Oviedo Things to Do

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Not so much a tip but a couple of photos. In a country like Spain, I feel that you really need to limit the amount of churches and/or cathedrals that you go into. A small dose of interiors will do and for me, it's really about the exterior architecture.

That being said, here are two of Oviedo's cathedral. The statue outside seemed to draw the most attention. How could I resist?

This is the gorgeous cathedral in the center of the old town. Too bad...it was closed, too, for a wedding or a confirmation. We were allowed to go into a side door and look through a glass window into the interior. I felt a bit like the nuns watching Julie Andrews marry the Captain in "Sound of Music". We couldn't see much, but what we did see, looked cavernous, gothic and dark.

Sidrerias, where you can order Asturian sidra, are very popular in Oviedo. The street in this picture was called Calle Sidreria, I believe, and was lined with sidrerias. The bagpipers are finally heading back to the main plaza after spending all afternoon in the sidrerias.

We couldn't get into any of the main churches, but we did enjoy walking around the old town. In the main plaza, a musical group playing bagpipes in traditional dress were just wrapping up. You are more likely to hear bagpipes than flamenco in this area.

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Large park right in the centre of the city. Good place for a walk and a restful seat under the trees, if it's not raining of course. Look out for the peacocks that roam around too! Very good tourismo kiosk on the corner at Santa Cruz have maps and information in many languages.

It is the church built by Ramiro I besides his palace on the Naranco slopes (9th century).
Originally had basilical plan, with three naves, measuring 16x10 m, but it was ruined, probably in the 13 th century, and nowadays only one third of the original building is preserved, remanining the foot of the church.

(to be updated...)

Despite its antiqueness, this building is well documented. It was built as a country residence for the king Ramiro I (842-850), on the slope of the Naranco Mount, which rises besides the city.
It was turned into a church later, but in 1930 was carefully turned back to its original appearance.

(to be updated...)

The Foncalada fountain was built during the reign of Alfonso III "the Great" (866-910).
Looks like a samall house or temple, built in ashlar, with rectangular plan and gable roof.
Shelters a spring of drinking water which rises from the ground.
It´s the only civil building of the late Middle Ages that remain in Europe, if I´m not wrong, and it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.