Through the green mountains of Asturias, the GR-105 Ruta de las Peregrinaciones connects the sacred sites that shaped medieval Spain's spiritual geography. This waymarked trail links the Holy Chamber of Oviedo to the mountain sanctuary of Covadonga, tracing paths worn by centuries of pilgrims crossing between the great shrines of the Cantabrian region.
📜 History & Significance
The connection between Oviedo and Covadonga is ancient and profound. Oviedo's Holy Chamber holds relics brought from Toledo to escape Muslim conquest - including the Holy Sudarium, believed to be Christ's burial face cloth. Covadonga marks where Christian resistance began, where King Pelayo defeated the Moors with the Virgin's aid in 722 AD.
Medieval pilgrims traveling to Santiago often visited both sites, believing that "He who goes to Santiago and not to the Saviour, visits the servant but not the Lord." The GR-105 recreates these historic connections as a formal hiking trail.
🥾 Route Overview
The GR-105 covers approximately 150 km from Oviedo to Covadonga and beyond, typically completed in 6-8 days of walking. The route passes through the dramatic landscape of central Asturias, with its mixture of pastoral valleys and mountain scenery.
From Oviedo, the path heads east through villages and forests, climbing into the pre-Pyrenean ranges before descending to Covadonga. Extensions connect to the Camino de los Santuarios and other regional routes, allowing pilgrims to continue toward Santo Toribio de Liébana.
☩ Key Pilgrimage Sites
Oviedo Cathedral - The Holy Chamber, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains extraordinary relics including the Holy Sudarium, the Cross of the Angels, and the Cross of Victory carried by Pelayo at Covadonga.
Covadonga Sanctuary - The Holy Cave where the Virgin appeared, the burial place of King Pelayo, and the neo-Romanesque basilica built to honor the beginning of the Reconquista.
📚 Further Reading
Curated resources to help you research and plan your pilgrimage on the GR-105 Ruta de las Peregrinaciones.
