If there’s one striking thing about Asturias it is the beauty of its landscape – the power of nature here. Asturias is, above all, nature in its pure state, but imbued with a deep-rooted awareness of environmental conservation, making it emblematic and pioneering in its drive to preserve its natural surroundings. This is why a third of its surface area is protected by one or other legal conservation provision, making it a veritable nature paradise, as proclaimed by the slogan which has now been running for thirty years.

Asturias is one great open-air nature park, unique in the world. Not for nothing does it boast six Biosphere Reserves, as listed by UNESCO, making it one of the world’s privileged territories in terms of natural spaces. These are the spaces to be hiked and enjoyed in your leisure time.

The Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa, set in the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range: this vast territory encompasses the areas of Amieva, Cangas de Onís, Onís, Cabrales, Peñamellera Alta and Peñamellera Baja. Its uniqueness, beauty and scenic, natural and geological interest led this territory to be declared the Picos de Europa National Park by King Alfonso XIII in 1918, while its western reaches once formed the first national park in Spain, that of Montaña de Covadonga. The Picos de Europa are the largest limestone formation on Europe’s Atlantic seaboard, featuring major karst processes – a type of relief set up by chemical meteorisation of certain rocks, notably limestone, dolomite and gypsum – chasms over 1,000 metres deep, pronounced glacial erosion and the presence of lakes. Here, chamois roam the crags, while the dense forest is home to roe deer, wolves and the occasional bear. The Park also boasts over a thousand bird species, prominent among which are the black woodpecker and capercaillie, with the griffon vulture and golden eagle as the major birds of prey. But, here you will find more than just nature, as centuries of history have been written in the villages, valleys and churches, in the mountain pass shelters and trails.

The Parque Natural de Somiedo is a distinct example of coexistence between man and nature, where the former has come to understand nature and preserve it virtually intact over the centuries. Noteworthy landmarks here are the beautiful lakes, the rugged landscape, with drops of up to 2,200 metres, and the karst formations. Significant, too, are the brañas, fertile pasturelands where you might just get a glimpse of the famous cabanas de teito – stone dwellings with thatched straw or broom roofs used by thevaqueiros or mountain cowherds and stock breeders as shelters.

The environmental wealth of the Parque Natural de Redes is attested by a host of different landscapes, from formations of glacial origin such as moraine and cirques to broad pasturelands, hills and lush forests. In effect, 40% of the surface area of Redes is wooded, although it is also graced by lofty peaks, notably Pico Torres, Retriñón, Peña del Viento and Tiatordos. However, the most striking feature of Redes is its stunning meadows hemmed in by mountain buttresses, its gorges and its forests, where beech and white oak prevail.

The Parque Natural de Las Ubiñas-La Mesa, situated in southern and central Asturias, harbours priceless natural and cultural wealth. It includes mountain relief with marked contrasts which, hard by the border with León, rises to the Peña Ubiña massif, the second highest mountain range in the region after the Picos de Europa, with altitudes of over 2,400 metres. The Park takes in the municipalities of Lena, Quirós and Teverga which form part of the Somiedo Regional Hunting Preserve.

The Reserva Natural Integral de Muniellos lies within the Parque Natural de las Fuentes del Narcea y del Ibias. Muniellos is a sparsely populated territory, with one of the lowest population densities in Asturias. Its three valleys of Muniellos, La Viliella and Valdebois boast Spain’s largest oak forest and one of the best preserved in Europe. Ever-changing, it epitomises the Asturian landscape throughout the seasons of the year – various species of oak, up to six metres in diameter, beech and birch forest, dotted with holly and yew trees, the evergreen kings of autumn in Muniellos. The ascent to its lakes is one of the most popular trails among hiking enthusiasts.

The Oscos-Eo District, where the river Eo is the great protagonist as landscape-builder and articulator of the territory. A land of beaches, cliffs, forests and enormous ethnographic wealth, a landscape which has suffered the consequences of centuries-long isolation but has nevertheless provided the bedrock for sustainability and rural tourism projects in which preservation of the local heritage is uppermost in their development.

Asturias, from Biosphere Reserve to Biosphere Reserve, is a great option for a relaxing getaway. You can also make the most of its boundless nature by participating in dozens of open-air activities: canoeing, horse-riding, mountain bike trails, caving, canyoning and trekking, just some of the ways of immersing yourself in this paradise.

