Llanes, Asturias Travel Guide: What to See, Eat and Do

Llanes is the jewel of eastern Asturias, a former whaling and fishing port on Spain’s Cantabrian coast where a medieval walled town, a busy little harbour and more than thirty beaches sit squeezed between the sea and the limestone wall of the Sierra del Cuera. Behind it rise the jagged peaks of the Picos de Europa, close enough that on a clear day you can stand on a cliff path above the surf and see snow on the summits. The town lies roughly 100 km east of Oviedo and a similar distance west of Santander, making it one of the most rewarding stops on the Green Coast of northern Spain.

Llanes was granted its town charter in the early 13th century and grew rich on the sea, building walls, towers and a fine Gothic church. Centuries later, emigrants who made fortunes in Cuba and Mexico — the “indianos” — returned to build flamboyant mansions with palm trees in the garden, which still give the surrounding villages their distinctive look. Today Llanes is a favourite stop on Palace Tours’ luxury train journeys through Green Spain, where guests step off the train to wander its lanes, walk the clifftops and sit down to Asturian seafood and cider.

What to see in Llanes

• Los Cubos de la Memoria — The harbour breakwater’s giant concrete blocks were painted in bold colours and geometric shapes by Basque artist Agustín Ibarrola, turning a sea defence into one of Spain’s most photographed open-air artworks.
• Paseo de San Pedro — A grassy clifftop promenade running above the town beach of El Sablón, with benches looking straight out over the Bay of Biscay and back towards the mountains.
• Basílica de Santa María del Conceyu — Begun in the 13th century, this Gothic church in the heart of the old town is the finest medieval building in eastern Asturias, with a carved Romanesque-Gothic portal and a richly decorated altarpiece.
• Medieval walls and the Torreón — Sections of the old town walls survive, along with the round 13th-century defensive tower that now houses the tourist office.
• The old harbour and casco histórico — Stone mansions with coats of arms, narrow lanes, cider houses and the fishing harbour make the old quarter perfect for an unhurried stroll.
• Bufones de Pría and Arenillas — Along the coast, the sea forces its way through fissures in the limestone and erupts as spouting blowholes; on a rough day the plumes of spray roar dozens of metres into the air.
• Playa de Gulpiyuri — A tiny “inland beach” in a green meadow, fed by seawater through an underground channel, and one of the natural curiosities of the Asturian coast.
• Playa de Torimbia and Playa de Toranda — Crescent-shaped coves of golden sand ringed by green hills, among the most beautiful beaches on Spain’s northern coast.

What to eat in Llanes

Asturias is one of Spain’s great food regions, and Llanes eats from both the sea and the mountains. Look for fabada asturiana, the rich stew of large white beans with chorizo, morcilla and pork, and cachopo, two veal fillets sandwiched with ham and cheese, then breaded and fried. The harbour supplies hake, monkfish (pixín), spider crab, lobster and, in season, oricios — local sea urchins. Pungent blue Cabrales cheese, matured in caves in the nearby Picos de Europa, and smoky Gamóneu are local treasures.

Everything is washed down with sidra natural, Asturian cider, poured from shoulder height in a thin stream by the waiter (escanciar) to wake it up in the glass. For something sweet, try arroz con leche with a caramelised sugar crust, thin frixuelos (Asturian crêpes) and the local quesada.

Shopping & crafts

Take home a wedge of Cabrales or a selection of Asturian cheeses, bottles of natural cider or cider brandy, tinned Cantabrian anchovies and bonito, and traditional wooden madreñas clogs. Small shops in the old town also sell local honey, ceramics and jewellery made from Asturian jet (azabache).

Best time to visit

Green Spain is green for a reason: rain is possible in any month. Late spring through early autumn brings the warmest, most settled weather, long evenings and lively summer fiestas, when the town fills with music, traditional dress and folk dancing. September is often ideal — the sea is at its warmest and the crowds have eased. Winter is quiet and atmospheric, with dramatic seas at the bufones.

Good to know

• Pack layers and a light waterproof whatever the season — the weather on the Cantabrian coast changes quickly.
• Comfortable shoes are essential: the old town is cobbled and the best views are from clifftop paths.
• Lunch is usually served from around 1:30–2 pm and dinner from 9 pm; cider houses (sidrerías) are the most authentic places to eat.
• Stay well back from the edge at the bufones — the spray and slippery rock can be dangerous in heavy seas.
• Llanes is a stop on Palace Tours’ Costa Verde Express and El Transcantábrico luxury train journeys, which combine it with Bilbao, Santander, Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela.

To plan your journey through Green Spain, call Palace Tours on 1-800-724-5120 (US/Canada), +1-609-580-1372 (International) or WhatsApp +1-786-408-0610.