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Spain: (Principado de) Asturias

Overview

The region and principality of Asturias is situated on the northern coast of Spain on the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay) and contains just one province of the same name. It’s one of the smallest regions (10,565km2/4,079mi2) with a population of 1.07 million. The coastline (290km/180mi) of Asturias and neighbouring Cantabria is known as the Costa Verde (green coast) due to its lush, verdant vegetation. Main towns include Avilés; Gijón (Xixón in the Asturian dialect), the largest port on the Cantabrian coast; and Oviedo, the capital, with a beautiful Gothic cathedral. The coastline of Asturias is the least spoilt and most beautiful, and is dotted with traditional picturesque fishing ports and villages with beautiful churches. Fertile valleys run along the coast which is noted for its deep bays and golden beaches. The region is most famous for its mountain scenery, notably the Picos de Europa, Spain’s first national park (inhabited by brown bears and wolves), with peaks rising to 2,640m (8,660ft). It’s one of the world’s most spectacular mountain ranges with breathtaking panoramas and is a popular hiking, climbing and winter sports area.

Asturias is one of the most remote and isolated regions, an ancient land where important prehistoric cave paintings have been discovered. It differs markedly from the rest of Spain, particularly in its flora, fauna, customs, houses, food, drink (cider) and people. The region has a long mining (iron ore, coal) tradition in its inland villages and there are iron and steel works in Avilés. However, the region’s main industry is farming, notably potatoes, corn, fruit, cattle and pigs. Like the rest of the northern coast, Asturias is one of the wettest regions, although it enjoys hot summers, and spring and autumn are generally mild. The region has poor communications with the rest of Spain, although there are modern motorways between the region’s main towns, along the Cantabrian coast from Avilés to Bilbao, and León to the south, and trains run along the coast between Santander and Oviedo. A year-round ferry service runs from Plymouth to Santander and there are limited flights from Dublin to Bilbao and from London Stansted to Asturias, Bilbao and Santander airports. The region has traditionally been of little interest to foreign homebuyers, although this is gradually changing, particularly among the British and Dutch. Property prices start at around €145,000 for an apartment in a coastal town and at €75,000 for a country house with land.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Spain 2006” 5th Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Spain 2006” 5th edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive, annually updated information about buying a property in Spain, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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