The strip of totality crosses Asturias from west to east, turning the autonomous community into a box of honor to observe the most famous astronomical phenomenon of our century. It is, according to experts, the place with the longest stretch of totality in the entire country: one minute and 48 seconds. However, its climate tends to be cloudy, so it is important to look for mountain viewpoints above the low clouds.
Among the viewpoints near Oviedo there is one that stands out above all, with its green hills and its Historical Heritage recognized by UNESCO, which elevates even more the specialness of the eclipse of the century. I am referring to Mount Naranco, north of the Asturian capital, with panoramic views of the entire region.
Church of San Miguel de Lillo
In addition to its viewpoint over Oviedo, Mount Naranco is a green landscape full of chestnut trees, oaks, hazelnuts and eucalyptus trees, which lead you up the path until reaching 636 meters of altitude. Along the way it has several large green areas, parks and picnic areas, perfect for finding your spot ahead of the 2026 solar eclipse. However, the best awaits at the top.
Santa Maria Palace
Up there rest the church of San Miguel de Lillo and the palace of Santa María, two jewels of pre-Romanesque architecture that were built in the year 842 and are full of sculptures, lattices, vaulted ceilings and imposing arches. Some of it has collapsed, but they are in pretty good condition for being 1,184 years old.
Not content with these heritage jewels, the Asturians built the monument of the Sacred Heart of Jesus here, a majestic 30-meter-high statue that looms over the city and is very reminiscent of that of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.
Being such an iconic observation point, a lot of people are expected to go. For this reason, the City Council has cut off private traffic starting at 2 p.m., prioritizing emergency services and public transportation, which has been reinforced: line A2 has departures from Avenida Galicia (next to Villa Magdalena)-Samuel Sánchez, Ramiro I, Los Solises, Avda. Los Monumentos and Las Delicias at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The laps will begin at 9:30 p.m. from the Monte Naranco parking lot.
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