Motaz Othman   

Oviedo / North Spain

Oviedo is the capital of the Principality of Asturias, located North of Spain facing the Atlantic Ocean.

My visit to Oviedo came after the invitation from its Convention Bureau and its Tourism Board to participate at M.I.T.M (Meetings, Incentives Travel Market) that took place between 28^th -29^th September 2009. In fact I didn’t think twice whether to accept the invitation or not, as I never heard about Oviedo city and immediately I confirmed my participation and took the flight to Oviedo with Air France via Charles De Goal Airport.

North Spain is well known as the green area of Spain with 300 days raining, from the plane you can see the Atlantic Ocean hitting the very rich green mountains, and once you get out from the Airport you can smell the fresh air coming from the west and from the Atlantic Ocean.

45 minutes to Oviedo from Asturias Airport, but the driver makes it in 25 minutes, as we have to catch the walking tour inside Oviedo city. The tour guide takes us to the old town to see the famous Saint James Cathedral and other important and old buildings that shows the rich history and heritage of Oviedo, I found my self in an open museum. During the tour, we visited also the Campo San Francisco which is a big garden or a park with huge trees, it was very clean, the guide told us that they clean the park four times a day. In fact during the tour I recognize the fact that Oviedo have won the reward as it’s the second cleanest city in Europe, and I guess that it’s the second cleanest city in the world, as Europe is the cleanest continent.

We walk inside the shopping Area, where small and big shops offering all you might think about in a very class presentation, here it’s always the best quality and always handy.

Hotels in Oviedo are spread in the down town area, offering a luxury accommodation, some of these Hotels are new and other are old from 70s and 80s but even the old hotels are redecorated and ready for guest and ready for meetings and business travelers as well for leisure tourist who are coming from France and other Europeans countries. In fact, Oviedo city is trying to attract the international MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry, and that why they build two convention locations the Principle Felipe Conference Palace and Palacio de Congresos, together with the 1800 five stars rooms and the wide variety in Oviedo makes the city one of the best locations for Meetings and Conventions and that was the aim of holding M.I.T.M in the city.

Oviedo also known for its celebrations and festivals around the year, the most important festivals are San Mateo in September  and la Balesquida in Spring. As for sports, here in Oviedo you can play Golf, riding horses, playing tennis and enjoying its mountains and nature areas. Children can enjoy their life as the city offers lot of facilities for them.

Oviedo knows as the city that has the Water of Life, where the beneficial and therapeutical qualities of water available form along time, and you can enjoy the Spa’s that offers all kinds of treatments with the mineral quality water in a very class atmosphere.

The most important thing in Oviedo is the green areas around the city, even the citizens name their city as Capital of Paradise, for its Clean, Green and Fresh Air, the rivers that cross the area add positive elements to name the city as the Capital of Paradise.

Oviedo, is known also for its best food and as one of the best cities for food in Europe. There are several diverse restaurants in the city, high cuisine, one of the best is De Labra Restaurant where we took our dinner, De Labra located 5 minutes far from the city inside an area of historical trees and very attractive views.

Music and culture is something very special here in Oviedo, every year many international functions took place with the participation of international attendance, and that’s reflect how the people and citizens of Oviedo are polite and educated and they consider themselves as pure Ethnic Spanish as they protected their Area during the time that Arabs invade Spain. 

The population is around 200,000 only which makes the city well organized, one thing I noticed that people here close their shops during lunch time, even small grocery and small shops means that they are talking care of them selves and enjoy their time. The family here in Oviedo is important and the city well known as one of the most conservative cities in Spain.  

Asturias Airport is connected to few European cities, but it’s highly connected to Spanish cities, Oviedo is also very well connected to all cities in Spain via roads and trains.                  

The city is full of fountains that available in all its corners and roads, more than 80 walking streets are available in the city.

The most important event is “ The Prince of Asturias Awards “ turn Oviedo, since their founding in 1981, into the focus of international society and press. Each Fall, Oviedo offers its best features to the world, in hospitality, culture and science, tourism and human quality. These awards, after the Nobel prize, are considered the next most important internationally projected awards, and turn Oviedo into a culture and scientific capital. The Prince and Princess of Asturias present the awards in the Campoamor Theater to the recipients in the different categories.

Last, it’s my advice to those who need real and enjoyable vacation to visit Oviedo city and as well they can visit the two nearest cities in Asturias Gijon and Aviles and those two cities are in my calendar for the future.