Think you know all about Oviedo thanks to Javier Bardem’s character in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona? Think again.
Here are ten must-see attractions in the extraordinary capital of the Principality of Asturias, Spain.
10. Casas del Cuito
Oviedo has a phenomenal architectural legacy and diverse urban landscape that includes pristine landmarks from a number of eras. The Art Nouveau Casas del Cuito is one such prominent example. The masterpiece is very Victor Horta-esque.
9. Llanes
Though not technically in Oviedo, this spectacular little Asturias town is a total must. Llanes is postcard-worthy traditional port village, with colorful photo ops at almost every turn. Full of genuine charm, the town has a lovely collection of shops and restaurants. Cliffs and Atlantic coastline provide all the requisite scenic beauty and make the 100 km drive from Oviedo well worth it.
8. Picos de Europa National Park
Easily one of the best national parks on the continent, Picos de Europa is another fabulous and easy road trip away from Oviedo. Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León all share the magnificent 646.60 km2 reserve and mountain range. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere and haven for rare animals like the Iberian lynx, Spanish ibex and Cantabrian brown bear.
7. L’Antroxu
L’Antroxu is the traditional carnival held each year in Asturias. The post-Lent bash is a great time to visit Oviedo and indeed, the Principality as a whole. Gastronomy plays a huge part in the celebration, with delicious staples like pork stew and desserts like casadielles and frixuelos.
6. University of Oviedo
The eminent and historic University of Oviedo has a wonderful campus and superb architectural landmarks to discover. With roots in the 15th century, the school is as much a museum as a university. Notable alumni include many famous Spanish poets, novelists and politicians.
5. Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias
As the capital of Asturias, Oviedo has the honor to host cultural gems like the Museum of Fine Arts. The institution has a modest but nonetheless impressive collection that numbers over 10,000 objects. The focus is very much on Spain of course, but other regions of Europe receive occasional nods as well. Three grand landmarks house the museum: the Palacio de Velarde, the House of Oviedo-Portal, and the House of Solís-Carbajal.
4. Prince Felipe Auditorium
Prince Felipe is a popular figure in Asturias and Spain. A 6′ 4″ former Olympian (at the 1992 Barcelona Games no less), the heir apparent to the Spanish throne has several namesake landmarks in his honor. Perhaps the most notable is the exquisite Prince Felipe Auditorium in Oviedo. The magnificent facility is ground zero for all sorts of first-class concerts and other performances.
3. El Fontán
A former market complex, El Fontán is a major Oviedo hub. The rectangular plaza unfurls a collection of superlative porticos and historic monuments that date back hundreds of years. Despite a semi-controversial restoration in the 1980s, El Fontán is a wonderful place to mingle, buy local produce and grab a bite.
2. Archaeological Museum of Asturias
The excellent Archaeological Museum of Asturias is one of the best in Spain. A 16th century Benedictine monastery plays host to a collection of regional objects from the Neolithic Age to the Medieval Age. Sections on weaponry, numismatics, armor, ethnography and medals round out a marvelous, must-see experience.
1. Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias
The “Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias” was one of Spain’s first official UNESCO World Heritage inscriptions. The site includes many 9th century Christian churches, such as Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, Santa Cristina de Lena, the Cámara Santa and San Julián de los Prados. La Foncalada fountain however, just outside the city walls of Oviedo, is perhaps the most notable UNESCO-worthy landmark on the list.
Easily one of the most spectacular drives in Europe, let alone Germany, the Black Forest High Street, or Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, is no Autobahn but a theme route par excellence that cuts a pretty path from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt.
The height of Triberg Waterfalls may not rival Kaieteur Falls in Guyana or Angel Falls in Venezuela but nonethless, the cascade is a notable point of interest. The wasserfall dominates the beautiful little town of Triberg im Schwarzwald, which contains some pretty nice museums, railway tunnels and shops.
The most prominent peak in the Black Forest offers panoramas galore and awesome winter and summer recreation. If you like to cross-country ski, this is the mountain to do it on. Best of all, a warm cup of glühwein is never far away in the hamlets below.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky famously wrote about Baden-Baden’s legendary, elegant casino in his classic tale of angst The Gambler. In the epic spa town’s Kurhaus, the casino is a vivid throwback to a bygone era of nobility and aristocracy, when royals and Russian nobles swept in to bathe in artesian waters by day and play table games in coattails by night.
