The Sunday market of Cangas de Onís is the most authentic souk in the eastern region of Asturias. Jovellanos in his Diaries described this market on the way to Covadonga -description that we can read on one of the plaques located in the enclosure-: «To the fair in the field of the church; much concurrence and much traffic of rough sorts; hops on high poles with hooks from the same branches on which they were hung; three to three hundred and fifty will be sold; all women wear them; rough cloths; bayetons, bayetas, roquettes, painted canvases, scythes and other rustic instruments; pottery, copper cookware; three copper silversmiths from Gijón; many outdoor stores; sieves, etc. lots of people and lots of movement ».
Where is the market located?
In the same environment of the Palaciu Pintu, close to the parish, and especially between the arcades, the Cangas market continues to be famous due to the influx of many people and a lot of movement. There also continues to be an abundant traffic in genres, as described by the enlightened man from Gijón. What happens is that the stalls dedicated to supplying pre-industrial homes with thousands of everyday items have now specialized in the edible side of handicrafts.
What to buy in Cangas de Onís?
Hundreds of products from the garden and pastures of Asturias They meet in Cangas every Sunday. You can buy, at a good price, the artisan cheeses de Cabrales, Gamoneu y Beyos, perhaps the most emblematic of the Picos de Europa. Next to these, others no less important such as all those made in Llanes (Pría, Vidiago, Porrúa ...) and in the rest of the Asturian councils. We will also find all kinds of sausages and meats from the area. The municipality is a large producer of beef, pork and lamb and it offers sausages as tasty as wild boar or deer sausage. The traditional kitchen Canguesa, which is nourished by these same ingredients, is also very rich due to the variety and quality of the products from its garden. In the market these products are easy to find: tomatoes, onions, peppers, courgettes, garlic, fruit, lettuce, chard, beans ... The ladies and gentlemen of the villages "go down" to Cangas to sell their excellent crops, horticultural products from the lifelong. We will also find butters, honey, homemade eggs. In addition to traditional basketry, decoration and tools made of wood, skins, ceramics ...
In Cangas de Onís, those who go shopping will find an authentic paradise of typical products. Not in vain, the city has the largest offer in quality and price of the entire province in this regard. So Sunday can also be a good day to know the comprehensive offer of Cangas, stroll through its historic streets and top the morning with a good cider, a good wine or a delicious meal.
Cangas de Onís is one of the great hotel and gastronomic squares of the eastern region. In its dishes, the garnishes are made with its own garden, mountain meats, game products, from fishing in the Sella ... And there is no shortage of desserts such as ice cream from Peña Santa, rice pudding or artisan cakes from the zone, very rich in confectionery and, therefore, well stocked with confectioneries.
We talk about a modern city, with a main street where good hotels and cafeterias open. Proximity to Covadonga makes it a center of excellence tourism, and its trade, whose most notorious essence is its traditional market, well deserve a Sunday morning to know it.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
