Last Updated: September 23, 2021
Best Beaches In Asturias
Asturias is a stunning region of northwestern Spain that is known for its stunning mountains that drop into the sea, a coastline filled with textures, cliffs, and views, plus there are a ton of religious sites to visit to get your cultural fix on too.
We are going to focus on the best beach in Asturias though, as a holiday to this wonderful part of Spain will probably involve a lot more beach time than time spent looking around old churches.
There are over 220 different beaches in Asturias, and an incredible amount of them are pretty much unspoiled. Without knowing which of them are best to explore, you might end up on the wrong beach a lot of the time. Now, I’m not saying I’ll come up with your favorites here, as a good beach is a matter of one’s personal opinion, but I’ll do my best to showcase the best beaches Asturias has to offer.
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A word on the tides
Something that all the locals are aware of is what time in the tide it’s worth going to any particular beach. Some beaches are fine at high or low tide, others will have no sand at high tide, and some you won’t be able to swim at in low tide due to rocks and the like.
When you’re in Asturias, be sure to look up the tides online so you can plan the best time for your beach visit. There are 6 hours between every high and low tide, so if you arrive at the wrong time you could have a long wait until the beach is in its full glory, so be sure to check the tides. It’s easy, just google “tides Asturias” and you’ll find them.
Playa de Rodiles
To the west of Asturias, near the little fishing villages of San Roque and San Miguel is the stunning beach of Playa de Rodiles. Playa de Rodiles is around 1 km long and covered with golden sand with a river to one side and a forested headland that acts as a viewpoint on the other.
It’s known as one of the best beaches in Asturias and one of the best beaches in the whole of Spain, so it’s certainly worth spending some time at.
The beach sit’s within a protected nature reserve and is in line with pine trees. The walk down through the shade is stunning as you stare out across the golden sands and into the shimmering greeny-blue Atlantic ocean. The pine tree lining adds a lot of charm to the beach and it’s great when the weather is too hot and you want to relax in the shade and have a picnic.
To the left of Playa de Rodiles, as you’re looking out to sea is an estuary that creates quite a strong current so it’s best to swim on the right-hand side of the beach. It’s also a great beach for surfing as it’s quite sheltered from the wind and it picks up all the North Atlantic swells.
Nearby you’ll find multiple restaurants and bars to have lunch in and there is a dedicated parking area just a few minute’s wall from the beach. You can visit this beach at any time on the tide and still have a swim and a sandy spot to relax on.
Playa de Torimbia
Playa de Torimbia is another one of the best beaches in Asturias that you have to visit while you’re there. I love this beach because it’s off the beaten track and it takes some effort to get to, making it all the more worthwhile.
You’ll find Playa de Torimbia near the small town of Niembru. You can drive quite close to it, via a dirt track or two, and then you’ll need to park on the cliffs and make your way down to it. Your best bet is to follow the obvious track around to the western side of Playa de Torimbia, this is also where the viewpoint is. Once you’re there, it’s an easy stroll down to the beach.
Playa de Torimbia has a classical Asturias landscape to it with mountainous hills falling quickly into golden white sands, clear blue waters, and stunning headlands on either end. The beach is long with ample space for anyone who wants to relax there.
You’ll find the beach is accessible at all times in the tide but at high tide, just a thin sliver of sand will be left at the top, so it’s best to be there when the tide is falling so there is more beach to have fun on. It’s also an excellent surfing beach, so remember to bring your board with you if you have one.
Another wonderful thing about Playa de Torimbia is the walks available around it. Before heading down to the beach you can wander along the headlands and have a good hike with stunning views into the Atlantic before going down to Playa de Torimbia for a swim and sunbathe.
On your way down to the beach, you’ll notice a turn-off to the right which will take you to Chiringuito Torimbia, a fabulous restaurant with an amazing view. It would be criminal not to pop in and try their fresh seafood and have a drink overlooking the stunning Playa de Torimbia.
One word of warning about Playa de Torimbia, it is a bit of a nudist beach so don’t be surprised when you get down there.
Playa de Gulpiyuri
Playa de Gulpiyuri isn’t like any other beaches in Asturias, it is truly unique and different from any beach I have ever been to.
Playa de Gulpiyuri sit’s just to the west of Playa de Torimbia and is a natural inland beach. What does that mean? This means it’s in the middle of the headland and over millions of years the sea has managed to reach it by burrowing a network of underwater tunnels through the cliffs and onto the Playa de Gulpiyuri.
It’s a very small beach with crystal clear water that has been filtered through the limestone cliffs. It’s the perfect place to have a relaxing swim, and a great place for young kids to play as the water is very safe.
