Planning to visit northern Spain with kids? Don’t miss these family-friendly things to do in Asturias, perfect for a weekend filled with nature, charming villages, and fascinating museums!

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Northern Spain with Kids: Best Things to Do in Asturias for Families

Our Family-Friendly Weekend in Asturias

This fall, we enjoyed a family getaway to Asturias in northern Spain. While it was not my first time visiting the region (you can find my previous trips and itineraries on the blog under the hashtag #Asturias), it was my first time returning with kids and focusing on family-friendly activities.

Asturias is one of those Spanish regions I keep coming back to because I simply love its lush greenery, hidden gems off the mainstream tourism radar, and traditional way of life. It is the perfect destination for an unplugged vacation. This time, we discovered a different side of the region, focusing on child-friendly places, including interactive museums, dinosaur fossils, and beautiful coastal scenery.

In this post, I wanted to share the places we loved and the activities I recommend adding to your itinerary if you are traveling to Asturias and northern Spain with kids.

Northern Spain Holidays with Kids: Why Visit Asturias?

Asturias is a popular destination on many northern Spain road trips, but there are enough interesting things to do here to plan an entire family holiday around the region. I would particularly recommend it to families who love nature and want a countryside getaway with opportunities to explore the outdoors, discover local traditions, and visit interesting museums.

I often feel that travelers heading straight to the famous Picos de Europa National Park, spectacular as it is, miss out on many other wonderful places in Asturias. And while hiking in the mountains is one of the region’s highlights, I have found that younger children can actually enjoy easier forest trails even more, spotting wildlife, collecting interesting leaves, and searching for mushrooms along the way.

For us, it turned out to be a perfect combination of quiet countryside living, easy hiking trails with beautiful views and plenty of local flora and fauna, and interesting cultural visits to local museums.

Where to Stay in Asturias with Kids: A Traditional Countryside House

For this family trip to Asturias, we stayed at a traditional local house called CasaCintha near Luarca, one of Asturias’ most charming villages.

I think choosing a locally owned countryside house is the most authentic way to spend a weekend in Asturias, especially if you are traveling with children and exploring the region by car. There is no traffic or parking stress, and there is plenty of space for the little ones to run around and make noise. You get to enjoy the peaceful rural surroundings while having the flexibility to visit different parts of Asturias at your own pace.

Our accommodation was particularly well suited to families. The room had a bunk bed for the kids, and there was also a playroom with books that my daughters absolutely loved.

You can find CasaCintha on Booking.com here or get a glimpse of it through the brief house tour I shared on Instagram here.

Our Weekend in Asturias with Kids: Family-Friendly Itinerary

Here’s how we spent our weekend in Asturias with kids, and my girls loved how versatile it turned out, so now they are asking me to return to Asturias next year instead of our traditional family trips to the Spanish Pyrenees.

Day 1: Taramundi and Cabo Busto

Taramundi

We started our first day in Asturias by heading to Taramundi, a village well known in Spain for rural tourism and traditional craftsmanship.

The village itself definitely belongs on the list of the most charming places in Asturias. It was decorated with colorful flowerpots and had pretty streets and small shops selling local crafts.

There is a parking area in the village, but keep in mind that maneuvering a larger car can be difficult when it gets full. I would recommend choosing a spot with enough room to maneuver when leaving, especially if you are traveling in a larger vehicle.

Castro de Taramundi

As a history lover, I rarely miss an opportunity to explore ancient ruins in Spain, and I am starting to notice that my daughters are developing the same curiosity. Our first stop in the village was Castro de Taramundi, an archaeological site associated with the region’s ancient settlements dating back to the Bronze Age.

Hiking Ruta del Agua with Kids

Next, we headed into the woods for a short walk along Ruta del Agua, a popular trail in the Taramundi area. The route starts near the watermill museum, Museo de los Molinos de Mazonovo, and follows a circular path along the river through local forests. There are longer options that continue towards the nearby village of Esquios, but with the kids, we decided to keep things simple.

We followed the trail until we reached the first sign pointing back towards Taramundi, turning our walk into an easy route of approximately 2 km. It was exactly the kind of outdoor activity I love doing with my daughters. They spent most of the walk searching for mushrooms and looking closely at everything we found along the way. We also spotted what the kids called a banana slug, a large slug that became one of the unexpected highlights of our forest adventure.

Honestly, I think these little discoveries are among the best things about exploring Asturias with children: a forest trail full of interesting plants, mushrooms, and tiny creatures.

Museo de los Molinos de Mazonovo

After our walk in the woods, we visited Museo de los Molinos de Mazonovo, widely known as Spain’s largest watermill museum. I highly recommend it for families traveling to Asturias with kids because the museum makes traditional milling techniques much more engaging than a typical exhibition.

There are interactive mills that children can touch and operate, allowing them to see how grain was traditionally ground. At the entrance, they also gave the children small envelopes so they could take home some of the flour they had made, along with activity booklets. There was even an optional quiz they could complete after the visit to earn a diploma as a souvenir.

I thought this was such a lovely idea. It gave the children something practical to do during the visit and a little reminder of what they had learned afterward.

After our morning exploring Taramundi, the forest, and the watermills, we returned to our countryside accommodation for lunch.