Don’t miss out on this paradise on earth – check out our flights here.

Text and images by Turismo Asturias

It’s easy to fall in love with Asturias. Every step along its varied terrain, with continuous contrasts from mountains to valleys, going up the mountain peaks or enjoying the view over the coast, leaves us speechless.

This little guide includes some of the best panoramic views in the wide variety of landscapes in Asturias. Get your binoculars and prepare your camera to not miss a single detail of what you’ll be able to see.

Divine views at Santa María del Naranco.

By the mountainside of Santa María del Naranco there is a church named the same with an intense past that goes as far as the Middle Ages. The combination of a Pre-Roman church and the landscape of Asturias create a unique combination.

Oviedo and its Pre-Roman spots are nearby and at quick glance you can see the mythical Monsacro, knows for the old relics and the history of the monarchy in Asturias, or the stunning mountain range in Aramo.

The flow takes us by the Sella River.

Here is where one of the most famous sport events in the world takes place: the International Descent of the river Sella. But the rest of the year, Sella gifts us unique panoramic views, already along the national roadway that passes next to the river.

The setting by the river is great, with people practising kayak or walking by the forest. Going to the Sella riverside means spending a great day with your family or friends, surrounded by nature, which invites to have both a relaxed day but also having great fun.

Villaviciosa estuary. A land of dreams.

The natural estuary created by Villaviciosa river gifts us stunning panoramic views. At this beautiful natural spot, with a high ecological value, elements from the sea and the river get together offering a shelter to aquatic birds on migration. The place is perfect to practice many sports, take a swim or a relaxed walk by the riverside.

A path to enjoy all the marine atmosphere, with the flutter of birds, the fish and the sight of boats floating in the sea, and the feeling of delicious smells and flavours from fresh fish cooked and served in restaurants and cider houses in the area.

In Sariego, views over the valley.

From the viewpoint of Perriellos you can enjoy the immense beauty of Sariego valley. If the day is clear, it’s possible even to see the mountain ranges at Sueve or Peñamayor and the greatness of the Cantabian mountain range.

At the recreational area of Perriellos you can have a great day, organizing a picnic after a long walk and with a beautiful landscape all around.

A gift for the senses at Teixadal Lagoons.

At different highs around the Rabo de Asno peak, there are the lagoons of high pastures of Teixedal. These are hidden spots where the bears live that give great surprises for the senses.

At the natural park of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias we will discover all the lively nature of Asturias, in lagoons between beech and oak forests, with a rich animal and vegetal life.

The most photographed: Enol lake.

Photographers and travellers from all over the world have captured on images the Covadonga lakes. Enol and Ercina lakes, have the greatest view, both on spring or winter – when the snow is on the peaks, reflected in the freezing water – or the thousand different tones on fall. Anytime on the year the lakes are great and ready to be portrayed. From the viewpoint of Reina you’ll get stunning views of the area.

La Regalina, a watchtower overlooking the west coast

The chapel and the granary of Regalina create a lovely setting. For its excellent location, from here you can enjoy the best views of the west coast in Asturias as the look takes you from Cadavedo beach, at your feet, passing by many beaches, cliffs and coves, and to the oceanic ocean.

This is, undoubtedly, a great location to see the sunset.

Panoramic Quirós

With a long mountaineer and climber tradition, Quirós is one of the main mountain spots in Asturias. For the lovers of nature there are many possibilities in the route to discover high mountain meadows and lagoons in Canchongo, around the area Bárzana. This is a route that people at any level can follow and you’ll be surprised by the panoramic views along the way.

The Eo’s estuary at bird’s viewpoint

High places like Castropol or Figueras offer a unique view with all the beauty of the Eo’s estuary, an area catalogued as a Biosphere reserve.

The most adventurous that go into the mountains - at the Louteiro area – receive their reward: seeing panoramic views over the valley, with the town of Vegadeo at the back, and a stretch of the river to its mouth, with a view over the horizon to the Puente de los Santos.

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

You will find more proposals to discover Asturias's natural paradise in its tourism web site.