The sand at Playa de Gulpiyuri is golden, the sea blue, and the cliff backdrop is stunning. You really feel like you’re in the pocket of a fairytale while you’re there.
This is one beach where the tide really does matter. You have to visit Playa de Gulpiyuri around hightide or it will be empty of water and literally be a dry patch of sand, so be sure to remember that.
The area around Playa de Gulpiyuri is also excellent for hiking and you can follow the cliffs to find some wonderful natural coves all around the place.
Playa de Guadamía
Playa de Guadamía is a little out-of-the-way haven that is perfect for a quiet beach day and safe swims. Playa de Guadamía sits just outside of the little village of llames de Pria and is very easy to get to. You can drive right up to the edge of the beach and follow the river bed down to where the sea meets the lush golden sands.
Playa de Guadamía is a little different from most beaches it’s very narrow but quite long from south to north, and it looks more like a tidal river than anything else. At low tide, you can walk a few hundred meters down to find the sea, and at high tide, you’ll find it right up and close to where you have parked.
Playa de Guadamía isn’t known just for its beach, you can also go and see natural blow holes in action when the tide is high and when the waves are big. To the right of Playa de Guadamía, just a short walk away is the Bufones de Pría.
The Bufones de Pría are the natural blowholes that make a huge noise and blow water close to 30 ft up into the air when the sea slams against the cliffs. It’s quite a show of nature if you happen to be there when the cliffs are hit with a big swell.
Playa del Borizo
Playa del Borizo is nestled between the small village of Barro and Celorio and is by far one of the most beautiful and feature-filled beaches in Asturias.
When you walk down the sandy pathway to the beach you’ll be met with some ancient cliff stacks that sit right in the middle of the beach and connect to an island via a shallow sandy slither that is only just visible at low tide. It’s quite spectacular and a great place to daydream and stare out to sea forgetting and relaxing.
The sands are golden, the sea is blue and clean, Playa del Borizo is a little slice of heaven. To the left and right of the stacks on Playa del Borizo are where you can access the sea for a swim, giving it a feel of two beaches rolled into one.
You’ll find ample parking right next to the beach and you can walk to at least three different restaurants and even a supermarket within 5 minutes of Playa del Borizo, so you can spend all day there from morning until night. There is always sand available at the beach too, no matter what the tide is doing.
One thing to be wary of is how busy Playa del Borizo can get during peak season. There is a large campsite right across the road from it, so it’s best to arrive early if you don’t like the crowds. If you do find it too crowded, there are 5 other beaches just a walk away from it which are also beautiful, so you can check out Playa del Borizo for a bit and then move to emptier sands with ease.
Playa de San Antonio
If you love having a beach to yourself, then chances are you’ll love Playa de San Antonio and it might just become your favorite beach in Asturias.
You’ll find Playa de San Antonio near the village of Picones and it’s a bit of a trek to get to. You can either follow the track on google maps and park your car as far down as you can get from which, it will be a short hike to Playa de San Antonio. Or, you can park at the car park at Cuevas del Mar beach car park and hike for 15-20 minutes along the cliffs.
The hiking around the area is stunning, so it’s only really adding value and you can see more blowholes on your way, plus there is an old church, Ermita De San Antonio on the headland that is worth wandering past.
Once you reach Playa de San Antonio, you’ll have wandered into a beach surrounded by a cute and cozy cove. The sands are gold, the sea is blue, and make sure you turn around to see the incredible views of the Picos de Europa mountains.
One of my favorite things, when I visited Asturias on a surf trip, was paddling out, catching waves, and then looking back at the land to see the incredible backdrop of cliffs, beaches, and mountains falling into the sea. I described it as the Tahiti of Europe.
Playa de La Franca
Playa de La Franca is a stunning beach that is super easy to get to and is super safe for families. The sea at Playa de La Franca doesn’t have much current at all so young kids can happily go swimming on calm days without too much worry. When the tide comes in, it creates a giant shallow swimming pool for toddlers and young kids to splash about it.
Playa de La Franca sits just outside the little village of La Franca, just close to Asturias’s border with Cantabria. Its proximity to the village means it has great facilities and you’re no more than a 2-minute walk away from two restaurants that serve delicious food.
The best thing about Playa de La Franca, apart from the golden sands, blue seas, cliffs, and magical backdrops is that it turns from one beach into 3 beaches at low tide. To the west of Playa de La Franca is Playa de La Acacia, and to the east is Playa del Oso.
