I love Asturias, and above all Puertas de Cabrales, the village my godfather Manuel is from. It has beautiful stone houses and sits far away in the mountains of the Picos de Europa. That’s what makes it unique. I visited with my family during the village feast, and it’s a trip I remember with great affection: nature, complete tranquility far from the city, and traditions that are truly lived.
The journey, an experience in itself
Getting to Puertas was part of the adventure. We took the train from Chamartín station in Madrid to Oviedo, and from there we boarded a bus that took us all the way to the village, through the mountains, along winding roads and narrow streets that seem to carve their way through nature. Every curve revealed a different landscape, and the journey became a memory as special as the destination.
The Village Feast
We arrived just in time for August 5, the day Puertas celebrates its patron saint, the Virgen de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows). Picture the bread rings offered to the Virgin being auctioned in the square, a tradition that brings the whole village together. And then came the cider, a show in itself: the pourer turns his back to the glass, holds it down at his waist, raises the bottle high above his shoulder and lets the cider fall without even looking. It “breaks” as it hits the glass, and you’re handed a culín, a little sip you drink in one go before the bubbles fade.
Cider, a world heritage
Asturian cider culture has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It comes alive in the cider houses, which Asturians call chigres, where cider goes hand in hand with food, conversation and song.
Travel Notes
Where: Asturias, in northern Spain. Cabrales is in the eastern part of the region, at the gateway to the Picos de Europa.
Getting there: by train from Chamartín station in Madrid to Oviedo (about 3 hours), and from there by bus to Puertas.
Must-try: natural cider and Cabrales cheese.
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About the author: Patty Kralj has dedicated twenty years to what she loves most: writing about lifestyle. Having lived between Mexico and the United States, with a deep European sensibility, she created E Weekly News for one reason: to help you live better. Say hello here.
