The Place
A typical Asturian 18thC farmstead on a country road 1.5 km from Celorio in Northern Spain. The main house is complemented by a granary, cider house, stables and barns. Lazy cows graze in its pastures and local cats bask in the sun. They also keep other livestock: rabbits, chickens, sheep, horses and ponies. The grounds are immense – 100,000 sq m of lush pastures and woodland with oak, beech, hazel and chestnut trees – and there is an apple orchard, from which they make their own cider using traditional methods.
The interior is relatively simple, but not without its charms. Old tools decorate the living and dining rooms. Between the living room and dining room, there is a quirky little alcove with two-tone walls, a piano, gramophones and decorative bric-a-brac. The bedrooms are nicely laid out, with terracotta flooring and exposed wooden beams. Some have log fires, whirlpool bath tubs, and double doors leading out to a balcony or terrace.
The food is no-nonsense country cooking, which will stand you in good stead for treks into the nearby Picos de Europa mountains. Breakfast (which will set you up for the day) is fried eggs and bacon. For dinner, fish, chicken and steak and vegetables are staple dishes.