Ardisana offers two distinct discoveries: the Camín Encantáu and the valley’s architectural and local history. The hiking trail passes through Ardisana and other villages; the parish church of Santa Eulalia and several historic buildings give the area its own cultural and historical character. The Ardisana Valley is considered a typical Asturian mid-mountain valley, with extensive woodland.
Hiking the Camín Encantáu
The Camín Encantáu is a 9-kilometre, easy circular hiking trail with no technical difficulties. Its route passes through Comezán, La Maletería, Palaciu, Ardisana, and Ricaliente. It runs through the forest, but is not completely flat; there is some elevation gain, especially at the beginning. Both details are therefore relevant when assessing the circuit: it is considered easy, but the route is not consistently flat. The Camín Encantáu is a hiking route, not a stroll or a museum visit.
Life-size wooden sculptures depicting figures from Asturian mythology line the trail. They include Cuélebre, Xana, Nuberu, Trasgu, Sumiciu, and Busgosu. The figures give the hike a clearly defined theme, distinct from the historic buildings in the area: here, the focus is on Asturian mythology.
Church and rural architectural heritage
The parish church of Santa Eulalia in Ardisana was built in the Romanesque style. Its surviving portal features a pointed arch with Gothic vaulting, dating from the 14th or 15th century. There are also notable 16th- and 17th-century buildings outside the church. La Casona is an example of the architecture of a rural manor house, while Corral de Arnero is an example of a rural palace. The area’s architectural history thus encompasses different building types and periods.
Traditional Asturian architecture has also been preserved in the villages of the Ardisana Valley. It includes hórreos (raised granaries), paneras (larger granaries), washhouses, and stone manor houses. Riocaliente has a total of 21 traditionally built hórreos; the oldest dates from the 17th century. These specific examples broaden the picture of the buildings in Ardisana to include the valley’s rural architecture.
Stories, landscape, and local traditions
A historic path connected Ricaliente, Mestas, and the surrounding villages with the parish church of Santa Eulalia de Ardisana. In the past, the deceased were carried along it to the church. At the Cruz de los Garabiales, located on the historic path between Ardisana and Ricaliente and dating from 1761, the bearers would stop to change over and say a prayer. This intersection of paths, local history, and religious practice makes the site a distinctive part of the valley’s history.
The history of Malatería is also linked to its former use: before the Spanish Civil War, there was a leper hospital there, from which the place name is derived. The nearby Cueva de la Coviella, close to Ardisana, is associated with local mythology. According to legend, the Xanas lived there. This is a traditional story, not a claim about a cave attraction available today.
The landscape is shaped by more than the woodlands of this mid-mountain valley. Deer and wild boar live in the Ardisana Valley’s forests; trout and eels inhabit its rivers. Otters are rare. Malatería also has a viewpoint overlooking the Picos de Europa. These natural and landscape features complement the architectural heritage, without implying that wildlife sightings or any particular experience are guaranteed.
Local traditions are also part of everyday life and regional cuisine. Cuatreada, a traditional Asturian form of bowling, is played in the Ardisana Valley. Special green beans, typical of the valley, are grown in Llumedián and Teyeu and celebrated at an autumn gastronomic festival. Together, these food and sporting traditions add further facets of valley life to its hiking and history.
Getting there
From Llanes, the Ardisana Valley can be reached via the AS-263, AS-115, and LLN-14 roads. Check road conditions and your route before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Vibaño, Tresgrandas, San Roque Del Acebal, Ovio, Riensena, Villahormes, Pendueles, La Borbolla.
For the main travel overview: Llanes.
