Tapia de Casariego (Asturias)

Tapia de Casariego is a fishing village and surf town on the far western coast of Asturias, a few kilometres east of the Eo estuary and the Galician border, with a harbour, a lighthouse on an island and an urban surf beach, Anguileiro, below the town. You get there on the A-8 motorway; parking is easiest by the beach, because some streets in the old centre are for residents only. It suits surfers, walkers and anyone who likes a working harbour with terraces; skip it if you want a quiet beach in high summer or big-resort facilities.

Quick facts

• Names: the town is usually just called Tapia; the municipality is Tapia de Casariego.
• Where: capital of the municipality of Tapia de Casariego, on the western Asturian coast between Castropol and El Franco.
• Coordinates (Plaza de la Constitución): 43.5699, -6.9440.
• Known for: fishing and canning, a whaling past, surfing on Anguileiro beach, the island lighthouse of 1859 and the Festival Intercéltico d’Occidente in August.
• History in one line: Asturias tourism says Tapia was the first port where corn from America landed, in 1604.
• Tourist office: Casa de Cultura, Plaza del Mercado 1; phone 985 471 099 (Asturias tourism).

Getting there and parking

By car: Asturias tourism gives the route as the A-8 motorway and then the AS-23 and N-634 roads. Ribadeo, across the Eo in Galicia, is about 9 km west in a straight line, and Luarca about 33 km east.

Parking: some streets in the historic centre are reserved for residents. Asturias tourism suggests parking by Anguileiro beach, which has a motorhome area, or near the municipal sports centre. OpenStreetMap marks two free car parks behind the beach, about 350 m and 500 m south-west of the main square.

By public transport: OpenStreetMap shows a bus stop about 200 m south of the main square. We could not confirm current routes, times or rail links.

What to see

Tapia is small enough to see on foot in a morning. Asturias tourism suggests a stroll round the port and marina, the San Sebastián neighbourhood, San Blas, the oldest part, and La Guardia, with the Os Cañóis viewpoint over the sea.

• The port: used since Roman times thanks to its sheltered entrance. When whaling ended in 1780 a new port was needed; four quays were built in Galician granite. The oldest, the Muelle del Rocín, keeps an iron cannon from the Os Cañóis fort, now used as a mooring post. Fishermen’s white houses on the widest quay, the Muelle de Tierra, hold taverns and restaurants (Asturias tourism blog). Asturias tourism also mentions the live fish auction at the rula.
• The island lighthouse: the lighthouse stands on an island reached on foot from the port across a jetty about 100 m long. It opened in 1859 and was extended in 1922 and 1962 (Asturias tourism), and electrified in 1944.
• Os Cañóis fort and viewpoint: the ruins of a defensive fort with two gas beacons from the second half of the 20th century; the view runs from the sea off Lugo to Cabo Peñas. Below it an old shellfish tank was turned into a municipal seawater pool without waves.
• The Marquis of Casariego: Fernando Fernández Casariego, born in Tapia, made his fortune in Madrid, made Tapia an independent council and paid for an institute, a town hall and the new port. He was made Marquis of Casariego in 1873; his bronze statue stands in the Plaza de la Constitución.
• Old buildings: the hermitage of San Blas keeps a 15th-century doorway; the Casa del Reguero, now the Casa de Cultura, dates from 1613 and is considered the oldest building in Tapia; the church of San Esteban was built in 1896. The Casa de Cultura hosts the exhibition “The Lords of the Palace Houses”.

Beaches

• Anguileiro: the town beach, 410 m of fine golden sand along the mouth of the River Anguileiro, joining the areas of Los Campos and La Ribeira. It has lifeguards, showers, toilets, a car park, motorhome parking and a promenade to the harbour; lifeguards from 27 June to 8 September (Asturias tourism, checked November 2026). Further east are small urban coves: Maleguas, As Furadas and Ribeiría.
• Penarronda: about 5 km west, 600 m of fine sand shared with Castropol, a Natural Monument and the only place in Asturias where the sea wallflower grows. It is windy, with strong waves, and good for surfing. Lifeguards from 20 June to 10 September, a ramp, accessible showers and toilets and eight accessible parking spaces. From Tapia, go via Santa Gadía (Asturias tourism).

Asturias tourism calls Tapia a pioneer of surfing in the Bay of Biscay; Anguileiro has hosted a well-known world championship event, and at Easter the town holds a surf championship and a memorial to Peter Gulley, the Australian who brought surfing to the area.

Practical details

Tourist office hours (Asturias tourism, checked November 2026): in summer, daily 10:00–14:00 and 16:00–20:00; rest of the year, Monday to Friday 10:00–14:00 and 16:00–19:00.

Food: Asturias tourism recommends the terraces on the quayside and the fish and seafood of the Cantabrian Sea. A mussel and shellfish festival is held over the long weekend in early December.

Marina: the port has 60 fixed moorings and no transit moorings, for boats up to 20 m (Asturias tourism).

Walking: the Camino de Santiago’s coast route crosses the municipality from east to west, and there is a local coastal path.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

Asturias tourism calls Tapia one of the busiest towns in Asturias from Easter to the end of summer and says accommodation and restaurants should be booked well in advance in high season. The Festival Intercéltico d’Occidente, declared of Tourist Interest in 2013, is held in August. Surfers come in spring and autumn as well; the lifeguard season on Anguileiro runs from late June to early September.

Nearby alternatives

• Ribadeo, 9 km away: the Galician town on the far side of the Eo estuary.
• Rinlo Costa Camping, 14 km away: a campsite on the Galician coast west of Ribadeo.
• Cathedrals Beach, 17 km away: the Galician beach of rock arches west of Ribadeo.
• Luarca, 33 km away: the white fishing town of Valdés, with its lighthouse and clifftop cemetery.
• Playa del Silencio, 52 km away: a pebble cove below cliffs in Cudillero.

Distances are in a straight line from the main square.

FAQ

Where can I park in Tapia de Casariego?

By Anguileiro beach, which has car parks and a motorhome area, or near the sports centre. Some streets in the old centre are for residents only.

Is Tapia de Casariego good for surfing?

Yes. Asturias tourism calls it a pioneer of surfing in the Bay of Biscay; Anguileiro hosts championships, and Penarronda, 5 km west, is windy with strong waves.

Can you walk to the lighthouse in Tapia?

Yes, from the port across a jetty of about 100 m to the island. Avoid it in rough seas.

When is the Festival Intercéltico d’Occidente?

In August. It began in Tapia and was declared a festival of Tourist Interest of Asturias in 2013.

How far is Tapia from Galicia?

Ribadeo, the first Galician town across the Eo estuary, is about 9 km away in a straight line.

Sources and freshness