Hotel Villa Rosario
Why we like it: An indiano mansion and a modern building facing Santa Marina beach, open all year, with the Michelin-starred Ayalga restaurant.
Duration2 nights
From Oviedo1 h
From Santander1 h 20
Best timeMarch – October
Budget€220–350 pp
Getting thereBy car
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
You arrive in Ribadesella on Friday and sleep two nights in Santa Marina. Saturday is the town and the sea; Sunday, Covadonga and the Cangas de Onís market, with lunch in Arriondas on the way home.
Friday
- 119:30Arrival in Santa Marina
An hour from Oviedo along the A-8. Overnight at Hotel Villa Rosario, a mansion built by returned emigrants above the beach, open all year.
Saturday
- 110:00Tito Bustillo Rock Art Centre
Across the bridge. An hour and a half with the story of the discovery and the great panel, €5.45. From March to October, try to book the cave.
- 212:00Paseo de la Grúa and the Guía chapel
The Mingote panels by the harbour and the climb to the 16th-century chapel.
- 314:00Lunch at Güeyu-Mar
Grilled fish on Vega beach, midday only; book ahead. On the way back, the Tereñes dinosaur footprints if the tide is low.
- 417:30Surfing or a walk at Santa Marina
A two-hour lesson with Surf Camp Ribadesella, from €40, depending on the tide; or the villas promenade to Punta el Pozu.
- 521:00Dinner at Ayalga
The Michelin-starred restaurant in the Villa Rosario mansion; book well ahead and confirm the hours.
Sunday
- 110:00Covadonga
Half an hour to Cangas de Onís and 8 km further. The Holy Cave and the basilica, free, before the groups arrive.
- 212:00Cangas de Onís market
Cheeses and garden produce, and the bridge over the Sella.
- 314:15Lunch at El Corral del Indianu and the drive back
In Arriondas, on the way to the A-8: starred Asturian signature cooking, midday only on Sundays. In Oviedo by around 18:00.
Ribadesella and Cangas de Onís are half an hour apart and complement each other: the sea, the indiano beach and cave art in one; Covadonga, the cheese market and the gateway to the Picos in the other. With two nights in Santa Marina, an hour from Oviedo and an hour and twenty from Santander, the weekend works out perfectly.
How much does it cost?
Allow €220–350 per person in a double: two nights at Villa Rosario, the starred dinner and Sunday lunch are what weigh most. The rock art centre costs €5.45, the surf lesson from €40 and Covadonga is free. To spend less, swap the starred meals for La Huertona in Ribadesella and El Molín de la Pedrera in Cangas.
With children or in high season
With children, the rock art centre has family workshops and the dinosaur footprints always work. In summer and at Easter, if you want to go up to the Lakes of Covadonga, you go up by bus from Cangas de Onís: leave the market for the way back and set off early.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Ribadesella, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Ribadesella
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
By car to the town, everything else on foot
Ribadesella is an hour from Oviedo and an hour and twenty minutes from Santander on the A-8. Park once: the town, the bridge, Santa Marina and Tito Bustillo are all less than fifteen minutes' walk away. You will need the car again for Vega, Tereñes and Cangas de Onís.
70–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Villa Rosario, at Santa…
- Getting aroundA-8 from Oviedo or Santander
- Where to eatGüeyu-Mar, on Vega beach
- ServicesTourist office on Paseo Princesa…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Villa Rosario, at Santa Marina, open all year
- Hotel Ribadesella Playa, on the same promenade, closed in winter
Getting around
- A-8 from Oviedo or Santander
- Cangas de Onís and Covadonga, half an hour away
Where to eat
- Güeyu-Mar, on Vega beach
- La Huertona, above the town
Services
- Tourist office on Paseo Princesa Letizia
Indiano villas by the sea
The Santa Marina promenade was built up from 1907 with indiano villas, and two of them are now hotels on the sand. With a Michelin star in the same mansion, the getaway works without moving the car.
From €180per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Villa Rosario, indiano mansion…
- Getting aroundOn foot along the promenade…
- Where to eatAyalga Villa Rosario, one Michelin…
- ServicesTourist office on Paseo Princesa…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Villa Rosario, indiano mansion, open all year
- Hotel Ribadesella Playa, on the sand, spring to autumn
Getting around
- On foot along the promenade and across the bridge to the centre
Where to eat
- Ayalga Villa Rosario, one Michelin star
- Güeyu-Mar and La Huertona, fish grills
Services
- Tourist office on Paseo Princesa Letizia
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingin style
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Ribadesella Playa
Why we like it: Villa on Santa Marina beach with sea-view rooms and buffet breakfast included. Closed in winter.
From €60
View details
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| The town and harbour | Grúa walk, Guía chapel, tourist office | |
| Santa Marina | Beach, emigrants' villas, hotels and surfing | |
| Vega and Tereñes | Dinosaur footprints, dune beach, grill |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Ribadesella
Güeyu-Mar
What to order: grilled sardines and wild fish
La Huertona
What to order: the fish of the day on the grill, which the staff recite with its price; elvers in season
Ayalga Villa Rosario
What to order: the tasting menu
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book Ayalga and El Corral before the hotel
They are the tables that fill up first.
- 2Check Saturday's tide
Tereñes and surfing depend on it.
- 3Not in January
The rock art centre closes for the whole month.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where is it better to sleep, in Ribadesella or Cangas?
In Ribadesella if you want the beach and dinner by the sea; in Cangas de Onís if you are going up to the Lakes early.
How long does it take from Oviedo?
An hour to Ribadesella; from there to Cangas de Onís, half an hour.
Is the Tito Bustillo cave open?
From March to October. It is now closed until March 2027; the rock art centre does open.
Can I go in winter?
Yes, except January. Villa Rosario opens all year.