Description: Asturias, officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It occupies a territory between the Cantabrian Sea and the Cantabrian Mountains, whose geographical diversity has historically shaped settlement patterns, economic activities and cultural traditions.
The Asturian cultural landscape is the result of a long interaction between communities and their environment, combining coastal, rural and mountain territories. Traditional agriculture, livestock farming, forestry, fishing and craft practices have contributed to shaping a diverse landscape in which tangible and intangible heritage remain closely interconnected.
Across the region, local knowledge, artisanal skills and community-based cultural expressions continue to play an important role in maintaining the identity of villages, towns and productive landscapes, reflecting both historical continuity and contemporary adaptation.

Language: Spanish

Geographical Region: The Cantabrian Mountains (Cordillera Cantábrica) form the natural southern boundary of Asturias and have historically played a fundamental role in shaping the region's landscapes, settlement patterns and cultural practices. In the eastern part of the region, the Picos de Europa National Park contains some of the highest peaks of northern Spain, including Torrecerredo (2,648 m), while other significant mountain areas include Redes Natural Park, Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Biosphere Reserve and Somiedo Natural Park. The Cantabrian Mountains extend westwards towards Galicia and eastwards towards Cantabria, forming one of the defining geographical features of northern Spain.
The marked contrast between the mountainous interior and the Cantabrian coastline has generated a great diversity of cultural landscapes. Over centuries, local communities adapted to these environments through livestock farming, transhumance, forestry, agriculture and the sustainable use of natural resources, creating distinctive patterns of land use that remain visible today.
Mountain passes, valleys and river basins have historically facilitated connections between communities and contributed to the circulation of goods, knowledge and cultural traditions across the region. Many contemporary cultural practices and forms of intangible heritage continue to be closely linked to these geographical features.