Best Things To Do in Oviedo

If you visit the capital of Asturias you will not be disappointed. Countless historical monuments await you in this small city, ranging from archaeological sites to pre-Romanesque churches. At the same time, Oviedo offers a variety of natural sights in the surrounding area, especially when you enter the Asturian countryside.

In this city you will also find a varied gastronomic offer with several local restaurants, where you can enjoy typical Asturian food. You can even taste the typical Asturian cider, which is of pre-Romanesque origin. Here are 15 things to see and do in Oviedo.

The Pilgrim's Way to Santiago is a pilgrimage of religious origin that goes from various places in Spain to the Church of Santiago de Compostela. In this sense, there are many Ways of St. James, as it depends on the starting point you choose. Fortunately, Oviedo is home to part of the primitive route of this European tradition.

If you don't want to walk for days and instead want to hike for a few hours, I recommend this activity. You will only have to cover a few kilometres, starting somewhere in the city. One of the places where you should walk is Monte Naranco, which offers beautiful views of Oviedo.

After this route, I recommend you to go through the Asturian countryside, where you will be able to see grass, forests and beautiful hills. Without a doubt, this will be an experience you will never forget and one of the best activities you can do if you are in Oviedo for 1 day.

One place you must visit is the historic centre of Oviedo, where you can take some epic photos and learn a little about its past. This old town is large and has ancient monuments that evoke the Middle Ages or the time of the Roman invasion.

Likewise, the typical houses of the town will make you travel back in time, so the whole experience is certainly very pleasant. Bear in mind that this town has several historical squares where some of the events that marked the lives of the people of Oviedo took place.

You can do this walk during the day or at night. But if you decide to do it at night, Oviedo holds secrets of the Inquisition and mysteries of the Holy Shroud that you will surely want to know more about. Similarly, grisly crimes took place in the Plaza de la Constitución square, which you should know about if you are a fan of scary stories.

Keep in mind that a walk through Oviedo's Old Town can take you between 1 and 2 hours, so this is definitely one of the top Oviedo tours you should do.

A walk through Oviedo's Winter Park, along an old railway line, will allow you to see beautiful landscapes of the city. The aim will be to head out into the Asturian countryside or even cross the Nalon River, which is the most important river in the autonomous community of Asturias.

During your walk I recommend you to do some research on the gastronomy of Asturias, so that you will be more informed about the old local restaurants and their exquisite dishes. Near the park you will find a relaxing Spa, where you can disconnect from the outside world for several hours if you wish. Take a bath there in the warm waters or go into a sauna after a stroll through the park, and you can complete your experience in the best way.

In fact, apart from the spa you can also enjoy a delicious typical Asturian menu, to experience the local flavour and feel like a local. Anyway, I recommend you to do this activity if you are in Oviedo in summer, to see how the sun illuminates the Asturian fields and the peculiar vegetation of the season.

From Oviedo you can go to Avilés, one of the most emblematic towns of the Cantabrian Sea, full of beautiful views and some historical monuments. There you can enjoy the Niemeyer Centre, a place for theatre, music, dance and other arts.

Just 57 km from Oviedo is Cudillero, another of the towns that I recommend you to visit to taste its exquisite gastronomy full of local restaurants that delight the palate of any visitor.

Finally, in this getaway, I invite you to visit Luarca, a town on the Asturian coast that offers many landscapes, thanks to its combination of mountains and sea. Some of the places you will see here are the Plaza Miares square and the La Regalina hermitage. Without a doubt, this is one of the best excursions from Oviedo that I've done, so I'm sure you'll love it.

From Oviedo the distance is short to visit the Covadonga Lakes, specifically it is 93 km or 1.5 hours away if you go by car. These lakes are called Ercina and Enol and in the surrounding area you can explore many green areas, take incredible photographs or even take a break and contemplate nature.

One place you can visit here is the Basilica of Covadonga, which was built with stones from the mountain of Covadonga. You will also be able to admire the Cave of the Virgin of Covadonga, a sanctuary that the parishioners often visit, because, if you didn't know, the Mother of Jesus is the patron saint of Asturians.