What remains of Pink Floyd 45 years on? In truth, very little. With Roger Waters touring half the world with his 3D show,The Wall,and Richard Wright’s disappearance eight years ago, of the avant-garde rock band which dominated the show scene in the 70s and part of the 80s, only Nick Mason and the lead, David Gilmour, are left from the original group to spearhead the effort.

A Touch of History

Pink Floyd is one of the best bands of all time; no doubt about it. This is attested by their records and their endurance in the top positions among the benchmark groups for decades. Granted, they didn’t invent the concept album – The Who had invented it just before them – but it was they who exploited it to its full expression.

Pink Floyd has some records to its name. Perhaps the most striking one is having had a disc on the Billboard list for 889 weeks (over 17 years) in a row; indeed, their album was on the list longer than any other disc ever. With an estimated 50 million copies sold, The Dark Side of the Moon is Pink Floyd’s most successful album and the top-selling rock disc ever, coming in second in worldwide record sales behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller. But, their success is not limited to that 1973 album. They were famous before that, too. At the end of the sixties, they were the flagship of the British psychedelic scene. Their early records, when Syd Barrett also played in the group, acted as a magnet for a whole seething mass of new ideas and experimentation. Likewise, The Dark Side of the Moon wasn’t their only pinnacle of success – their subsequent albums were on a par, although they weren’t able to match the level of sales. Thus, the decade of the seventies was theirs – with the permission of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones – thanks to such legendary tracks as Animals, Wish You Were Here and, above all, The Wall, which was made into a film directed by Alan Parker and starring Bob Geldof.

What Happened in Pompeii?

It is a well-known fact that Pink Floyd’s live concerts were in technological terms the most spectacular shows for several decades. They actually reigned supreme until the early nineties, up to the time that U2 staged a tour with their album, Achtung Baby. Live performances were always one of Pink Floyd’s fortes right from the outset, when the original crew delighted the crowds on London’s university and underground circuits. Those were the days of British psychedelics, and their concerts were a veritable sensorial experience, thanks to the support of screenings and performances. To get a better idea of what they were like, it is worth seeing the film, Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London, directed by Peter Whitehead, which includes performances by the London band from those times.

In the seventies, by then without Syd Barrett, the group continued to flourish. Their music shifted from psychedelic to progressive rock, while technological devices became gradually more entrenched in their live shows. But, before becoming one of the stadium bands par excellence, they embarked on a project that ended up becoming one of the great milestones in rock history. They joined forces with the movie director, Adrian Maben, with a view to shaping a film project they were working on. The result was Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii, set in the mythical ruins of the Roman city which was devastated by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in AD 79.

The project was hatched quite coincidentally. The director, Adrian Maben, had simply phoned Stephen O’Rourke, Pink Floyd’s manager, in the early seventies, and suggested making a movie with the group. At that time the idea was to produce a very arty piece and to elicit the participation of artists of the standing of Magritte, De Chirico,Christo and Jean Tinguely who would create on a visual level what Pink Floyd created in sound. But, they never managed to reach an agreement. Months later, Maben went to Italy with his girlfriend of the time and visited the ruins of Pompeii. That evening he discovered he had lost his passport and, thinking back, he decided he must have left it in the Pompeii amphitheatre. He went back to the spot at dusk and there, among the monuments, sculptures and paintings of a place that had frozen in time, Maben experienced his great moment of inspiration – it was the ideal spot to film Pink Floyd. In the near mystic silence of nightfall, he realised that Pompeii had it all – death, sex and oodles of latent life. And there, in that amphitheatre, Pink Floyd could bring it all back to life.

45 Years Later

Last March, Italy’s Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, confirmed in his Twitter account that the 70-year-old British guitarist, David Gilmour, would play in Pompeii on 7 and 8 July. There, you have it – Pink Floyd’s lead will again perform at the legendary archaeological site, forty-five years after having been the leading light in the shooting of the movie, Live At Pompeii. On this occasion, he will be presenting the tracks from his latest release, Rattle That Lock. However, the possibility that he might also play songs by his former band has not been ruled out. Recall that Gilmour and Nick Mason still hold the operating rights to practically the whole of Pink Floyd’s legacy.

