It’s clear that to add the most before an adjective always brings a certain controversy. Even more if it’s about choosing the most beautiful village of a country. In this decision, several factors are kept in mind such as its artistic and historic heritage and the landscape that surrounds it. To this effect, its citizens, associations and institutions make an effort and put all their determination in embellish it, because it will affect favourably in attracting tourism and its develop.

In Spain, the association Los pueblos más bonitos de España makes its selection choosing between the most isolated, in the mountains, or the historical, or the beautiful villages bathed by the Mediterranean Sea or the Cantabric Sea. Towns like Ronda in Málaga, Vejer de la Frontera in Cádiz, Cangas de Onís or Cudillero in Asturias, Altea in Alicante, Albarracín in Teruel, Úbeda in Jaén, Priego de Córdoba in Córdoba, Comillas in Cantabria, Laguardia in La Rioja or Alquézar in Huesca never miss these rankings.

In France, the association Les plus beaux villages de France has its own list, where villages like Pesmes, Eguisheim, Yvoire, la Grave, Saint-Suliac, Parfondeva, Josselin, Monte Saint-Michel o la Roque-Gageac are the highlights.

In Italy we have a multitude to choose amongst the little villages distributed all over the Tuscany, the colorful towns in the South, Vernazza or Manarola in Cinque Terre, San Gimignano or Tropea in the Calabrian coast, not to mention its fairytale charming villages that spread Germany or Switzerland.

In England also exists this interest to get declared the most beautiful town. Per se, the picturesque English countryside is an excelent frame, with beautiful landscapes and splendids medieval towns with an enormous historical value.

In the area of Cotswolds there are huge pile of them, so it is difficult to decide for one. Perhaps a good candidate to gain such valued title seems to be Knaresborough. It’s a town with medieval origins that was, for a long time, a spa town for the burgeoisie, in the county of North Yorkshire, at the north-east of England.

It keeps excellent historical monuments, like Knaresborough Castle, the viaduct over the Nidd river, passages that surround you in mistery and its houses, squares and stone stairs, which weave a path through the river until the peak of the hill.

We can also approach to Shanklin, a little village in the east coast of the Wight Island, that was an usual beach destiny during the Victorian epoch. What makes it so special are its vegetable roofs which give particular charming and a kind of rustic air.

Its sand beaches that continues beyond Desando and Shanklin, the Victorian pier, the picturesque defile that leads until the old beach and its old quarter, where the old methods of building roofs are preservated, make this town a solid candidate of the most beautiful town in England.

But, apparently, the prize is shared between Bibury and Castle Combe. The secret of the charming of Bibury, in Gloucestershire county, lies in its stone houses and its loftly roofs. Also the natural landscape of the town, surrounded of streams and ponds.

That’s how the poet and artisan William Morris thougt it, who baptised it years ago as the most beautiful town in England. And so The Huffington Post, that named it in the ranking of "The Most Charming Towns In Europe You'll Want To Visit ASAP".

On the other handm Castle Combe has been the setting of lots of movies, such as Steven Spielberg’s War Horse or Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust, among others. And it’s not of coincidence. Castle Combe is placed very close from the Cotsworlds Capital, Cirencester, a series of hills that crosses the south-east and west zone of England.

All the zone stands out for its natural beauty and this town has shown worthy of be one of the most beautiful places. Without any discordant in its architecture and by its charming and the peace that one can breath, Castle Crombe conquers everyone that visits it.

But, as there’s no accounting for taste, the best way to choose is go to England, take a look and decide for oneself.

Picture Castel Combe by Saffron Blaze

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

Gijón lacks the touristy sheen of some other Spanish cities, but it is well worth visiting. And, not only for its cute little Plaza Mayor which stands out in sharp contrast to the grandiose, monumental Universidad Laboral, located virtually on the outskirts, or for its broad, pleasant esplanade or the Cerro de Santa Catalina park, crowned with a sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, Eulogy to the Horizon.

