Oviedo

Asturias is a mountainous and coastal region in the North of Spain that is well known amongst Spaniards for it's natural beauty, incredible hikes, natural beaches and delicious food. It's a different side of Spain, a far cry from the Mediterranean beaches and extravagant parties most international tourists know, but in my opinion, it's the best Spain has to offer. It is relatively unknown amongst international tourists. This guide to Asturias is the result of my experience traveling multiple times to this region and dozens of hours of research. It has all the information you will need to travel to this part of the world and save you hours and hours of planning and stress. I have included numerous recommendations on natural parks, hikes, beaches, towns and other places to visit, as well as 15+ accomodation and eating-out options in different areas of Asturias. Most importantly, I have included information on how to get to Asturias and how to move around the region, currency, travel safety, and visa and entry requirements so you don't have to be too bothered by the logistics. I've got you covered! This guide is divided into sections so you can read the entire guide or go to the sections that interest you the most. It also includes an interactive map and it's mobile-friendly, so you can access all the info on your phone when you download the thatch app, and, most importantly, this is a living guide, so I'll update this at no extra cost to you.

A two and a half week visit starting in Madrid and followed by a road-trip across northern Spain crossing the Aragon, Navara, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia regions. This was an adult-only trip that focused on enjoying the best experiences and finest ingredients across the various regions. Hotels on this itinerary are high to very high end. There are some Bonvoy hotels included because loyalty programs work! Seeing the changes between regions was fascinating. The physical landscapes ranged from semi arid with huge sunflower fields dotting the highway, to mountain ranges that were mixed in the distance with clouds, to rolling green hills and banging coast line with surfers, families and friends enjoying the beautiful beaches all along the way. Galicia was the sleeper hit for us. The whole north coast of Spain is quieter than Malaga, Valencia etc. and Galicia is heavy on domestic tourism. Galicia is also a great add on for those visiting Portugal.