Cabo Busto

In the afternoon, we headed towards the village of Busto, which was close to our countryside house. I absolutely loved the area, known for having some of the most beautiful cliffs in Spain.

Before heading to the coast, we stopped at a local pastry shop Pasteleria Cabo Busto that attracts visitors from around the region. Naturally, we could not resist trying some of its pastries.

One of the more traditional options was a rice pudding cake, but I chose a pastry with caramel and pear, which was absolutely delicious. So, I highly recommend stopping by if your kids have a sweet tooth.

Afterwards, we left the car in Busto and walked towards Cabo Busto and its historic lighthouse.

The walk is relatively easy for families, although it follows the cliffside, so it is important to keep children close and supervise them carefully near exposed areas. The ocean views of the Asturian coastline, however, are spectacular. Our visit was particularly atmospheric because of the fog, which made the cliffs feel even more mysterious and dramatic.

Cabo Busto turned out to be one of my favorite places from our weekend in Asturias with kids.

We eventually returned to our countryside house for dinner and a quiet evening. We also explored the bookshelves and started reading The Witches by Roald Dahl together, which we all enjoyed.

Day 2: Oviedo with kids and the Dinosaur Museum

Our second day in Asturias started with rain, so we decided to focus on indoor activities in the morning. Fortunately, the region’s capital, Oviedo, has plenty of museums and cultural attractions, making it a great destination for a family getaway, even on a rainy day.

Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias in Oviedo

We began our day in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, with a visit to the Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias. This major regional art museum houses a collection spanning different periods, from classical paintings to modern works.

I particularly appreciated the free admission and the complimentary leaflets featuring artworks and local artists available near the entrance. They make lovely little additions to any Spain coffee table book collection, especially if, like me, you enjoy bringing home artistic inspiration from your travels.

This museum also turned out to be my husband’s favorite museum from our family weekend in Asturias.

Museo Arqueologico de Asturias

Our next stop in Oviedo with kids was the Museo Arqueologico de Asturias, which turned out to be a favorite with both me and the girls.

The museum is housed in a former monastery, and I loved the historic atmosphere of the building itself. During our visit, there was also a temporary exhibition dedicated to traditional local musical instruments, which we particularly enjoyed.

It was also lovely to see traditional old mills inside the museum, which the girls immediately recognized thanks to our visit to Taramundi the day before.

Quick Lunch Stop in Oviedo

After a busy morning, we headed to Centro Comercial Los Prados, a shopping mall near Oviedo, because the kids were asking for McDonald’s. Honestly, this is the one stop on our family itinerary in Asturias that I would recommend skipping if you can.

The region has so many wonderful traditional dishes worth trying! However, since we had already tried the most famous Asturian specialties on previous visits and one of my daughters is a picky eater, we decided to let the girls choose where to eat this time. You can read more about the traditional dishes to try in Asturias in this post.

MUJA / the Jurassic Museum of Asturias

After lunch, we drove to MUJA, the Museo del Jurasico de Asturias, one of the most exciting attractions in Northern Spain for families with dinosaur-loving children.

The museum has an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils and footprints, along with several interactive displays. MUJA is particularly well known for its collection of dinosaur footprints, one of the largest in Europe. The surrounding grounds also include a playground, which was a welcome bonus for the kids. Luckily, the rain stopped during our visit, giving the girls time to run around and play outdoors after exploring the exhibitions.

I think MUJA is a great stop if you are traveling to northern Spain with children who love dinosaurs, fossils, and prehistoric animals. It combines an educational visit with plenty of space to move around, making it easier to keep younger visitors engaged.

Another option for families traveling with children who love motorsports is the Museo y Circuito Fernando Alonso, which may appeal particularly to young Formula 1 fans. My girls, however, were much more interested in dinosaurs!

Jardin Botanico Atlantico in Gijon

On our way back to our countryside accommodation, we realized we were passing near Gijon, another popular city in Asturias with several interesting museums and cultural attractions.

I had initially wanted to visit Museo del Pueblo de Asturias, a museum dedicated to the traditional culture and everyday life of the region. However, there was a football match taking place nearby that day, so we decided to change our plans.

Instead, we made a spontaneous stop at Jardin Botanico Atlantico, one of the best-known botanical gardens in Spain. The garden is a pleasant green space to explore with children, with plenty of vegetation, fountains, and room to walk around. Admission is free for children, which is another practical advantage for families.

Our visit was brief because we arrived only about 30 minutes before closing time. Even so, the staff gave us activity sheets for the children, encouraging them to find plants in the garden that matched the photographs. It gave the girls a little treasure hunt to complete while exploring the garden and made me wish we had arrived earlier.

Is Asturias a Good Destination for a Family Weekend?

Asturias has been one of my favorite places in Spain for a while, thanks to its beautiful nature and charming fishing villages. However, this time, it exceeded my expectations when it came to things to do with kids. Our family weekend turned out to be wonderfully varied, with plenty of time in nature but also enough activities to keep the girls entertained.

I would especially recommend Asturias to families who enjoy road trips, countryside accommodation, and exploring northern Spain at a relaxed pace. It is a destination where you can unplug in the peaceful countryside while still enjoying plenty of interesting activities with the kids, from easy nature walks to educational museums.

You can also get a full glimpse of all the places we visited during our family weekend in Asturias in my YouTube vlog here.

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