For many people, Proaza is the bear village. Set in the Trubia Valley, half an hour from Oviedo, its name appears in every news story about sightings in the region: the mountains around the municipality form one of the corridors with the greatest brown bear presence in the Cantabrian Mountains.
The Casa del Oso de Proaza, run by the Fundación Oso de Asturias (Asturias Bear Foundation), is the perfect gateway to this story before you head out to look for footprints, fur and — with patience and good optics — the protagonist itself. Opening times, guided visits under the “Meet Our Bears” programme and news are published on its official website (osodeasturias.es).
What to see at the Casa del Oso de Proaza
The centre combines a didactic exhibition on the Cantabrian brown bear — its biology, the history of the species, the severe crisis of the 1980s and its slow recovery — with open-air enclosures by the river where bears that, for various reasons, cannot be returned to the wild are kept.
The visit works very well with children: the enclosures let you watch the animals just metres away without stressing them, and the panels explain why a bear that gets too close to a village always ends up losing.
Wild bears, just around the corner
What makes Proaza special is that the wild bear literally lives in the surrounding mountains. At dusk, especially in spring and during the autumn hyperphagia, it is not unusual to see bears crossing meadows or perched in oak trees eating acorns.
The Bear Trail, the old railway line turned greenway, runs along the river Trubia through tunnels and forest and is the best walk to observe the area safely. Always respect the distance: if the bear has seen you, you are too close.
Around the centre
The Trubia Valley — Proaza, Santo Adriano, Teverga and Quirós — offers country cottages, charming hotels and cider houses where you can rest after the walk. The area is also the starting point of the Bear Trail and of mountain routes into the Sobia and Aramo ranges.
Book your accommodation well in advance for bank holidays and summer: Proaza is small and weekend demand is high.
- Sleep nearby: hotels and country cottages in Proaza, Santo Adriano and the Trubia Valley.
- Routes: the Bear Trail (on foot or by bike) and climbs into the Sobia range.
- Combine: Proaza with the Teverga Prehistory Park or the Collegiate Church of San Pedro de Teverga.
