Grado is a town in Asturias in northern Spain, known in Asturian as Grau. With a population of 9700 in 2027, it's a commuter town for Oviedo 27 km east. The main reason to visit is that it's a stopover point on Camino Primitivo, the original line of the pilgrimage trail to Santiago.
Get in
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The nearest airport is Asturias (OVD IATA) near Avilés. A bus runs direct to Oviedo.
Grado is on A-63, a spur of A-66 from Oviedo.
ALSA buses run every 30 min from Oviedo, taking 40 min and making several stops in town.
1 Grado railway station is northeast end of town. Cercanías Train C7 grinds through the hills from Oviedo every 2 hours, taking 50 min, and continues north down the Nalón valley to San Esteban de Pravia on the coast. Change at Oviedo for trains from Madrid.
Get around
[edit]The town can be easily explored on foot.
Some half a dozen taxi firms ply round town.
See
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- 1 Palacio de Miranda-Valdecarzana, Cerro de la Muralla, ☏ +34 985 752277. M-F 09:00-14:30. Built from the 15th century and made-over in baroque in the 18th; in the 20th it housed the Civil Guard. It now has the town library and a small museum. Free.
- Capilla de los Dolores was built 1713/16 as the palace chapel. It was deconsecrated and became an annex of Town Hall in 1955.
- Town Hall is a sturdy 19th century building just south on Alonso de Grado.
- San Pedro is the parish church on La Magdalena, built in the 1880s. It's open Tu-Sa 09:00-19:00, Su 09:00-14:00.
- Palacio de Fontela at Eduardo Sierra 12 hosts a small museum of city history.
- Eulogio Díaz Miranda the thoroughfare west side of town centre has several grand mansions from the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. Northeast to southwest these are El Capitolio or Velázquez Palace, Villa Granda, Martínez mansion, Portal 26, La Quintana and El Calabión.
Do
[edit]- The municipal swimming pool and sports centre are south edge of town on Av los Deportes, open daily.
- Camino Primitivo is the original course of the pilgrimage trail to Santiago. From its start in Oviedo it's 319 km, and a standard first day is 21 km to Grado via Loriana, Valsera, Premoño and Peñaflor. It continues west via Villapañada, San Marcelo, Santa Eulalia de las Dorigas and Cornellana.
Buy
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A dozen small supermarkets in town. The biggest are west of the railway station on San Pelayo: Lidl and Alimerka are both open M-Sa 09:00-21:30.
Eat
[edit]Clustered in town centre are Restaurante Linde, Feudo Real, La Cocina de Tatina, Casa Pepe El Bueno, Kebab La Espuela, El Rincón de Fufo and Pulperia Katisan.
Drink
[edit]Asturias doesn't produce much wine, but Cangas is a DO region. Lots more from elsewhere in Spain.
Bar Maypi is by the railway station. Then coming into town find Bar Trébol, El Girigay, El Quintana Cafe-Bar, Guggrado Café Musical, Campo Sol, CBC Sports Bar and El Pasadizo.
Sleep
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- Villa de Grado is an albergue for pilgrims open March-Oct. It's at Maestra Benicia 1.
- La Quintana is also open March-Oct. It's at Eulogio Díaz Miranda 30.
- 1 Hotel Areces, Alonso de Grado 20, ☏ +34 985 750995. Simple but clean and spacious.
- 2 El Lacayo de Sestiello, Aldea Sestiello 1, ☏ +34 985 753566. Charming hotel and restaurant just off A-63. B&B double €80.
- Auto-Bar is a simple place south of centre at Flórez Estrada 29.
- San Juan de Villapañada is an albergue 4 km west of town, open all year.
- Cabruñana is a further 4 km west along the Camino.
Connect
[edit]As of Nov 2025, Grado has 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from MasMovil, Movistar and Orange.
Go next
[edit]- Oviedo is mostly modern but has an interesting old centre, with rare examples of 9th century architecture.
- Cornellana is the next village westbound on Camino Primitivo towards Santiago de Compostela.