A summer to fall in love with Asturias again: festivals, eclipses and traditions from July to September

Asturias reinforces its status as a favourite northern destination with an almost uninterrupted programme of festivals, cultural events and unique experiences from July to September.

The summer of 2026 will feature a total solar eclipse on 12 August, as well as major festivals such as Metrópoli, the Sidra Festival in Nava and the Descenso Internacional del Sella.

From Gijón to the Picos de Europa, the region offers a diversity of activities that combine music, tradition, sport and nature.

A HISTORIC ASTRONOMICAL EVENT: THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

This summer, Asturias will host a first-order astronomical milestone not seen in this land for more than 120 years: a total solar eclipse. On 12 August, shortly after eight in the evening, the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun, and all of Asturias will be enveloped in a veil of darkness. The total eclipse will cross the entire Iberian Peninsula from west to east, and Asturias is the community where the complete darkness will last the longest: around one minute and fifty seconds in the west, and slightly less in the east. 100% of the Asturian territory falls within this band, so there is no need to travel to any specific point to witness it. Almost no accommodation remains for that day.

THE SUMMER KICKS OFF WITH MUSIC

From late June to 5 July, Gijón celebrates its Metrópoli festival at the Luis Adaro fairground, ten nights of concerts with a double stage, featuring M-Clan, Gipsy Kings, Loquillo, Sidecars, Taburete, Juan Magán, Tigre y Diamante, Fangoria and Molotov, among others. The format combines live music with cultural activities, a gastronomic area and a local trade market. On 13 July, the GijónLife concert cycle at the Hermanos Castro park features La Oreja de Van Gogh, with Dani Martín and Hombres G also participating. From 16 to 18 July, the Boombastic Festival at the La Morgal airfield in Llanera offers three days of urban music, reggaeton and pop with María Becerra, Saiko, Juan Magán, Natos y Waor and Recycled J.

TRADITION, SPORT AND CULTURE

The summer programme includes events of great tradition. On 10 July, the Sidra Festival in Nava (National Tourist Interest) chooses the best natural cider and celebrates the International Cider Pouring Competition. On 20 July, Pola de Siero celebrates El Carmín, the largest pilgrimage in Asturias, with more than 50,000 people. From 22 to 26 July, the Barreltopia Salinas Longboard Festival in Castrillón expands to five days, including the Spanish Longboard Championship and the European SUP Surf Championship. On 25 July, the Fiesta del Pastor is held at Vega de Enol in the Lagos de Covadonga, one of the few nights of the year when camping is allowed in this Picos de Europa National Park location.

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER: THE PEAK OF SUMMER

August begins with the Xiringüelu pilgrimage in Pravia (2 August) and the Descenso Internacional del Sella (8 August), a benchmark event of national and international interest. From 7 to 18 August, Gijón celebrates its Semana Grande, with concerts by Echo and The Bunnymen, Amaia, The Harlem Gospel Travellers, Buena Vista All Stars, Revolver, Ana Torroja, Omar Montes and La Casa Azul. The solar eclipse on 12 August will coincide with this celebration. The Descenso Folklórico del Nalón in Laviana (third Saturday of August) is a colourful event with thematic boats, where the only requirement is to stay afloat. In Gijón, the Simultaneous Cider Pouring is another classic. September is marked by the San Mateo festivities in Oviedo (11-21 September), with concerts and the Día de América on 19 September, commemorating the region's emigrant heritage.

For InasTour, this intense summer programme reinforces the appeal of Asturias as a destination that combines quality of life, nature and a vibrant cultural scene. International buyers not only find a home here, but also a territory that offers a unique experience in every season, especially in summer, when the region comes alive with a programme that attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Asturias gains followers year after year as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Spain. Rural tourism is breaking records, with campsites, apartments and rural houses adding more tourists, and with a considerable increase in international travellers.

From one end of the region to the other, there are attractions in the form of festivals, cultural events and experiences of all kinds, to which is added a first-order astronomical milestone not seen in this land for more than 120 years: a total solar eclipse.

The summer of 2026 in Asturias is shaping up to be one of the most memorable in recent years, with a programme that combines the astronomical spectacle of the total solar eclipse, top-level music festivals, and deeply rooted traditions. The region confirms its status as a leading tourist destination, capable of attracting a diverse and increasingly international audience. For those considering making Asturias their home, these events are a reflection of a territory that is alive, dynamic and offering an incomparable quality of life, where nature, culture and community come together to offer a unique experience.