Real Oviedo in the Carlos Tartiere Stadium
Finally, football season had started up again. The euphoric World Cup in South Africa had ended almost two months ago. Two full months without meaningful matches! That's sick, is what it is!
Hiking the Ruta Naviega
A popular hiking trail connects Barayo Beach to the town of Navia, about twenty kilometers away. Especially for fans of cliffs, seaside villages and hidden beaches, it's a long walk through paradise.
Plaza del Riego
Found near the historic seat of the University of Oviedo, the Plaza del Riego is a small, triangular shaped plaza in the center of the city, which buzzes with activity from morning until evening, when its outdoor terraces are consistently packed.
Oviedo’s Statues: Maternity
Columbian artist Fernando Botero has an instantly recognizable style. Plumpness, I suppose it could be called. Plump animals, plump objects, plump prisoners and, above all, plump women.
More of Oviedo in Pictures
The capital of Asturias is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, and a walk through its streets reveals Oviedo's 1000-year history, as much as the vibrant, contemporary place it is today.
Carbayón – The Tree
For centuries, a massive oak tree stood in the heart of Oviedo. Known as El Carbayón, it was an important symbol of the city's identity.
La Sidrería de El Gaitero
It didn't take much time for us to develop an appreciation for cider, the favorite drink of Asturias. In the few weeks, we put down a fair share of bottles and improved at escanciando: the tricky art of pouring cider. So, it was soon time to visit a sidrería and see how the drink is produced.
Calatrava’s Palacio de Congresos
In the bird's eye view of Oviedo acheivable from the top of Mount Naranco, one building sticks out more than any other. Massive and gleaming white, with an otherworldly design, the Palacio de Congresos is unmistakable.
Day Trip to Cudillero
Asturianu is the indigenous language of Asturias, though there aren't many people who speak it anymore. And Pixuetu is a dialect of Asturianu spoken only in Cudillero, a tiny village on the Cantabrian coast, distinuished by its use of Nordic words. Its no wonder that parents around the world are in a rush to teach their children Pixueto, since it's totally going to be the next Chinese.
To the Top of Mount Naranco!
Oviedo is bounded on the north by Mount Naranco, which stretches over five kilometers in length and reaches 634 meters in altitude. 634 meters? Pfah, that's nothing... let's climb it!
El Campo de San Francisco
A 22-acre park in the middle of the city, the Campo de San Francisco is Oviedo's green heart; a space of tranquility and relaxation much appreciated by residents.
Day Trip to Gijón
Everything I'd read about Gijón, the largest city in Asturias, described it as "industrial" or "working-class", so we arrived fearing that it'd be boring. But we needn't have worried: Gijón is beautiful, full of students, lively bars and charming plazas.
