vacation in northern spain

I have a special place in my heart for Northern Spain; this is where I studied abroad my junior year in college, where I fell in love with traveling, and where I met several people who would have a lasting effect on my life. I lived in the capital city of Asturias, Oviedo, Spain. The city itself has so much charm and beauty intertwined with its unique Asturian culture rich with food, drink, celebrations, and the tell tale lisp that I cant shake when I say “gracias”. The memories I hold of this place will always come to me in the sweetest times, when I see something beautiful or when I think of someone I met there. I could nearly cry looking at photos and remembering my life there. I have a deep desire to return and spend a good piece of my life in this beautiful region, covered in green colinas and oceanside cliffs. My appreciation for Northern Spain has inspired me to influence as many people as possible to visit this less trodden down path so they may too experience its beauty and deservingness of attention.

Where to go in Northern Spain

My five top recommended places to visit are: Oviedo, Gijon, Cudillero, San Sebastian, and Santiago de Compostela. This blog will explain in detail why I find them to be so notable and what to do in each place!

Oviedo

As previously mentioned, Oviedo has my heart and soul. This city is a great place to visit to admire the beautiful Spanish architecture, eat some unique Asturian food, drink sidra, do some shopping, or even hiking in the surrounding areas.

Oviedo has a very lively nightlife with some great bars on a street called Calle Mon. This street is a very sweet and tranquil place right next to the cathedral in the daytime, but comes alive at night. That is the result of the entire street only being occupied by bars which aren’t open during the daytime. Bars have lots of entertainment whether it be billiards, darts, one-euro shots, or a foosball table. Unbeknownst to me, foosball is a very popular bar game which can become the most interesting thing at the bar if there is a competitive game happening.

During the day, I always enjoyed taking a walk in the city, crossing through one of the city’s many parks, and grabbing a bite to eat somewhere new every day. My favorite restaurant for lunch and dinner was Tierra Austur, it is a traditional eatery that offers excellent service including tableside sidra service. Definitely head there for one of their lunch specials called the “menu del dia”, this is a common offering in Spain which provides a three course meal including a coffee and beverage of choice (I usually opted for a glass of red wine). Many places all across Spain will offer a menu, its honestly hard to go wrong! Menus would run for anywhere between 12-16 euros when I was there, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was higher now, but it should still be a very reasonable price for the amount of food you will get.

Some of the best things to do in the city are to check out the cathedral, take a walk down calle pelayo for some shopping, head to campo san fransisco or parque invierno, and visit the Monumento al Sagrado Corazon de Jesus. The cathedral actually has a very unique design due to its singular tower, it also is known for containing a piece of cloth with the real blood of Jesus Christ. Although I am not religious, the Spanish Catholic ambiance is something I appreciated, there are many aspects that are quite beautiful and hold a great importance for the culture.

Gijón

Gijon is a beautiful seaside city with great food, a crescent beach to enjoy each month of the year, a lovely promenade along the water, surf schools, night life, and lots of quaint plazas for people watching. Gijon is one of those dream places you would move to and spend your whole life in peace and surrounded by wonderful people and relaxation. It is also quite easy to travel from there as the airport and the highway easily connect you to the rest of Spain and Europe.

My perfect day in Gijon would be to sit on the beach with my rental surfboard and a jug of fresh squeezed orange juice from the supermarket. After a long relaxing day in the sun, I would take a walk on the promenade to watch the sunset and feel the mist from the waves hitting the seawall. I’d then head to a cafe on the main strip along the beach to have a cana and some tapas as the night takes over. I’d take much joy in chatting with some locals, then walk home feeling safe and unworried in the safety of the city.

Cudillero

Cudillero is the Cinque Terre of Spain, with its layered coastal houses of all colors and intimate feel you will love the views and photo opportunities at every turn. It is a very easy day trip from Oviedo or Gijon, although, finding parking was somewhat tricky. You may have to park somewhat far from the center due to Cudillero’ skinny streets and popularity. Once you park, you can walk down into the town, but the way back up is very steep so be ready for some cardio back up. It’s all worth it to get to hang out in this incredible town with friendly people and delicious seafood restaurants. There is also a great hike that takes you up to a lookout point, you will climb the stairs essentially through peoples front porches to reach the top. I went here with my 63 year old father and we had no problem making it to the top. From the top you can see the deep blue colored water of the Bay of Biscay, its strong waves hitting the rocks, and listen to seabirds calling out. There’s a plethora of restaurants to choose from, we ate at Casa de Julio and indulged on some octopus and scallops both prepared in the traditional Spanish manner. I can vividly remember this meal as one of the best food experiences of my life. The entire ambiance of the town makes you love your life and appreciate every moment.

San Sebastián

San Sebastian is an incredible destination for people who want to try some really interesting and delicious food. It is very well known as the Michelin star hotspot in Spain, and boasts hundreds of restaurants each with their own take on tasty bite sized tapas and other Spanish, French, and Italian offerings. Be prepared to spend a bit more money on this trip than normal, the restaurants lure you in with their perfectly organized glass displays showcasing their offerings. In addition to the incredible food scene, San Sebastian also offers its visitors a pristine beach perfect for sun bathing, swimming, playing frisbee, or some beach volleyball. I urge you to take a stroll along the beach as well as the promenade with some good music playing and a gelato in hand. If you walk all the way to the western side of the beach, you will begin seeing the sculptures of Haizearen orrazia, it is a beautiful walk and you can see the island in the middle from a better vantage point. If you’re not tired from that, I would also suggest going to the Motako Gaztelua castle, it is a beautiful walk up the hill to the castle and you will have some wonderful views from the walkway.

Efficient uses of space in the packed old town area.

One of the more interesting things I noticed while visiting San Sebastian was a dislike for tourists, definitely not from everyone but there were several graffiti inscriptions saying things like ‘tourists go home’. I did not experience any actual confrontation with anyone, but I do believe this part of Spain has a desire to be a distinct area from the rest of Spain, and it is a complicated topic for the locals.

My trip to San Sebastian was easily one of my favorites across Spain, head there for a delightful vacation filled with food, beaches, and a moderate climate.

Santiago de Compostela

Santiago De Compostela is a charming town in Galicia that is the end point for the Camino de Santiago. That means the city is constantly crawling with people who just finished the hike and are all very happy and ready to celebrate. It was quite interesting to people watch here, it was easy to pick out those who just finished the hike as they looked dirty, had backpacks, and were in large groups. It was a very fun atmosphere but a little weird as someone who hadn’t just done the hike. The city itself has a very nice city center with restaurants and bars galore. You can wander the streets and pop in their many shops as well which have artisan crafts and treats.

in conclusion

Spain is an incredible place to get to know on a deeper level. There are so many worthwhile places that I suggest you explore in your own self-satisfying manner. There is something for everyone to enjoy whether you are traveling short term or long term. My time as a student in Spain introduced me to the wonders of traveling and really going deep into another culture and lifestyle. Feel free to reply to our contact page if looking for some additional advise on visiting Spain!

-Allison