Carnival, is a festive season and the main events are usually during February (seven weeks before Easter Sunday). Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party. People often dress up during the celebrations, which mark an overturning of daily life.

(FOTO: SRT)

In Asturias, Carnival is called ‘Antroxu’, although depending on the region the name can have some variations. For instance, in Aller and Quirós, it is called ‘Antroxo’. This Asturian terms have its etymological basis on the ancient Spanish word ‘Antruejo’, which is also derived from the Latin word ‘introitos’, which means ‘entrance’, since it is just before Lent.

(FOTO: La Nueva España)

(FOTO: Guiastur)

Carnival was forbidden for a long time in Spain in the 20th century and it was regained with the arrival of democracy in the 1980’s. Nowadays’ Carnival preserves the essence of the primitive ‘antroxu’ although the ways and the costumes have been polished along the years. The desire of inverting order still involves irrational acts, exorbitant humour and ‘folixas’ (parties). Irony, satire and couplets are specially wicked against public characters and their job.

(FOTO: Guiastur)

(FOTO: Guiastur)

The immediate precedent of the arrival of the Antroxu is the Comadres Thursday, which is a day in which women are accustomed to meet with a festive aim full of feminine complicity.
In these days, previous to Don Carnal’s defeat and the sullen Lent’s 40 days long reign, the Asturian people have a mind to mutate into new identities. Traditionally, this metamorphosis comes with lavish caloric dishes in the hardest stage of the winter. During Carnival days, we usually eat meat, preferably pork, since this kind of meat was forbidden during the seven weeks of Easter that followed the secular celebrations.
The most typical dishes in Asturian Carnival are the desserts, such as ‘frixuelos’, ‘casadiellas’ and ‘torrijas’. ‘Frixuelos’ are similar to pancakes but they are much more thinner. They are made with eggs, flour, milk, salt and sugar. ‘Casadiellas’ are also a typical Christmas dessert and they are like a long pasty made with wheat flour dough flavoured with anisette and filled with walnuts and sugar. They are generally fried but, if they are made of puff pastry, they can also be baked. As regards ‘torrijas’, we have to say that they are typical of Carnival but also of Easter. They are fried slices of bread soaked in milk and, sometimes, wine and flavoured with cinnamon and sugar. In the following photo, you can see 'frixuelos' and 'casadiellas'.

(FOTO: SRT)

In Asturias, most of the cities and villages celebrate their own carnival. The most important ones are the ones in Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés, which are the biggest cities in Asturias. In Avilés it takes place the ‘Descenso Internacional y Fluvial de la Calle de Galiana’ (Internacional and Fluvial Descent of Galiana Street). It consists on an itinerary of floats and all kind of gizmos decorated with naval motifs. The crew members go down Galiana street on Carnival Saturday while the street is full of water and foam which are thrown from the vehicles and the buildings. Watch the following video and you'll see how funny it is!



Asturian Carnival ends with the Sardine’s Funeral. The Sardine represents the abstinence, the mortification and fasting of Ash Wednesday. This funeral, like all the Carnival celebrations, has a satirical nature and is the perfect climax to several days of festivities.

In Mieres, one of the biggest towns in Central Mountain (Montaña Central), they celebrate the funeral of the 'Truchona del Caudal' (Caudal River's big trout) instead.

(FOTO: videoblogasturias.com/)

We hope you come and discover all the amazing things we can offer you during these celebrations. See you soon!