Asturias · Cradle of the Cantabrian bear
Asturias holds the largest brown bear population in Western Europe. Proaza, Somiedo and Muniellos are the three gateways to its territory: interpretation centres, enclosures and viewpoints to get to know the bear without disturbing it.
Why this area
Asturias is the heart of the Cantabrian brown bear’s range: most of the 300+ bears counted across the Cantabrian Mountains live here. Seeing one is not a matter of luck, but of being in the right place at the right time.
This route through Asturias’ three bear houses — Proaza, Somiedo and the Cangas del Narcea area with Muniellos — is designed to help you plan your visit on your own or with a guide, with practical details and links to nearby places to stay.
asturias
Centres, viewpoints and experiences, with practical info to plan your day.
Interpretation centre The reference centre for the brown bear in Asturias: an exhibition space beside the river Trubia, enclosures where bears that cannot live in the wild are cared for, and a valley where the wild bear can be spotted from the viewpoints of the Bear Trail (Senda del Oso).
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Interpretation centre Somiedo is the bear’s historic sanctuary: Asturias’ first natural park and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its interpretation centre, the Casa del Oso in Pola de Somiedo, is the perfect prelude to the valleys where the species never died out.
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Nature reserve Hidden in the southwest of Asturias is the largest oak forest in Spain: the Muniellos Integral Nature Reserve, heart of the Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias Biosphere Reserve and one of the best-preserved forests in Europe.
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Everything you need to know before your visit.
The best-known Casa del Oso is in Proaza, in the Trubia Valley. There are also interpretation centres in Somiedo and in the Cangas del Narcea area (Muniellos), each with its own focus.
In Proaza and its surroundings (Santo Adriano, Trubia): the area of Asturias with the highest bear density and the most accessible, with viewpoints along the Bear Trail (Senda del Oso).
The exhibition itself takes 30–45 minutes; add the outdoor enclosures and a walk along the Bear Trail, and plan for half a day.
Choose your area, choose the season and go with accredited guides who know every trail. We will take you to the viewpoint.