Summary: if you finished the descent before 15:00, you can fit Ribadesella (village + beach), Cangas de Onís (Roman bridge + bowling alley) or Covadonga (Sanctuary) into one afternoon. If it is already 17:00, pick one and do it well. We do not recommend pushing to the Lakes: it tires the legs you just used.
Many people book the Sella descent and leave it as "the day's activity". But after the descent the afternoon goes on, and eastern Asturias has enough within 30 km to round off a plan that makes the whole trip worthwhile.
These are five real options for after the descent, with honest times and no nonsense. You choose by energy, time and appetite.
1 · Ribadesella · the obvious choice
25 minutes from Arriondas, Ribadesella is the village where the International Sella Descent ends and where the river tradition flows into the Cantabrian (see its history since 1929). If you only pick one plan for the afternoon, let it be this.
What to see in 2-3 hours
- Santa Marina Beach — a kilometre and a half of sand, seafront promenade with early-20th-century modernist mansions. Great spot to walk at sunset.
- Tito Bustillo Cave — UNESCO Heritage rock paintings. Guided visits with prior reservation. If you like 40,000-year-old things, essential.
- Fishing port — boats, sea smell, cider houses with terraces. Best atmosphere at end of day.
- Santa María Magdalena Church — neo-gothic, views of the village from its surroundings.
- Atalaya Viewpoint — short climb that rewards with a panoramic view of the estuary and beach. The best photos of Ribadesella.
Walk along the promenade from Santa Marina beach to the port · a beer or cider on a terrace with views · climb the Atalaya viewpoint for the photo · back to the car in the afternoon light.
2 · Cangas de Onís · bridge and cider houses
15 minutes from Arriondas toward the Picos de Europa. It is the historic capital of the first kingdom of Asturias (8th century) and today a lively tourist town, good for eating.
- Roman Bridge (actually medieval, 13th century). Iconic, with the Cross of the Victory hanging from the main arch. Mandatory photo.
- Traditional Asturian bowling alley — on a weekend you will find real matches.
- Cider houses along the promenade — generous portions of cachopo, fabada, cheeses. Good stop for a hearty meal.
- Sunday market — if you come on a Sunday morning, worth a walk around.
Cangas fits well if the Sella has left you genuinely hungry and you are after a traditional meal. It is also the gateway to Covadonga — the Sanctuary is 20 minutes from Cangas.
3 · Covadonga Sanctuary · 30 minutes away
If you finish the Mini Sella around 13:00 and still have energy, Covadonga is feasible. The Sanctuary with the red Basilica and the Holy Cave can be seen comfortably in an hour. The connection with Asturian history (the battle of Don Pelayo, the Asturian kingdom) is significant and worthwhile even if you are not religious.
We do not recommend going up to the Covadonga Lakes the same day as the descent. It is 2-3 extra hours at best (and in high season you only go up by shuttle bus from Cangas), and the tired legs from the Sella will not enjoy it as it deserves. Better leave the Lakes for another day.
4 · Eastern Asturias beaches · horizontal plan
If what you want after the descent is to lie down, eastern Asturias has spectacular beaches less than 30 minutes from Arriondas.
- Santa Marina Beach (Ribadesella) — the most accessible and family-friendly. Parking, promenade, services.
- Playa de Vega (Ribadesella) — 1.5 km of dark sand, protected dunes, less touristy. Spectacular.
- Playa de la Vega (Berbes) — wilder, ideal for couples seeking calm.
- Gulpiyuri Beach — the famous "inland beach" (a pool of sea surrounded by grass). Small and overcrowded in August, but curious.
- Silencio Beach (Castañeras) — further away, 1h 15 by car. Only if you have the whole day free.
5 · Eat Asturian properly
Without a traditional Asturian meal the trip is not complete. Three levels by appetite and budget · pick yours.
Light plan · €20-25
Board of Asturian cheeses (Cabrales, Gamoneu, Afuega'l Pitu) with poured cider. Terrace in Ribadesella or Cangas.
Classic plan · €25-35
Cachopo, fabada or fabes with clams at a cider house in Arriondas, Cangas or Ribadesella. Dessert with rice pudding or casadiellas.
