7 Best Sights in Llanes, Galicia and Asturias

This 13th-century church rising over the main square is an excellent example of Romantic Gothic architecture.

Dotting the Asturian coast east and west of Llanes are bufones, cavelike cavities that expel water when waves are sucked in. These active blowholes shoot streams of water as high as 100 feet at unpredictable intervals. They are clearly marked so you can find them, and there are barriers to protect you when they expel water. There is one east of Playa Ballota; try to watch it in action from this mirador east of Llanes, between the villages of Cué and Andrin. If you miss the spurt, the view is still worth a stop—on a clear day you can see the coastline all the way east to Santander.

One km (½ mile) east of Llanes is the pristine and secluded Playa Ballota, with private coves and one of the few stretches of nudist sand in Asturias. Amenities: food and drink (seasonal). Best for: nudists; swimming; walking.

Farther west of Llanes is the partially nudist Playa de Torimbia, a wild, virgin beach as yet untouched by development. It is reached only via a footpath—roughly a 15-minute walk. This secluded crescent of fine, white sand and crystal-clear waters is backed by Asturias's green hills, making it one of the region's most picturesque beaches. Winds can be strong, and there is no real infrastructure. Amenities: none. Best for: nudists; solitude; swimming; walking.

On the eastern edge of town is Playa de Toró, where fine white sands are peppered with unique rock formations. This pristine beach is ideal for sunbathing and families. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Steps from the old town is the protected Playa del Sablón (whose name derives from the Asturian word for "sand"), a little swath of beach that gets crowded on weekends. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Peaceful and well conserved, this plaza marks the center of the old town, which is partially surrounded by the remains of its medieval walls.