Pola de Siero Voyage Tips and guide

Pola de Siero is a town in Asturias in the northwest of Spain, usually simply called "La Pola". With a population of 12,700 in 2023, it's a commuter town for Oviedo.

The only reason you're likely to visit is that it's on a branch of Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail: a spur from the coastal route comes this way to join another route from Oviedo.

"Pola" in this context means a swamp, and it's a low-lying patch of land along the River Nora. Any valley through the Asturian hills was a route for trade, armies and pilgrims, and La Pola had a hostel for travellers since medieval times though it was never on a major route. As there are other swampy places in Spain this one was distinguished as "Pola de Siero" for the Siero local ruling dynasty. It was smashed up in the Napoleonic Wars so its buildings are mostly 19th or 20th century, when the area was industrial from coal mining. That has withered and it's nowadays a commuter town for Oviedo.

43°23′28″N 5°39′43″W

Map of Pola de Siero

Pola is 16 km east of the regional capital Oviedo and 16 km south of Gijón. By road from Madrid follow A-6 / A-66 (tolls) towards Oviedo then swing onto AS-1 towards Gijón. Leave this onto A-64 east for the town turn-off.

Asturias (OVD ^IATA) is the nearest airport, on the coast west of Avilés. Take the bus to Oviedo then a bus to Pola de Siero.

Alsa buses run every 30 min from Oviedo, taking 30 min and continuing to Infiesto. They run every two hours from Pola from Villaviciosa, taking 40 min via San Pedro and Collado. Buses make several stops within town, for example by the Town Hall.

Renfe Cercanías Train C6 runs every 30 min or so from Oviedo, taking 30 min via Colloton, Meres and El Berrón. It continues east to Lieres, Nava and Infiesto. For Gijón change at El Berrón.

43.3881-5.66481 Pola de Siero station is southwest side of town.

The town can easily be explored on foot.

Taxi firms are Radio Taxi Siero (+34 985 722020), Taxi Siero 47 (+34 695 101126) and Taxi Pola Asturias (+34 639 950000).

• 43.3927-5.66051 Town Hall (Ayuntamento), Pedro Vigil 5. M-F 09:00-14:00. The building was designed by Javier Aguirre, completed in 1886.  (updated Dec 2025)
• Alfonso X El Sabio Park is the green space east of Town Hall.
• Palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz in the park was built in the 17th century as a noble's garden house. It's nowadays an annex of Town Hall.
• 43.392881-5.6626212 Church of San Pedro, Celleruelo 15. A Neoclassical church built 1801 to 1842. It was burned out in the Civil War but was restored.  (updated Dec 2025)

• El Camino is the generic term for all the pilgrimage trails converging on Santiago de Compostela. La Pola stands on a branch, for those leaving Camino del Norte on the coast at Villaviciosa, and switching inland to join Camino Primitivo (the earliest documented trail) at Oviedo. Villaviciosa to La Pola is 28 km, so it can be done in a long tiring day, else stop over at Vega.
• Teatru Auditoriu de Siero is a large performance venue at Don Belarmino García Roza 4.
• Municipal Sports Centre is at Párroco Fernández Pedrera 20, south of the central park.
• Piscina Municipal is a heated outdoor pool on El Rayu east edge of town. Swimming cap compulsory.
• Golf: Real Club de Golf La Barganiza is 13 km northwest.
• Comadres is a fiesta equivalent to Mardi Gras, the Tuesday of indulgence before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday.

Mercadona is the biggest supermarket, a block south of the main plaza at Marquesa de Canillejas 39, open M-Sa 09:00-21:30.

El Corte Inglés Outlet is at Florencio Rodríguez 15 on the plaza east of Town Hall, open M-Sa 10:00-21:00.

A sidrería offers trad Asturian cuisine accompanied by cider.

• Malaca Gastro is behind Town Hall at Pedro Vigil 2, open W-F 10:00-00:00, Sa Su 12:00-00:00.
• Bravo de Première is Italian at Celleruelo 13, open Tu-Th 17:00-00:00, F-Su 12:00-00:00.
• El Corral de Gayo is a tapas bar at Plaza les Campes 38, open Tu-Sa 12:00-00:00, Su 12:00-19:00.
• La Gradia is a sidrería at Plaza les Campes 4, open M-W 12:00-18:00, Th-Su 12:00-00:00.
• Les Campes is a sidrería at Acebo 7D, open 24 hours.
• Taberna Cuévano is at Av Gijón 4, open Tu-F 19:00-00:00, Sa 13:00-01:00, Su 13:00-17:00.
• El Madreñeru is a sidrería at Plaza les Campes 15, open W-M 12:00-00:00.
• Manolo Jalín is a sidrería at Plaza les Campes 16, open Tu-Th 12:00-16:00, 19:00-01:00, F-Su 12:00-01:00.
• El Rinconín de Les Campes serves trad meaty fare at Plaza les Campes 19, open Th-Tu 12:00-17:00.
• El Forno is on the corner of Isla and Alfonso Iglesias, open Tu-Th 11:00-17:00, F-M 11:00-23:30.
• Café-Bar Dago is an inexpensive sandwich shop at Marquesa de Canillejas 29, open M-F 09:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-15:00.

Dozens of bars have the usual brands of beer but cider is the Asturias specialty.

Asturias produces wine - Cangas is a DO region - and there's plenty from elsewhere in Spain.

• 43.3933-5.66631 Casona de San Miguel., Celleruelo, ☏ +34 985 726422. Welcoming well-equipped pilgrim hostel open year-round. Donation.  (updated Dec 2025)

As of Dec 2025, Pola de Siero and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

• Oviedo has an old centre with several antiquities.
• Avilés has lost its steel industry and is reinventing itself with modern art.
• Gijón has an old centre on the neck of a peninsula.
• Villaviciosa has examples of 9th century architecture.