Fish plan · €35-50
Wild sea bass, monkfish or squid with views of the Ribadesella port. Book ahead, especially on weekends.
Eastern Asturias is not understood without poured cider, Cabrales cheese and a properly made fabada. If you have paddled the Sella, you have earned trying all three.
Plan templates to copy
By the time you finish the descent · five honest itineraries to round off the day.
- Comfortable afternoon. Meal in Cangas · Covadonga in the afternoon · early return home.
- Quick meal and Ribadesella. Village, walk, Santa Marina beach · dinner there.
- Horizontal plan. Playa de Vega or Santa Marina · dinner at Ribadesella port.
- Calm wind-down. Quick walk through Ribadesella or Arriondas · calm dinner · early to bed.
- Last launch of the day. Straight to dinner at a cider house · short night with no more plans.
If you are staying overnight
Eastern Asturias has a wide offering within 30 km:
- Arriondas: rural hotels, apartments. Most comfortable if you are doing the descent and going home the next day.
- Cangas de Onís: more charming hotels, ideal if you are going to Picos de Europa the next day.
- Ribadesella: hotels with sea views, apartments on the promenade. Better for a beach and gastronomy plan.
- Rural houses in villages like Llenín, inland Ribadesella, Cofiño — for those seeking a total getaway.
We have a separate guide with detail by village and type: where to stay near the Sella descent. We are not an agency, but if you ask we recommend local people we work with. Write to us.
Five plans, one choice per afternoon
- Ribadesella — village + beach + dinner. The classic round plan.
- Cangas de Onís — Roman bridge + cider house + Covadonga if there is time.
- Covadonga — Sanctuary in 1 hour. The Lakes another day.
- Beaches — lie in the sun at Santa Marina, Vega or Gulpiyuri.
- Asturian gastronomy — cheese board, cachopo, port fish.
Whatever your plan, the key is not to try to cover everything. The descent is already a task. Pick one more thing, do it calmly, and stop rushing: eastern Asturias rewards those who go slow.
Have not booked the descent yet? Check prices or pick a date. And if your trip includes several days in Asturias, also see the best time of year for the descent and how long it takes · tell us when you book and we will advise on dates, times and what to combine with what.
What you ask us most
- What time does the Sella descent finish?
It depends on when you arrive and the route. Since the schedule is Premium · open between 10:30 and 12:30: if you arrive early (10:30) and do the Mini Sella, you finish around 12:30-13:30; with the Full route, around 14:00-15:30. If you arrive at the latest slot (12:30), you finish between 15:00 and 17:30 depending on route and pace. The return transfer to Arriondas is included. The Hydrographic Confederation sets river permanence until 18:00.
- What is there to see in Ribadesella after the descent?
Ribadesella is one of the prettiest villages in eastern Asturias. Must-sees: Santa Marina Beach (promenade with modernist mansions), the historic centre with Santa María church, the Tito Bustillo Cave (UNESCO Heritage rock paintings) and the cider houses at the port. In 2-3 hours you have a full afternoon.
- How long does it take from Arriondas to Ribadesella?
By car, about 25 minutes on the N-634 (18 km). By ALSA bus there are several daily frequencies (35-40 min). If you want to plan transport in detail, we cover it in how to get there.
- Is it worth going to Covadonga or the Lakes the same day?
If you have done the Mini Sella and finish early, the Covadonga Sanctuary is 30 minutes from Arriondas and can be seen in 1 hour — worth it. The Lakes need more time (2-3 hours including drive up, walk and drive down) and with tired legs from the Sella it is not the best plan. Better leave it for another day.
- Where to eat well after the descent?
Three classic options: (1) Cider houses in Arriondas — close by, honest Asturian food. (2) Cangas de Onís — 15 minutes by car, more touristy but good atmosphere. (3) Ribadesella port — fresh fish, poured cider, sea views. We do not recommend eastern Asturias without a traditional meal: it is part of the plan.
- Can you go to the beach after the descent?
Of course. Santa Marina Beach in Ribadesella is the closest (25 min by car) and very family-friendly. If you want a wilder beach, Playa de Vega (10 min from Ribadesella) is spectacular. At both you can swim, walk or sunbathe for the rest of the afternoon.
