Best tours of Oviedo

Visiting the different museums, monuments and attractions in the city are usually activities that you can do during your trip. But in addition, among the best things to do in Oviedo you will find a series of guided and free tours that you can take to make the most of your stay.

You will have the opportunity to walk through the streets of the old town to visit the Museum of Fine Arts, the Cathedral and other monasteries. You will also enjoy the natural monuments and a series of statues in the city's squares. Such is the case of a sculpture of Father Fray Benito Feijo, "El Viajero" (The Traveler), Quino's funny Mafalda and many more.

If you have 1 day in Oviedo, then your goal should be to visit as many destinations as possible in the shortest time possible. In this sense, a good option is to join a guided tour of the old part of the city. Thus, you will pass by the exterior of the different sites of historical, architectural and cultural interest.

You will walk through the streets of the old town with a local guide, who will tell you the history of each monument. For example, you will see:

• The Cathedral of Oviedo, a construction dating from the 8th century and with a predominant Gothic style.
• The Monastery of San Pelayo, an enclosure of Catholic worship built in the early Middle Ages and representative of Romanesque art.
• The Palace of Valdecarzana, built in the early seventeenth century and with a baroque style construction.

Also, you will contemplate the Medieval Wall of Oviedo and the facade of some houses of interest:

• Casa del Deán Payarinos, built in 1900 by the religious Benigno Rodríguez.
• Casona de Regla, a construction of the XVIII century.
• Casa de los Campomanes, considered one of the first baroque style buildings in the city.

The itinerary of this type of tour usually incorporates a walk through the Plaza de Feijoo, where you will see the statue of Father Fray Benito Feijo and the Plaza Porlier, known for hosting the sculpture called "El Viajero" (The Traveler).

Details of interest

• Price: 459€ groups of 8 people (group activity).
• Duration: about 2 hours.
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: since this is a private activity aimed at groups of eight people, you can take the tour in the company of your group of friends or family.
• Disadvantages of this option: the tour does not include entrance to the monuments, you will simply walk around the outside of each one.

If you want to enjoy one of the most dazzling places in Asturias, you should connect with one of the day trips from Oviedo to the lakes of Covadonga in the Picos de Europa National Park. You will take a gentle hiking route, which is ideal if you are in Oviedo with children.

Once you arrive at the Picos de Europa National Park, the itinerary followed by the guide is usually:

• Lake Enol, whose waters stand out for having a beautiful emerald green color.
• Lake Ercina, whose size and depth is smaller than Lake Enol. In fact, during the winter you can see it frozen.
• Entrelagos viewpoint, from where you will contemplate a panoramic view of both lakes.

Afterwards, you will continue on through the park to visit other places of interest:

• Santa Cueva, where you will be amazed with the excavated rock that gives rise to the cabilla that houses the image of the Virgin of Covadonga.
• Basilica of Santa Maria la Real. It is a neo-Romanesque temple of the nineteenth century, where you can take amazing pictures.
• The Chapter House, which houses the famous museum of Covadonga.

Interesting details

• Price: from 75€ per person.
• Duration: 8 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: minibus to the Picos de Europa National Park.
• Advantages of this option: you will escape from the hustle and bustle of the city to discover breathtaking landscapes and natural monuments.
• Disadvantages of this option: this type of activity is not suitable for people with limited mobility.

During your 2-day visit to Oviedo you can take part in a day tour to Cudillero, Vidio, Catedrales and Luarca Beach. This way, you will discover a picturesque fishing village and many other interesting places.

The activity starts in the center of Oviedo. There, you will connect with the guide and get into a car that will take you to Cudillero, where you will go on a walking tour throughout the town.

You will see:

• The Amphitheater: composed of a series of staggered houses with colorful facades, whose distribution creates a huge terrace.
• The Plaza de la Marina: this is the main square and is located inside the amphitheater, creating a beautiful setting.
• The Old Town, with cobbled and narrow streets. In addition, it highlights a curious house whose facade is covered with shells (Caracolas de Teixera).

The tour of Cudillero will also allow you to enjoy beautiful panoramic views from its viewpoints:

• Mirador el Baluarte: you will get a privileged view of the Plaza la Marina.
• La Garita viewpoint: you will contemplate the lighthouse and the town's port. You will also see the amphitheater in the distance.

In addition, the guide will take you to other destinations of great tourist and historical attraction in the region:

• Cape Vidio, with beautiful landscapes.
• Playa del Silencio, where you will enjoy amazing quartzite cliffs.
• Playa Catedrales, with a series of rock arches squalid by nature.
• The picturesque fishing village of Luarca.

Details of interest

• Price: from 375€ (groups of 4 people).
• Duration: 6 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: private car or minibus.
• Advantages of this option: you will explore a fishing village with a great historical and cultural importance.
• Disadvantages of this option: the adventure does not include any food or drink.

Oviedo is a city where statues share their place with visitors, and you can find them as you pass by as if they were just another local. Therefore, if the sculptural art is of your interest, you should take a tour through the streets of the city to know in detail each of the works.

This route of statues can be done on your own or connect with a guided tour. Whichever you choose, you will enjoy works that have become real tourist attractions in the city. In addition, you will learn about their history, style (ancient, contemporary, abstract, figurative) and material of elaboration, among other information.

For example, some of the statues you will see are:

• Vendedoras del Fontán, in Plaza de Daoiz y Velarde.
• Botero's Maternity, in Plaza Escandalera.
• Mafalda, sitting on a bench in Uría street.
• Woody Allen, in Milicias Nacionales street.
• Friends, in Plaza Juan XXIII.
• El Diestro "Berrocal", in Palacio Valdés street.
• La Regenta. This is a bronze statue, located in the Plaza de Alfonso II.

