Oviedo

Two monks and a hill. When Máximo and Fromestano founded a convent dedicated to San Vicente, they did not know that it would be the first Christian capital of the Iberian Peninsula.

The creation of Oviedo has all the legendary epic ingredients of all major acts and cities. Since ancient times it has retained its monastic and royal stamp. It remains the original point of reference for the unique or sacred road of St. James, the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, which was also founded by an Asturian king, Alfonso II.

The Asturian capital is hospitable and dynamic, a place where you can experience something different every day. It also has an extraordinary cultural and commercial life.

It is an accessible city to stroll around. With every corner having an unexpected sensation; the Fontán market, a pre-Romanesque fountain called La Foncalada, a cathedral with both a Gothic and a Romanesque tower, a historic city which has been a source of inspiration for writers such as Clarín and Pérez de Ayala, contemporary civil architecture and an intense cultural agenda including the opera season and the Princess of Asturias Awards Ceremony, among other significant events.

That’s Oviedo, monastic and royal, on St. James’ Way, a beacon of Christianity in the late Middle Ages, that still guarantees one of its relics a universal reference: Holy Shroud.

What to do in Oviedo

A walk through the old town, where the cathedral, the Holy Chamber, some churches and monasteries such as Las Pelayas and museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Archaeological Museum, are worth mentioning.

A tapa or two in the “Cider Boulevard”. That is the name given to Calle Gascona, a street full of restaurants and cider taverns, where you can enjoy cider and local dishes.

Shopping in Calle Uría. This street is one of the most important commercial districts of the city and summarizes how the city evolved in the 20th century. Nearby, a common green space in the city: San Francisco Park.

The city of art and the Princess of Asturias Awards. Pre-Romanesque art – declared World Heritage by UNESCO -, contemporary art, sculptures, etc., and an abundant cultural life that has peaked in the Prince of Asturias Awards Ceremony.

What can you visit

The Town Hall

The town hall was built in 1622-1623 by the architect Juan de Naveda, and the building was restored and expanded in 1939. A marble lion leads the main entrance. Originally from the fountain that in the early years of the 19th century stood in the main square of the Plaza Mayor.

Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz del Marcenado or de la Rua

(Palacio del Marques de Santa Cruz del Marcenado o de la Rua)
Built by order of Alonso González de la Rúa, treasurer of the Catholic princes. It is sober and military in appearance. A 15th-century late Gothic palace. The façade has an entrance with a circular arch around the vault, decorated with the coats of arms of the Rúa and Cienfuegos families. There is a recently covered courtyard and a beautiful garden in the building. It is currently an event centre.