Taramundi

Taramundi
Municipality
Coat of arms
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Asturias
Province	Asturias
Comarca	Eo-Navia
Capital	Taramundi
Government
• Alcalde	Eduardo Lastra Pérez (PSOE)
Area
• Total	82.16 km2 (31.72 sq mi)
Highest elevation	1,033 m (3,389 ft)
Population
• Total	800
• Density	9.7/km2 (25/sq mi)
Demonym	taramundés
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	33775
Website	Official website

View of Taramundi

View of Taramundi

Os Teixois Village

Taramundi is a municipality in the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It neighbors on the north side with San Tirso de Abres and Vegadeo, on the east side with Villanueva de Oscos and Vegadeo, on the south side with Santa Eulalia de Oscos and Puente Nuevo (Lugo), on the east side with Lugo.

Parishes

• Bres
• Ouría
• Taramundi
• Veigas

Taramundi and the Turia Valley

Taramundi is part of the Turia Valley or “Valle del Turia”, a small valley on the western border of the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest of Spain which is close to beaches and is divided by two counties: Asturias and Galicia. It consists of an area of 90 km², 3,910 inhabitants and is 200 m above sea level. There are two main towns are Puente Nuevo (Galicia) and Taramundi (Asturias).

The Turia Valley is a range of small mountains, ancient oak forests and rivers. It is dotted with small stoned hamlets and villages and is only 25 minutes from the sea and remote beaches. It is an area of immense natural beauty, which is guaranteed to stir delight in all who go there. The people of the Turia Valley are incredibly friendly, honest and open people, which make holidaying there a really memorable and authentic Spanish experience. The Turia Valley offers the visitor an exquisite experience of rural Spanish life first-hand which guarantees you’ll want to return.

The climate in the region is pleasant throughout the year. As with the rest of northern Spain (or the Green Spain), the climate is more variable than the southern parts of Spain and is characterised by an Atlantic climate. The average temperature in summer is usually around 26 °C. The average temperature in winter is 8 °C (12 °C in the day and 4 °C at night).

The Turia River gives its name to the valley. The valley is surrounded by hills and mountains, including, Sierra de Piedafita (900 m), Sierra de Ouroso (1033 m), Sierras de Dendin (900 m), Sierra de Teixedais (900 m) and Sierra de Eirua (700 m).

This is a land of ancient Spanish traditions and renowned local crafts and art (traditional knives, leather work and textiles).

The patrimony of the valley has more than 60 religious buildings and places of worship, such as the renowned church of San Martin de Tarimundi founded in the XVIII century (Taramundi) or the Santuario de Santa María de Conforto founded in the XVI century (Puente Nuevo).

The valley boasts an excellent and solid infrastructure aimed at rural tourism. As well as a great variety of interesting places to visit, there are also more than 10 renowned trekking routes which allow you to explore and wander through magical forests, rivers and mountains.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Also Taramundi is part of the Eo River, Oscos and Buron lands Biosphere Reserve. A Biosphere Reserve is an international conservation designation given by UNESCO under its Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB). The World Network of Biosphere Reserves is the collection of all 531 biosphere reserves in 105 countries (as of May, 2008). Biosphere reserves are created to promote and demonstrate a balanced relationship between humans and the biosphere. The area included in the Biosphere Reserve occupies a surface of 158.883 hectares of which 215km2 belongs to the area of the Turia Valley.

Agriculture, fish farming and tourism are the principal areas of growth for the region. Although there has been a fall in the primary sector in recent years and an increase in the service sectors as rural tourism, agriculture still remains the largest economical activity of local economy.

Micro businesses and family run businesses are very characteristic of the region. Construction, commerce, hotels and rural tourism also account for high percentage of local business.

Rural tourism is now a growing activity in all the Reserve, at present there are about 170 establishments catered for rural tourism.

Turía River

The Río Turía ("Turia River") is a small river, 9km in length and an altitude of 250m above the sea, which rises in the town of Taramundi (Asturias) and drains into the Eo River in the town of Puente Nuevo (Lugo).

The Turia river gives its name to the Turia Valley or “Valle del Turía” that crosses horizontally before emptying into the Eo river. The Turia river is fed by numerous streams and creeks from the mountains that limit the valley, and is part of the Eo UNESCO biosphere reserve.

While the river is born in Asturias, the bulk of his wealth is found in Lugo (Galicia).

The Turia river is a source of industry and its waters are used to generate socio-economic activities based on ancient traditions such as Navajeros crafts and textiles, as well as the primary industry of salmon farming in Puente Nuevo (Lugo).

• Source: Near as As Veigas, Taramundi (Asturias).
• Ending: Río Eo, Puente Nuevo (Lugo).
• Distance: 9 km.
• Altitude: 800m - 250m.
• Tributary rivers: Small local creeks and streams.
• Runs: Asturias: As Veigas, Mazonovo, Taramundi, A Garda y Mousende. Lugo: Conforto y Puente Nuevo.

References

• Infoasturias.com Electronic tourism brochure edited by the Asturias Council Tourism Department.