Undoubtedly, if you visit Oviedo in summer, autumn or spring, this activity will be ideal to complement your itinerary. You will take advantage of the good weather of those seasons to explore freely through the streets in search of the hundreds of sculptures that decorate the city.

Details of interest

• Price: from 10€ per person (guided tour) and free if you do it on your own.
• Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will take a tour through the streets of Oviedo to know the sculptural art of the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: this activity does not include transfer to and from the hotel.

Visiting the Cathedral of Oviedo will allow you to know part of the architectural, artistic and cultural aspects of the city. In addition, this type of guided tours are ideal if you are in Oviedo in winter, since during the tour you will be sheltered from any weather changes that may occur.

Inside the Cathedral

Once you enter the Cathedral, you will start walking around its interior, thus accessing several of its rooms. For example:

• Cloister: with a predominant Gothic style and some Romanesque details of the ancient construction on which it was erected.
• Pantheon of Kings: this is located in the interior area of the chapel of Our Lady of the Chaste King and it features a bust of King Alfonso II, the coat of arms of Spain in a large box, reliefs and much more.
• High Altarpiece: built during the XVI century under a Hispanic-Flemish Gothic architectural style.

Side chapels

During the tour through the Epistle nave, you will observe several religious and historical objects inside the chapels that make up this area. Some of them are:

• Chapel of Santa Barbara or San Miguel.
• Chapel of San Martín de Tours.
• Chapel of San Antonio.
• Chapel of Santo Cristo de Velarde.

Holy Chamber

This chamber of pre-Romanesque style is a monument declared a World Heritage Site, according to UNESCO. In it, you will have the opportunity to see a series of objects of great religious importance:

• The Holy Shroud, in which Jesus' head was wrapped after his death.
• The box of Agates and the Holy Ark.
• The Cross of Victory and the Cross of the Angels, which are a pair of symbols that reiterate the power of Christianity against Islam.

Details of interest

• Price: from 7€ per person.
• Duration: 2 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will have a guide accredited by the chapter, to make the tour of the Cathedral.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must buy the ticket the same day of the visit, so you must arrive in time to wait your turn.

In the Asturian capital you will not only see natural and historical monuments. You will also find restaurants and pastry shops to taste a rich gastronomy during your stay. Therefore, you should incorporate a culinary route to your itinerary of at least 4 days in Oviedo. This way, you will get in touch with traditional preparations and drinks.

You will connect with a local guide in the city center and start the walking tour through the main streets. In this way, you will visit several restaurants and pastry shops, where you will taste a series of sweet and savory preparations, while listening to the history of each one of them.

Restaurants

You can start the tour with a visit to three of Oviedo's traditional restaurants, frequented daily by locals and tourists:

• Casa Fermin: this is a family restaurant with a history dating back to 1924. You will taste traditional food with seasonal ingredients.
• La Corte de Pelayo: in this restaurant you will have a varied menu, including the famous cachopos (a couple of veal steaks with ham and cheese among them).
• La Taberna del Zurdo: with a wide variety of tapas, wines and craft beer.

Pastry shops

Certainly, in Oviedo you will find several pastry shops, but Rialto, is one of the most famous in the whole city. Therefore, this is a must on your gastronomic tour. There, you will be able to taste a couple of traditional Asturian sweets:

• Moscovitas: this is a recipe typical of Asturias that consists of delicious chocolate cookies with a delicate coating of caramelized almonds.
• Carbayones: this is a traditional sweet from the city of Oviedo, consisting of a puff pastry base with egg yolks and almonds. Its format is oval and it is completely covered in sugar.

Details of interest

• Price: from 75€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: with this tour you will not only taste the traditional gastronomy of Oviedo and Asturias, but you will also learn about the history of each preparation.
• Disadvantages of this option: this type of activity does not usually allow access to pets.

A kayaking experience during your stay in Oviedo is an ideal activity if you are a water sports enthusiast. Join a guided tour through the waters of the Nalon River and enjoy a different kind of adventure.

The activity starts with a pick up at the hotel or in the city center, at your convenience. Afterwards, you will travel approximately 20 minutes by car to the Nalón River, where you will get into the kayak. But first, the guide will give you some basic instructions to avoid any inconvenience during the route.

You will immediately start paddling and descend the section of the river that is connected to the town of Trubia and Caldas. During the route you will encounter at least six rapids, areas where the water is calm and others with waves.

Also, before finishing the tour and returning to the city center, you will have free time to swim, take pictures and contemplate the surroundings.

Details of interest

• Price: from 40€ per person.
• Duration: 4 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: private car.
• Advantages of this option: you will enjoy a high intensity aquatic experience a few minutes away from the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: the activity does not include any type of food or drink.

When undertaking a tour of Oviedo you will get to see many sites of historical, cultural and architectural interest. Such is the case of the old part of the city, where you will see the palace of Valdecarzana, the monastery of San Pelayo, the cathedral and some mansions.

Also, you will find a large number of ancient and contemporary statues distributed throughout the streets of the city. All of them perfectly integrated into the urban landscape. You can come across the little Mafalda, Woody Allen or the famous Regenta, among others.

In addition, if you take a tour of some nearby villages (Cudillero) or the National Park of Picos de Europa (Covadonga lakes), you will discover beautiful natural landscapes.

Tours of Oviedo are recommended because they are done in the company of a local guide, who will take you directly to each attraction, without the risk of getting lost in the streets of the city. This way, you will save significant time, which you will be able to use for other activities in your itinerary.

Besides, joining a tour in Oviedo you will enjoy some benefits. Of course, that will depend on the route you select. For example:

• Queue-free access to the attractions visited.
• Transfer to and from the hotel.
• Breakfast or lunch.
• Tastings in the gastronomic tours.
• Entrance to some natural and historical monuments.