Things to do

• Sports
• Walking
• Fishing and canoeing at El Puntal with promenade on the Estuary.
• Horse riding can be arranged at Asturcon Equestrian Centre including riding for people
      with mobility problems.
• Cycling (we have some bikes for guest use, if you are feeling energetic, just ask) or 
      they can be hired locally for €10 half day or €12 full day from Cuetos Bike Shop.
• Bird watching
• Sea Fishing (licences available through www.asturias.es or click here fishing licence)
• Coarse Fishing
• 2 local Golf Courses
• Kayaking
• Hang gliding
• Quad biking
• Indoor municipal swimming pool (with hoist and wheelchair friendly changing facilities).
• Surfing (lessons available through Rodiride in Villaviciosa )

Camino de Santiago

St. James (Santa Iago), preached Christianity in Spain, but when he returned to Judea he was executed by Herod and according to Christian tradition his body miraculously returned to Compostela. This town then became one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in the world. The vow of making a pilgrimage to Compostela to honour St. James is still carried out to this day and you may wish to visit one of the numerous websites now dedicated to giving information and tips on how to carry out a sucessful pilgrimage or you may merely wish to walk a little of the way by Casa Lavender which is 1.5 km from the monestary at San Salvador de Valdedios, marker 373 on the Camino del Norte. www.csj.org.uk


Food, drink and where to eat

Fresh fish is abundantly available at most restaurants, especially at Tazones, a picturesque little fishing village best visited on a Sunday, booking in advance advisable. Sunday is still a big spanish tradition, wearing your best clothes, getting together with all the family and generally having a bit of a party. Its truly something very special to watch and enjoy, the oldest and the youngest in a family incredibly at one with each other.

Nearby there are several parillas where you can eat huge platters of barbequed meat or indulge every day in a four course meal which will only set you back €7 and usually includes bread, desert and wine! Most restaurants only serve spanish cuisine, but if you fancy somethhing a little different Villaviciosa has a lovely little italian pizzeria and a new chinese restaurant, Gijon has several restaurants with forgeign cusine including an indian called the Taj Majal and Oviedo has a couple of chinese restaurants.

However you should not leave Asturias without trying the local fabada, which is a bean and bacon stew, washed down with a local glass of sidra (cider). Villaviciosa is the heart of the cider making industry for spain. El Gaitero has a factory here which you can take a tour of and exports its sparkling cider worldwide. The locals tend to drink the non sparkling type though and it is poured in a very special unique way, bottle held high overhead and glass low, two whole arm lengths apart! Stand well back!

Smaller Guests

We like to have something for everyone at Casa Lavender.  If you are bringing a baby, then why not let us take the strain out of all the bits and pieces you need to bring.  We can obtain nappies in advance, Huggies are available here, as well as Aptimil and Cow&Gate powered milk, Johnsons baby products too. Another great idea is to log on to bebebel where you can preorder everything to be delivered to Casa Lavender and save on excess luggage charges.  We supply a travel cot, highchair, baby bath and microwave steriliser, although you would need to bring your own bottles and cot bedding too.

Festivals

• Three Kings: the night of the 5th January has the whole town out, especially children to see the 3 wise men arrive in their town giving out sweets and presents.
• Carnaval: A huge dressing up parade for most towns in Asturias and usually happens early in February. La Ascension: Each spring, in the month of May. Semana Santa for Easter week.
• Cider Festival at the end of August and also one held in Gijon.
• Las Fiestas de San Mateo: is celebrated the final week of September. The 19th of September is the Day of America, on which there is a huge parade. The 21st of September, the day of San Mateo, is the largest day of the fiesta.
• El Desarme: This gastronomical celebration is celebrated once a year in October.
• Semana Negra:  In Gijon and usually within first 2 weeks of July.
• July and August has a regular programme of free activities for children in the park and music in the street most Friday evenings.
  

In fact the Spanish love to party and there is usually something worth celebrating, those listed above are just a few.