Cangas de Narcea Car Hire

Things to do in Cangas de Narcea

Monasterio de San Juan de Corias

The Abbey of San Juan Bautista de Corias is a former Benedictine monastery now converted into a Parador luxury hotel. It serves as a historic site of the province, informally known as "the Asturian Escorial". This is a beautiful, historical building full of character and depth, a great visit for all the architecture lovers. It's a little out of the way but you'll appreciate its location due to the spectacular views of the mountains.

Reserva Natural Integral de Muniellos

This is a great hike for all the nature lovers. A chance to get out into the outdoors and soak in the green carpets of mountain forests and breath taking views. There are different trails at different difficulty levels so you are able to pick the best route for yourself to ensure you enjoy the hike and don't tire yourself out too much! It's a natural reserve so you will need to book in advance as they have a limit to the number of people they allow to enter.

Wine Museum of Cangas De Narcea

The area's microclimate since the Middle Ages has enabled high mountain vineyards to grow upon its steep slopes. Today, Cangas De Narcea serves as the only wine-making place in Asturias, and many wineries can be found in the area including the Wine Museum in Santiso. The museum opened in July 2010 with the intention of creating a facility to educate on the wine culture of Cangas De Narcea. During your visit you can enjoy a guided tour of a traditional winery where you will learn about the process of winemaking in traditional Asturian society. Complementing the visit, you can also walk the Paseo del Vino, a 1.3km pedestrian path that connects the wine areas Santiso and Barzaniellas. It's a very pleasant stroll that runs parallel to river Luiña through a riparian forest. Make sure you check the Museos del Vino website for the schedule before attending.

Eating Out in Cangas de Narcea

Due to its geographical isolation, being lost between numerous mountains and valleys, Cangas de Narcea has a particular cuisine. So particular that many gastronomy events are held here throughout the year which would be great way for you to get a first-hand experience of what this area's food is all about. The town has a huge number of artisan bakeries, and the traditional local dishes vary from cabbage soups to blood sausages. The typical meats of the region are deer, and partridge, and legumes are another speciality. You must try the xenosto cheese which today is only produced in the village that has the same name! Accompany this cheese with some soft wine such as Vino de Cangas, which is usually sipped from traditional small wood cups known as 'cachos' or one of the region's popular ciders. Some local dishes that you must try are: embitidos (sausage), chosco (cabbage soup), and chorizo (ham, bacon, blood sausage).

Sidrería Narcea is a five-star rated, dine-in and takeaway restaurant in the heart of the town, serving delicious Asturian and Spanish food at reasonable prices. If you fancy tucking into local flavours at a friendly bar, then head down to Bar Blanco Restaurante. For a more upscale environment, Parador de Corias is a converted monastery, now a high-end hotel and restaurant. Fancy munching on something sweet after you've treated your tastebuds to the spanish flavours, then head down to Manín bread store. Don't be fooled by the shabby location, as this bakery serves some of the most delightful cheesecakes, palmiers, old school breads, local wines, and coffee.

The people of Cangas de Narcea are very proud of their cheese, and rightfully so as they have a such a diversity of different types of creamy and delicious cheeses all freshly made with a lot of local love!

The top three cheeses that you should definitely try during your visit are:

1. Ahumado de Pría - made by mixing cow's milk and sheep's milk cream, and usually left to age from 2 to 6 months. Then after 2 months it's smoked over beech and oak. The cheese was originally produced in shepherd's huts, and it'll surprise you with its milky and smokey flavour.

2. Peñameller - Made from cow's milk, however for extra flavour during spring, goat's or sheep's milk is added. Underneath its natural rind, the texture of the body is dense, creamy, and supple, with small irregular eyes. The flavour of this cheese is quite acidic and herbaceous with bitter overtones.

3. Gamoneu - this is a full-fat, ripened cheese put together from the milk of either cow, goat or sheep. It's lightly smoked and has streaks of green mold on the edges.

Transport in Cangas de Narcea

Cangas de Narcea is an hour's drive from Oviedo Airport, and the fastest way to arrive is with a pre-booked taxi or minibus waiting to whisk you off on arrival. The cheapest method is by bus. Once you're in the town make sure to use Moovit, as it provides you with free maps and live directions to help you navigate through the area. You can view schedules, routes, timetables, and plan your days accordingly.