The sea village of Lastres

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Lastres, in the council of Colunga, still keeps today one of the most famous harbour images of Asturias. Its fishing boats are their main symbols of this sea locality, giving shape to one of the most representative images of the sea essence of this region.

The roads on its whole are narrow and half-dark, paved as before and always sloping. They are the one thousand and one small roads where social life takes place, with its houses literally hanging above the unlimited of the sea. The most remarkable houses are those with balconies very close one to each other, as if they had been built in order to protect themselves from the big waves of the Cantabrian Sea. This labyrinth is painted in white, with its peculiar smell of sea. Here, we can find many different angles and perspectives than in any other village of this neighbourhood.

From almost any point in this village we can see its beautiful harbour. Nowadays around fifty boats are mooring there. After being reformed in 1995, this dock is on the head of productivity in this Eastern side. Its production reaches around 400 tons of fish yearly, 8 tons a month of hake, 6 tons of conger and red mullet which guarantee the well-being of its economy.

In the whaling industry Lastres was always on top and even it was a fortified village in order to avoid any possible attack which could come from the sea. For this reason, Lastres used to be known as “The Castillo” and today it still keeps part of its old long wall.

Today the fishing tradition still keeps its legend. Once the fishing boats moor at the port, the fish is sold in a popular auction that day by day takes place in the fish market. Here, the fishermen from many neighbour places meet and guarantee the sales of this sea activity with a wide fishing experience both in low and high tides.

Recently, new productions on canned food are becoming popular as the old traditional ones, encouraged by an artisan character integrated in the same port. This ancient activity assures a production of 3500 kilos of canned anchovies yearly.

The results of this artisan and laborious work have its end on those fine shops of “delicatessen”. In this way, it is being rescued the old and famous tradition reached by those local canned food firms at the beginnings of the 20th century. By that time, around 10 firms of this kind were found in Lastres, today some of their ruins still can be seen in the proximities of the harbour.

Despite the fact that the fishing production is fewer than in other times, the local people still wait for a revival of this sector. The nautical tourism and the new commercial perspectives support the growing of this beautiful village in the East of Asturias.

Lastres has been declared Historical Heritage so for that, it is of deep interest for tourists. The sea breeze and the well-formed urban centre are very attractive for all kind of tourism and also restaurants are specialized in cooking all kind of fish. Of course, the local food is based on its natural resources, together with the wise cook of many local generations. Here, the sampling of a fish dish makes this visit very worthwhile for everybody.

If we have time enough we may visit the Clock Tower , an emblematic tower built in 1751 and reformed thanks to the efforts of a group of women. It is also interesting a visit to the parish church of Santa María of Sábada of 1751 which shares two styles, classic and baroque. We can also visit the hermits of San José and San Roque and the Buen Suceso. Large houses and palaces as the one of the Victoreno family of the 18th century or the one of the Robledo family belonging to the beginnings of 18th century and the one of Vallados also of the 18th century. All of them are of deep cultural interest.

Lastres and its adyacent coast lied over the oldest cliffs of this region. These jurasic territories include some beautiful beaches along Caravia and Colunga, for example the beach of La Griega and they are really famous for the numerous dinosaurs traces found there.

Texto: © Ramón Molleda para desdeasturias.com

Information of interest

Few kilometers around you will find the Jurasic Museum of Asturias. More information about museum www.museojurasico.com