Literature and Routes Through the Cultural Landscape
Carreño was Leopoldo Enrique García-Alas Ureña’s summer residence for almost his entire life. Known as “Clarín”, he drew inspiration from the area for a substantial part of his literary work. On the Ruta Clariniana, you can encounter this legacy in a landscape that brings together literature and architectural heritage. The route comprises three sections: Doña Berta is 3.5 kilometres long, Viaje Redondo 8.3 kilometres and Boroña 2.2 kilometres. Viaje Redondo is therefore the longest section, and Boroña the shortest.
Highlights along the Ruta Clariniana include Romanesque churches, houses built by emigrants who returned home, and paneras decorated in the Carreño style. The landscape also features Clarín’s Quinta, manor houses and palaces, medieval remains, mills and fountains. One building offers a closer look at the architectural details: the Iglesia de Santa María de Llorgozana has a pre-Romanesque Asturian window and a portal with geometric zigzag ornaments.
The Camino de Santiago offers another perspective on Carreño. Its section passes from the foothills of Monte Areo through the Carreño valley to Tamón, where it joins the French Way towards Avilés. The route offers views of hórreos and paneras painted in the Carreño style, watermills, manor houses and palaces. Check local trail conditions when planning your visit, and check the waymarking as well if you are walking the Camino de Santiago.
Megaliths and Museums
The Monte Areo megalithic tumulus necropolis is one of the most significant collections of burial mounds on the Asturian coast. More than 30 burial mounds are spread across the areas of Los Llanos and Les Huelgues de San Pablo. The necropolis can be visited free of charge and independently. A paved path leads to the upper plateau of Monte Areo, where the megalithic sites are located. Check local conditions before your visit.
The Museo Antón focuses on the sculptor Antonio Rodríguez García and sculpture in all its forms of expression. The museum is housed in the 18th-century Estrada-Nora Villa, and its surrounding garden features outdoor sculptures. Here, a life devoted to art, a historic building and sculpture in an outdoor setting come together.
The permanent exhibition on the canning industry of Candás is housed in the former cistern of the Bernardo Alfageme canning and cider factory. Original items and models tell the story of the town’s canning industry. They include historic preservation methods: chilling, brining or drying, salting and pickling. The exhibition thus explores both the development of local industry and specific methods of food preservation.
Traditions and Nature Experiences
The Festival de la Sardina is held in Candás every year on 1 August and is recognised as a festival of tourist interest by the Principality of Asturias. Sardines are grilled at stalls along the Paseo de San Antonio. If you are planning your trip around the festival, check that year’s programme in advance.
Nature and wildlife watching are also among the experiences described here. Surfers visit Playa de Xivares throughout the year. Another route leads to the La Granda reservoir and through a beautiful natural landscape where you can observe the wildlife of Cabo Peñas, particularly migratory birds. Wildlife visibility varies by season.
Los Pilares de Carreño rents electric bicycles and offers a circular route of around 15 kilometres, with a low level of difficulty, taking in more than 24 tourist attractions in Carreño. Along the route, you can see more than 30 hórreos and paneras designed in the Carreño style, four historically significant churches, various fountains and traditional wash houses, as well as a 13th-century tower. Check the latest information on rentals and the circular route in advance.
Discover more destinations: Candás, Perlora, Calle De La Vega, Dormon, Guimarán, Grado, Colunga, Noreña.
For the regional travel overview: Asturias.