On the other hand, I would like to inform you that 22 km from the Covadonga Lakes is Cangas de Onís, a village you should visit before returning to the capital of Asturias. In Cangas de Onís there is a wide variety of restaurants serving typical Asturian food, in fact, you can have a delicious lunch there.

This place is also known as Campo San Francisco and is in the centre of Oviedo. Its water fountains, lawns and trees will make you disconnect and relax, so it is a place you can visit after an intense activity.

Also, you should know that there is a statue of Mafalda, a cartoon character originally created by the Argentinian artist Joaquín Salvador Lavado. You will be able to sit next to Mafalda and take selfies, something that will be much more fun if you visit Oviedo with children.

If you're visiting Oviedo for 4 days, you'll have plenty of time to explore the Asturias Archaeological Museum. This museum offers archaeological discoveries such as the 1st century Bodocena Stele.

It also has interactive displays and resources, making it ideal for spending some quality time with the whole family. In addition, children will also have fun games through which they can learn about historical and archaeological aspects.

As it is a space adapted for all visitors, blind people will have no problems, as each work or relic on display has a historical text in Braille. Similarly, people with hearing difficulties will also be able to enjoy the educational videos, as they are all subtitled.

One of my favourite dishes when I am in Oviedo is cachopo, an Asturian recipe that delights your palate if you like meat. But, it might be difficult to choose a good place to eat cachopo, so I recommend the Asturian gastronomy restaurant La Corte de Pelayo.

The menu of this restaurant offers various local delicacies, but the dish you must try is the cachopo pelayo, which was the winner of the 1st Asturias Championship. It costs approximately 30 €, but it is worth it to enjoy a typical lunch in Oviedo.

If you want to get an idea, you should know that the cachopo consists of 2 meat fillets stuffed with ham, cheese and other ingredients, according to the restaurant's recipe. In addition, all this is breaded with flour, egg and breadcrumbs before frying. You should also know that cachopo can be served with pork shoulder, peppers, asparagus, potatoes, etc.

In the city of Oviedo you can find several squares, all of which have stories to tell. These are my favourite squares to admire their designs and take pictures.

Constitution Square

This place is in the historic centre of the city and there you can find the Town Hall of Oviedo and the Church of San Isidoro El Real. The square was built in 1659 and its design is by Marcos de Velasco Agüero. If you prefer, you can get there by train on the "El Entrego-Avilés" line.

Alfonso II El Casto Square

This is undoubtedly another of the most visited squares in Oviedo, as it is surrounded by the Cathedral of San Salvador and the Garden of the Caudillos Kings. You will also see the Palace of Valdecarzana y Heredia, which was built in 1627. Behind the Cathedral you will also find the Casa de la Rúa, a 15th-century civil construction.

Fontán Square

The Plaza del Fontán was designed by the architect Francisco Pruneda and was first built in the 1790s. However, it was rebuilt between 1997 and 1999. There is no traffic in the square, so it is a very safe place to walk around with children. Also, you should know that there are usually some local markets there.

The Fernando Alonso Museum and Circuit offers more than 350 pieces of motor racing. It also has a circuit for various annual races or tournaments. If you really like Formula 1, this place will be like entering paradise for you. However, anyone can enjoy the impressive racing cars on permanent display.

Fernando Alonso won the Formula 1 World Championship twice (2005 and 2006), so he is a very important character for the history of motor racing in Oviedo.

On the other hand, I would like to inform you that there you will find Karting classes, in case you want to be a Formula 1 driver or simply want to drive for fun. It is a very fun activity that you can do all year round, even if you are in Oviedo in December.

You can't miss tasting the best ciders in the popular Gascona street and even more if you visit one of my four favourite places to do it.

