The bus from Gijon to Oviedo is way cheaper (and more frequent) then the train, which makes it popular, but it’s a little tricky to figure out. We bought our timed tickets for 11:15am via credit card on a machine – so far so good – but there are no signs about what bus goes where. I wound up asking someone and he directed us to bay 1 where we joined a VERY long line of people waiting. We didn’t get to sit together but we made it on the bus. Plenty of other people did not. The ride was about 25 minutes, mostly highway, and we got off early, closer to the cathedral, because someone requested a stop. Nice!
Oviedo is the capital of (the Principality of) Asturias, boasting the massive Cathedral of San Salvador that houses the Holy Shroud of Oviedo, lots of green space, outdoor cafes, and plenty of public art.
The main attraction in town is the cathedral. It was 8€ per person for access to the compound and the inside was as expected, a large interior space with various small chapels around the perimeter. My favorite was the Chapel of Saint Eulalia of Merida, a baroque chapel from the 17th century.
We were given a map with the suggested route, which we followed. We got to see the shroud of Oviedo (behind glass) along with several other relics and religious artifacts in the Holy Chamber and then in the museum rooms. Our favorite item was the Gothic Diptych of the Passion which were two intricately carved ivory panels from the 14th century.
Once we entered the cloister area, we witnessed a procession of some sort. Pipes and drums and flags and lots of marching!
Our next stop was the free to visit Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias which closed at 2pm, reopening again at 5pm. Like some modern art, I questioned the inclusion of some pieces, but there was some art that we enjoyed, including a Picasso (from afar). We also randomly ran into a couple from NC that used to go to the same church! Small world.
It was a very warm day, so we explored while trying to stick to the shade as much as possible. I took a quick spin around the Mercado El Fontán, scoping out the prices of Asturian fabada beans (verdict: even more expensive than the grocery stores).
Next, we stopped into Don Colosseo Pizza for lunch. I ordered a serviceable red wine and Eric had the 1906 cerveza. I chose the ham and cheese pizza, which was massive and too plain. Should have spent the extra 3€ for tomato sauce. We sat by an open window and watched lots of dogs walking by. When it came time to pay, they only accepted cash.
Our next stop was the Jardines de la Rodriga which displayed a million signs forbidding dogs. Sheesh. The nearby San Francisco Park was a lot more accommodating of pets and full of sculptures, fountains, and birds. There was also the Oviedo Floral Calendar/Calendario Floral that changes daily with the current date.
We walked past the palace, which was a bit lame, but got another shot of the cathedral. Deciding to head to the train station, we walked up a pedestrian path, stopping at the Woody Allen statue, the Basilica of St. John The Real, and an Ingles Cortes Supermercado for a limonada to rehydrate.
Trains were 7-9€ – 4x the price of the bus, so we walked to the bus station instead. And, we weren’t as lucky for the bus back. Once again, buying the tickets was easy but the line was even longer for the return (we arrived 15 minutes before the bus was set to leave) and we were about 8 people from the front when the driver stopped boarding. At least the signage was better here and the waiting area was shaded. The Oviedo station had 40+ bays and 29/30 were clearly marked for the Gijon direct bus. Thankfully, we only had to wait 20 minutes for the next bus and we got to sit together this time. Not sure why they sell more timed bus tickets than they can accommodate?
