The only part of Spain never to fall to the Moors, Asturias remains defiant, delicious, distinctive. Our collaborator José Andrés comes from these mountains, and his ideas, passions and people are woven throughout this magical weeklong journey from the coast to the hills and back again.
The only part of Spain never to fall to the Moors, Asturias remains defiant, delicious, distinctive. Join us for a weeklong journey through mar y montaña featuring a mountaintop fire-feast, a beachside seafood cookout, a visit to the secret cheese caves of a gamonéu master, and breaking bread with our friends who run some of the most dynamic restaurants in Spain. High-to-moderate activity level. Meat-centric itinerary.
Fiesta del Rosariu! This annual Autumn festival kicks off in Vibañu, one of Asturias’ most enchanting and off-the-beaten-track villages
Lunch at the Sobrino family cornmill in Vibañu, for all-senses exploration the history of corn in Asturias, the first landing spot for corn in Europe after the conquista
Drinks, costumes, music, village revelry
Siesta, giddy exhaustion, dinner of light bites back at Narbasu
Visit the secret caves of Gamonéu cheesemaster Juan Sobrecueva
Lunch at Covadonga for Asturias’ famous bean dish, fabada
Dinner at one of Spain’s most elegant rural restaurants, Casa Marcial, which just received its third Michelin star under the guidance of chef Nacho Manzano
A hands-on visit with a local artisan anchovy producer to learn the meticulous craft behind the region’s prized catch
An exclusive, behind-the-scenes look into the historic El Gaitero commercial cider plant, guided by ethnologist Tano Collado
A traditional rural espicha (cider house feast) hosted by Tano and his family—the very same family we met while production-scouting for Eva Longoria’s Searching for Spain. We’ll be cracking open the exact cider batch made with our last R&K group back in October
A scenic morning cycle through the Asturian countryside
An intimate clay workshop and lunch hosted entirely at the home of our friend Valle (of Historias de Tierra) and her partner, the acclaimed chef Andrés Madrigal
We move on to Oviedo to visit one of the oldest, most revered confectioneries in Asturias to try the iconic Carbayón, a rich almond pastry made the exact same way since 1924
A private tour of the Archaeological Museum of Asturias led by resident US archaeologist Murray McClellan
A casual, neighborhood-style dinner at the beloved Casa Pachu
Palacio de Figueras, Avenida de Trenor, Castropol 33794
+34 609 98 66 82
Free time to explore the coastal village of As Figueras
The crowning cove-party: Elio Ferpel live-fire cooking on a rugged beach as fishermen bring in their catch for us to cook
Farewell cocktails with passed plates from our private chef and Asturian music at the Palacio before departure the next morning
Day
8
Goodbye
October 24 · Saturday
One last breakfast at Palacio de Figueras
Private transfer back to Oviedo Airport
What’s Included
All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as snacks and beverages between meals
All accommodations and transportation during the trip (except when taking a taxi or ride app independently during unscheduled time)
Expertise and services of our experienced trip leaders: at least one guide and one host per trip
Additional guides and experts from the region
Transfers to and from the airport or wherever you are on the day the trip starts and ends
Daily Roads & Kingdoms gifts, notes, and playlists related to the themes, activities and narratives of each trip
All gratuities for accommodations, meals, guiding or transport
What’s Not Included
International airfare to and from the journey (note: some trips begin and end at different airports)
Airport transfers on days that fall outside of the trip dates
Personal bar tabs (when not with the group)
Personal laundry or spa services
Personal travel insurance
Meet Our Hosts
Local Guide
Alejo Sabugo
Fixer, Producer, Explorer
We met Asturias native Alejo Sabugo when he worked on the “Parts Unknown” Asturias episode. Though he’s worked as a producer and fixer, his true talent is as a tireless enthusiast for all things Asturias, from cider to fabada to gamoneu cheese to the wildness of its mountains and coasts. Today, Alejo is an integral part of the League of Travelers and Roads & Kingdoms family.
R&K Host
Rafa Tonon
Writer, Researcher, Explorer
When Rafa Tonon isn’t on the road as one of the leading food writers working today, he is back home in the town he chose for its vibrant culinary scene and beauty: Porto. His work has been published widely, from Slate and Eater to The Washington Post and he is the author of books including The Food Revolutions (published in Portuguese and Spanish) and 50 Restaurants Over 50 Years Old – 5 Decades of São Paulo Food, about the traditional restaurants of Latin America’s largest city.
Where You’ll Stay
Narbasu Restaurante y Hotel
Rural Retreat
In rural Asturias, the Manzano family is the shining light of hospitality. Nacho Manzano is renowned as the chef/owner behind three-star Michelin restaurant Casa Marcial. His sister Esther is a famed restaurateur in her own right. And together, their newly renovated property Narbasu Restaurante y Hotel is a stunning reimagination of rural Asturian life at its most elegant and refined.
El Moderne
A restored Art Deco monument
Set back from Gijón’s waterfront, Hotel El Moderne occupies one of the city’s finest monuments to 1930s Zig Zag Art Deco. Built in 1931 by the prolific local architects Manuel and Juan del Busto, the building’s landmarked bones and striking geometric facade were brought back from the brink during a meticulous year-long restoration. Inside, the preservation gets a sharp, contemporary update: the interiors skip the museum piece feel in favor of muted tones, rich velvets, and a moody, low-lit warmth. It’s a clean, sophisticated hideout that anchors you directly into Gijón’s urban rhythm while providing a calm, hyper-practical sanctuary from the Cantabrian breeze.
Vestige Palacio de Figueras
Seaside Palace
Perched above a tranquil ria, where the Cantabrian sea comes inland and separates Asturias and Galicia, a majestic 16th-century palace with a central tower and two crenellated wings dominates the skyline. The heritage-marked Palacio de los Trénor in Figueras underwent an 11-year renovation in its transformation into a luxury hotel. Landscaped gardens flow into a set of terraces bursting with plants, trees and flowers down towards the coast, offering winding pathways, hidden corners, a private chapel, and glimpses out to sea.
We pierced the ‘tourist bubble’ largely through Alejo’s connections.
James B.
Asturias Unconquered 2023
The selection of curated experiences surpassed our expectations. We are already talking about another trip.
Jean M.
Asturias Unconquered 2023
Nathan and Alejo were consummate hosts. Thank you for a truly magical experience!
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