Be sure to relive the magic of one of the best concerts ever. You can also enjoy a tour of the most famous Roman archaeological site in the world. Check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

The techno splendour of Berlin in the nineties is unlikely to return. But, this does not prevent the German capital from oozing club culture. We’re guiris – you can see that from a mile away. We smile in the metro simply because we’re downing one of the umpteen exquisite beers you can easily buy in Berlin’s 24-hour stores, or in the metro itself, from the stands that have taken over the underground landings. We’re guiris and, as such, we soak up the city’s nightlife by living out all the dreams and half-truths handed down to us about the historic nineties in Berlin, of basement clubs and all-night parties. Our premise is straightforward – what remains of that club culture splendour in Berlin? We have just forty-eight hours to tune in to the techno beat of today.

It’s Friday, so the adventure begins. Like any decent racing car, the body requires breaking in. And no other European city has more – or better – excuses than Berlin to drink a beer drawn at the counter. Our first stop takes us to Hops & Barley, a tavern with as many types of frothy beverage as the likelihood of rain in that Teutonic country. Dim light, gridded floor and we’re hard put to find a bar stool. The ideal space for stretching exercises.

When one’s throat is sated with pilsen, it’s time to move on, and the metro is our best option. Berlin has a comprehensive network and trains run to 12.30 in the morning on weekdays and round the clock on weekends. Near the Ostkreuz metro station, in an area hemmed in by railway lines and studded with niches formed by twisted iron bars –– a surprise awaits us. In a fenced off work area a bonfire is burning, surrounded by a group of youngsters, a computer and loudspeakers playing techno full blast. Here, the “scouts” listen to catchy “bits”, an image far removed from that of youngsters in Spain, where they gather around a bonfire, guitar and songbook in hand. Open-air parties are a permanent fixture of Berlin – they know a thing or two about them in Rummelsburg.

With this good omen of the city’s techno DNA behind us, we head for a an illustrious nearby squatter’s venue, ://about blank, one of Berlin’s numerous self-managed centres. “Love techno, hate Germany”, it says on the door. The day’s programme is antifascist, for 12 euros. Inside, the dark, crowded cube that is ://about blank offers a heady experience – a tight space and many young Berliners with their eyes closed, swinging their heads about frantically to the music DJ’ed in vinyl. The inner patio is the place to chill out. They recommend we attend a festival called Homophätik, which we will likely check out on subsequent trips.

Berlin does not sit well with the idea of “on a human scale”, as it stretches across a vast territory. This means you have to make the right choices. As for the right days – Chalet is the ideal club for Wednesdays, while Renate is best for Thursdays. But, today is Friday and it’s past four in the morning. We decide to leave the great techno marathon for tomorrow.

Saturday dawns splendidly for a day in May – the sun sends powerful shafts of light into the inner courts created by the residential blocks strewn across Berlin’s terrain. In one of them, some girls are rehearsing a choreography. Next door, a boom box blasts out strains of ambient music.

For lunch – it’s amazing how quick noon sets in when you’ve been up in the wee hours – we are taken by a Sudanese restaurant on Reichenberger street. This is a small eatery with a one-dish menu of the day – for meat-eaters and vegans – at competitive prices. Before plunging into the night again, we spend the afternoon browsing intently through another of any music lover’s crown jewels in Berlin – the record shops.

While finding the stores is something of an achievement, The Record Loft poses a veritable quest. But, using up the few megabytes of your ISP’s European rates brings a reward. On the fourth floor above another of the aforementioned inner patios lies Hard Wax, accessed via a staircase with steps plastered with labels and magazines from all continents. Hard Wax is a small label specialised in electronic music. They also have a vinyl store. The afternoon is also a good time to dip into the bookshops in the Hackescher Markt.  Some have large techno sections, notably Do you read me?, which also boasts a selection of local fanzines. In fact, their bibliography of Berlin’s cultural construction is extensive, ranging from such titles as Future Days, from “early times”, to Krautrock and the Construction of Modern Germany, to works focusing on the nineties like Der Klang, der familie. There are also exclusive titles from Berlin itself, witness Berlin Sampler. From Cabaret to Techno. 1904-2012.

Once your hands are sore from leafing through boxes of vinyls and keying in the titles of upcoming releases, it’s time to head for one of the pre-party clubs. But, more about that in the next chapter.

Text by Yeray S. Iborra | Our thanks to Ángel Molina, Ana Riaza, Carlota Surós and Martí Renau for the first-hand information on the itinerary for this article.

Images by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS, Michael Mayer