Playa del Silencio – Guide to a Secluded Beach in Asturias, Spain

Where is the Playa del Silencio?

The beach is located in Asturias, on the northern coast of Spain. It’s a 1 hour drive from Gijón and Oviedo, and around 2h from Picos de Europa.

There are plenty of nice beaches in the area, and it’s pretty close to Cabo Vidio, another must-see gem in Asturias (10mn drive).

How to Get to the Playa del Silencio Asturias? 

One of the reasons why Playa del Silencio is such a great beach is that it’s hard to access. You need to know where you’re going, you can’t simply find it by accident.

When you get near the beach on the road, you’ll see a paid parking; it has signs saying “unique parking”, which is false.

You can keep driving on the small dirt road, and you’ll be able to park on the road itself (it’s a 1-way road). You’ll probably see other cars parked this way, just park behind another car and you’ll be fine.

Once you’ve parked your car, walk down the trail towards the beach; it takes around 10 minutes to get to the beach.

Discovering the Beach

To take a break from all the hiking in Picos de Europa, Laurent and I decided to drive to the coast and chill for a day at the beach. Of course I had to pick an epic beach! After digging for a bit on Google Maps, I found one that looked promising, and off we went.

We drove to the spot, went almost all the way down the dirt road on the cliff, and soon enough we had the first view of the beach.

It looked pretty cool right from our parking spot! Not a golden sand beach, but finding a beach without crowds felt good. I guess a short walk is too much for most people!

After taking a few photos from the top, we started to walk down the trail to the beach. It starts with a gentle slope, and in a few minutes we had a view over the massive cliff. Couldn’t see the beach just yet, but we saw what looked like a viewing platform, and made our way down there.

Did it offer a great view? You bet it did!

We stayed on the viewing platform for a while with Laurent, taking photos of the Playa del Silencio. It started to rain, but we kept shooting for a while.

Laurent getting the best view over the cliff

Because of the rain, we didn’t go all the way down to the beach, even though I would have loved to chill for a while down there. We climbed back up to our car, and made our way to a pretty sweet spot for sunset! 

Don’t Leave Yet! Get an Even More Secluded Beach

There’s usually not much crowds at the Playa del Silencio. But if the few people there are too much for you, or if there are more people than usual, I’ve got something for you.

An even more secluded beach, right next to Playa del Silencio!

It’s called the Playa la Barquera, and it’s literally less than 5 minutes away.

You can see it on the picture above, it’s right behind the green dome (the cliff at Playa del Silencio).

To get to it, take the small path behind the viewing platform, follow it and cross the field. Within 2 minutes you’ll get to the end, and have a view of the Barquera beach from above. There it’s a very steep descent to get to the beach, so don’t go unless you know what you’re doing!

Hey, who said it was easy?

If you want an easier option, you can get to the Playa de La Ribera del Molín, on the other side. To reach it, walk all the way on the Playa del Silencio beach, and then cross over to the next beach by walking on the rocks. It’s safer to go when it’s low tide.

Enjoy a beach with less people, and even a waterfall straight on the beach (ok it’s a small one, but still).

The Perfect Beach to Snorkel

Are you a snorkeling fan? Then that’s another reason to love this beach!

Playa del Silencio is not a sand beach; the beach is made of rocks. This makes for a clean water, and it’s easy to spot the local wildlife under water! Even from the top you can see the green emerald color of the rocks, and how clear the water is on the edges.

If you have a snorkel kit, bring it with you! But even without one, you can open your eyes under water and hopefully spot a few fishes.

Where to Get the Best View of the Playa del Silencio?

If you’re like me, you’ll probably be looking for the best view of the Playa del Silencio, to snap that perfect picture. Or simply to enjoy the view, that’s fine too!

That’s me snapping that sweet pic

There are 3 main spots:

1. Mirador panorámico: it’s located right next to the road, just after the paid parking – Location
2. Viewing platform: you’ll easily find this one, it’s on the way to the beach, just before the stairs leading down – Location
3. On the beach: it’s only when you’re down on the beach that you can seize the massive size of that cliff! – Location

Where to Stay near the Playa del Silencio, Asturias, Spain

If you’re exploring the northern coast of Spain, the best is to stay in one of the coastal towns around then drive around during the day.

• Best Hotel in Cudillero – Casona de La Paca: get a true local feel by sleeping in a former Asturian manor ! Best all-around with fair prices.
• Best Value Place – Las Carriles Apartamentos Rurales: a nice luxurious furnished apartment with everything you need, including a pool! Can host up to 4 people, and price per night gets under 20€ per person.
• Best Budget Hotel – Hotel Alvaro: a private room & private bathroom for around 17€ per person, hard to beat.

Visit Spain

Planning a trip to Asturias and Spain? You can find below several other articles about this wonderful part of the world to help you plan your trip.

Asturias Guides:

Get your hiking & outdoor fix in Somiedo Natural Park

Hiking without the hard part? Take the Fuente Dé funicular and enjoy a nice stroll downhill

Or simply chill in the cute coastal town of Ribadesella

Spain Guides:

Discover Segovia on a day trip from Madrid

Or go walk on the fortified walls of Avila

More into castles? Visit all of the best castles in Spain!

I hope you enjoy your trip to Asturias and to Spain; if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below, I always reply.

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