The Ría de Villaviciosa estuary stretches from the area near Tazones, between El Puntal and Rodiles beaches, to the center of Villaviciosa. This gives the landscape a distinctive coherence: the coast, a protected bird sanctuary and the route into the center are all part of the same geographical story. There are also buildings from different periods and routes with very different profiles.

Estuary, Beach and Natural History

The estuary is an officially protected bird sanctuary covering 1,500 hectares. Playa de Rodiles shows another side of the coast: its famous left-hand wave makes it especially suitable for surfing. There is also an extensive, shady wooded area with tables and benches, as well as accessible paths. Since visitor facilities may change, check local conditions before setting out.

A distinct perspective on natural history can be found at the Yacimientos de Icnitas Natural Monument. It includes sites with dinosaur footprints along several stretches of coastline between Villaviciosa, Colunga and Ribadesella. Asturias’s dinosaur footprint sites are among Spain’s most significant Jurassic fossil sites. This means the natural history of the area extends beyond a single coastal town, offering another perspective on the region.

Two Routes, Two Different Profiles

The Ruta de Carlos V (PR-AS 302) runs for 11 kilometers between Tazones and Villaviciosa. It starts in Tazones and ends at the Palacio de los Hevia in Villaviciosa. The waymarked route connects marshland, waterfalls, pre-Romanesque churches and villages. Its course therefore brings together several landscape and cultural themes in a single route.

The Ruta de los Molinos del río Profundo is laid out differently: it is a 15.57-kilometer circular hike of moderate difficulty. The path is lined with old watermills and mythological wooden figures, and leads to the Molín de La Peña waterfall and the village of Buslaz. In direct comparison, this circular hike is longer than the 11-kilometer Ruta de Carlos V; it is also explicitly described as moderately difficult. This makes it possible to start choosing based on route format and length, without reducing both paths to the same kind of outing.

Tazones: Harbor and Historic Ensemble

In Tazones, the San Miguel and San Roque neighborhoods are designated a historic-artistic ensemble. The harbor is also part of the town’s character: catches brought in there are auctioned at the fish market. Tazones can be reached via the A-8 and the N-632, AS-256 and VV-5 roads. The town’s history, harbor life and route to Villaviciosa thus offer different ways to explore the area.

Churches and Historic Traces

The Church of San Salvador in Valdediós is a pre-Romanesque Asturian building consecrated in 893. According to documentary accounts, the Church of San Juan de Amandi originated in pre-Romanesque times; stylistically, it belongs to the Baroque phase of Asturian Romanesque and features Gothic elements. The two churches therefore cannot be reduced to a single period: for San Salvador, the consecration in 893 is central, while both the recorded origins and the stylistic classification matter for San Juan de Amandi.

Another historical connection leads to Villaviciosa in 1517. Prince Charles of Ghent stayed at the Casa de los Hevia from September 19 to 23, after landing at the port of Tazones. This account links a specific period with two named places and complements the churches’ architectural history with an episode from the region’s past.

Discover more destinations: Cabranes, Collado, Villaviciosa, Liñero, Cazamular, Argüero, San Miguel, Selorio, Torretejera, Puelles, Cazanes, Miravalles, Bedriñana, Amandi.

For the broader travel overview: Asturias.