Tucked into a narrow valley a few kilometres south of Villaviciosa, the little church of San Salvador de Valdediós is one of the jewels of Asturian pre-Romanesque architecture. Locals call it El Conventín, the little convent, and it was consecrated at the end of the ninth century under King Alfonso III, during the period when the small Kingdom of Asturias was the only Christian state in Iberia not under Muslim rule. Its tall, narrow nave, round arches and delicate stone lattice windows give it a strangely intimate atmosphere.
Next to it stands the much larger Cistercian monastery of Santa María de Valdediós, built several centuries later, with a Romanesque church and a cloister. Together they make a peaceful ensemble, surrounded by meadows and woods, with the sound of the stream and birdsong. The valley's name means valley of God, and it feels like it.
Riding in Asturias is a joy. The roads around Villaviciosa wind through green hills, apple orchards and small villages, with good surfaces and moderate traffic. The coast road east and west offers views of cliffs, beaches and fishing villages, while the roads inland climb towards the mountains of the Cordillera Cantábrica. The weather is mild but often wet, and fog can roll in from the sea. Summer is the best time, though autumn brings beautiful colours and fewer tourists.
Villaviciosa is the capital of Asturian cider, and the hills around it are covered with apple orchards. Asturian cider is poured from a height to aerate it, a skill called escanciar, and the sidrerías of the region are lively places where cider flows freely. The Ría de Villaviciosa, an estuary nearby, is a nature reserve with salt marshes and birdlife. It was here, according to tradition, that the young future emperor Charles V first landed in Spain in 1517, having been blown off course.
Villaviciosa, about six kilometres away, has fuel, restaurants and accommodation. Colunga, to the east, is home to the Jurassic Museum of Asturias, celebrating the dinosaur footprints found along this coast. Try fabada asturiana, a rich bean stew with chorizo and morcilla, and finish with arroz con leche, rice pudding with a caramelized sugar crust.