Page 100 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

98  NOR THERN SP AIN REGION B Y REGION

products. The museum also
puts on temporary exhibitions.
E Museo Etnográfico de Quirós
Barzana. Tel 985 76 81 60. Open Jul–
Sep: 11am–2pm & 3:30–7:30pm Wed–
Sun; rest of year: 11am–2pm & 3–6pm
Sat, Sun & public hols. Closed mid-
Dec–Feb. & 8 (call in advance)

The 12th-century Iglesia de San Pedro in Teverga
0 Valle de Teverga excellent bread and colourful
fiestas. Bermiego, which is
Asturias. Road Map D2. n Calle surrounded by the Gamonitero
Dr García Miranda; 985 76 42 02.
_ Nuestra Señora del Cébrano and Gamonal hills, features
(15 Aug). ∑ tevergaturismo.com traditional red-roofed houses
and characteristic hórreos –
This area lies to the south of wooden structures built on
Oviedo. Its main attractions are stone pillars to prevent rodents
forests, wild scenery, meandering from eating the grain stored
rivers and foaming waterfalls. inside. It’s an easy hike to the
Three caves – Cueva Huerta, summit of Gamonitero, from
Cueva de Vistulaz and Vegalonga which there are beautiful
– have pre historic wall paintings. panoramic views. Next to A typical red-roofed wooden hórreo
The Parque de la Prehistoria the church of Santa María (granary) in Bárzana
illus trates the lives and art of the stands a locally famous yew
earliest cave dwellers. tree of impressive dimensions: w Parque Natural
The regional capital is La Plaza, 14 m (46 ft) high, and with a
whose Iglesia de San Pedro was trunk some 13 m (43 ft) de Somiedo
built in 1069–76. Just to the west in diameter. Road Map D2. n Centro de
of La Plaza is Villanueva, with its Bárzana is another attractive Recepción, Pola de Somiedo; 958 76
equally beautiful Romanesque village. Of greatest interest to 37 58. ∑ somiedorural.com
Iglesia de Santa María. the visitor is undoubtedly the
The local culinary delicacies Museo Etnográfico de Quirós, One of the wildest pieces of
of Teverga are roast mutton which opened in 1998 on the wilderness left in western
and masera cheese. site of a former marketplace. Europe, this large park straddles
The aim of the museum is to the Cantabrian mountains,
Y Parque de la Prehistoria present life in the Asturian covering an area of 300 sq km
San Salvador de Alesga. Tel 902 30 countryside in times past. (116 sq miles). Somiedo is one
66 00. Open Mar–Jun & Sep–Nov: On the first floor are a series of the most representative
10am–2:30pm & 3:30–6pm Wed–Fri, of reconstructed farm buildings mountain ecosystems on the
10:30am–2:30pm & 4–7pm Sat & Sun; and cattle pens; on the second, Iberian Peninsula, its beech and
Jul–Aug: 10am–2:30pm & 4–8pm a display of tools and craft oak forests providing a sanctuary
daily; Dec–Feb: 10:30am–2:30pm &
3:30–5:30pm Wed–Sun. & 8 7
∑ parquedelaprehistoria.es The Brown Bear
The brown bear – Europe’s largest
q Bárzana and land predator – is found in the
mountain regions of Asturias and
Bermiego in nature reserves such as Somiedo.
In the Middle Ages, the brown
Asturias. Road Map D1 & D2. bear enjoyed great respect, as
n Carretera General, Bárzana; evidenced by the fact that images
985 76 81 60 (summer only). of the animal often appeared in
coats of arms. Hunting and the
Among the most beautiful destruction of its natural forest
mountain villages in Asturias, habitat caused a rapid decline in
it was here that the Visigothic numbers. However, things have been
aristocracy hid during the improving steadily since the 1990s,
Moorish invasion. and it is estimated that there are A brown bear in the Parque Nacional
Both Bárzana and Bermiego now 200 brown bears in Somiedo. de los Picos de Europa
are primarily known for their
For hotels and restaurants see pp204–5 and pp217–19

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