Oviedo: A Blend of Nature, Culture, and History
Live and study in the Principality of Asturias located along the Iberian Peninsula’s Costa Verde. Experience this “natural paradise” in the mountains, rivers, lakes, and beaches surrounding this lush green city. Explore the pedestrian streets and plazas near the historic Cathedral de San Salvador; explore the Calle Gascona and drink traditional sidra; visit the Pre-Romanesque monuments of nearby Mt. Naranco. Discover the city that has been described as: “a delicious, exotic, and beautiful city, as if it belonged to another world, something similar to a fairy tale.” With its cosmopolitan air and lively nightlife thriving alongside the traditions of the city’s Celtic roots, Oviedo is your doorway to Northern Spain past and present. Surrounded by stunning countryside, Oviedo’s monumental Old Quarter, its Gothic cathedral of San Salvador and 400-year old University are the perfect setting to experience Spanish language, society, and culture.
Center Description
GEO’s Center in Oviedo, Spain, is located across the street from the University of Oviedo campus in a lively commercial and residential neighborhood about 10 minutes walk from the Old Quarter/city center. Oviedo is a city of 225,000 and the capital of the Principality of Asturias, a region of Spain with distinct cultural and artistic history. Over 30% of the region is occupied by national parks and protected areas, including five UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The history of Asturias began with Celtic roots, and when the Moors conquered much of Spain, this was the only part of the Iberian Peninsula that remained Christian. The Camino de Santiago runs through this area—the launch point for the “Reconquista” as the reconquering of modern Spain is known. Today the region is billed as a “natural paradise” and offers gastronomic and cultural traditions somewhat in contrast to traditional ideas of “Spain." Oviedo, along with the nearby cities of Gijon and Aviles, are clean, compact, walkable and easily accessible by a range of public transportation. English-speaking tourists are rare in this part of Spain, making this a perfect place to study Spanish and make use of it in daily life.
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The GEO Center in Oviedo includes:
- One classroom with capacity for 20 students
- Reference library with 500+ books for class topics and travel, as well as 200+ Spanish films
- Workspace for visiting faculty: Wi-fi, shared computers and printer/fax/copier/scanner
- Classroom equipment: whiteboard, DVD player, projector with DVD and laptop connectors, and a portable CD/cassette player
- Student computer access: Two desktops. Wi-fi is available
- Close access to the University of Oviedo, which also offers classroom rental and facilities
Accommodations
Students usually live with experienced host families, and one student per family is the norm. All host families offer a private room for their students, as well as shared laundry facilities, meals, and Wi-Fi. In the summer, it is common for two students to share a host family (each student has their own independent room). Accommodation through the residence halls at the University of Oviedo is also available in the summer. The residence halls feature single rooms with en-suite bathrooms, as well as a student cafeteria where meal plans can be purchased individually by students or arranged for groups.
Potential Excursions
In Oviedo: Oviedo walking tour, Oviedo’s Cathedral, Museum of Fine Arts in Asturias, and Archaeological Museum of Asturias
One day excursions: Gijón and Roman Baths, Gijón and Museum of the Asturian People, Lagos de Covadonga & Cangas de Onís, Astorga & León, Santillana del Mar & Llanes, and Western Asturias
Overnight excursions for Spanish Immersion in Oviedo students: (include two from the following) Salamanca, Bilbao & San Sebastian, Málaga, Sevilla, Toledo and Madrid, La Riojo & Burgos, León & Astorga
Experiential Learning
Oviedo offers a wide variety of service-learning and volunteer opportunities from which to choose. Faculty on short-term programs can opt to have students visit several organizations to get an overview of the work they do and their processes. For long-term programs, a single service-learning placement for each student allows on-going, in-depth volunteer opportunities regularly over several weeks. Long-term placements are not available for programs less than a month in length. Opportunities are available in fields such as health, education, tourism, horse therapy, community services, development, and more.
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Faculty Resources
Looking for inspiration for your programming at GEO Centers? Consider some past programs that align well with these locations:
Spanish Language and Culture in Oviedo
Digital Photography in Spain (Segovia & Oviedo)
Chemistry in Oviedo
Oviedo Staff
Curriculum Vitae for all staff and faculty are available upon request.
Silvia Pérez Sevilla
Site Director
Silvia is GEO’s Oviedo Center site director. Born and raised in Oviedo, Silvia also attended and graduated from the University of Oviedo with a degree in English Philology. She was an exchange student in the United Kingdom. As a graduate student, she studied at the University of Salamanca where she specialized in teaching. Silvia has been working for GEO since 2006.
