian Peninsula from the northern regions of Africa. It was in Asturias that the battle took place, which had a huge impact on the future history of the European continent.

In 718, the brave military commander Pelayo with a small army succeeded in unexpectedly attacking the troops of the Arabs and smashing them at the Battle of Cowadonga. This victory marked the beginning of the expulsion of the invaders from the territory of the continent. Today, every child in these parts knows that the place where the Reconquista began - Asturias (Spain). Sights of Covadonga, such as the Holy Cave, where Pelayo's army was hidden, and the Virgin Mary church in the neo-Romantic style of pink limestone, attract thousands of pilgrims every year. They will be interesting for tourists. Among the places located in small settlements and far from the major cities of Asturias are also:

• Cave Pindal (UNESCO World Heritage Site) with 31 palaeolithic rock paintings of animals, among which there are absolutely unique silhouettes of already extinct mammals;
• An incredibly beautiful beach "Playa de Silencio", whose name translates as "Coast of Silence";
• The tower and city walls of the 13th century in the town of Llanes;
• Observation deck "Mirador Fitou" in the form of a bowl, with which on a clear day you can observe the flight of birds of prey in the National Park of Europe Peaks;
• Examples of traditional rural Asturian architecture, etc.

Nature reserves

Asturias (Spain), whose photo amazes with the wild beauty of magnificent mountain and coastal landscapes, is considered one of the most environmentally friendly regions of this sunny country. There are several national parks. For example, Somiedo is a famous biosphere reserve, which has been under the auspices of UNESCO since 2000.

The park unites 5 valleys, located among the high mountains. The most beautiful of them is the Lake Valley.

In addition to Somiedo, in the territory of Asturias are located:

1. National Park Peaks of Europe, where they come to do paragliding and canyoning.
2. Maniellos, fond of lovers of yuotourism.
3. The Natural Park of Redes with an area of 38 000 hectares, where you can do trekking.
4. The marine protected area of El Cachuco, where many inhabitants of the depths of the Bay of Biscay are found.

Kitchen

Peculiar gastronomic traditions are another reason to visit this country. The main authentic delicacies of these places are various cheeses with a delicate taste (about 100 varieties are known!), Fabada, which is a dish of beans with blood sausage, and sweet rice pudding. The latter is added cinnamon, raisins and saffron. Dessert dishes also include special pancakes, tangella, which are filled with a mixture of various finely chopped dried fruits mixed with ground almonds, hazelnuts or chestnuts. Biscuits with cherries are also popular, considered one of the main treats that are treated at the holidays of their household members Gijon.

In addition, Asturias (Spain) is famous for environmentally friendly products that are delivered to supermarkets not only throughout the country, but also to neighboring states. Especially it concerns the Asturian cheeses, which are made by mixing cow, sheep and goat milk. As for drinks, the inhabitants of this region prefer the wine to a magnificent cider, which is prepared according to a special recipe and poured into glasses, holding the bottle over your head.

Climate

In Asturias, it is not as hot as in other regions of Spain. It is this circumstance that is responsible for the relative economic backwardness of the region compared to other provinces of the country. After all, the basis of the welfare of the kingdom is beach tourism, the level of development which can not boast of Asturias (Spain). The climate there is oceanic and humid. Summer is usually warm, with frequent precipitation, and in winter it is rather cold in the province. This is especially true of mountain regions, where snow often lies from early autumn to mid-April, and sometimes even longer. As for the lowlands, it is humid and rainy there in winter.

The maximum air temperature recorded in Asturias in summer is +36 degrees, and the minimum temperature is 10 degrees below zero.

Beaches

The vast majority of tourists traveling to the Iberian Peninsula, want to combine interesting excursions with rest. That is why many are wondering whether there are beaches in the province of Asturias (Spain).

In contrast to the Mediterranean coast of the country, the resort areas on the shore of the Bay of Biscay were chosen primarily by surfers. They consider Asturias one of the best places in Europe to practice this sport.

In addition, the beaches of this province are a great place for photo sessions, as the coastline on the coast of the Bay of Biscay is extremely rugged and picturesque. Types of beaches "Poo", "Andrin", "La Franca" and the area of Llanes can be seen in some scenes of the feature film "Shelter", and the shooting of "You are One" directed by Jose Luis Garci took place in the resort area of Cuevas del Mar.

Pong (Asturias, Spain): photo and background

Until recently, the name of this settlement was unknown to anyone. However, a few years ago Ponggi City Council decided to save him from extinction and announced that every married couple who wanted to move there will receive an amount of 3000 euros. The same amount they will be paid after the birth of each child.

At the moment there are only about 700 people living in the town, despite the fact that its area is only 205.98 square kilometers. Km. About 5 years ago it became clear that even the few Pong people who had not moved to the southern regions of Spain were already in retirement age, and soon it would disappear from the face of the earth. Meanwhile, this settlement, founded in the Bronze Age, is considered one of the oldest among the permanently inhabited in the territory of the Spanish kingdom.

What is Pong's gesture (Asturias, Spain)? The economy of the town is based on agriculture. 75.6% of the inhabitants are engaged in breeding livestock and producing natural food. Another 17% work in the service sector. Thus, those who want to move to this godforsaken corner of Asturias should either have a source of passive income outside of Spain, or be prepared to become farmers.

How to get there

Because of the rough terrain, Asturias (Spain) has always been a hard-to-reach area. At the moment, the main road that connects this region with the center of the country remains the Roman road Via de la Plata (current name is the A-66 motorway). It passes through the pass of the Cordillera. With regard to rail transport, Asturias can be reached by trains following the cities of Leon and Santander. In addition, you can get to Asturias via the port of Gijón. It is one of the main sea harbors of the Bay of Biscay, and there are stopping sea-going vessels making regular flights from the countries of Northern Europe to Great Britain and Ireland.

If the goal of your trip from Russia to the Iberian Peninsula is Ponga (Asturias, Spain), how to get here is best advised by those who have already visited there. As a rule, they advise to use air transport. The international airport of Asturias is located in Santiago del Monte. From there, take the N-634 motorway to reach the destination in 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Ponga (Asturias, Spain): how to move there live

Emigration to the Spanish kingdom is a difficult task. You can legally get into the country in the following cases:

• To marry a citizen of Spain or another state with a Spanish residence permit;
• Go to study at a university with the registration of a student residence;
• Get refugee status
• Go to Spain to reunite the family;
• Open your own business in the country;
• Receive an invitation from a Spanish employer;
• buy property.

In addition, many try to settle in Spain illegally, having entered there on a tourist visa. I must say that this option rarely works, and very often the "emigrant" is not only sent from Spain, but also deprived of the opportunity to visit any future Schengen states.

Festivals in Pong

As in other Catholic countries, virtually all Spanish cities regularly host various religious processions and holidays. However, in each locality they have their own color. Ponga (Asturias, Spain) is no exception. Moreover, it is there that you can celebrate Christmas and New Year in an unusual way. On January 1, the festival "El Girria" begins in the town. According to an ancient legend, on this day the ancient spirit descends from the mountains and settles into the body of an idle youth. The latter begins to run around the streets and break into the houses, trying to kiss young women and girls who will meet on his way. He is accompanied by a crowd of onlookers who want to stare, what resistance will be rendered to the insolent mountain spirit by local beauties.

Now you know where Asturias is (Spain). Reviews of tourists about this region of the Iberian peninsula can be heard extremely rarely. However, those who have already traveled to these regions, unanimously assert that they did not regret the money spent and time. After all, a trip to Asturias allows you to get acquainted with the uncharted Spain, with its original culture, which has Celtic roots, original cuisine and traditions.