Asturias Cider Route
The province of Asturias in the north of the country is the Spanish region where most cider is produced and consumed. This beverage is such an inseparable part of Asturian culture and society that Asturian cider, along with the cultural framework that surrounds it, has been proposed to UNESCO as a candidate to be recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humankind.
In Asturias cider is ubiquitous and is present in every social event or festivity. There are three types of cider, natural or flat cider, newly pressed or table cider and sparkling cider any of which may be found in social gatherings of family or friends. A single cider glass is passed around and shared by all, a small amount of cider being poured out for each person from a bottle held at arms-length overhead into the glass held at waist height, a technique which aerates the cider. This serving method distinguishes Asturian cider from that of all other producing regions and makes it unique.
Thanks to the Cider Route, visitors can immerse themselves in the culture of Asturian cider, visiting orchards, lagares where cider is pressed and fermented, join in traditional activities like apple-picking or learning to pour cider and of course tasting cider in all its many forms and varieties and sharing it with the locals accompanied by Asturias’ rich gastronomy.