The eastern coast of Asturias, with its cliffs, wild beaches and fishing villages, invites families to follow dinosaur footprints on a journey along the Cantabrian Sea.
Asturias is often imagined as a green, seafaring and mountainous land of endless meadows, cider-scented villages and beaches hidden beneath cliffs. However, the eastern Asturian coast reveals another, more unexpected and fascinating side to the region: a place where dinosaurs roamed beside the sea more than 150 million years ago.
Between Villaviciosa, Colunga and Ribadesella, the Cantabrian Sea boasts one of the most unique family itineraries in northern Spain: a journey through fossil footprints, untouched beaches, dramatic cliffs, museums and picturesque fishing villages. It’s the perfect July getaway: spend the morning at the Jurassic Museum of Asturias, enjoy an afternoon swim and coastal walk, then have dinner facing the sea in Lastres, Tazones or Ribadesella. Science, nature and gastronomy along a single route.
The MUJA, the best starting point for the journey
The easiest way to begin your Jurassic adventure is to visit the Jurassic Museum of Asturias, known as the MUJA. Situated between Colunga and Lastres on a hill overlooking the Cantabrian Sea and the Sierra del Sueve, the museum’s exterior is as impressive as its interior. Its building is shaped like a large three-toed dinosaur footprint, as if the landscape itself had decided to leave a clue. Inside, the route helps visitors to understand what they will see later out in the field. Fossils, replicas, skeletons, audiovisual material and interactive resources reveal what Asturias was like during the Jurassic period. This area was not the green, Atlantic landscape we see today, but rather a land of lagoons, rivers, muddy areas and coasts where dinosaurs left their tracks.
The MUJA is great for families because it brings science to life. Children can imagine the size of these animals, compare footprints, view reproductions, and leave the museum with a clear mission to find real traces by the sea. The open-air garden, which features life-size dinosaur reproductions, also allows visitors to extend their visit without it becoming too long.
Morning is the best time to go, especially in summer, when visiting both the museum and the beach is an attractive option. After the visit, the coast is very close: La Griega, Lastres and Colunga are just a few minutes away by car.
La Griega beach: giant footprints beside the sand
If there is one place where the Jurassic landscape is particularly striking, it is La Griega beach in Colunga. This broad, family-friendly beach has sand and a swimming area, and is surrounded by lush greenery. But the real surprise comes when you follow the signposted path to the eastern end of the beach: there, on the rocks, are the preserved footprints of large sauropod dinosaurs.
There is something cinematic about the scene: the sound of the waves, the cliffs, the meadows above the coast, and then suddenly those rounded marks that remind you of the enormous animals that once passed through here. Some of these ichnites are enormous and are among the largest known of their kind. They are not always easy to interpret at first glance —erosion, light and the tide all play a role— so it is worth reading the information panels and looking patiently, without expecting to see a “perfect footprint” as you might find in a child’s drawing. The beauty lies in discovering how science interprets signals that might otherwise go unnoticed.
La Griega is an ideal stop for families because it offers a combination of learning and relaxation. First, you can search for footprints, and then you can return to the sand to swim or play. However, it is advisable to wear comfortable walking shoes in the rocky area and to always respect the signs, avoiding areas where rockfalls may occur. The footprints have been there for millions of years, so the best way to enjoy them is to observe them without stepping on or touching them.
Tereñes: Ribadesella’s wildest side
From Colunga, the route continues towards Ribadesella, one of the most famous places on the eastern Asturian coast. Nearby are the cliffs of Tereñes, which are especially interesting for those who want to discover the wilder and more geological side of the region.
Visiting here depends on one key factor: the tide. Tereñes can only be accessed at low tide, so it is essential to check the tide tables before going and avoid days with strong swell. The access path leads down to the cliffs, and the ground can be slippery, so it is not the most convenient place for pushchairs or very young children. However, with slightly older children who are used to walking, it can be one of the most exciting stops on the route. At Tereñes, you can observe different dinosaur tracks, including those of ornithopods, theropods and stegosaurs.
