Asturias: a magical world for children

"I want to see a bear!"

Can you imagine the look on your children's faces if you promise them a holiday where they are the protagonists? Stop imagining and tell them, because in Spain there is a place ideal for the little ones: Asturias. Here you can follow the trail of dinosaurs, visit a mine, walk through "enchanted forests", canoe down a river, feed bears, play, discover... Here a few different ideas:

If your children would love you to make this wish come true, then don't think twice - take them to Asturias, in northern Spain. There you will find the village of Proaza and what is known as the “Bear Trail”, where you can take your family on a route on foot or by bike. However, the real fun starts at midday, when Paca and Tola the bears head down to eat fruit salad. Can you imagine the look on your children's faces when they see the bears mash up this "delicacy" with their paws?

If you want your children to discover nature, then the Biosphere Reserves in Asturias are a great place to start. From Muniellos to the Redes Nature Reserve and the Picos de Europa National Park, a wonderful experience awaits you. Walk with your children and pay close attention. Shhh… Quiet… Can you hear the woodpeckers, dippers, deer and otters? Or is it a wild cat?... Furthermore, all the woods in the area are home to legends of weird and wonderful beings that they will love. Help them to chase the goblins!

"How big can a squid get? And a dinosaur?"

There is no need to look at encyclopaedia to find the answer. Asturias has many museums and workshops designed to satisfy your kids' curiosity. If your children like the sea, then in Luarca you will find a themed workshop with some very special "guests": eight giant squid, a species that can reach 20 metres in length. Furthermore, at the Gijón Aquarium you can go on a journey to the world's different seas and oceans. Take a close look at how the cute otters swim, and sleep next to the shark tank!

If there is one subject that children love, it is dinosaurs. Give them a wonderful surprise with a visit to the Asturias Jurassic Museum, in Colunga. They will be thrilled to see that the museum is laid out in the shape of a dinosaur print, with 20 replicas to look at. Do they still want more? Then make them into explorers on the Dinosaur Route (in Ribadesella, Colunga and Villaviciosa), searching for the trail of these animals.

"What was there before television?"

A real educational journey into history. This is what you will find if you come to Asturias with your children. You can start by taking them back into prehistory with places like the Tito Bustillo Educational Workshop in Ribadesella or the Prehistory Park in Teverga. Pictorial representations of the Bronze Age, interconnected caverns, replicas of the oldest paintings in the world... all these will leave your children amazed by the beauty of the past.

Would you like your children to discover the sound of old railways and see how people used to work in the mines? This is easy in Asturias, because the El Entrego Mining and Industry Museum organises visits to the mine in groups of 15 people, while at the Asturias Railway Museum, in Gijón, they can go on a ride in a wooden train. Kids just love it.

Quick, we're going to be late!

Are you finding it hard to keep up with your children after so much activity? Then have a rest and take them to the Children's Palace in Oviedo. Here there are 10,000 square metres awaiting them to enjoy: the Nautilus, Climbing Wall and Fun Park, where there is a story-telling tree and a team of staff to organise games.

If you fancy sampling some natural foods, visit the Picos de Europa honey workshop (Alles) where there are glass hives you can see and different varieties of honey to taste. At El Malaín Farm (Villaviciosa), you and the whole family can pick fruits such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, and then use them to make delicious tarts, jams and juices. "Yummy!", your kids will say.

Furthermore, in Asturias you will also find gardens and beaches with play areas, such as the one in Poo, protected from the sea waves like a natural swimming pool. Have you rested yet? Has your spirit of adventure returned? Then here is one last idea: a canoeing trip down the Sella River. All year round there are tourism companies offering trips down the river in canoes for one, two or three people, the last of these ideal to travel with the children. The most popular departure point for canoes is the village of Arriondas.

Explore Asturias: a magical world, the perfect place to play, have fun and learn. Don't miss the chance to give your children the trip they have always wanted.

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