Oviedo is a remarkable city. The city frequently wins the golden broom contest, as one of the cleanest cities in Spain. As a matter of fact, the city has earned the platinum broom, the highest distinction available. It is as if the whole city has OCD. Everything seems pristine. Furthermore, there are people that complain about the fact that "in the past it was even cleaner" and that the there is a relaxation of the norms. Oviedo has this "old money vibe", the old ladies wear their fancy fur coats to have a coup of coffee in the late afternoon, the streetlights are old fashion, five lights on a single post and the city has an excellent Opera venue. There are public art displays everywhere. Oviedo was once a capital of a Kingdom, a fact that still determines the character of the city today.
Oviedo played an important role in the Christendom. The first pilgrimage towards Santiago de Compostela started in Oviedo. One of the main attractions of the city is the Gothic Cathedral of San Salvador. It costs 7€ to visit this Cathedral, a little bit pricey but in my opinion it is worth it. The building has the holy chamber, an UNESCO world heritage site that contains the Sudarium of Oviedo, a piece of cloth with blood steins that allegedly covered the face of Jesus when he died. It is different from the Turin's shroud because the former was used when Jesus was taken down from the cross while the shroud was used in his burial.
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| Photo taken without flash. These lights were inside the chamber |
Oviedo has many churches in addition to the Cathedral. It is worth to mention the three pre-Romanesque churches that are also UNESCO world heritage sites. Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo are relatively close to each other in the outskirts of Oviedo. Unfortunately, the opening times are very limited, I have never had the chance to see these churches inside. The other church is San Julian de los Prados, which is at walking distance from downtown Oviedo. You cannot take photos inside the church since the wall paintings are very fragile. The church was built in the IX century and it has a "Byzantine" aura. Another beautiful church in Oviedo is the Basilica San Juan el Real, which was built at the beginning of the XX century and it has the dubious honor of being the place where the tyrant Franco got married.
In addition to the churches, Oviedo has an excellent and free Museum of Fine Arts. The museum is inside a beautiful building that looks like an ancient palace. The highlights of the museum are the apostles painted by "El Greco" as well as the exquisite Zurbaran: Christ on the Cross. You need approximately 2 hours to see the permanent exhibition, although when I went, one side of the building was closed for reparations. Oviedo has also several public art objects . It is worth to mention the sculpture made by the Colombian artist Botero, the sculpture made by Eduardo Urculo and the "touristic" statue of Woody Allen (which frequently losses its glasses).
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| Santa Maria del Naranco |
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| San Julian de los Prados |
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| Zurbarán: Christ on the Cross |
One of the biggest pleasures of being in Oviedo is walking and observing the beautiful façades of the buildings. of the city's historic quarter. These buildings usually have glazed balconies and decorated lintels and columns. You should not miss the Campo de San Francisco (park), la calle Uría, the Constitution Square as well as "El Fontán" Market. This is a mandatory stop for those who want to buy local products.
Speaking about products, the gastronomy of Asturias is one of the best in Spain. The most famous local dish is "La Fabada Asturiana" which is essentially a stew made with white beans and pork meat (mainly chorizo and black pudding).. Another variation is "Pote Asturiano" which has potatoes and collard greens. I recommend to have Fabada or Pote only for lunch break, since these meals are quite heavy. Asturians love meat, especially pork. A local specialty is "bollo preñao" which is a bread cook with a chorizo inside (bollo=bread, preñao=pregnant). You could also have for lunch cachopo which are two steaks forming a sandwich with ham and cheese inside (sort of a Cordon Bleu). These steaks are breaded and then they are covered with a heavy sauce, making one of the most caloric dishes I have ever tried in my life. Of course, cachopos are usually served with french fries. Castillian food is widely available in Oviedo, there are several restaurants that offer "lechazo" which is basically unweaned lamb.
Regarding desserts my recommendation is to visit as much as you can la confitería Rialto. They made the famous "moscovitas" which are an almond pastry covered with chocolate. You could also try the carbayones which are also made with almonds ( a sort of small cake with frosty). Sidra (cider) is the main beverage in Asturias. The cider is poured in a glass in a very sophisticated manner, and they only pour a little, because you are supposed to drink it all at once. The reason is the bubbles made during the "escanciado process" give a distinct flavor. According to the locals it does not taste the same if you have several sips instead of drink all at once. Before leaving Asturias, you should buy chorizo as well as cheese. There are different varieties of local cheese in Asturias but the most famous ones are Cabrales (extremely strong blue cheese), Gamonedo (mild blue cheese) and Afuega l'pitu. (cow's milk cheese sometimes with red pepper). These cheeses have protected designation of origin.
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| Culis Monumentalis by Eduardo Úrculo (no pun intended) |
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| Beautiful façades in Oviedo |
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| The traditional Carvayones of Oviedo |
You can spend a whole week in Oviedo. The reason is that this city could be your base to explore other destinations inside Asturias. The cities of Gijón and Avilés are located at less than an hour by bus. The coastal city of Gijón is relatively bigger than Oviedo, less opulent, with a younger vibe. On the other hand, Avilés is a very small town, the perfect city for a daytrip with a quaint historical center. Additionally you can also visit smaller coastal towns such as Ribadesella during summer if you want to practice water sports. Finally, Asturias has the national park "Picos de Europa" for those who like nature.