• Sidrería Tierra Astur Gascona: The food there is delicious, not only the cider. You will find a wide variety of dishes, and the decoration of the cider house is very striking at first sight. Visit their official website for more information.
• Sidrería Tierra Astur Parrilla: In addition to the local cider, this restaurant offers grilled fish and meats, cheeses and cold meats. This place is a creation of the restaurant I mentioned before, but with a grilled food menu.
• Sidrería La Pumarada Gascona: It has a wide variety of cider and dishes, including desserts. This restaurant is waiting for you to live a good gastronomic experience with classic ciders.
• La Finca Sidrería Agrobar: With a varied menu of products from the Asturian orchard, this place is characterised by fusing the innovative with the typical. Visit La Finca Cider House to have a good time in Oviedo.

In Oviedo there are several pre-Romanesque churches that you must visit, so get your camera ready to take pictures of their amazing ancient designs.

Church of San Miguel de Lillo

The Church of San Miguel de L illo was built by King Ramiro I in the 9th century and in 1985 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. It is a temple dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel and is notable for its sculptural decoration on capitals, bases and jambs.

During your visit to this church you will also notice the mural decoration that is still preserved, mainly that of the human figure.

Santa María del Naranco

This church dates back to 842 and is located 4 km from Oviedo, specifically to the south of Monte Naranco. And, as a curious fact, it was not originally a church, but an Aula Regia that King Ramiro I ordered to be built, however, due to a collapse it suffered, the chevet was transformed into the Santa María del Naranco Church.

As for its sculptural decoration, you can see the animals in its 32 medallions, which are located in the spandrels of its arches. You can also enjoy knights in combat stance, birds, quadrupeds and horses.

San Julián de los Prados

The basilica of San Julián de los Prados was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument and "World Heritage Site". Although its exact date of construction is not known, it is known that it was built at the beginning of the 9th century and the order was in charge of Alfonso II of Asturias.

Inside the church of San Julián de los Prados you will also see the marble capitals on which the semicircular arches rest. There are also 2 marble slabs carved with geometric and floral figures.

Church of San Tirso

It is located in the Plaza de Alfonso II el Casto, a few metres from the Cathedral. It was founded in the 9th century, but has undergone modifications over the years. Inside you will see that it has a rectangular floor plan and three naves divided by pillars that support the semicircular arches.

The Church of San Tirso is a place you should not miss if you are in Oviedo in winter, as the snow gives a unique touch to its surroundings and, of course, to the church itself.

El Salvador Metropolitan Cathedral of Oviedo

Although the Metropolitan Cathedral El Salvador de Oviedo is not a pre-Romanesque church, it is the main one in Oviedo and one of my favourites, so I also recommend you to see it in person. Its architectural style is Gothic and construction began in 1382, under the auspices of Bishop Gutierre de Toledo.

However, the Holy Chamber of Oviedo Cathedral is considered to be a pre-Romanesque element. You should also know that the interior of the Cathedral is spectacular, with its central nave being the largest at 10 m wide, 20 m high and 67 m long.

After a long walk around Oviedo you will surely get hungry. That's why I recommend eating at La Panoya restaurant, which opened its doors in 1972. Curiously, its name means corn on the cob in Asturian.

In this local restaurant you will find a varied menu such as octopus a la gallega, mussels a la marinera or spicy, trotters with prawns, grilled lamb cutlets, hake, grilled or romaine and black rapito a la espalda de gabon.

If you are in Oviedo for 2 days or more, set aside some time to enjoy this local restaurant.

The Campoamor Theatre was inaugurated in 1892 and is the main venue for theatrical performances and the best of opera. Therefore, if you like art, this is a place you must visit. Rostropovich, Victoria de los Ángeles, Rubinstein, Mario del Mónaco, Bartok, Ravel, Yehudi Menuhin, among other artists, have performed here.

In addition, the Kiev Ballet "Swan Lake" and the Kiev Ballet "The Nutcracker" have performed there. Interesting, isn't it?

Admire one of the most emblematic buildings in the city of Oviedo, the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, which was designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava. The palace has 3 floors and the main floor has a surface area of 2,300 m².

This building has a total surface area of 15,640 square metres and an impressive design that is worth seeing in person to take a few souvenir photos. It is also worth noting that this palace was inaugurated in May 2011, several years after the old Carlos Tartiere football stadium in Buenavista was demolished.