Villaviciosa, Spain
I woke up before my alarm and, too excited to go back to sleep, took my first rested steps in Villaviciosa. My friends had dropped me at the Air B+B the night before, and I had muddled exhaustedly through the introductions to the hosts. Now I descended curiously to the entry level of the building and stepped into a quiet street.
Villaviciosa is the perfect place for a restful adventure. You are an easy commute from surfing lessons and all kinds of fishing, and the Camino de Santiago runs right through “town-center”. The villa is microscopic. The business sector is one street and you can walk it North to South in 15 minutes. The culture and beauty of the town settled deep in my heart.
Villaviciosa City Council building is a great point of reference for directions. I gathered here with 100 townsfolk for the local holiday in the Villa’s 751st year of existence! I listened to amazing music performed by Banda Gaites Villaviciosa - El Gaitero. Check it out and see a glimpse of the villa while you listen.
From City Council there is beauty in every direction. Walk the steep Plaza de Ayuntamiento Eastward to view cows and rustic farm buildings. If you walk 20 minutes you will ascend to even tinier towns nestled on the hill. Walk North from City Hall and you can find horses grazing and open marshes that change with every ocean tide. To the West of City Hall you will find cafes on the main street ready for guests. South of center you can enter the Camino and travel by foot towards Oviedo.
It is easy to find the essentials while you are staying in the villa. Minymas and Día are central and will not require any vehicle if you shop here for your groceries. To save some money you can take a 15 minute walk to Mercadona and find a wider selection of food and treats. Mercadona will also supply any hygiene or essential home living items you are searching for during your trip.
If you tire of provincial life, you can travel to the beach or a nearby city. Rodillas is a beautiful ocean bay and you can easily arrive there with the buses from Villaviciosa. Llanes is a 45 minute drive and the town is marvelous and full of ocean views. There is some delicious ice cream in town center and I am sure the other food is splendid. Finally, you are only 40 minutes by car from the famous Oviedo, Spain!