At dead low tide, you can walk around the cliff faces and get to these otherwise very secluded beaches, which is handy as Playa de La Franca can get very busy during peak season. Be very careful of the tide though, as if you miss your window you will be cut off and have to wait for 12 hours until the next low tide or else swim around the rocks to get back.
Cala El Regolgueru
If you really want to get off the beaten track and find a beach all to yourself in Asturias, then making the hike to Cala El Regolgueru is worth it.
Cala El Regolgueru is barely a beach, it’s more a patch of sand at the end of a cliff walled tunnel and it’s fantastically beautiful. You can relax on the sand, enjoy some snorkeling and fishing within the slither of ocean between the cliffs and really feel like you’re the only person in the world for a few minutes.
Cala El Regolgueru is a beach which you have to time your visit with the tide. At high tide, there is nothing to be seen and you’ll barely even know it’s there. Your best bet is to plane to arrive at Cala El Regolgueru 1.5 hours before low tide, and you can chill out there until 1.5 hours after low tide, or until the tide asks you to leave, giving you around 3 hours of exploring time.
Getting to Cala El Regolgueru isn’t for the faint-hearted as you will have to walk down a very steep cliff path to get to it and finding a place to park your car isn’t that easy either.
Just to the east of Cala El Regolgueru is the Ermita de San Emeterio church which you can find on google maps. I would suggest parking your car as close to there and then having a lovely hike around the church the surrounding area including Encinar de San Emeterio nature reserve and the Cave Pindal which you’ll find old Paleolithic cave paintings.
From there, put Cala El Regolgueru into google maps and follow the paths and cliffs to the beach. It’s an awesome day out of exploring but be sure to bring lots of water and food as there are no facilities nearby.
Playa De Cobijeru
Playa De Cobijeru is another natural inland beach that is formed by the sea tunneling its way through the limestone cliffs to park itself inland. Unlike the other inland beach we spoke about above, Playa De Cobijeru is a little different as it has a huge cave network that you can explore too.
Make sure to bring a torch and non-slip shoes so that you can walk into the cave and all the way into the cliffs that meet the sea.
Playa De Cobijeru is a beach that you have to plan to visit at the right tide. If you arrive at low tide you’ll find there isn’t much sea to enjoy, at high tide the beach is covered in sand, so you need to arrive at mid-tide to experience it at its best.
The area around Playa De Cobijeru is also stunning with stunning cliff walks, pretty little forests, and lots more to explore when you visit.
To get to Playa De Cobijeru you’ll need to first go to the pretty little village of Buelna and then follow the signs to Playa De Cobijeru along the trail. It’s also on Google Maps so you can make sure you’re going the right way using your phone.
Playa del Silencio O Gaviero
No trip to Asturias would be complete without paying a visit to Playa del Silencio O Gaviero. This beach, known as ‘Silence Beach’ is absolutely heavenly and you won’t find clearer or bluer seas anywhere in Asturias than at Playa del Silencio O Gaviero.
Why? Playa del Silencio O Gaviero is a pebble beach meaning there is no sand make it dirty. It’s one of the best beaches to enjoy some snorkeling in the crystal clear waters and the scenery is to die for too. The beach is surrounded by tall cliffs making it feel like you’re inside some kind of amphitheater and it goes on for around 500 meters.
To the east of the beach is a long stretching headland covered in crags and texture and to the west are rock islets that the perfect amount of drama an otherwise magical location. To top it all off, when you look out to sea you will notice quite a few little floating islets that are slowly becoming more and more a part of the sea.
Getting to Playa del Silencio O Gaviero is quite easy. You’ll need to go to the small village of Castanearas first and then follow the dirt track down to the beach. Playa del Silencio O Gaviero is on google maps so you can also use this for your navigational needs.
While you’re visiting Playa del Silencio O Gaviero you should take a walk along the hiking trails to the top of the headlands to the east or west. The views are quite incredible and worth the effort. From there you can also access more hidden beaches such as Playa la Barquera but none of them are quite as beautiful as Playa del Silencio O Gaviero.
When visiting Playa del Silencio O Gaviero make sure to bring everything you need with you for a beach day. There are no restaurants or shops nearby so having a lot of water, an umbrella for shade, a packed lunch, and snacks will mean you can spend the entire day there and not have to leave. Oh and don’t forget your mask and snorkel as the underwater world is very much worth seeing.
The Best Beaches In Asturias
As you can see, Asturias is not wanting for amazing beaches, the entire coastline is quite spectacular. I hope this article has narrowed down your choice of beaches so you can spend your time in Asturias well, at the most beautiful spots instead of having to find them yourself.
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
