Traveling to Oviedo from Mid-Atlantic/Northeast USA

[michaelporourke]

Hello,

I am planning to do the Camino Primitivo in September/October 2022. I am from Southeast Pennsylvania and am trying to determine the most efficient way to Oviedo (which I presume is via Asturias Airport then taking the bus to Oviedo) from Mid-Atlantic/Northeast USA. I'd like to avoid the 5-hour bus or train rides I've read about from cities like Madrid, but I'll take them if that's the best way.

This is my first Camino and I'd be grateful for anyone's input on the best way to Oviedo. Any specific airlines, changeover airports, and arrival destinations to consider?

Thank you!

Mike

 

[Peregrina 2013]

I will be flying to Oviedo in April from MSP (Minneapolis) and probably will be using American AIrlines to Madrid and switching to Iberia to go to OVD (Oviedo) airport and take a taxi to the city. As of today it looks like there is a stopover in Chicago and London. We will be purchasing our tickets at the end of this week, and i'd be glad to give you the specific details of where we'll be having stopovers. In 2013, a friend met me in Oviedo to finish walking Camino del Norte with me and she also flew AA with a connection to Oviedo in Madrid on Iberia without any problem. Of course another option could be Delta Airlines, usually via Amsterdam to Madrid with Iberia for the flight to Oviedo.
I am sure you will find a flight without a problem. It has always been my preference to buy directly through the airline simply because it makes it a lot easier than dealing with 3rd party travel sites/agents.
Please let me know if I there is anything else I might be able to answer.

Mary

 

[Marbe2]

Are you flying outof EWR or Philadelphia?

 

[michaelporourke]

Are you flying outof EWR or Philadelphia?

Are you flying outof EWR or Philadelphia?

I haven’t decided yet. My home (Lititz, Pennsylvania) is fairly equidistant to a few international airports (Philadelphia, Newark, BWI) so I’ll go wherever I’ll have the best connections to reach Oviedo / Asturias Airport.

 

[michaelporourke]

I will be flying to Oviedo in April from MSP (Minneapolis) and probably will be using American AIrlines to Madrid and switching to Iberia to go to OVD (Oviedo) airport and take a taxi to the city. As of today it looks like there is a stopover in Chicago and London. We will be purchasing our tickets at the end of this week, and i'd be glad to give you the specific details of where we'll be having stopovers. In 2013, a friend met me in Oviedo to finish walking Camino del Norte with me and she also flew AA with a connection to Oviedo in Madrid on Iberia without any problem. Of course another option could be Delta Airlines, usually via Amsterdam to Madrid with Iberia for the flight to Oviedo.
I am sure you will find a flight without a problem. It has always been my preference to buy directly through the airline simply because it makes it a lot easier than dealing with 3rd party travel sites/agents.
Please let me know if I there is anything else I might be able to answer.

Mary

Thank you, Mary! Great input. Buen Camino.

 

[Marbe2]

American airlines and Iberia are partner airlines. From JFK OR PHIL they have non stop connections to Madrid and good connections to Asturias. My only concern is AA’s frequent rerouting and/or cancellations this past year. Hopefully, as crews come back to work this issue will recede.

If you are close to EWR, United has consistent service to MAD (UA 51) but this flight is notoriously late. It has no connecting flight. If you would decide to obtain a Hack fare (non connecting ticket) on Iberia from MAD to Asturias, then allow 4 hrs between flights, since you would be out the fare should you miss the flight.

Avoid TAP

I would still recommend avoiding flight connections through other counties as we still do not know what COVID restrictions will be in place at that time. IMO it is better to fly into the country you want to visit to avoid possible further testing etc.

Don’t forget to allow time to schedule testing. If you get a connecting flight say from SdC to PHIL, then you must test in SdC before boarding in Santiago, even if you have a 5 delay and would like to test in MAD. You won’t be-allowed on the plane in ScQ.

 

[U20C_Katherine]

I just started my camino at Oviedo flying in from the USA. I flu from JFK to Madrid and there were options to fly to Oviedo directly or Bilbao and then take a bus.. I chose the latter because I really wanted to visit the Guggenheim Museum… just enter your journey into the kayak app and it will show you the options for Oviedo… it’s easy!