Los Pomares

A 10-minute walk from the centre has its reward – the “Best Fabada in the World 2015”, an award they won from among 80 competing restaurants from all over Spain. Made of large La Granja beans orf abes,they are tender from almost five hours of simmering away in their gravy of 100% Iberian bellota (acorn-reared) morcilla (blood sausage), chorizo (cured pork sausage), lacón (shoulder of pork), panceta (streaky bacon) and tocino (fatty bacon). A long flavour with a spicy highlight and not at all rich, as they do not stir-fry. Also served up are squid-ink calamari, which leave you stunned, delicious Emmental and cauliflower croquettes and fresh fish and seafood which attract local pilgrims to the cider hall.

El Quinto

A winery offering both Asturian and international cuisine as Mariano Mier, their chef, just loves travelling (he has visited some 50 countries). His Gwao Bao – a sandwich made of Taiwanese steamed bread, with Astur-Celta-breed Gochu pork jowl, peanuts and cilantro – won the Madrid Fusión 2016 Spanish Tapas Championship, while his Okonomiyaki – an omelette with five vegetables and seven spices – was a finalist in 2015. El Quinto, which devotes thematic menus to several countries, was also a finalist in the Asturias 2016 Pinchos Contest, at which they entered their Ahi Poke Hawaiian salad, made of marinated tuna fish tartare, sesame oil, soy, sriracha sauce and spring onion.

Casa Trabanco

Learn all there is to know about cider. Situated in Lavandera, 10 kilometres from Gijón, a glance at their cider press reveals how apples are pressed – a 0.75-litre bottle is equivalent to a kilo of apples – and how they let the must ferment for 4 to 6 months in 40,000-litre wooden and stainless steel casks in a tunnel originally built to transport coal. The restaurant features produce from their market garden – onions stuffed with codfish or meat and arbeyinos (peas) served up with poached egg, cucharina (teaspoon) stews (fabada, pote…) and such dishes as T-bone ox, codfish omelette and diced nuggets.

El Candil

For those who like good fish, you’ve come to the right place. It is selected daily by José Luis Camacho, the life and soul of El Candil, who is obsessed with offering quality at a reasonable price. In addition to the fish dishes on the menu (sea bass, sea bream, alfonsino, sole…), he always has salmon he himself smokes in oak sawdust, as well as quality meats, stews such as fabada, chickpeas and green vegetables. At this downtown restaurant, which opens from Monday to Saturday, they offer products in season, while wines can be ordered from their continually augmented wine list by the glass, in half-litre jugs or by the bottle.

La Bolera

La Bolera is one of the best grillrooms in Spain. Its manager, Cuco, is an expert on beef and he applies his expertise as a geneticist and chef when offering dishes of Black Angus, German and Dutch Frisian, German Simmental, brown Swiss, Dutch Holstein and others. The dishes that come off his Cuban Marabú charcoal grill is capable of moving his diners– the 350 to 400-gram T-bone steaks are wolfed down in a trice, garnish included (the chips and red peppers are framers). Other noteworthy dishes include the codfish, capon and field-mushroom rice, and leeks stuffed with Iberian ham and cheese.

Hotel Blue Santa Rosa

A great accommodation option in Gijón is this functional, modern, bright, affordable 3-star hotel located in a central but quiet pedestrian precinct, a three-minute walk from the Plaza Mayor, on the San Lorenzo beachfront and marina. Customers have breakfast in their café-bar, while the lunch menu on workdays features stews (€6.90 for a single dish and €9.90 for two, both including dessert, bread, a beverage and coffee). The à la carte has pasta, sandwiches, pizza, hamburger and mixed grills which are never more than €8, and they are takeaways, too. Free high-speed wi-fi is included, while parking is optional.

Get going on your getaway to Gijón – check out your Vueling here.

Text and photos by Ferran Imedio de Gastronomistas.com

Food is always good in Asturias, but you need to know which restaurants to choose. It’s best to avoid expensive ones and go for those with hearty fare. Better still, those offering something different, entertaining, mouth-watering, with more gastronomic intent… In short, venues resembling the ones we visited in Oviedo. Oh, and don’t look for fabada here, because you can find it everywhere. Here, we’re after something else.

