Ribadesella Old Town (La Villa)
Separated from the beach resort by the Sella River, the old town of Ribadesella — known locally as La Villa — is a compact maze of arcaded streets, painted stone houses and sidrerías where cider is poured from shoulder height in the traditional Asturian style. This is where the town actually lives, and an evening here feels nothing like a tourist trap.
Strolling the Arcades
The main artery, Calle Manuel Caso de la Villa, is lined with glass-fronted arcades that shelter café tables from Atlantic drizzle. Duck into the side streets to find the Capilla de la Guía, a tiny Baroque chapel, and the elegant early-20th-century mansions built by Asturian emigrants who returned wealthy from Cuba and Mexico — known locally as indianos.
The old harbour wall, the Muelle Viejo, is a favourite spot for an evening paseo. Fishing boats still tie up here and the smell of salt and diesel mingles pleasantly with the cider wafting from the bars behind.
Eating and Drinking Like a Local
La Villa's sidrerías are the social heart of Ribadesella. Order a bottle of sidra natural and watch the barman perform the escanciado — raising the bottle high above his head and pouring a thin stream into a wide glass held low at the hip, aerating the cider to bring out its sharp, funky fizz. The ritual is as theatrical as it is functional.
Pair your cider with a cachopo — two enormous veal escalopes sandwiched around jamón and cheese, then breaded and fried to a golden slab — at any of the bars on Calle Oscura. It is the definitive Asturian comfort food and portions are designed for sharing.
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