Getaways from Oviedo: day trips and destinations close by.

The whole Asturian coast, along the Cantabrian motorway

Oviedo is in the centre of Asturias, and the Cantabrian motorway, the A-8, shares out almost the whole coast. To the west, exit 431 and the CU-3 drop to the harbour of Cudillero. To the east, the same A-8 leads to Ribadesella in an hour, to Llanes in a little more and, already in Cantabria, to San Vicente de la Barquera and Comillas; at Unquera the N-621 branches off towards Panes, the La Hermida gorge and Liébana. Cangas de Onís and Covadonga are half an hour from Ribadesella.

To the south there are two gateways. The AP-66 crosses the Huerna pass to León, and the motorway with the N-630 climbs to the snow at Pajares and Fuentes de Invierno. The south-west motorway as far as Grado gives way to the Belmonte road and the Pigüeña valley, on the way to Somiedo.

Without a car, the Norte station has Cercanías to Gijón and Avilés. The ALSA bus and the train reach Llanes; the bus goes to Cudillero, although for Silencio beach and Cape Vidío you need a car. In ski season, a bus of the Consorcio de Transportes de Asturias runs to Fuentes de Invierno at weekends and holidays.

Covadonga and the Cangas market, 64 minutes away

Under an hour fit Cudillero, at 46 minutes, and Ribadesella, at 58, with the Tito Bustillo cave art and Santa Marina beach.

Between one and one and a half hours is the bulk of the Sundays: Covadonga and the Cangas de Onís market, at 64 minutes; skiing at Fuentes de Invierno, at 65; Llanes and its blowholes, at 77, and San Vicente de la Barquera, at 85. At that distance you can also sleep over: Somiedo in two nights to see bears, 76 minutes to Pola, or San Vicente and Comillas.

With an hour and a half or two hours the day stretches towards Cantabria and the plateau: León, at 95 minutes; Comillas, at 100; the Liencres coves, at 105; Leitariegos, at 110; the Saliencia lakes and the bear at dusk, at 111, and Santillana del Mar, at 115, with its weekend between Altamira and Comillas.

Past two hours, Liébana, at 125 minutes, calls for a night: Fuente Dé, Potes and the La Hermida thermal baths. Further away are Santoña and Laredo, at 145, Aguilar de Campoo and its Romanesque, at 171, and Las Médulas, at 166.

Pools at 38 °C for the cold days

In winter, from December to March and depending on the snow, there is a Sunday of skiing at Fuentes de Invierno, with a bus at weekends, or at Leitariegos, small and cheap, on the other side of the range; in both cases, check the report the day before. In the cold, the 38 °C pools of the via ferrata and La Hermida thermal baths are also appealing, and León can be seen almost entirely under cover.

From autumn to spring, with ground swell and high tide, the blowholes roar on the Sunday in Llanes, and the town is quiet. In January the Ribadesella cave art centre closes.

From May to September the mountains open. May, June and September are the best months for bears on the lakes and bears day in Somiedo, with La Farrapona already free of snow. The Fuente Dé cable car has long hours from May to October. In summer, you have to reach Covadonga before ten, and in July and August the coast fills up: June and September are better for Cudillero.

Silencio beach and Cape Vidío

• Close and uncomplicated: Cudillero, Silencio beach and Cape Vidío. 46 minutes away, Silencio beach in the morning, lunch on the harbour square and the amphitheatre viewpoints in the afternoon.
• With an early morning: Covadonga and Cangas de Onís. The Santa Cueva first thing, the Sunday market and the Cangas bridge, with lunch in Arriondas on the way back.
• With two nights: Ribadesella and Covadonga. An hour along the A-8 to see Tito Bustillo, climb to the Guía chapel, sleep beside Santa Marina and spend Sunday at Covadonga.