BTW. I flu Iberia which had a share code with the American Airlines… it was an awesome flight - good food and service on board and then the first class upgrade to Bilbao for like $50 was a nice perk!

 

[michaelporourke]

I just started my camino at Oviedo flying in from the USA. I flu from JFK to Madrid and there were options to fly to Oviedo directly or Bilbao and then take a bus.. I chose the latter because I really wanted to visit the Guggenheim Museum… just enter your journey into the kayak app and it will show you the options for Oviedo… it’s easy!

BTW. I flu Iberia which had a share code with the American Airlines… it was an awesome flight - good food and service on board and then the first class upgrade to Bilbao for like $50 was a nice perk!

Wonderful! Thanks, Katherine.

 

[U20C_Katherine]

Wonderful! Thanks, Katherine.

Planning the journey can be more stressful than the journey itself. I spontaneously planned my camino and was on the plane within 5 days of coming up with the idea… with so much time ahead of you, I’m certain your trip will be as flawless as can be… btw. I really loved the HiHome hostel in Oviedo (got a private room) for location, amenities and literally everything. Good night sleep before the journey.

 

[michaelporourke]

Planning the journey can be more stressful than the journey itself. I spontaneously planned my camino and was on the plane within 5 days of coming up with the idea… with so much time ahead of you, I’m certain your trip will be as flawless as can be… btw. I really loved the HiHome hostel in Oviedo (got a private room) for location, amenities and literally everything. Good night sleep before the journey.

Thank you, Katherine. On a separate note: I haven’t researched enough yet to learn what time of day I’d arrive in Oviedo. That being said, if I arrived in the afternoon, would you recommend staying two nights in Oviedo (ie, blocking a full day to explore the city before beginning the journey)?

If I arrived in Oviedo in the late morning, then maybe I’d begin the Camino following morning.

 

[jpflavin1]

I haven’t decided yet. My home (Lititz, Pennsylvania) is fairly equidistant to a few international airports (Philadelphia, Newark, BWI) so I’ll go wherever I’ll have the best connections to reach Oviedo / Asturias Airport.

A quick search indicates that leaving from JFK would be the quickest route.Just one stop in MAD. Every other route goes through LHR/MAD/Oviedo. Each stop leads to a potential connection problem, imo, so currently flying out of JFK offers the only 1 stop solution.

That said, today travel to the US has opened up and based on the response more direct flights to MAD might open up.

You have lots of time before your trip so I might hold off before locking in something now.

I just finished the Primitivo last month. This is a beautiful hike but more challenging than some of the other routes. There will be daily climbs. It will be well populated and there should be ample accommodation. A place not to miss is Bodenaya. This might be the best Albergue on any Camino. That said, it has limited space, so you might have to reserve. A lot will also depend on Covid and any accommodation restrictions that might still be in place.

If I can be of further assistance, feel free to PM me.

Happy planning
Joe

 

[Rachel and Dino]

A quick search indicates that leaving from JFK would be the quickest route.Just one stop in MAD. Every other route goes through LHR/MAD/Oviedo. Each stop leads to a potential connection problem, imo, so currently flying out of JFK offers the only 1 stop solution.

That said, today travel to the US has opened up and based on the response more direct flights to MAD might open up.

You have lots of time before your trip so I might hold off before locking in something now.

I just finished the Primitivo last month. This is a beautiful hike but more challenging than some of the other routes. There will be daily climbs. It will be well populated and there should be ample accommodation. A place not to miss is Bodenaya. This might be the best Albergue on any Camino. That said, it has limited space, so you might have to reserve. A lot will also depend on Covid and any accommodation restrictions that might still be in place.

If I can be of further assistance, feel free to PM me.

Happy planning
Joe

Hi Joe ,
We are planning for the Camino Primitivo in April/May 2022 . Would like to know the name of the albergue in Bodenaya that you recommend , please . Any other advice is warmly received also . Thanks

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi Joe ,
We are planning for the Camino Primitivo in April/May 2022 . Would like to know the name of the albergue in Bodenaya that you recommend , please . Any other advice is warmly received also . Thanks

There is only one Albergue in Bodenaya.

