Puelles: San Bartolomé and culture in the travel area
Accommodation in Puelles
In Puelles, also known as Pueyes, it is worth visiting the church of San Bartolomé: a reused pre-Romanesque window and simple round-arched portals complement the medieval building. In the Villaviciosa travel area, Valdediós expands the architectural theme; a regional road cycling tour combines culture with coastal and rural landscapes.
File:016121 - Puelles - Flickr - M.Peinado.jpg
Photo: M.Peinado from Alcalá de Henares, España via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
San Bartolomé de Pueyes
The church was built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries. It has a rectangular nave and a square chapel. Its two round-arched portals are undecorated. These clean lines give the building a different character from a richly ornamented church portal.
Inside, above the pointed triumphal arch, is a reused window of pre-Romanesque origin. The capitals of the columns in the portico also appear to have been taken from another building. Look out for these older architectural elements during your visit; check in advance whether the interior is currently accessible.
Valdediós as a regional cultural destination
The monumental complex comprises the church of San Salvador de Valdediós, also known as “El Conventín,” and the monastery of Santa María la Real de Valdediós. Alfonso III had San Salvador built in the 9th century. The church has a basilica layout with three naves; significant remnants of wall paintings have been preserved inside. It has held Bien de Interés Cultural protected status since 1985.
Founded by Alfonso IX, the Cistercian monastery encompasses building phases dating from the 13th to the 18th century. Its cloister is Neoclassical in design and is considered the largest in Asturias. The church of Santa María, by contrast, represents Cistercian Romanesque architecture. The monastery also houses a historic organ dating from 1713. Valdediós thus offers several points of interest from different periods and architectural styles for a cultural stay.
Cycling between Villaviciosa and Gijón/Xixón
The regional Villaviciosa–Gijón/Xixón road cycling route is described as 63 kilometres long, of moderate difficulty, and a one-day ride. It runs entirely on paved roads and passes through coastal landscapes with beaches as well as rural areas with cultural attractions, especially Romanesque churches.
The detailed route description mentions San Juan de Amandi, Ambás and Valdediós, as well as a return to Villaviciosa via the road from Pueyes. Use the current track to plan your specific route: the regional sections do not form a tour that stays exclusively in Puelles. The distance and time required should suit your riding ability and schedule.
If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Puelles, you can include the church in the village and Valdediós as cultural attractions. If cycling is your main focus, compare the exact location of the holiday apartment with your chosen route; the place name alone does not guarantee direct access to every section.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Cazamular, Selorio, Cazanes, Amandi, Collado, Liñero, Argüero, Torretejera.
For the main travel overview: Villaviciosa.
