Moving to Oviedo

Matthew’s article this week concentrates on moving to Oviedo, the birthplace of the Camino de Santiago.

Moving to Oviedo: not just for passing through on the Way to Santiago de Compostela

Ups
If you love beautifully-preserved cities, the Asturian capital’s for you. Established as the then kingdom’s major metropolis by Alfonso II in 789 AD, the buildings the monarch commissioned to be constructed were an imitation of classical Roman architecture. And they’re easily navigated in a pedestrianized centre.

Downs
You’re closer to the Costa Verde than the Costas. So, if you want to hear English accents, you’re going to miss out. Although the British-style weather will make you feel more at home.

Ins and outs
On a traffic-free day, you can drive from Asturias airport to Oviedo along the A-8 and A-66. Travelling by bus will add around 15 minutes to your journey.

Education
English-language academies run into double figures in Oviedo. The nearest school where children study for the University of Cambridge International Examinations is a quarter-of-an-hour commute to the north east. And Pruvia de Abajo’s Colegio Inglés de Asturias.

Shop until you drop…
The best-dressed families shop for their children’s clothes at Posada Herrera’s Petite Amélie por Hilda Sordo. Window shoppers will appreciate a stroll along Calle Uria. Not least the display at the area’s El Corte Inglés department store.

Property types
The credit crunch bit lightest in northern Spain. Properties are big, beautiful, and expensive. Think bank repossessions if you want to purchase somewhere more affordable.

Market watch
Fincas outside the city can be found closer to half a million Euros than in less moneyed areas of Spain. Likewise, the starting price of apartments in the centre of Oviedo is over rather than under €100.000.

In Praise Of
“Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias, is predominantly an industrial and university city, a very smart one indeed, surrounded by several mountain ranges. It’s well maintained and very clean, winning the prize for the Cleanest European City six times. You won’t tire of exploring its astounding Gothic Cathedral and a unique old town.” José Luis González Yebra (Viajes al Fondo del Alsa)

• Are you an expat living in Oviedo? What do you like/dislike about it? Let us know below.

Matthew Hirtes

Matthew Hirtes, our resident broadsheet journalist, moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria back in 2004. He’s travelled extensively through Spain, covering it for such publications as Telegraph Travel, Metro, and The Independent. The author of Going Local in Gran Canaria: How To Turn a Holiday Destination into a Home, Matthew truly is a resident expert.

Matthew writes for two sections of Spain Buddy: Moving to Spain and Spanish Football as well as providing Reviews