A gIFT FOR ALL THE CITIZENS
Passion, Innovation & Culture
FESTIVAL
The gastronomic meeting point for excellence
Asturias – Paraíso Natural International Cheese Festival 2021 is the most important gastronomic event of the year, at an international level, that will feature cheese as the main protagonist and will be held in Oviedo on November 3 – 6 of 2021.
The first edition of the International Cheese Festival took place in Donostia/San Sebastian in 2016, where all expectations were exceeded by having around 10.000 attendes, more than 2.500 acredited professionals and about 3.500 cheeses that took place in the World Cheese Awards 2016.
Through this unique gastronomic event, Oviedo provides the opportunity for professionals and general public, both locals and foreigners, to get to know first-hand cheeses elaborated in Asturias as well as to take part in various high-quality international cultural experiences such as tastings, product markets or scientific and gastronnomic presentations. This will contribute to the social harmony and will promote the work of artisan producers.
Lead by The Cheese Institute, different synergies have joined to carry out the organization of this large-scale festival, thanks to the support of the Council of Government of the Principality of Asturias and the City Council of Oviedo.
The World Cheese Awards organization will be at the festival, awarding the best cheese of the world 2021.
The festival will have spaces to initiate business relationships between producers and buyers and will count on the participation of international producers of protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), spanish cheeses, internationalyy recognized chefs, universities and cheese and gastronomy companies.
Asturias – Paraíso Natural International Cheese Festival is an open festival, because we want citizenship to be part of it, participating in the different planned activities.
The aim of the festival is to promote and strengthen productive vocations related to the production of artisan cheese, driving together the culture, cuisine and tourism of Asturias.
ALL ADDS UP
The festival in numbers
WHERE
Oviedo World`s Cheese Capital
A unique opportunity to know all about Asturias, the land, their people and their culture.

ASTURIAS, PARAISO NATURAL
By land, sea or air. It doesn’t matter how you get there. The lofty sight of the steep Cantabrian Mountains, with their rolling green valleys which meet the coastline in an abrupt outline which falls into the deep ble Cantabrian Sea, captivates you before you even step foot in Asturias. This is jus the start of a unique experience for which you are going to need all five senses. Asturias is honest, authentic, full of life, respectful of the past and present, attentive, courageous, welcoming, modern and cosmopolitan.

OVIEDO, LA CAPITAL DEL QUESO
Two monks and a hil… When Maximo and Fromestano founded a monastery dedicated to San Vicente, little did they know that it was to become the Iberian Peninsula’s first Christian capital. The founding of Oviedo has all the legendary epic ingredients of all great deeds and cities. Since ancient times, it retains its monastic and regal mark, and continues to be the original reference point for the original or Primitive Way of St James, the pilgrims’ road to Santiago de Compostela.
The Asturian capital is hospitable and dynamic, a place where you can experience something different every day. It also boasts an intense cultural and commercial life. Human in scale, it is an easy city to stroll around, with every corner holding an unexpected sensation.

PALACIO DE CONGRESOS CALATRAVA
The Palace of Exhibitions and Congresses, built in Buenavista with a project by the architect Santiago Calatrava, Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts in 1999, was inaugurated in 2011. The Palace is a spectacular white biulding with 15.640 square meters of concrete, steel surface and shell-shaped glass and with the characteristic giant ribs of the work of its creator, which is accessed from a glazed surface. It is located in the heart of Oviedo, making flavours appreciate in a special way.
YOUR GUIDE
How to get there
BY PLANE
Asturias Airport is located in the municipality of Castrillón, 47 km from Oviedo. It currently has several national destinations and London as european destination. Once at the airport, the ALSA bus company travels between the airport and the city of Oviedo. As alternatives, the airports of Santander and Bilbao offer additional national and european destinations.
BY TRAIN
From Madrid there is an Alvia train with a duration of 4h of travel. In addition, the AVE train reaches the city of León, where you can transfer. There are also rail connection with Barcelona.
DRIVING
By car from Madrid, you must take the A-6 towards La Coruna and continue on the AP-66 at León. The A-8 connects Asturias with the northern regions of Spain such as Galicia, Cantabria and the Basque Country. On the other hand, the ALSA bus company offers many connections between Oviedo and the vast majority of provincial capitals.
FOR WHOM
A festival for everyone
An open festival to make all the public part of the festival
PÚBLICO GENERAL:
– Final consumers of all ages
– Families & Friends
– Hotels, restaurants, schools & universities
– People interested in food advocating sustainability
– Foodies
– Cheese lovers
– Followers of local food
PROFESSIONALS:
– Producers´associations
– International importers
– Organic & Proximity products´food stores
– Prescribers & chefs with
– Michelin star chefs
– Specialized press & culinary bloggers
– Hotels & restaurants
– Certifying entities
– Milk & cheese sector related business
THE TEAM
Management Comitté
PLANS
Would you like to...
… attend the festival?
… taste cheese from the 5 continents?
… try the experience to get to know the stories behind artisan cheeses?
… be able to try & enjoy with your family cheese made from raw milk from different protected breeds?
… attend presentations & technical lectures about cheese & science?
… make networking with experts that work & promote the cheese culture worldwide?
.. attend tastings & experiences with Michelin starred chefs?
The Festival is possible thanks to...
Organizers
Institutional sponsors



