Soto del Barco

Soto del Barco is born and grows on the banks of the Nalón, and is nourished and fed by it. So much so that all its life, its rich vegetable garden, its cuisine and its traditions revolve around the ‘silt’ and sap of this powerful river, which flows into the Bay of Biscay in this region. One of its banks is L’Arena, a town famous for its great seafaring tradition – which has a beautiful riverbed -, fishing and sailing, and because the best elvers in the northern Iberian Peninsula are harvested and cooked there. The glass eel is so important in the life of L’Arena that one of the original Christmas traditions is that of the ‘angulero’, a fisherman who acts as Father Christmas to bring the illusion and presents to the children. In addition, L’Arena adds to the cultural cachet of its council by seducing artists of the stature of the poet Rubén Darío or the painter Joaquín Sorolla who lived and were inspired there…

And to top it all off, L’Arena not only has a river and estuary, it has a beach, the impressive sandy area of Los Quebrantos. The Nalón and Soto del Barco, whose capital is Sotu, offer us other special places such as the village of El Castillu – with its medieval tower included – and its very old wharf, unique in Asturias. Other options are the village of Riberas and its indian architecture or getting to know the rural and natural environment in its farm-school… these are some suggestions, among many other routes and activities – land and river – that can be done from any point of the municipality, including its capital, which also has high level accommodation, some of which have been catalogued as among the best in the world.