An underrated Spanish city with a mild climate and great cuisine

“Give him more,” Amada says with a kind but mischievous smile as her friend, colleague, and chef at El Fartuquín, Mary, puts a second helping of ink-baked squid with rice on my plate. “He’s young and skinny.”

Both women are members of the Club de Guisanderas, a guild of female chefs. They have been doyennes and defenders of traditional Asturian cuisine for 27 years. Amada, the club’s president, tells me that the goal is to preserve recipes and culinary traditions that would otherwise die out; those passed down orally by mothers and grandmothers.

Guisandera comes from the word guiso (stew) and describes a woman who was once present in most Asturian villages. She cooked for celebrations and provided medicinal foods – a sort of village grandmother.

Diners seated in a city square (Photo: Raquel Maria Carbonell Pagola/LightRocket via Getty Images)

It’s the last night of my weekend in Oviedo, one of Spain’s most historic cities. It was from this gentle northern city that King Alfonso II of Asturias set out on his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in neighboring Galicia and became the first recorded person to walk the now-popular Camino de Santiago.

While most of the Iberian Peninsula was under Islamic rule, the city of Oviedo remained Christian, so you’ll find many religious buildings and relics here. However, the heritage here is not just in the architecture and artifacts, but also in the food and drink.

The first stop is Camilo de Blas, a bakery and confectionery that has been serving exquisite pastries, cakes, and gourmet products since 1914. I meet Paloma, the fifth generation of her family in the industry. A chemist by trade, she returned a few years ago to work in the family business.

“This year we celebrate 100 years of Carbayón…” she tells me over a coffee with milk in the grand shop, which has retained its original marble countertop and high wooden shelves, “… puff pastry and Marcona almond cake with a crunchy sugar coating invented here.” It looks a bit like an éclair without cream, and I expect it to be cloyingly sweet, but it is incredibly light and delicious.

“Our 14-person team handcrafts about 400 a day, and people come from all over the world to try the original Carbayón,” he says, adding that Scarlett Johansson is a fan of the drink.

Full of energy, I head to the impressive cathedral for a tour with local guide Ernesto, who tells me that this has been the site of a church since the 8th century. We climb the imposing tower, a kaleidoscopic spire that offers views of the city, then head deeper into the sacred chamber, which houses relics including the Holy Ark and the shroud. We continue through the historic center, passing the old fish market and entering the modern Mercado El Fontán, where I stock up on award-winning local Cabrales blue cheese.

It’s lunchtime and I got a tip that I’d find one of the region’s most famous dishes at La Corte de Pelayo. I’m lucky I booked a table in advance because it looks like I’m not the only one who got this tip. In fact, it’s on the menu for everyone – the winners of the best Chocolate in Asturias.

Typical beef cachopo (Photo: Cris Canton/Getty Images)

Homemade cachopo is made from two veal tenderloins layered with cheese and ham, coated in breadcrumbs and fried. It’s big enough to feed a village, and its sticky, juicy filling and crispy breading can easily be washed down with a glass of Asturian cider.

Asturians are bananas (actually apples) about cider, and here it’s poured in a peculiar way. I wander down La Gascona Street – now synonymous with Asturian cider and dotted with sidrerías (cider bars). I get a masterclass from an Everton expert at Sidrería Tierra Astur El Vasco. Built on a former station, this cider house is home to master cider-pourer Salvador Ondó. Sadly, he’s gone now, but Everton underwent rigorous training.

A waiter pouring cider in a restaurant (Photo: Xuan Cueto/Europa Press/Getty)

The aim is to hold the bottle high above your head and the glass as low as possible, and pour (without fear, as Everton says) until there is a culete or culín at the bottom of the pint glass (about 50ml or one good sip). The reason for pouring (escanciar) this way is to create natural bubbles in the still cider, which you drink in one gulp.

Here a glass costs €0.50 (40p) or you can have unlimited cider for just under €5 (£4.25). On my first try, at least €0.40 landed in the bucket at my feet.

The cider continues to be served at El Fartuquín, deftly poured by Mary’s husband, José, using what I can only describe as a cider urinal to stop the inevitable spray of fermented apple juice from attacking anything nearby.

I need it to help me digest the large helping of tender chicken pitu that Mary has served me. This is the essence of Asturian hospitality and what the guisanderas want to promote, Amada says.

I understand why the annual Golden Guisander awards, given by these 39 women to those who support the concept, mean more than any Michelin star. It’s also a testament to the city’s culinary credentials—as is the latest notch on my belt.

How to get there
The author flew into Oviedo Asturias Airport with Vueling, which has a direct service from Gatwick. Bus transfers from the airport to Oviedo take around 40 minutes. Alternatively, the Ave high-speed train connects Madrid to Oviedo in around three hours.

Where else can you eat and drink?
El Mono Que Lee: A modern, trendy tapas bar with creative cocktails.
Confitería Rialto: Legendary bakery and café serving the famous Moscovitas – almond and chocolate cookies.
Casa Amparo: Traditional restaurant serving delicious fabada, the classic Asturian bean soup.
El Ovetense: A relaxed restaurant offering lunch specials like delicious fried fish and garlic chicken.
Kibo bar: A lovely cafe where you can grab breakfast or a sandwich and coffee, right next to the cathedral.

Where to stay
The new 4-star Hotel Nuvó offers elegant and comfortable rooms just a five-minute walk from the historic city centre, with prices starting from £75.

More information
turismoasturias.es/pl

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