Asturias

The principality of Asturias (Spanish: Principado de Asturias, Asturian: Principáu d'Asturies or Asturies) is an autonomous community in Spain. It is situated on the north coast facing the Mar Cantábrico, the Spanish name for the Bay of Biscay. The most important cities are the provincial capital, Oviedo (Uviéu), the seaport and largest city Gijón (Xixón), and the industrial town of Avilés. Asturias is bordered on the east by Cantabria, on the south by Castilla y León, on the west by Galicia, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.

The Cantabrian Mountains (Cordillera Cantábrica) form Asturias's natural border with the province of León to the south. In the eastern range, the Picos de Europa National Park contains mountains rising to 2,648 metres at the Torrecerredo peak. The Cantabrian mountains extend some 200 kilometres in total, as far as Galicia to the west of Asturias and Cantabria to the east. The Asturian coastline is extensive, with hundreds of beaches, coves and natural sea caves and the key features of Asturian geography are its rugged coastal cliffs and the mountainous interior. Summers in Asturias are generally humid and warm, with considerable sunshine, but also some rain. Winters are fairly mild but with some very cold snaps. The cold is especially felt in the mountains, where snow is present from November until May. Asturias is regarded to be a part of so called Green Spain.