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Auckland, New Zealand
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region.
It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. The city lends its name to the sudarium of Oviedo, a religious relic revered there since the 9th century. Oviedo is located approximately 20 kilometres south of neighbouring city Gijon, which is also the shoreline of the Bay of Biscay.
Oviedo is located in the centre of Asturias between the Nalon River and Nora River. To the north lie Las Regueras and Llanera, to the south Mieres and Ribera de Arriba, to the east Siero and Langreo, and to the east Grado and Santo Adriano. The altitude of Oviedo is between 80 and 709 metres above sea level. The city is protected against strong winds by Monte Naranco in the north and the Sierra del Aramo in the south.
The city centre is rather hilly. Its proximity to the ocean renders Oviedo to have a maritime climate, in spite of it not being located on the shoreline itself.
The economy is strongly dependent on the tertiary sector, with many office buildings in the city centre. Oviedo's status as the administrative centre of the region supports a large number of jobs in public administration. The manufacturing sector, which remains important in this part of Spain, is not prevalent in Oviedo itself, but is more important in the adjacent municipalities of Siero and Llanera which lie to the north of the city, between Oviedo and Gijon.
Oviedo contains a very rich architectural history, with many buildings dating back to the early medieval period. Many of the building projects were undertaken during Alfonso II's (791-842) reign and Ramiro I's (842-850) reign.
Today Oviedo is a modern and cosmopolitan city and its name translates to "capital of the Paradise". It is a very cultural city with many beautiful churches and museums. It is also well balanced and has many sports from soccer, rugby, hockey, boxing, equestrian, bowls and cycling.
There are many religious Feast Days and traditions through the main streets like: Parade of the three Wise Men; CARNIVALE- a celebration that becomes more popular through the years, it is very colorful, with numerous parades and costumes competitions; Easter, The Ascension Festivity and the San Juan Bonfires to name a few.
Oviedo is a cosmopolitan city that has wisely known how to combine different styles and ways to elaborate gastronomy, without forgetting its Asturian root. It has a classic cuisine based in stews but also creative with its "sidrerias" (restaurants specialists in serving cider), inns, wineries, delicatessens and "tapas" bars, constitute, among many others, its ample and varied gastronomic offer. Experts use produce from the land, the coast and the Asturian mountains and transform them into truly culinary works of art. The best fish, vegetables, meats, cheeses, etc abound at El Fontan Market. Some of the better known dishes are: Fabada -bean stew with selected cuts of pork; Callos - tripe; Chorizo a la sidra - chorizo sausage prepared in cider; Arroz con leche - similar to rice pudding and Frixuelos - similar to a crepe.
Oviedo's climate is temperate oceanic and September is the best time to visit. While cruises are available year round, the main season is from March to October to take advantage of the longer days and warmer weather. Weather during the cruise season is warm to hot and the days are long and generally sunny. Most rain in the region falls in the winter months.
Population: 222, 917 (2014)
Language: Spanish
Currency: Euro
Time zone: CET (UTC+1) Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 33001 and 33013