Best Things To Do in Oviedo

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

In this city you will also find a varied gastronomic proposal 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 Way of St. James is a pilgrimage of religious origin that is made from various places in Spain to the Church of Santiago de Compostela. In this sense, there are many Caminos de Santiago, because it depends on the starting point you choose. Luckily, in Oviedo you can find part of the primitive way of this European tradition.

If you do not want to walk for days and instead you want to hike for a few hours, I recommend this activity. Thanks to it you will have to walk a few kilometers, starting from some point of the city. One of the places where you should walk is Monte Naranco, which offers beautiful views of Oviedo.

After this tour 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 old town of Oviedo, where you can take some epic photos and learn a little about its past. This old town is spacious 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. Keep in mind that this town has several historical squares where some events that marked the life of the people of Oviedo took place.

This tour can be done during the day or at night. But if you decide to do it at night, Oviedo keeps secrets of the Inquisition and mysteries of the Holy Shroud that you will surely want to know more about. Likewise, in the Plaza de la Constitucion, creepy crimes took place, of which you should know about if you are a fan of scary stories.

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

A walk through Oviedo's Winter Park, through an old railroad line will allow you to see beautiful landscapes of the city. The goal will be to head 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 is a relaxing Spa, where you can disconnect from the outside for several hours if you wish. Take a bath there in its warm waters or go into a sauna after strolling 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 flavor 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 Center, a place of theater, 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 stop by Luarca, a town on the Asturian coast that offers many landscapes, thanks to its combination of mountains and sea. Some of the sites you will see in this place are the Plaza Miares and the Ermita de La Regalina. Without a doubt, this is one of the best excursions from Oviedo that I have done, so I am sure you will 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 its surroundings you can explore many green areas, take amazing pictures or even take a break and contemplate nature.

One place you can visit in this place is the Basilica of Covadonga, which was made with stones from the mountain of Covadonga. Also, you can admire the Cave of the Virgin of Covadonga, a sanctuary that the parishioners often visit, because, if you did not know, the Mother of Jesus is the patron saint of the Asturians.

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

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

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

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

Also, it has screens and interactive resources, making it ideal for a pleasant time with the whole family. In addition, children will also have fun games through which they can learn historical and archaeological aspects.

Because it is a space adapted for all visitors, blind people will have no problems, since in each work or relic exhibited there is a historical text in Braille. Likewise, people with hearing difficulties will also be able to enjoy the educational videos, as they are all subtitled.

One of my favorite dishes when I am in Oviedo is cachopo, an Asturian recipe that delights your palate if you like meat. But, perhaps it is 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 I Championship of Asturias. It has an approximate cost of 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. Likewise, you should know that the cachopo can be accompanied with pork shoulder, peppers, asparagus, potatoes, etc.

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

Constitution Square

This place is in the historic center of the city and there you can find the City Hall of Oviedo and the Church of San Isidoro El Real. Also, I inform you that the square was built since 1659 and its design is by Marcos de Velasco Agüero. If you prefer, you can arrive by train through the line "El Entrego-Avilés".

Alfonso II El Casto Square

Undoubtedly, it is another of the most visited squares in Oviedo, since it has the Cathedral of San Salvador and the Garden of the Caudillos Kings in its surroundings. Also, there you will see the Palace of Valdecarzana and Heredia, which was built in 1627. Also, behind the Cathedral is the Casa de la Rúa, a civil construction from the 15th century.

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 motorsport. 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 in the permanent exhibition.

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 not miss tasting the best ciders in the popular Gascona street and more if you visit one of my four favorite places to do it.

• Tierra Astur Gascona Cider House: There the food is delicious, not only the cider. You will find a wide variety of dishes, plus, 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 sausages. 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 characterized by merging the innovative with the typical. Visit La Finca Cider House to spend a pleasant 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 incredible ancient designs.

San Miguel de Lillo Church

The Church of San Miguel de Lillo 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 St. Michael the Archangel and stands out for its sculptural decoration in capitals, bases and jambs.

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

Santa María del Naranco

This temple dates back to the year 842 and is located 4 km from Oviedo, specifically, to the south of Mount Naranco. And, as a curious fact, in its beginnings it was not a church, but a Aula Regia that King Ramiro I ordered to build, however, due to a collapse that suffered, the head was transformed into the Church of Santa Maria del Naranco.

As for its sculptural decoration you can see the animals in its 32 medallions, which are located in the spandrels of the arches. In addition, you can enjoy knights in combat attitude, 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 IX century and the order was in charge of Alfonso II of Asturias.

In addition, in the interior of the San Julián de los Prados Church you will see the marble capitals on which the semicircular arches rest. Also, there are 2 marble slabs which are carved with geometric and floral figures.

Church of San Tirso

It is located in the Plaza de Alfonso II el Casto, a few meters from the Cathedral. Its foundation dates back to the IX century, but over the years it has undergone modifications. Inside you will see that it is rectangular and has 3 naves that are divided by pillars that hold the semicircular arches.

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

Metropolitan Cathedral El Salvador 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 favorites, so I also recommend you to see it in person. Its architectural style is Gothic and construction began in 1382, sponsored by Bishop Gutierre de Toledo.

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

Surely after a long walk around Oviedo you will 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 chops, 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 Theater 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, there have been presentations such as the Kiev Ballet "Swan Lake" and the Kiev Ballet "The Nutcracker", interesting, isn't it?

Admire one of the most emblematic buildings of the city of Oviedo, the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, which was designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava. I inform you that the palace has 3 floors and the main floor has an area of 2300 m².

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