Covid will probably have some say about accommodation availability and no one can predict what restrictions might still be in place.

I see you have walked other Camino's. The Primitivo will be similar to the Norte as far as daily up and downs. You will probably have rain in the Spring and therefore some muddy days. If you choose the Hospitales route. weather will dictate how good the views will be. This is the highest point and most challenging day on the Primitivo, imo.

If you have additional questions, just ask and someone else or I will share our experiences.
Best regards,
Joe

 

[Corley60]

I know the 5 hour bus trip from Madrid airport sounds like a bit much. We flew from Newark on United into Madrid in September. Then the bus to Oviedo. What a treat going through the Picos de Europa park. It made the trip worth the time. It was spectacular. Just a thought. Good luck.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

For my cancelled Camino in 2020, I had planned to walk the 2nd half of the Norte and continuing on to Muxia. I was to arrive in Madrid, take a short flight to Asturias airport, then a bus to Oviedo before walking up to Avila to start. I'd walked the first half of the Norte, turning at Oviedo onto the Primitivo two years earlier. This will most likely be my same plan in 2022.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

P.S. I was unable to find a simpler, smoother route to get to Oviedo from Madrid. A lovely city and I wanted to start from there.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Would you recommend staying two nights in Oviedo (ie, blocking a full day to explore the city before beginning the journey)?

If I arrived in Oviedo in the late morning, then maybe I’d begin the Camino following morning.

Yes, my advice is to plan a full day, especially if you want to see the historic churches! There are three UNESCO World Heritage church sites in the pre-Romanesque style, one in Oviedo, and two at the Naranco sites, about a 4km walk from the center of Oviedo. These are fabulous places to see, not to mention that you will certainly want to spend time in the Cathedral of Oviedo and see the Camara Santa, which houses the Shroud of Oviedo. If you click on the Oviedo and Naranco links I provided, you will go to my website which gives you more details.

We spent the afternoon and evening touring Oviedo, then the next morning we walked to Monte Naranco, and afterwards continued on the first day of the Primitivo, but only made it to Escamplero, 12.5 km away. Worked out nicely!

And BTW, I grew up in Leola, PA, just south of Lititz. From one Lancaster Co person to another, let me know if there is anything else I can help you with!

Happy planning! You will love the Primitivo! Don't forget to visit the cider houses too!

 

[Damico Walking]

I will be flying to Oviedo in April from MSP (Minneapolis) and probably will be using American AIrlines to Madrid and switching to Iberia to go to OVD (Oviedo) airport and take a taxi to the city. As of today it looks like there is a stopover in Chicago and London. We will be purchasing our tickets at the end of this week, and i'd be glad to give you the specific details of where we'll be having stopovers. In 2013, a friend met me in Oviedo to finish walking Camino del Norte with me and she also flew AA with a connection to Oviedo in Madrid on Iberia without any problem. Of course another option could be Delta Airlines, usually via Amsterdam to Madrid with Iberia for the flight to Oviedo.
I am sure you will find a flight without a problem. It has always been my preference to buy directly through the airline simply because it makes it a lot easier than dealing with 3rd party travel sites/agents.
Please let me know if I there is anything else I might be able to answer.

Mary

I too will be flying into Oviedo in April. Plan is to see the Sudarium on Good Friday, attend Easter mass at the cathedral. Then the plan is to stop in Lisbon and Fatima on our way to start our Portuguese coastal route from Porto.

And yes our route is Delta through Seattle, Amsterdam, to Madrid. Then Iberia from Madrid to Asturia.

 

[walking sticKs]

Rome2rio options are EWR into Madrid as well as BWI, then onto OVD, but PHL has a flight into Barcelona then back to OVD.

Rome2Rio

Discover how to get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes

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Good luck
I like the train travel in Spain so I flew into Madrid and then the train up to Oviedo in 2019. In todays environment first class is inexpensive, less crowded and very comfortable. You can overnight in Leon and see the sites before moving on to Oviedo.
Good luck