Asturias

The Principality of Asturias is a region within the country of Spain, and was the Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages. It is situated on the Spanish north coast facing the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay).

The most important cities are the provincial capital, Oviedo, the seaport and largest city Gijon, and the industrial town of Aviles.

Asturias is bordered on the east by Cantabria, on the south by Castilla and Leon, on the west by Galicia, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea. Asturias is not divided up into Provinces like some of the larger regions of Spain.

Oviedo, the capital city of the region of Asturias, is a clean picturesque city with a diverse architectural heritage. Gijon, is however, the biggest city of Asturias. It is a coastal city famous for cultural and sports events. It is famous for it's beach and is a popular tourism centre for the north of Spain. It also is famous for the traditional Asturian gastronomy and for being an important Asturian's cider production spot.

The key features of Asturian geography are its rugged coastal cliffs and the mountainous interior. The climate of Asturias is more varied than that of the southern parts of Spain. Summers are usually humid and warm, with plenty of sunshine, but also some rain. Winters tend to be cold with some very cold snaps. The cold is especially felt in the mountains, where snow is present from October till May. Both rain and snow are regular weather features of Asturian winters.

The landscape of inland Asturias is verdant and more often mountainous, for the Cantabrian Mountains which run along the whole north coast of Spain rise to their greatest heights here in the Picos de Europa.

Some of the Asturias region's interesting places - Cangas de Onis, Covadonga, Gijon, Llanes, Luarca, Oviedo, Ribadesella, Villaviciosa.