Arnao between Coast and Mining History

The Arnao coal mine is the oldest hard-coal extraction site on the Iberian Peninsula. It has the oldest vertical shaft in Asturias and is Europe's only underwater mine.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Arnao, you can compare travel dates, room category, and cancellation policies on the listing pages. The three fields provide a specific framework for planning the desired travel period and type of accommodation, while allowing you to assess the cultural and landscape-related themes independently of one another.

Culture and History

The headframe of the Arnao mine is connected with Asturias's first sunk vertical shaft, which was used from the 19th century to the early 20th century for extraction in an underwater coal mine. It is designated as a Cultural Heritage Site (Bien de Interés Cultural, BIC). When planning a visit, you can consider the technical classification and the heritage-related perspective as two separate focuses alongside each other.

The historic industrial complex of Arnao is listed in the Inventory of Asturias's Cultural Heritage. The Arnao zinc metallurgy factory complex is recorded as an industrial heritage element with the classification IPCA-CH. The remains of the railway described as Spain's first railway were found in Arnao. The Eleonore locomotive can be seen in Arnao; it was used to transport ore from Arnao to San Juan de Nieva.

The Museo de la Mina de Arnao is housed in a restored 19th-century mining building. From 1915 onward, this building was used as a workers' casino and was converted into the mine's interpretation centre. The Museo de la Mina de Arnao remains closed until further notice due to construction work.

Coast and Nature

At low tide, La Hollina on Playa de Arnao beach forms a natural pool. The Arnao platform is a fossil accumulation of coral formations that forms a reef.

The Senda Costa Norte route runs partly through the Cabo Busto-Luanco SAC Natura 2000 protected area. When planning the timing of coastal observation, the tide information is the relevant reference.

Arnao can be interpreted thematically as part of personal travel planning: one focus may be on historic sites, another on coastal formations or on the route through the protected area. These themes stand alongside one another as different perspectives.

Routes and Visits

Before its closure until further notice, the Senda Costa Norte in Arnao could be complemented by a visit to the Museo de la Mina de Arnao; due to construction work, the museum remains closed.

Before its closure until further notice, the mine's interpretation centre could be visited independently or as part of guided tours.

Earlier guided tours led into the shaft and through Arnao's centuries-old underground galleries, whose connection to the sea was explained. The mine's interpretation centre presented the history of the industrial complex through audiovisual materials, images, and information panels. Previous activities at the mine presented 19th-century historic buildings, former railway tracks, centuries-old workshops, and memories of the residents. For planning your day, you can consider independent and guided formats as separate options.

Other Places

Other places: Piedras Blancas, La Braña, Naveces

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