Ribadesella: promenade, beach and footprints beside the Cantabrian Sea
Ribadesella is the perfect place to slow the pace after visiting Tereñes. The town has a very pleasant seafaring feel to it, with the Sella River flowing into the sea. There are also terraces, cider houses, a port, and one of the most beautiful urban beaches in Asturias: Santa Marina.
The beach promenade is perfect for families, especially in the late afternoon when the light falls on the Indianos villas lining the sand dunes behind. Dinosaur footprints have also been found at the western end of Santa Marina, making Ribadesella a double destination: a comfortable beach and a Jurassic landscape.
Here, it’s up to you how active or relaxed you want the plan to be. Curious visitors can head to the information panel to observe the rocks, while those who prefer to rest can relax on the beach, enjoy a drink along the promenade or stroll through the town centre. Ribadesella has the advantage of offering sea, history, gastronomy and a summer atmosphere all in one place.
Lastres: enjoy a seafood dinner with views of the Sueve
Very close to the MUJA is Lastres — or Llastres —, one of those Asturian villages that seems to hang between the sea and the mountains. Its houses descend the hillside towards the port amid cobbled streets, stairways, viewpoints, and seafaring-style façades.
After spending the morning with the dinosaurs and the afternoon at the beach, Lastres is the perfect place to enjoy dinner with views of the Cantabrian Sea. Fish, seafood, rice dishes, squid, cider and harbour views are all part of the experience. It is also worth going up to the San Roque viewpoint, where you can take in the village, the coast, the Sierra del Sueve, and on clear days, the surrounding countryside.
Lastres is the perfect place to end the day, as it connects the two great landscapes of the journey: the sea where footprints appear and the green Asturias that rises just behind the coast.
Tazones: a small harbour with Jurassic memory
Although it lies a little further west, Tazones deserves a place on the route if you have more time or want to extend the getaway to two days. This small fishing village in Villaviciosa preserves a sheltered atmosphere, with colourful houses, narrow streets and restaurants where fish and seafood take centre stage.
In addition to its harbour charm, Tazones is part of the Dinosaur Coast. At low tide, you can look for footprints in the surrounding area, and the lighthouse zone offers another landscape of cliffs and Jurassic rock. It is a stop that sums up the spirit of the trip very well: in Asturias, natural history is not locked away only in a museum, but is mixed with ports, beaches, lighthouses and long meals with the taste of the sea.
Practical tips for following the footprints
The route is best enjoyed by car as the sites, beaches and villages are close together but not always conveniently connected by public transport. It is worth planning the route in advance and not trying to see everything in just a few hours. Part of the pleasure lies in stopping to walk and admire the sea, and leaving time for a swim or a relaxed meal.
Footwear matters. While some stops, such as the MUJA and La Griega beach, are easy, other areas have rocks, steps, mud and slippery surfaces. Sports shoes with good soles are better than flip-flops. It is also essential to check the tides before visiting Tereñes, Tazones or any other sites located on rocky shore platforms and cliffs.
Dinosaur footprints are natural heritage: they should not be stepped on, wetted, marked, scratched or chipped away, and no fragments of rock should be removed. The best approach is to observe, take photographs and follow the interpretation panels. If you are travelling with children, you can turn it into a game: look for shapes, compare sizes, imagine which animal might have left each mark, and explain that a beach can also be a history book.
Asturias, a journey into the past with the taste of the sea
Jurassic Asturias shows that a destination can encompass many experiences at once. Whether you want to swim at the beach, learn at the museum, walk along the cliffs, eat fresh fish at the port or enjoy a family adventure where children discover that science is not just found in books, Asturias has it all.
The eastern Asturian coast, stretching from La Griega to Tereñes, Ribadesella, Lastres, Colunga and Tazones, invites you to view the landscape in a new light. Beneath the meadows and waves, and between the layers of rock and cliffs, the story of dinosaurs, ancient seas and footprints that have withstood the test of time continues to unfold.
