Playa Espasa lies on the boundary between the municipalities of Caravia and Colunga, marked by the Espasa River. The 1,150-metre-long beach has fine, ochre-coloured sand. Along the coast, this goes hand in hand with a wide range of discoveries, from beach activities to traces of history and architecture.
Beach, Waves and Trails
Playa Espasa is suitable for beginner surfers and kite flying. Playa Arenal de MorĂs has an area where surfing is common. The two beaches thus offer different coastal experiences.
Woodlands and high-altitude trails are also part of the region. The characteristic vegetation of the Sierra del Sueve includes beech and yew forests; its representative wildlife includes fallow deer, birds of prey and Asturian horses. The route to Pico La Forquita passes through a forest of native chestnut and oak trees. It reaches viewpoints overlooking the Cantabrian Sea and the Sierra del Sueve.
The El Fitu recreational area is the starting point for several routes and has a large car park. On clear days, you can see parts of the Picos de Europa from there. You can reach the area via the AS-260 road, which connects Arriondas and Caravia. To help plan your visit, it is worth checking road conditions and parking availability before setting off.
Traces of History and Architecture
The Castro de Caravia, also known as Picu’l Castru, was a fortified Iron Age settlement. It was inhabited from the 4th or 3rd century to the 1st century BC and surrounded by a strong stone wall; traces of Romanisation have also been found. The Arenal de MorĂs–La Griega route leads to another historic site: the Trincheras de La Isla, a unique, radially laid-out defensive structure in Asturias, dug into the ground during the Spanish Civil War.
In El Valle, you can visit the Ermita de Santa Bárbara, dedicated to the patron saint of miners. Aurelio de Llano was also born in El Valle, where he lived and became a notable researcher of Asturian folklore and prehistory. In the CerracĂn neighbourhood, many elements of traditional architecture have been preserved.
The Casona de El Francu in Duesos, also known as Caravia la Baja, is an unadorned rural palace complex dating from the 18th century. It comprises a main house, agricultural outbuildings and a chapel in the popular style. Villa Concha, at the edge of Prado on the road towards Ribadesella, is a country house in the Indianos architectural style, with modernist and eclectic influences, built at the beginning of the 20th century.
Villa La Molina de Arriba de Carrales stands beside the parish church of Santiago. It is T-shaped and shows historicist influences; its two sections each have two storeys and a converted attic. The Church of Santiago de Caravia in Carrales dates from the 17th century. The Casa de los hermanos Prieto is considered the most representative of the Indianos palaces and an outstanding example of Caravia’s civil architecture. It is privately owned; it can only be viewed from the outside unless access has been arranged separately.
A Tradition from Caravia
The local cuisine also has a distinctive speciality: Emberzáu from Caravia is a type of blood sausage. To make it, the sausage is mixed with cornmeal and wrapped in cabbage leaves. This preparation turns a few clearly identified ingredients into a distinctive regional speciality.
Discover more destinations: Caravia Baja, Caravia, San MartĂn Del Rey Aurelio, El Franco, Corvera De Asturias, Eastern Asturias, Comarca Vaqueira, Peñamellera Alta.
For the full regional travel guide: Asturias.
