TINEO, ASTURIAS: A SHORT GUIDE.
Tineo is one of the first larger towns you’ll reach on the Camino Primitivo, sitting about 65 kilometres from Oviedo. Built across a hillside, it has the feel of a true Asturian mountain town, with steep lanes, stone houses, and wide views across the valleys.
We reached Tineo on day three of our Camino Primitivo walk and for us it felt like a lively change of pace after the small hamlets of the early stages.
The Old Town of Tineo
The historic centre is compact, yet atmospheric and colourful.
Wandering through the winding streets, you’ll find arcaded houses, quiet squares and a scattering of noble palaces that hint at Tineo’s former importance.
The Gothic church of San Pedro, with its later baroque façade, is the main landmark. You’ll see this on the way into town, so if you want to stop it’s a good idea to do it at this point (rather than walking back up the hill!) There’s a small art museum connected to the church.
Eating and Drinking
We were very excited to discover that Tineo is firmly in cider country, and sidrerías are the heart of local life.
In these bars, Asturian cider is poured from a height into your glass with theatrical precision, a ritual you’ll see repeated often in this area of Spain. We loved enjoying cider at Sidrería El Refugio – a casual family run place with views over the countryside.
To eat, expect traditional Asturian fare: fabada, the rich bean stew that seems to taste even better after a long walk, or cachopo, a hefty meat dish layered with ham and cheese.
We opted to eat at Restaurante la Vinoteca, which ended up being one of the best priced meals during our visit to Asturias and Galicia. It was also delicious, and of course accompanied by a few glasses of red wine.
There are a few different restaurants in town – many of which don’t start serving food until later into the evening. If you find yourself starving when you arrive to town, head to Bar La Griega, which serves food all day.
Accommodation
For somewhere to sleep, Tineo offers a mix of options.
We stayed at a wonderful albergue tucked beneath the grand 4-star Hotel Palacio de Merás, a curious contrast that means you’ll pass through a world of chandeliers and marble floors before descending into simple dorms.
If you want more of an “upstairs”, rather than “downstairs” experience – you can also book private rooms in the hotel. For less expensive private rooms, Pension La Posada is an option.
Opposite the hotel is Albergue de peregrinos La Plaza, which is also popular (but perhaps not as grand.)
Practicalities
As a larger town, Tineo has everything a pilgrim might need: supermarkets, pharmacies, laundries and banks. It’s also a key point on the route for planning ahead, sitting just before the Camino splits towards the Hospitales or Pola routes.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
British travel writer and long-distance hiker, native to Kent. Emma has walked the Camino de Santiago more than ten times, completed trails across Europe from the Corfu Trail to the Fisherman’s Trail, and covered thousands of kilometres on foot. She always writes from first-hand experience. Her goal? Inspire just one person to go on their first long-distance hike.
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