Plan your visit to Guimarán around a range of discoveries: the archaeological route on Monte Areo, natural viewpoints, historic religious buildings and the literary connection to Quinta Clarín. These themes call for different kinds of outings. A look at burial mound fields and dolmens sits alongside a named circular route of about 15 kilometres; the architectural history of individual churches is another focus altogether.
Monte Areo: archaeology and viewpoints
The Monte Areo recreational area is located on Monte Areo, also known as Monte San Pablo, in Guimarán, Carreño. The archaeological route includes the two designated burial mound fields of Cierru Los Llanos and Huelgües de San Pablo, as well as the Los Bayos de Selmo wetland. More than thirty dolmens are spread across the plain of Monte Areo known as Los Llanos. Burial mound fields, individual funerary monuments and a wetland thus offer distinct points of interest.
The three natural viewpoints on Monte Areo are Peña Tocente o del Silencio, Peña´l Carro and Les Paseres del Visu. Peña Tocente o del Silencio lies above Villar de Guimarán. The named viewpoints offer a different focus from the burial mound fields and dolmens: here, the views take centre stage, while those sites focus on archaeology. Their names give you specific points of reference when deciding what to focus on during your stay.
Buildings and literary connections
The church of San Esteban de Guimarán has a rectangular floor plan and a square chancel, and is designed in the popular Asturian style. San Esteban de Guimarán is also cited as one of the donations made by King Alfonso III and Queen Jimena to the Church of Oviedo. Its architecture and historical tradition offer two different perspectives on the same church.
The origin of one part of the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is recorded: the square section with the main altar is said to have come from the former chapel of San Pablo, which has since been destroyed. It stood on Monte Areo, in the district of the same name. This remains an attribution; it differs from the description of the surviving structure of the church of San Esteban.
Quinta Clarín is associated with Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”, who spent extended summer stays in Guimarán. In 1911, his son Adolfo had the Quinta rebuilt on the foundations of the old manor house, or palace, of the Lords of Alas. For a stay with an interest in literary history, the name Clarín is connected here with a specific building history, though the two aspects tell different stories.
Distinguishing paths and circular routes
The Way of St James runs from Poago in Gijón along the ancient Roman road at the foot of Monte Areo and down the Loma de San Pablo into the Carreño valley. Its route passes through Cespedera and El Fondo. The Camín de les Muyeres de la Paxa, by contrast, should be understood as a historic route: it ran at the foot of Monte Areo, past the chapel or Ermita Nuestra Señora de los Remedios in El Fondo, Guimarán. This distinction separates a described route from a historic route, rather than treating both as equivalent current circular walks.
The Los Pilares de Carreño route starts at the Centro de Interpretación Rural (CIR) Guimarán-Valle. It follows an easy circular trail of about 15 kilometres to more than 24 tourist attractions in the municipality of Carreño. The Los Pilares de Carreño routes bring together natural and cultural heritage with outdoor leisure activities and can be designed as family, cultural, literary or gastronomic walks. If you plan to take this circuit, check the route details before your visit. The “Viaje Redondo” route passes through Logrezana and Guimarán.
For planning purposes, you can choose by theme and length: individual named places and buildings, archaeological stops on Monte Areo, or the explicitly approximately 15-kilometre circular route. This distinction can help you choose the right focus for your stay in Guimarán before looking for a hotel.
Discover more destinations: Candás, Perlora, Calle De La Vega, Dormon.
See the broader travel overview: Carreño.
