Salas in Asturias: Holiday Apartment Between Culture and Nature

In Salas, the Camino Primitivo, considered the oldest pilgrimage route to Compostela, passes through the town. The historic centre is designated as a Bien de Interés Cultural. For planning your trip, pilgrimage routes, architectural heritage, mountain landscapes, hiking trails and Asturian specialities come together here.

Culture and History

The Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor, built in the late Gothic style in the 16th century, is one of the town’s most notable buildings. The Palacio de Valdés-Salas is a complex dating from the 14th to the 16th century, comprising a palace and a medieval tower connected by an arch bearing heraldic coats of arms. The Palacio currently houses the Fundación Valdés-Salas and the Aula Universitaria Valdés-Salas, which develops cultural and academic activities in collaboration with the University of Oviedo. The Torre Medieval de Salas, also known as the Torre de los Valdés, is a square tower built from natural stone blocks in the 14th century and served residential and defensive functions. The Museo del Prerrománico de San Martín displays archaeological objects and epigraphic gravestones from the former pre-Romanesque church of San Martín, which dates back to the 9th or 10th century.

Festivals and Regional Traditions

Held every year, the Concurso de Sidra Casera de Salas brings together ciders from local producers, made using traditional methods and time-honoured recipes. Also held annually, the Feria Medieval de Salas transforms the historic centre into a medieval village. It features craft stalls, workshops, exhibitions and a varied programme of performances.

Landscape and Trails

Pico Aguión offers panoramic views over the Narcea and Nonaya valleys, the town of Salas and the mountains of western Asturias; it can be reached from the town via signposted trails. Close to Salas lies the Cascada del Nonaya, a waterfall on the River Nonaya, a tributary of the Narcea, in a wooded area characterised by lush Atlantic vegetation. A short, well-signposted trail leads there and is suitable for all visitors. The P.R. AS-128 Sendero del Salmón is an official hiking trail along the River Narcea and follows the route of the former railway from San Esteban to Leitariegos. The Tejo de San Martín is a remarkable yew tree standing 16 metres tall, with a trunk circumference of 6.5 metres and a crown diameter of 12 metres. In traditional Asturian beliefs, it has profound symbolic significance associated with protective properties.

Routes for Active Days

S.V.1 Salas – Cascada de Nonaya – El Viso – Salas is a difficult, 11.23-kilometre circular mountain-bike route. Salas desde la Trinchera is a moderate, 5.02-kilometre circular hike that begins at Plaza del Ayuntamiento in Salas and leads to the remains of trenches and fortifications from the Spanish Civil War. The different lengths, difficulty levels and modes of transport help you compare the trails according to your own daily itinerary.

Other Town Pages

Other town pages: Cornellana, La Granja, Santiago De La Barca, Malleza.

Regional Cuisine

Carajitos del Profesor were created by Casa del Profesor, a historic café-bistro founded in Salas in 1918. The round biscuits are about five centimetres in diameter and are made exclusively from hazelnuts, sugar and egg. Casadielles consist of thin pastry filled with walnut and sugar and flavoured with a hint of anise; they are then deep-fried and sprinkled with sugar. Several pastry shops in Cornellana, within the municipality of Salas, make Casadielles as a traditional Asturian sweet pastry. Fabas de Salas are among the municipality’s most representative agricultural products, are protected by the Faba Asturiana protected geographical indication and are grown on small farms using traditional, environmentally friendly methods.

Back to the main travel overview: Salas.