The Cistercian Maulbronn Monastery Complex is a monumental UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the mid-12th century. Run to Baden-Württemberg’s Enz district to catch this remarkable relic of history.
Smack between Hausach and Gutach at the veritable mid-point of the Black Forest, the Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof is a fantastic opportunity to experience the inherent and singular facets of the region in one tidy package.
No other place on the planet celebrates Christmas quite like Germany and indeed, within the country, Baden-Württemberg rises to the top. Town after town unfurls lines of market stalls with traditional wares and seasonal culinary staples. Central squares take on a warm yuletide feel and inevitably, there is palpable merriment in the air. December in the Black Forest? Pure magic!
Heidelberg is a magnificent university town set in some of the most handsome scenery in Germany. This exquisite small city has a lovely Baroque Old Town and a massive, impressive castle with roots in the 13th century but now partially in ruins. Mark Twain was a major fan of the castle and wrote extensively about it in A Tramp Abroad.
With over 200,000 people, incredible Freiburg im Breisgau is the primary gateway to the Black Forest and a pre-eminent pulse point of the Upper Rhine. The flagship feature of the superlative city is the Minster. The cathedral dominates the heart of Freiburg and is a 13th century Gothic masterpiece.
The low Swabian Alpine summit of Mount Hohenzollern hosts a magnum opus of a castle complex. Construction on this immense noble, royal and military abode began in the 11th century and unbelievably, the castle is still run under private ownership. With a ton of details to discover, it matters not that technically, Hohenzollern is just outside the Black Forest region proper. Make the effort to come if you pass through Baden-Württemberg – close to half a million people visit every year for a reason.
So a toy museum may not rank up there with one on natural science or modern art. Yet the Museu do Brinquedo, or Toy Museum, in Sintra is the kind of kitschy, strange attraction that makes holidays memorable. The collection of vintage toys is actually quite meticulous.
One superb reason to make the trip from Lisbon to Sintra is a necklace of remarkable Atlantic Ocean coastline. The most popular beach destinations in the area include Grande, Magoito, Maçãs and Adraga, though intrepid tourists can always investigate further to find that perfect quiet sandy oasis.
The 18th century Queluz National Palace is not part of the UNESCO World Heritage inscription that spans many landmarks in Sintra. Nonetheless, the rare Rococo masterpiece is a superlative gem, with a bevy of state and private apartments to explore.
It would be a shame to visit Sintra and miss out on the westernmost point of mainland Europe. With that in mind, you simply have to swing by Cabo da Roca just to tick it off your list. The scenic cape is a mere 42 km from Lisbon and 18 km west of Sintra proper. Cabo da Roca was known by the Romans as Promontorium Magnum but Portuguese poet Luís de Camões put it best when he wrote that this is “where the land ends and the sea begins”.
Sintra’s Pena National Palace has won many important honors over the years. The landmark is one of Portugal’s Seven Wonders. The oldest Romantic era palace in Europe is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The President of Portugal has use of the eclectic architectural marvel for state banquets, visits and the like. Simply put, Pena National Palace and indeed, Pena Park, are unlike any other national monument in the country.
This Neoclassical beauty is also part of Sintra’s official UNESCO inscription. As a luxury hotel and restaurant, Seteais Palace is much more of a tourist attraction than Pena for example. Thankfully however, original elements from the late 18th century remain brilliantly intact.
The Quinta da Regaleira estate is a vital component of Sintra’s UNESCO worthy cultural landscape. Commonly known as the “Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire”, the vast early 20th century complex includes lakes, fountains, parks, grottoes, tunnels and of course, the main Romantic palace and chapel.
Where other palaces display grand austerity, Sintra’s Monserrate Palace evokes the playful and exotic. Wholly eclectic, with hints of Mughal architecture, the late 19th century palace bears traits of the Romantic in a similar vein as Pena National Palace.
Perhaps the most important UNESCO landmark in Sintra, the Castle of the Moors dates back to the 9th century. Like other Arab landmarks from the era, the Castle has a sundry and turbulent history. The final inhabitants of the remarkable relic were Sintra’s diminutive Jewish population, who ultimately fled the Castle in the 16th century.
Sintra National Palace or Town Palace is a crown jewel and of course, UNESCO World Heritage landmark. With a history that dates back to the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, the palace has many impressive Mudéjar design features. Clearly, the National Palace must be one of the main reasons Lord Byron wrote this in 1809: “I must just observe that the village of Cintra in Estremadura is the most beautiful in the world.”