Playa de Vega
Barely 6 kilometres west of Ribadesella, Playa de Vega stretches for nearly two kilometres of dark-gold sand backed by green cliffs and farmland — no hotels, no beach bars, no parasol rentals. It is consistently rated one of Spain's most beautiful beaches and yet, outside August, you can walk its entire length and count the other visitors on one hand.
The Beach Itself
The sand is fine and firm, the surf is consistent enough for bodyboarding and the water colour shifts from jade green in the shallows to deep Atlantic blue. At the northern end, a freshwater stream cuts across the sand — a useful foot-wash after a barefoot walk — and the cliffs are riddled with sea caves accessible at low tide.
Because the beach is a designated Natural Monument, no development is permitted behind the dune line, which means the backdrop is pure Asturian countryside: meadows grazed by rust-coloured Asturian cows, eucalyptus woods and the distant outline of the Picos de Europa.
Getting There and Combining with El Güeyu Mar
A narrow lane descends from the N-632 coastal road to a free car park above the beach; from there it is a five-minute walk down a wooden boardwalk to the sand. There is no bus service, so a car or bicycle is essential.
The combination of a morning at Playa de Vega followed by lunch at El Güeyu Mar — whose terrace looks directly down onto the beach — is arguably the finest day possible within reach of Ribadesella. Book the restaurant first, then plan the beach around it.
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