Discover Sotiello: Abadía de Cenero, yew tree and historic paths

In the hamlet of Sotiello, within the parish of Cenero in Gijón, stands the Church of San Juan de Cenero, also known as Abadía de Cenero. Its surviving original structure dates from 1260; some experts regarded it as the most significant Romanesque building in the municipality of Gijón.

Culture

The monumental western portal of Abadía de Cenero features an inner multilobed arch with Mozarabic influence. Three arches with bold mouldings and checkerboard decoration accentuate the portal; it rests on capitals decorated with animal motifs.

The Church of San Juan de Cenero and its yew tree in the hamlet of Sotiello are listed in the urban catalogue of the municipality of Xixón with “integral” protection status and form a protected historic churchyard area. The festival of Santo Cristo de la Misericordia y el Perdón, popularly known as Cristo de L’Abadía, is celebrated on the first Sunday in May.

The festival is preceded by two days of traditional celebrations, including barbecues, children’s games and gastronomic competitions. The festivities include a sung Mass accompanied by bagpipes, a procession around the church and a festival featuring several dance groups from the municipality.

Nature

Next to Abadía de Cenero stands the Texu de L’Abadía, which is nearly three centuries old and was declared a natural monument in 2012. The yew tree defines the churchyard and village square of Sotiello and is closely connected with the local community’s sense of belonging.

Routes

The Ruta Arqueológica de Cenero is 3.9 kilometres long, has a low level of difficulty and a stated duration of approximately 55 minutes. It is considered a historic walk visiting archaeological sites and monuments along the Ruta de la Plata.

The route begins at Abadía de Cenero and leads to the Villa Romana de Veranes as its third stop. A stage of the Ruta Vía de la Plata passes through the village of Sotiello.

This stage can be reached by Feve train towards Laviana; get off at Sotiello station. Alternatively, city bus route 14 runs to Abadía de Cenero. The different themes and route types can be considered separately when planning your trip.

When comparing holiday apartments in Sotiello, you can review travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies side by side on the offer pages. Historic sites, routes and the festival programme offer different focuses for your personal trip planning.

More village pages: Cardoso, Nevares, Pruneda, Coviella, Meluerda, Llueves, Coaña, Cerredo

Archaeology

At the Villa Romana de Veranes, visitors can explore the open-air area belonging to the archaeological site. The museum’s indoor spaces are closed; the visit is accessible and free of charge.

The Villa Romana de Veranes was an agricultural estate and at the same time a leisure residence for its owners. It is laid out across four terraces cut into a hillside, covering an area of approximately one hectare.

The Hórreo HO-462-I is classified as traditional architecture and has protection level 1 (“integral”) in Gijón’s urban catalogue.

The archaeological tour at the Villa Romana de Veranes is supported by a personal video guide that reconstructs the villa’s original walls and rooms.

For the broader travel overview: Asturias.