Secrets of Western Asturias

Year after year, this small and photogenic village is always on the list of the most beautiful villages in Spain. You can park in the harbour and from there you can walk around the town without any problems. Its promenade by the sea, its narrow streets and its viewpoints are well worth a visit. If you get a bit late, don't worry, Cudillero has places to eat well (and more than well) all over the place.    

• Stroll around the port and its streets and visit its viewpoints (San Juan, El Pico, Cimadevilla and La Atalaya). You can do the whole route on foot and eat in the lower part of the town. We recommend, if you can, Casa Julio.

Just 20 minutes from Cudillero, we find Cabo Vidio. If you like nature, you're going to love this place, and not just because of the lighthouse. From here you can contemplate one of the best views of the Asturian coast, with vertical cliffs 80 metres high. You can take a nice walk or simply sit and contemplate the views from one of the viewpoints.    

• If you have time and feel like it, you can go down to one of the nearby beaches. There are many in the area, but we like Peña Doria. It is easily accessible on foot and is usually a very quiet and pleasant place. If you fancy a bite to eat, there is usually a food truck near the lighthouse. It's worth having a drink while you contemplate the Cantabrian coast.

To end the day in style, we head to one of the jewels of the Asturian coast, Playa del Silencio. After a 20-minute drive, you will reach the village of Castañeras. Follow the signs and it won't take you long to get there. Park on the side of the road and enjoy a beach that looks like something out of the Jurassic. Don't expect luxury or any kind of service. It is a wild, pebbly beach with crystal clear waters. In fact, it is normal to see divers in the area.     

• The descent is easy, but for some people it can be a long one. If you don't want to step on the beach, you can go down to the area where the stairs start, where you will find another viewpoint. It is a real treat to watch the sunset from there.

Luarca, like Cudillero, is one of those villages that are fixed in the list of the most beautiful villages. We recommend parking in the upper part and walking down to the port. It is a stroll and the views are well worth it. A couple of hours strolling through its streets and its unique neighbourhoods, such as Cambaral or La Pescadería, are enough to make anyone fall in love.    

• If you want to visit its beaches, we recommend the lesser-known Portizuelo. A beach of stone and slate surrounded by mountains on one side and reddish stone on the other. The favourite beach of Severo Ochoa, Nobel Prize winner in Medicine and native of Luarca.

The Fonte Baixa Gardens are the largest private botanical garden in Europe and a delight for the senses. Hundreds of species brought from all corners of the globe. It even has flowers that bloom only once every few years and historical objects such as a table where Leonardo Da Vinci dined. In addition, the accesses have been improved, so there is no excuse for not making a visit.    

• Access is via a wooden staircase located in the area of the beaches, on the other side of the river. Booking is only necessary if you want to take a guided tour.

It's time to set foot on the mountain! About 40 minutes from Luarca, we find Oneta. This is where our route begins, a walk of just 2 kilometres that will take us along a path where we will discover the waterfalls that give it its name. We can find up to three waterfalls, but the first two are the most accessible for everyone. It is an easy route even for children. Waterfalls, old mills and forest, immerse yourself in Asturias!     

• You can go at any time of the year, but in summer the waterfalls will carry less water. It is a short route, but take your time. Bring snacks and enjoy a well-deserved rest in the middle of nature.

If you had fun at the waterfalls, don't miss this opportunity. Just a quarter of an hour from there, you will find the village of Busmente. On the outskirts, next to the road and leaving the mill behind, you will soon arrive at the Cueva del Pímpano, a spectacle for the eyes, especially if it has rained on those days. It is a cave in which a small waterfall falls in front of it. You can go in, it has easy access.    

• It is very close to the road. You will find a place where you can park 2 or 3 cars and just 100 metres later you will find it in front of you.

The Barayo area is a Natural Biosphere Reserve and anyone who has been there knows why. River, sea, beach, marshes, dunes... All sharing the same space. You can only go down on foot and access is easy, although we do not recommend going down with bicycles or pushchairs.     

• An impressive beach where you can relax to end the day and watch a beautiful sunset. If you still feel like moving, a coastal route starts here and will take you to Frexulfe. We recommend stopping in the pretty village of Puerto de Vega.

Today we have to get up early to visit one of the best kept secrets of Asturias: Los Oscos, Biosphere Reserve. Leaving Luarca, we will have an hour and a quarter to reach Pumares. There we will park in the recreational area and start the route to the Seimeira waterfall. An easy walk that can be done in about 3 hours. We will cross the abandoned village of Ancadeira, completely eaten by the vegetation, and we will follow the riverbed until we reach the waterfall, which breaks against the ground from a height of about 30 metres.    

• It can be done in 3 hours but we recommend you take it easy and enjoy it. On the way back, you can take the diversions to visit the village of Busqueimado. You can visit the chapel and, next to it, see two impressive yew trees listed as a natural monument. The way back will be the same as the way out.

We recommend stopping in Taramundi (and if you haven't taken a sandwich with you, here you will find where to eat). It is one of the most famous places in the world for its handmade knives. In the Cuchillería you will be able to see how they are made first hand.     

• Taramundi and its surroundings hide a lot of secrets. If you like watermills... you are next to Mazonovo, the biggest museum of watermills in Spain! 

Finish the day by visiting the village of Os Teixois, a magical place where you will be shown how water has been the most precious thing for mankind since the beginning of time. Water mills still in operation in an idyllic setting are well worth a visit. You won't want to go back home.    

• If you want to visit the museum, make sure you book in advance. The village is a place that looks like something out of a fairy tale and we are sure you will be amazed. A little trip back in time to end your journey through western Asturias.