Exploring Northern Spain with My Family
I meant to finish and post this post about a month ago...but it just never happened. Anyway, my family came to visit me here in humble Oviedo back at the beginning of March and we had a wonderful time exploring Northern Spain together. There's a reason why they call Asturias "paraiso natural"...it's full of all kinds of hidden beauties, off the beaten path of most tourists who flock to Spain for the "sol y la playa" in Southern Spain. Without further ado, here are the places we visited together...
The first full day together, we went to Gijón for the afternoon. I'd been before, but we went to a cafe and a restaurant I hadn't been to before, as well as different statues, sculptures, and parts of the city I hadn't checked out. The cafe we went to made little designs in our cafes con leche, which I always appreciate...there's just something so pleasing about sipping coffee out of a cup with a heart or a leaf on top. When we were there, they were having carnaval but we didn't watch the parade, just stopped by to see everyone dressed up in costumes. We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant called Scaletti 5 and TJ and I split an amazingggg pizza.
This beach is hands downs the most beautiful beach in all of Spain. I know I know, I haven't seen them all, but I really don't think you can beat Playa del Silencio. I think the pictures speak for themselves about how stunning it is. The best part was, there was no one else there except us. We had the whole beach to ourselves and even though it wasn't silent--the waves were pretty loud and we ourselves were not being silent--it was incredibly peaceful.
Covadonga is a historically famous site in Nothern Spain...so much so that I know a Spanish girl my age named after it. In the summertime, the area is overrun with tourists, but if you go in the off-season like we did, you have the place to yourself. Which means you can do illegal things like take pictures of the chapel even though there are massive signs saying "No fotos".
Yet another stunning beach. Probably my second favorite of the ones I've been to. Beware the tides though! When it's high tide, the whole beach gets covered in water, hindering your sightseeing abilities...
I had no idea this town existed, but it turned out to be super quaint and picturesque...just like pretty much every town I've been to here.
Another hidden gem I didn't know existed, Faro de Busto is definitely a place to go to admire the ferocity of nature as the waves crash violently against the cliffs many hundred feet below... Take a walk along the path bordering the lighthouse and admire panoramic views of the ocean. Do I sound like a guide book? I've been practicing. ;P
We had a lovely five days together and I got to see a lot of sights I wouldn't have been able to if it weren't for my dad's wonderful rental car driving abilities. By the end of these five months, I'll feel like I'll be able to say that I've really seen Northern Spain, if nothing else... :)
-SE Wagner
Gijón
The first full day together, we went to Gijón for the afternoon. I'd been before, but we went to a cafe and a restaurant I hadn't been to before, as well as different statues, sculptures, and parts of the city I hadn't checked out. The cafe we went to made little designs in our cafes con leche, which I always appreciate...there's just something so pleasing about sipping coffee out of a cup with a heart or a leaf on top. When we were there, they were having carnaval but we didn't watch the parade, just stopped by to see everyone dressed up in costumes. We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant called Scaletti 5 and TJ and I split an amazingggg pizza.
This could be a stock photo- AB
Hehe, thanks -SE
Playa de Silencio
This beach is hands downs the most beautiful beach in all of Spain. I know I know, I haven't seen them all, but I really don't think you can beat Playa del Silencio. I think the pictures speak for themselves about how stunning it is. The best part was, there was no one else there except us. We had the whole beach to ourselves and even though it wasn't silent--the waves were pretty loud and we ourselves were not being silent--it was incredibly peaceful.
Cudillero
Cudillero was like a ghost town when we visited. Probably because it was a little chilly and overcast, and the middle of the week. There was exactly one bar and one restaurant open when we were there, and we tried out both. The town itself is adorable, with its colorful, stacked houses and narrow, winding streets. TJ and I checked out the mirador, which offered a pretty nice view of the harbor.
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| Nice pose, TJ |
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| View from the mirador |
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| Aforementioned narrow streets |
Covadonga
Covadonga is a historically famous site in Nothern Spain...so much so that I know a Spanish girl my age named after it. In the summertime, the area is overrun with tourists, but if you go in the off-season like we did, you have the place to yourself. Which means you can do illegal things like take pictures of the chapel even though there are massive signs saying "No fotos".
Playa de Las Catedrales
Luarca
I had no idea this town existed, but it turned out to be super quaint and picturesque...just like pretty much every town I've been to here.
Faro de Busto
Another hidden gem I didn't know existed, Faro de Busto is definitely a place to go to admire the ferocity of nature as the waves crash violently against the cliffs many hundred feet below... Take a walk along the path bordering the lighthouse and admire panoramic views of the ocean. Do I sound like a guide book? I've been practicing. ;P
-SE Wagner
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