Living in Oviedo, Spain: My One-Month Review

Living in Oviedo, Spain: The Pros

Oviedo’s architecture, statues & fountains

Short version: elegant, human-scaled buildings—and a citywide gallery of public art and water. Statues appear at nearly every turn, not as barricaded monuments but as part of daily life: kids touch them, dogs sniff them, locals give directions by them. Fountains anchor plazas and side streets; they cool the air, add sound, and make the stone feel alive. It’s a big part of why living in Oviedo, Spain feels welcoming rather than museum-stiff.

BBVA Bank Building

Fuente de la Plaza de la Escandalera

Catedral de San Salvador de Oviedo

La Pescadora (Fisherwoman)

Monumento a José Tartiere, Campo de San Francisco

Statue of Don Fernando de Valdés Salas, founder, University of Oviedo, in the  university courtyard

Parque San Francisco

My reset button. Tucked into the city’s heart, it’s where I go to write, think, and watch life happen—families, dogs, and the occasional trumpet player.

Campo de San Francisco

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/ef5178_914bbd0937e94142a8080d4f296e1e92/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Trumpet player with tunes to delight the passers-by

Walkability

No car needed. Many places are within ten to twenty-five minutes away on foot. Sidewalks that actually serve people; crosswalks drivers respect; errands done on foot without drama. It's more liberating to walk the city than I even imagined--a true pleasure. Even arthritic, little old ladies get out and walk,

One of many car-free streets and promenades

As long as Grandma has her cane, she’s walkin’ it!

Café culture

You don’t just buy a drink—you join a conversation. Coffee, snacks, and time well spent. Cafés are ubiquitous, practically on every corner. Unfortunately, although smoking is prohibited indoors, it is allowed in outdoor seating, which means I always take my lattes inside.

Busy Oviedo sidewalk café

Rather lonesome Starbucks

Spanish coffee vs. Starbucks is no contest. Starbucks leans on a very dark roast that delivers consistency but often turns bitter. In Oviedo, cafés use fresher Arabica beans from local roasters and pull shorter espresso shots, giving coffee that’s strong yet smooth. Here, balance and drinkability matter more than Starbucks’s trademark “boldness”—which too often just tastes burnt.

People: friendliness and warmth

Let’s be plain. I’ve heard the LA take that “the Spanish are racist.” My lived month here says that blanket claim is misplaced and not credible. Racism exists everywhere, but what I’m experiencing daily is courtesy, patience with my Spanish, smiles, and real helpfulness. That’s the story on the ground, and I stand by it. I've also seen a claim on YouTube by African-American transplants to Spain that the Spanish "stare at you." Quite the contrary--sometimes I wish they would pay a little more attention to me!

Living in Oviedo, Spain: A Note on Race and Belonging

Here’s an intriguing aside especially for my Black American readers. One thing I didn’t expect about living in Oviedo: the coded “up-nod” we use on U.S. streets doesn't exist here. I tried it once (and only once). There was zero response. The reason feels simple: Black people aren’t “othered” in daily life the way we’re used to in the States. Even Africans several shades darker than me aren’t treated as somehow less whole than white Spaniards. You’ll see itinerant Black Africans from countries like Niger selling clothing around the city—Spaniards buy from them without fuss.

Soccer jerseys are a hot item in Oviedo

Mixed couples pass by without stares. Mixed kids play with white kids like it’s the most normal thing in the world. The café near my apartment has both Black and white customers, often at the same table, because that’s just…normal. And the idea of calling the police because a Black person is “hanging around” would land as absurd here.

None of this is a claim that racism doesn’t exist—nowhere is perfect—but the everyday baseline is different from the US, and it matters. Sometimes I feel like I'm actually breathing again. That difference is one of the quiet pros of living in Oviedo, Spain.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/record-spanish-wildfires-close-part-camino-de-santiago-route-2025-08-18/

Clean, safe, proud

Oviedo lives up to its reputation as one of Spain’s cleanest and safest cities. The civic pride is obvious: swept streets, tended parks, public art that feels owned by the people.

Weather and wider context

Typical northern-Spain mix—mild, changeable, and forgiving. We had one brutal 100°F day; otherwise comfortable. And so far, Asturias has been (mostly, not completely) spared the south’s wildfire pain this season.

The Challenges (because moving countries isn’t an Instagram fantasy)

Spoken Spanish speed here = 2–3× LA “LAM” Spanish

If your ear is tuned to LA Latin-American Spanish, brace yourself. Here, the pace can feel closer to Cuban or Puerto Rican speed. I’m improving, but it’s still easy to miss pieces of a sentence. Humility helps.

Housing: the Airbnb-to-home transition

Finding a permanent place has been tougher than expected. The right fit exists; I just haven't found the keys yet. I'm casting a wider net while staying clear about non-negotiables. I will only live in a penthouse or ático, as they're called here, because noise from upstairs neighbors drives me to distraction.

Rhythm reset: siesta, weekends, late dinners

• Siesta: ~2–4 pm business and store closures are real. Exceptions may be large, Europe-wide franchises, but expect it from a mom-and-pop store.

As I rolled up to this Apple store at 2 PM, the door rolled down shut.

• Weekends: Many businesses shut on Saturday and Sunday.

• Dining: Much later than the U.S. because when you return from siesta at 4 or 5 PM, you might stay open for business until quite late, meaning dinner is late.

• Vegan options: Still lean, but improving every week. I’m learning my go-to cafés and “compromise” orders: I had to break down on cheese, and yes, Asturian cheeses are vast and, I fully confess, delicious.

What I’m doing next

• Language: Daily listening drills, Spanish classes + real conversations to match the local speed. I struck up a friendship with a pharmacist, Eduardo, who loves to chat, so that has been limbering up my tongue.

• Housing: stil an ongoing search.

• Food: Building a reliable vegan map of Oviedo--I now have a couple of solid places..

• Walking: More neighborhoods, more parks, more stories.

Final thoughts

On balance, no regrets about my move. Spain, Oviedo and Asturias were fine choices and I'm grateful. More to be learned and discovered of course, e.g. I haven't fully accessed the medical system yet except for a brief dental appointment that was smooth and efficient. And yes, I'll probably be complaining about siesta and the stores closing on Sundays for a some time to come. If and when I stop, I'll be an authentic Spaniard.