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Cudillero
«Cudillero es un pueblo marinero con casas en anfiteatro.»Cudillero is a fishing village with houses in an amphitheatre.
Cudillero is on the western coast of Asturias, in a gorge so narrow that the houses have had to climb one above the other, forming an amphitheatre above the port. The fishing community has its own dialect, Pixueto, which is not heard anywhere else.
Did you know
Houses act as tiered seating.
The main square of the village has historically functioned as a natural stage, as the surrounding houses act as tiered seating for the spectators.
How they talk in Cudillero
«Pixueto» traditionally indicates the inhabitants and the local dialect of Cudillero. «Curadillo» is a very specific gastronomic word from the town.
prestar
To cause pleasure or satisfaction. Daily use in constructions like «présta-me/prestóme» to say that something is liked or has given pleasure.
Everyday life in Cudillero
The amphitheatre of colourful houses
The town is a funnel of houses painted one on top of the other around the port: from the square you can see the whole front, and those who live high up have hundreds of steps to climb.
«Las casas están una encima de otra.» — The houses are one on top of another.
The «amuravela» on 29 June
A fisherman reads in dialect, standing on the boat, a satirical speech about the year that has just passed: he makes fun of everyone, authorities included, and people wait for it to know who is next.
«Hoy leen la amuravela.» — Today they are reading the amuravela.
The «pixueto» that is not Asturian
In town they speak their own dialect, different from the Asturian of the neighbouring towns: those from Cudillero recognise it by ear and use it at home.
«Aquí se habla pixueto.» — Here they speak pixueto.
What to eat in Cudillero
Caldereta de pescado
Rock fish soup with potatoes and peppers, cooked in a cauldron on the boats.
Pixín a la sidra
Monkfish cooked in sidra with onion, in an earthenware pot.
Carbayones
Pastry filled with almond and egg yolk, with icing on top.
Festivals in Cudillero
L'Amuravela
29 June
From the balcony, a speech is read in «pixueto», the local dialect, which makes fun of everything that has happened during the year.
What to see in Cudillero
The amphitheatre of houses
The colourful houses climb in tiers on the sides of the gorge, one above the other, looking at the port.
Iglesia de San Pedro
The Gothic church at the top of the town, with a view over all the houses below.
Mirador de la Garita
The viewpoint on the promontory, from which the town can be seen all together.
Where Cudillero comes from
An amphitheatre of houses above the port
13th century
The village
It was born as a fishing village in a very narrow gorge opening onto the sea.
16th–18th century
The «pixuetos»
The fishing community develops its own dialect, which is only heard here.
19th century
The port
The pier is built: the fleet grows and the town climbs the sides of the gorge.
20th century → today
Tourism
The colourful terraced houses become one of the most well-known images of Asturias.
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