Oviedo, the pleasure of eating

When you’re in Oviedo, in the north of Spain, you’ll know why its gastronomy is a pleasure: you and your companions will be able to attend an "espicha", a popular tradition usually held in the cider bars on the outskirts of the city, and see how the locals pour the cider from a height. You’ll also see how they fill the bottles directly from the barrels, and you’ll be able to try Asturian cheese, Spanish omelette, spicy cider sausage, gammon with turnip greens, and lots of other delicacies.

One of the best places to find cider bars is the old part of the city, especially Gascona Street, which is known locally as “cider boulevard”. In many of the bars you’ll be able to try your own hand at pouring this beverage obtained from apples.

The best time for experiencing Oviedo's gastronomic traditions are 19 October, when the "Desarme" festival is held (that day the restaurants offer a menu of chick peas with cod and spinach and traditional desserts), and the Feast of the Ascension in May, when you’ll find typical Asturian products such as cured meats, beans and the famous wine “Vino de la Tierra de Cangas”.