Cider Festival in Nava, Asturias

The best Cider Festival in Asturias runs from July 4th to July 10th 2018 / Pixabay

25 June 2018, 11:06

The Cider Festival

When: 4th - 10th July 2018
Where: Nava, Spain
Website: www.ayto-nava.es

The Cider Festival in Nava is one of the oldest popular festivals in Spain. Its origins go back to the 1960s and in its beginnings it was only intended to pay tribute to this typical Asturian drink. Today, it is a festivity of great notoriety followed by thousands and thousands of people.

During the festival, there are famous competitions and other activities related to the popular traditions of Asturias. It is celebrated in summer, this year from 4th-10th July 2018, in the town of Nava, a place with a long history of cider-making.

Nava: hiking, cheese and cider in Spain

Nava is a beautiful Asturian town where you can enjoy a quiet and relaxing weekend. It’s a big-hitter in the world of natural cider and the festival is known all over the world. In fact, the Cider Museum in Nava is one of the key tourist attractions.

Its surroundings are endowed with beautiful landscapes and historical monuments that you simply can’t afford to miss. The medieval-style palace of La Cogolla and the palace of La Ferrería, with a Renaissance-baroque style, are some of its greatest sights. In addition, Nava is a paradise for lovers of hiking trails and walking in the mountains, not to mention its tasty cuisine and excellent cheeses.

Nava, the home of Spanish cider

The Cider Festival was founded in 1969 and has become one of the most popular festivals in Spain. During the festival there are cultural activities, competitions, cider tasting and concerts.

Spanish cider, and Asturian cider in particular, has nothing to do with its British counterpart. In Spain and Asturias, the natural ciders that are brewed are flat, never sparkling, and designed to be drunk in short glasses which you refill every time you want to drink more, rather than in a pint.

The most important part of the cider-drinking process is the pouring, which is done from as high up as possible from the bottle to the glass to allow air to enter, removing any bubbles and intensifying the flavour of the cider. This special technique is called ‘escanciar’ and is a sight to behold, as aficionados hold the bottle above their head and pour the drink into a glass held at waist-height.

The Cider Festival in Nava is held in the second weekend of July. The party begins with an opening speech, followed by a special tasting and the popular and hilarious pouring contest. During these days, cider tasting, musical performances, gastronomic festivals and other significant events related to the cider world take place.

One of the most important competitions, held on Saturday morning, is based on choosing the best natural cider produced in both Nava and Asturias. The jury is made up of cider experts and the winner will receive the highest award.

On the morning of Sunday 8th July, there is a contest for cider pourers, ‘escanciadores’. It is also one of the most prestigious, as there are professionals from all the best cider houses in Asturias.

During this festivity, Nava smells of cider with thousands and thousands of litres of this drink being distributed free of charge. The cider, which is stored in barrels, is served in the traditional way and people from all over gather in the centre of the town to experience this Spanish fiesta intensely (but not too drunkenly!).