After the forces of Visigothic king Pelayo defeated the Muslim invaders´ assault on the only part of Iberia not to be conquered by them in 722, this town about an hour east of Oviedo became their capital as well as the launching point for the "Reconquista." Its most famous icon - and one of the symbols of Asturias itself - is the Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) over the Sella River, which is actually not Roman but a medieval Gothic construction built in the 14th century. Today Cangas is a hub of adventure and ecotourism.


David Paul Appell