Oviedo

Old town

Oviedo is the capital city of Asturias, northern Spanish province. Oviedo’s old town has attractive architecture with Baroque and Romanesque churches. There are many restaurants, wine cellars and bars. A large part of the historic center is a pedestrian zone with no traffic, so the best way to get to know the city is to go on foot.

Casco Antiga is the local name for the old part of town with narrow streets and perfectly restored buildings. Among the most impressive buildings are the Palace Velarde, the City Hall, Torero Palace and Palace Camposagrado. The old town is full of small traditional shops.

Gastronomy

The most famous local specialty is fabada. It is bean stew with sausage, shoulder of pork, black pudding (morcilla); it is often flavored with saffron. However, famous Fabada Asturiana can be ordered in every town in Spain. Their cheese (cabrales) has a good reputation, especially if you are a fan of strong flavors. Local citizens often order the rice pudding.

Sidra (cider – apple wine) is the national drink; the tradition is to pour it from high to the glass to gather more oxygen. Because of this way of pouring, the floors in bars are often wet and sticky. There is even Boulevard of Sidra, where you can see traditional “throwing of sidra” in the glasses.

In the street Calle Jovellanos you can find several wine cellars, and one of the better known is El Patio de la Naranjas with excellent facilities.

Churches and museums

Oviedo has several impressive churches.

Cathedral of San Salvador is placed in the old town and its foundations were laid in the 9th century. However, its appearance was constantly amended, so today it represents a unique example of combination of various architectural styles. Today the cathedral has a baroque façade; moreover, the most significant changes are from the 16th century. Entrance to the cathedral is free but tickets for the church museum and chapel Camara Santa are € 3.50.

Another two churches which you should not miss are San Miguel de Lillo and Santa Maria del orange. These two small churches are in the pre-Romanesque style. They are situated on the outskirts of the town.

Church of San Miguel de Lillo was built in 842. It is under the protection of UNESCO since 1985. The church was thoroughly reconstructed in 2006.

Just a few meters away is the fascinating church of Santa Maria del Orange, whose construction was completed in 848. The building was originally used as a royal palace, where the king Ramiro I ruled.

Asturian Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias) has the most complete collection of Asturian art from the middle ages to the 20th century.