Ayuntamiento de Valdés

Ayuntamiento de Valdés is a municipality on Asturias' northern coast, within the stretch known as the Costa Verde. Its administrative capital is Luarca, a small fishing town whose tiered, black-and-white houses rising above the bay have earned it the nickname "the White Village."

Where is Valdés and what defines it?

The municipality stretches along the Cantabrian Sea, where cliffs, coves and river valleys cut down from the inland hills toward the water. Luarca itself holds the fishing harbour, the older part of town and the seat of local government, while the surrounding rural parishes are largely shaped by farmland and coastline rather than urban development.

What natural landscapes are worth seeing nearby?

Valdés is known above all for its scenery, which is a large part of what draws visitors to this section of the Costa Verde.

The Esva River Gorges

A protected landscape covers the gorges carved by the Esva River within the municipality. The terrain is uneven and dramatic, with the river cutting through rock walls to form deep, wooded valleys.

Barayo Beach

The mouth of the Barayo River and its adjoining beach form a designated nature reserve. Dunes, river estuary and sandy shoreline meet here in a setting that has stayed largely undeveloped, increasingly rare along this coast.

Cape Busto

Cabo Busto is a tall, cliff-lined headland offering wide views over the Cantabrian Sea. Coastal paths around it allow visitors to explore the shoreline on foot.

The Paredes Valley

Paredes, a small rural settlement within the municipality, received the Princess of Asturias Award for Exemplary Village in 2001 — a recognition given to places that have preserved their traditional architecture and rural landscape.

Where can visitors find tourist information locally?

Valdés runs a Municipal Tourist Office in Luarca, located at Ramón Asenjo 25 (33700 Luarca). It opens Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:30 to 13:45 and 16:00 to 19:15. Visitors can also call 985 640 083 or check the municipality's and the local tourism office's official websites for further details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of the Valdés municipality? Luarca, a harbour town on the Cantabrian Sea, serves as the administrative capital of Valdés.

What kind of coastline does Valdés have? It's a section of the Costa Verde marked by cliffs, small coves and beaches, including the protected Barayo river mouth and the scenic Cabo Busto headland.

Are there protected natural areas within the municipality? Yes — they include the Esva River Gorges landscape and the Barayo Beach nature reserve, which covers the river mouth and its surrounding dunes.

Where can I get tourist information before visiting? At the Tourist Office in Luarca (Ramón Asenjo 25), open Tuesday through Saturday, or via the municipality's and local tourism office's official websites.