Asturias is a region on the north coast of Spain, hemmed in by mountains. It's considered part of Green Spain along with its neighbouring regions of Cantabria to the east and Galicia to the west, because of the cool fertile maritime climate and distinct culture. The region to the south, Castile and León, has far less rainfall and is more typical of mainland Spain.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The Cantabrian Mountains cut off this region from the rest of Spain. Coursing parallel to the coast, they're Carboniferous limestone, rising to 2600 m in their eastern range the Picos de Europa. They draw the clouds and rain, so Asturias has a cool wet climate, a world away from the arid centre and sunbaked south. Winters are mild but this is one of the few parts of Spain best visited at the height of summer - even then it's not crowded with tourists. This isolation has left traces of very early habitation, by those pushed to the margins of Europe as later peoples advanced. The Celts arrived from 1000 BC, and from 29 BC the Romans subdued Asturias but were never a major presence.
Asturian cities sprawl but most areas of interest are concentrated in a compact walkable area. City buses and taxis reach outlying attractions; you need your own wheels for the mountains and tucked-away coves along the coast. Cercanías are local trains operated by Renfe. Fares are inexpensive, as they're heavily subsidised, and if you rely on them a lot, the CONECTA card will do good as it has a monthly cap of 30€ for trains and buses. You just touch on and off for trips. You can get to anywhere in Central Asturias with these trains, although travel times might be a bit long. You can see schedules at official pages or third party apps like Maps.
A total solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, starting at 20:27 and lasting two minutes. The chances of a clear sky are only 40%, and you need to find a spot with a clear view to the northwest horizon, where the sun will be setting. Coast is best: hilltops are more likely to be socked in by cloud, and after the show you’d have to descend an unfamiliar hill trail in darkness. Churches, churches, churches, every community has at least one at its core. Unique to Asturias are pre-Romanesque churches, over 1000 years old, reflecting the region's Christian isolation from Moorish rule. Two fine examples are near Oviedo.
Beaches are mostly shingle coves, with sandy strips here and there. The sea is the Atlantic not the Med, so it's chilly and better for wind-surfing than beach-lazing, and you need to seek out sheltered spots for kiddy-bathing. And it's tidal, so at high tide the beaches are covered. Fiestas - festivals - are a mix of religious and secular. Easter is the big one, and each town has a patron-saint day when a huge Madonna is toted swaying through the streets. Most include civic entertainments, and especially in the cities some are entirely modern raves. El Camino is the collective name for the pilgrimage trails converging on Santiago de Compostela.
Fabada is a stew of white beans, chorizo sausage, morcilla black pudding and diced bacon. Cachopo is breaded veal cutlets. Cheese comes in over a hundred local varieties. Best known is Cabrales, a blue cheese classically from goat milk, but it can be from sheep or cow milk. It's only produced in a group of villages in the mountains of eastern Asturias. Gamoneu is similar, with a lightly smoked flavour. Frixuelos are similar to French crêpes, and eaten as a dessert. Arroz con Leche is a rice pudding dessert.
Cider is the staple drink of this region, made from local apple varietals such as Raxao and Xuanina. Escanciar is the ritual of serving it, from a bottle held above your head to a glass held below the hip. This aerates the cider, and you're meant to drink the fizzy mix in one gulp. Set down your glass on the table to await the next serving. Wine is produced in Asturias in small amounts: very little is exported so sample it here. Cangas de Onis is a DO region in the eastern hills. Calimocho is a 50-50 mix of red wine and cola, sometimes with blackcurrant or blackberry syrup. It slides down ever-so-smoothly while you dream that you're still an under-age drinker.
Beware traffic, safeguard valuables and dress for the weather, same as anywhere else. Crime is low in Asturias. The mountains rise up to 2600 m and draw clouds, rain and strong winds; the coast is exposed to the Atlantic. Even on a fine day at the height of summer, you can suddenly be socked in by fog and drizzle, with hiking trails lost in the gloom.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Asturias typically sees ~23°C daytime highs and 13 rainy days.
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