180° C

Located on Calle Jovellanos, at one end of Calle Gascona, known as the “cider boulevard” for the numerous cider halls lining the street. 180° C is a no-frills gastrobar headed by chef Edgar de Miguel,who learned the trade from Martín Berasategui, Carme Ruscalleda and Pedro Subijana, among others. The restaurant has a bar counter with dishes of shared tapas for an average of 12 euros, and a dining room serving traditional, local cuisine based on modern techniques and humble produce, for around 30 euros. There is also the odd international dish, like the amusing, in no way sour red pomfret ceviche(lemon-and-garlic marinade) with passion fruit and corn cream, round bites like the brioche de bocartes with avocado pear and tomato, and such noble dishes as tender codfish candied over a low fire with a salad of broad beans, dried tomato and homemade kefir. They offer three working-day lunch menus for 12.50, 16.50 and 19 euros.

De Labra

Two hurdles need to be overcome in order to enjoy your meal to the full here. One is physical, as the restaurant lies 3.5 kilometres from the centre of Oviedo, which translates to a half-an-hour’s walk or a taxi ride. The other is psychological, as the restaurant is wont to arrange banquets and, for some unknown reason, for many this generates misgivings. Well, no – De Labra is well worth the visit because their cuisine is sensational and their prices amazing compared to any big city. The best example is their in-season menu, featuring three aperitifs and four dishes – this costs 25 euros without drinks, and 33 with pairings. They are equally adept at crafting traditional dishes with modern methods and presentations as producing Japanese cuisine, as they have a teppanyaki griddle. It was the first restaurant in north-east Spain to serve Japanese cuisine and have been doing so for 12 years now. Average price – 35 euros. They have four menus – an executive lunch menu on working days for 17.95 euros, an in-season menu (three aperitifs and four dishes for 25 euros, or 33 euros if you include four wines), a tasting menu (six dishes for 42 euros; 55 euros including six wines), and Japanese (7 dishes for 45 euros, excluding drinks).

Naguar

Naguar means “to make your mouth water” in Bable (Asturian). The name couldn’t be more appropriate for a restaurant serving modern Asturian cuisine. “Flavour and roots”, proclaims their chef, Pedro Martino, by way of a motto describing his work over the fire. If his dishes stand out for anything it is their intensity, potency, strength, simple elegance and complete lack of aggressiveness. Try the spicy tripe and bone marrow gravy, the creamy clam and jig-caught squid rice and/or the llámpares (limpets) in their juice and your mouth will water until you say – enough! Martino won the 2013 Spanish Pinchoscompetition with a chickpea stew coulant which is eaten in one go. He was also awarded a Michelin star from 2003 to 2009 for L’Alezna, in Oviedo, so he’s guaranteed to make you “naguar”. Average price – 40 euros (there is a tasting menu for 35 euros and another for 55, both excluding drinks).

Mestura

There is always a moment for indulging in some gastronomic tribute on any trip. The Restaurante Mestura, housed in the Gran Hotel España, is ideal for this (and it’s not very pricey either). Noteworthy for its setting, their stately service and the chef, Javier Loya’s elegant culinary offerings (he earned a Michelin star for the Real Balneario de Salinas). This is Asturian cooking with a refined flourish, with just the right (masterly) technique in the service of upscale products. Peerless dishes like the charcoaled monkfish with lemon thyme and Jerusalem artichoke, and squid tartare with rhubarb salad, snow peas and tarragon broth. Average price – 35 to 45 euros. There is an executive lunchtime menu from Tuesday to Friday for 21.80 euros, the Foment Asturian cuisine menu (aperitif, two starters, main course and dessert, without drinks) for 39, and a tasting menu for 60 euros sans drinks.

Book your Vueling to Oviedo – you will delight in these culinary gems.

Text and photos: Ferran Imedio of Gastronomistas.com

Cheesecake or, as it is known in Spanish, tarta de queso, is a classic dessert that we can find in traditional and modern restaurants alike. Fancy going on a route to sample tarta de queso in different parts of Spain?