Tereñes on the Costa de los Dinosaurios

The dinosaur site at Tereñes is one of Ribadesella’s most important Jurassic sites. Various fossil footprints can be seen on the coastal cliffs.

Coast and geological history

The Tereñes–El Faro geological section on the Costa de los Dinosaurios is an exceptional place to observe the different palaeoenvironments that developed in Asturias during the Jurassic period. The Vega, Tereñes, and Lastres formations of the Upper Jurassic are exposed on the cliffs between Tereñes and the Ribadesella lighthouse. The cliffs of Tereñes offer views of the sea as well as the Escapa and El Sueve mountain ranges.

This means that several geological levels appear side by side along this stretch of coast: the development of palaeoenvironments during the Jurassic, the visible formations of the Upper Jurassic, and today’s view across the sea and mountains. This combination makes Tereñes both a fossil site and part of a striking coastal landscape.

The cliffs of Tereñes are home to a dinosaur site signposted by the Government of the Principality of Asturias and protected as a natural monument. It includes four parallel ornithopod trackways, one theropod track, and a distinctive stegosaur track with preserved hand and footprints.

Paths and tides

The dinosaur site at Tereñes can be reached from the four-way intersection in the upper part of the village via a path that descends towards the cliffs beside an information panel. Access to the dinosaur cliffs of Tereñes is only possible at low tide.

From the centre of Ribadesella, the dinosaur site can be reached via the N-632 towards Oviedo, followed by the signposted turn-offs to Tereñes and then on foot from the upper part of the village. For day planning, this information can be considered a separate, practical point of reference alongside the geological features.

Coastal routes

The Entreplayas route runs entirely within the municipality of Ribadesella between Santa Marina and Vega beaches. Along the lighthouse road, it climbs uphill towards Tereñes, passes through the village, and continues towards Abéu. After Abéu, the route follows an unpaved track and descends towards Playa de Vega.

The different types and directions of paths provide factual points of comparison for planning your own day. Another perspective is offered by the gravel cycling route from Ribadesella to Villaviciosa, which climbs uphill to the recreational area at Faro de Tereñes.

A holiday apartment in Tereñes can be assessed for your own planning based on travel dates, room category, and cancellation conditions. This choice sits alongside the geological formations, coastal paths, and tide-dependent access: it defines your personal framework, while the places and routes mentioned determine the content of the day.

Other places within Ribadesella: El Carmen.

Lighthouse and festivities

The Fiesta de La Santina is Tereñes’s patron saint festival, held in honour of the Virgen de Las Nieves. Faro de Tereñes is a lookout tower built in 1861 on Monte Somos.

For the overarching travel overview: Ribadesella.