Looking for some hidden gems in Oviedo? You have come to the right place. Oviedo is an old, noble city that can trace its origins back to at least the medieval kingdom of Asturias. Since then, it has basically always served as a regional capital. However, while the most commonly known attractions and monuments make Oviedo well worth a visit, there are a lot of interesting and unique corners of the city that aren’t as well known.
Without further ado, here are five hidden gems of Oviedo:
Fábrica de armas de La Vega:
The “Fabrica de armas de La Vega” (Weapons factory of La Vega) was exactly what it is written on the tin, a weapons factory. Started in the XIX century using the land of an old monastery, this weapons factory that is only a stone’s throw away from the city centre closed down in 2012 and since then has mostly been left abandoned. The factory premises cover over 120 000 m2 of land and includes a large and impressive entrance, manufacturing buildings, and even houses for the officers and flats for workers. Currently, you can only visit it as part of exhibitions when and if they are held there, and it is still owned by the ministry of Defence. The weapons factory hasn’t completely disappeared from Oviedo though, as the weapons factory of Trubia is still operational.
Unfortunately, most of the factory hasn’t been maintained and there are plans for its destruction, which has meant that it has been put on a red list of Spanish historic sites at risk of disappearing. So, keep a look out if you are coming to Oviedo to see if there are any events on here to be able to see a bit of the industrial heritage of Asturias. And, even if there isn’t anything on, one of the next gems is actually only across the road from it.
Asturian pre-romanesque (UNESCO World Heritage)
One of the things that I most often find that people are not aware of when they come to Oviedo is Asturian Pre-romanesque architecture. This architectural style was born during the Kingdom of Asturias (VIII-X centuries) and only existed here. Its unique characteristics even got it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In Oviedo, you can find some of the best examples of Asturian pre-romanesque architecture:
- Church of San Julián de los Prados: built during the reign of Alfonso II, it is still used as a church to this day, though visits are only allowed as guided tours. It is located near the centre in front of the Weapons Factory of La Vega.
- The palace and church of Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo: both are located on the outskirts of the city on the slopes of mount Naranco. Both are over 1000 years old and can be visited on guided tours.
- The Holy Chamber of the cathedral of Oviedo: one of the oldest parts of the cathedral, it houses some of the most important relics of the cathedral (Cross of Victory [symbol of Asturias], Cross of Angels, Holy Shroud, pieces of the true cross, etc.).
- Church of San Tirso el Real: founded in the 9th century, little is left of the original pre-romanesque church other than a window at the back of the church. It is located next to the cathedral.
The Oviedo-Fuso green trail
One of the easiest and most beautiful hikes you can go on if you have a day in Oviedo. Following the old railway line, you can enjoy the amazing views of some of the greenest parts of the municipality of Oviedo on this 8.8 km trail. Cross the river Nalón via a railway bridge, go through the old train tunnels and finish the trail at Las Caldas, where you can even enjoy a dip in a pool or a spa treatment at the Royal Spa of Las Caldas. If you want to, you can even keep on going to the next town, Trubia. Do check to see the timetables for local buses to return to Oviedo as well, as these areas are served by city buses too.
La Rodriga gardens
Oviedo has a lot of lovely and interesting public parks and gardens; however, I think I can safely say that none of them are as hidden as the La Rodriga gardens. Located on a slope by the seminary, this garden was originally the XIX century garden of a palace of the Marquis of La Rodriga. It is a lovely garden perched on a big slope. From the top, you can see the skyline of Oviedo and mount Naranco. The garden closes at night and has two entrances, one at the top next to the seminar and another more secret one at the bottom. It also has a lift at the bottom for wheelchair access, though that entrance is hidden under some flats. Truly, one of the very well hidden gems of Oviedo.
Cathedral tower
Did you know that you can go up the tower of the cathedral of Oviedo? Well, you can, as long as you can go up the 184 steps to climb the 44 m needed to get to the top. The cathedral offers guided tours of the tower (currently priced at €10) where they not only explain the history of the tower and its bells (it houses the bell Wamba, which is the oldest bell still in use in Spain, 1219). From there, you also have some beautiful views of the city. It is well worth a visit, though I do recommend notifying them in advance if you can’t speak Spanish to see if they can accommodate your linguistic needs (the tours are normally in Spanish only. Visit their website here for more information.
If you are interested in learning more about Oviedo or Asturias, why not go on one of our tours. Send us a message via our contact page here or go on one of our “Free tours”, walking tours where you pay based on your experience, you can find out more here.
Also, did you enjoy our hidden gems of Oviedo? If so and you are planning on visiting Gijón, why not check out our 5 hidden gems of Gijón post or go on one of our Gijón city tours.