Nava: Asturias’ cider capital, living tradition and international projection

Located in the very heart of Asturias, the municipality of Nava is worldwide known as the cider capital. With just over 5,000 inhabitants across 95 km², it is not only a municipality but also the symbolic and cultural epicentre of the beverage that defines Asturias.

Nava’s link to cider dates back to the Middle Ages, with apple orchards documented in its parishes. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, family cider houses flourished, making cider central to Nava’s economy. The art of cider pouring (escanciado), recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is a daily practice in Nava.

The Asturias Cider Museum, opened in 1996, is an international benchmark showcasing cider history, production processes and social culture. Meanwhile, the Natural Cider Festival of Nava, held every first weekend of July since 1969, has been declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest and is one of the world’s largest cider events.

Nava’s cider houses produce natural cider from 100 % Asturian apples, often under the PDO Sidra de Asturies label, combining artisanal tradition with innovation and exporting to international markets.

Nava is an active member of the European Network of Cider and Apple Cities (Cider Cities) and participates in the CIDEREU strategy submitted to the EU, strengthening its role as cider capital and international reference.

With its museum, festival and cider houses, Nava embodies both the continuity of an ancestral tradition and the opening to a future of innovation, culture and global cooperation.