Spain 9: We Visit the Cleanest City in the World, and then the Perfect Place for Lunch: Oviedo and Luarca

Travel date: Friday September 19, 2025

The City of Oviedo, the capital of the autonomous community of Asturias, is notable for several reasons: 1) it was established in the 8th Century, and offers distinctive opportunities to see Romanesque and later medieval architecture; 2) it is the site of more than one hundred open-air statues; 3) it is considered an important stop by pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela (our next destination, too) ; and 4) it may be the cleanest city on the planet.

It was an intermittently rainy morning when we set out on our tour of Oviedo. Our local guide, a very interesting and enthusiasatic fellow, pointed out the Muralla Medieval de Oviedo, the largest remaining section of the city walls that were commissioned by Alfonso X in about 1260; they protected the city for centuries.

The Catedral de San Salvador (Basilica of the Holy Saviour) looms over everything in the centre of Oviedo. Within it is the Cámara Santa, a small chapel designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was built in 840 CE by King Alfonso II of Asturias to house the “Shroud of Oviedo,” a bloodstained piece of cloth thought to have been wrapped around the head of Jesus Christ after he died.

The Bishop’s Run Square (Corrada del Obispo) is a trapezoid-shaped plaza surrounded by some of the city’s most architecturally significant buildings, including the Episcopal Palace and the Gothic cloister of the cathedral (which is topped with a Baroque façade). The square’s name dates as far back as the 13th century, when it was a courtyard or “run” behind the bishop’s house. Over centuries, many buildings that frame it have been destroyed by fires, demolished, replaced and/or rebuilt – some of the renovations having taken place as recently as 1956.

“Visitors are immediately drawn to the Alms Gate, a magnificent Baroque portal leading into the cathedral cloister. Built between 1730 and 1733 by Francisco de la Riva Ladrón de Guevara, its Tuscan columns, medallions, and heraldic shields remain a highlight of the square’s regal character. Directly opposite is the House of the Dean Payarinos, constructed in 1900 in an eclectic, neoclassical style by Juan Miguel de la Guardia.” GPSMyCity For many decades, aid was handed out to the needy at the Alms Gate (Puerta de la Limosna).

Trascollores Square is home to many of the city’s famous sculptures, including two notable bronze monuments, both created in 1996: “La Lechera” (The Milkmaid) by artist Manuel García Linares and “El Vendedor de Pescado” (Fish Seller) by José Antonio García Prieto, which pays tribute to the historical fishing trade in the square. There is also a life-sized bronze sculpture of actor, writer and director Woody Allen, who filmed part of Vicki Christina Barcelona in Oviedo.

Oviedo is widely recognized as one of the cleanest cities in Spain and Europe, often winning awards for its sanitation efforts. Promotional materials tell us that the city’s reputation for cleanliness “is driven by a combination of intense municipal cleaning schedules, significant financial investment, and strong civic pride.” Indeed, the cleaning schedule means that the streets are cleaned and hosed down every day, and waste bins are often hidden to help convey the message that the people of the city make no garbage.

Oviedo may be known for its historic architecture, but we actually began our tour at a very modern building: the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos Ciudad de Oviedo (Oviedo Exhibition and Congress Centre), a distinctive facility designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, which opened in 2011. Our local tour guide also took us through the sumptuous city market.

Luarca

Luarca is a lovely fishing village about an hour west of Oviedo, the pleasures of which are best conveyed by photos rather than words. “Picturesque” does not even begin to describe it. We had lunch in one of the lovely restaurants along the harbourfront, then wandered around the harbour to the breakwater.