Road.TravelRoad.Travel
    14 Activities

    Route through Covadonga Lakes and Picos de Europa, The Greenest Asturias

    Route through Covadonga Lakes and Picos de Europa, The Greenest Asturias
    Starts from

    Gijón

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Activities

    14

    Duration

    12 hrs 30 min

    Length

    108 mi

    Guide details

    Starts from

    Gijón

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Duration

    12 hrs 30 min

    Length

    108 mi

    • History and Culture
    • Natural Attractions
    • Unusual Locations
    • Gastronomy
    • Adventure
    Map preview
    Marta Carnero

    Marta Carnero

    Travel Expert

    • Admire a funerary monument from 4000 BC.
    • Search for beautiful salmon in one of the most populated rivers in the country.
    • Discover a landscape shaped by ice and the effect of water on limestone.
    Asturias, the natural paradise of northern Spain, combines sea and mountains in a masterful way. The Covadonga Lakes, in the Picos de Europa, are one of the essential stops if you travel through the Principality. Biosphere Reserve by Unesco since 2003, its glacial origin has made them one of the most impressive places to see in the Iberian Peninsula. Along this route you will discover villages full of charm, restaurants where you can taste the best Asturian cuisine and landscapes so beautiful that they will remain forever etched in your retina.

    Categories

    • History and Culture
    • Natural Attractions
    • Unusual Locations
    • Gastronomy
    • Adventure
    Asturias, the natural paradise of northern Spain, combines sea and mountains in a masterful way. The Covadonga Lakes, in the Picos de Europa, are one of the essential stops if you travel through the Principality. Biosphere Reserve by Unesco since 2003, its glacial origin has made them one of the most impressive places to see in the Iberian Peninsula. Along this route you will discover villages full of charm, restaurants where you can taste the best Asturian cuisine and landscapes so beautiful that they will remain forever etched in your retina.
    Marta Carnero

    Marta Carnero

    Travel Expert

    • Admire a funerary monument from 4000 BC.
    • Search for beautiful salmon in one of the most populated rivers in the country.
    • Discover a landscape shaped by ice and the effect of water on limestone.

    Day Itinerary

    14 Activities
    Map preview

    Day 1

    106 mi2 mi

    Jewels of the Iberian Peninsula, Asturian Cuisine and Local Ambiance

    Asturias boasts sea and mountains in equal parts. The Covadonga Lakes, in the Picos de Europa, are one of its most iconic images and you are going to visit them along a route from Gijón where you will discover villages full of charm and beautiful landscapes where nature is the absolute protagonist.
    08:4515 min

    Aparcamiento de Arriondas

    Leave the car in this parking lot to stroll around Arriondas. Considered the salmon capital of Spain, the International Descent of the Sella has made this Asturian city one of the most touristic, especially in summer.
    0.5 mi
    10 min
    09:1515 min

    Iglesia de San Martín

    The Church of San Martín de Arriondas is considered the most outstanding monument of the town. Built in 1905 just a few steps from the banks of the river Sella, from it you will have a spectacular panoramic view of the village.
    It is only open when there is mass, at these times:
    Winter: Weekdays: 19:00 Holiday evenings: 20:00 Holidays: 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
    Summer: Weekdays: 19:30 Holiday eves: 20:00 Holidays: 12:00
    0.2 mi
    5 min
    09:4515 min

    Área recreativa La Concordia

    In La Concordia the rivers Sella and Piloña meet, and it is here where you can admire one of the most typical elements of Asturian architecture: the hórreo. This type of construction is intended to store and preserve food away from humidity and animals.
    If you are traveling with children, it is the ideal place for a short break. Here you will find barbecues, picnic tables, a slide, swings, a zip line...
    0.3 mi
    10 min
    10:4515 min

    Dolmen and Church of the True Cross of Cangas de Onís

    Cangas de Onís can boast of many things, but one of the most important is to preserve a funerary monument from the year 4000 BC. The dolmen of the Santa Cruz is formed by an artificial mound (the original was razed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War) inside which is located a burial chamber.
    Composed of five large stone slabs and two smaller ones, of special interest are the set of paintings and engravings that you can see in the inner part of the chamber, inside the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is the oldest Christian temple preserved in Spain.
    Opening hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:00-13:30, 16:30-19:30. Sunday: Closed
    0.3 mi
    10 min
    11:1515 min

    Roman bridge in Cangas de Onis

    The Roman bridge of Cangas de Onís is one of the most iconic images of Asturias and, undoubtedly, one of its most photographed monuments. Of medieval origin, although built on the remains of a Roman one, from its central arch hangs a representation of the Victoria Cross, symbol of the Principality and its flag.
    Declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931, open your eyes wide because you may see some of the many salmon that swim in the waters of the river Sella.
    6.9 mi
    25 min
    13:001 hr

    El Molín de Mingo

    Today you will have an early lunch to visit one of the most beautiful restaurants you can find, El Molín de Mingo. Located in an old restored mill surrounded by vegetation, its exquisite decoration and homemade food with local products have made it a place of pilgrimage for locals and tourists. Be sure to try its most emblematic dish, rice with 'pitu de caleya'. This is a native breed chicken with less fatty meat, but tastier, raised in freedom and in a natural way that, in addition to corn, is fed with seeds, cereals, insects and worms found in the field. It lives at least one year, reaching a larger size than a free-range chicken.
    Hours of operation: Thursday - Sunday: 13:00 - 17:00 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: Closed
    Reservations are exclusively by telephone (from Wednesday to Sunday) at 985 922 263 and it is recommended to make them at least 15 days in advance.
    Visit their Facebook page (https://es-la.facebook.com/ElMolindeMingo) for more information.
    6.3 mi
    25 min
    14:3015 min

    Aparcamiento P2 El Bosque

    Depending on the dates of your visit, access to the Covadonga Lakes may be limited. If you can only access by bus, this parking lot is perfect to leave your car.
    11.2 mi
    40 min
    15:301 hr 30 min

    Lagos de Covadonga/Cuadonga

    The Covadonga Lakes are one of the most visited places in Asturias and the Picos de Europa. From its viewpoints you can admire all the imposing Asturian nature and, if you are fond of hiking, easy routes perfectly signposted. Its two lakes, Enol and Ercina, are of glacial origin. The third lake, El Bricial, is formed in times of rain and thaw. A biosphere reserve, the whole area is a unique natural monument thanks to its landscapes, fauna and flora. Please note that, unless you visit Lagos de Covadonga during the first three months of the year, access to the lakes is regulated to avoid overcrowding. Our recommendation is that you leave your car in any of the parking lots provided for this purpose and take one of the buses that travel this route.
    Where to take the bus? Cangas de Onís bus station: open every day of operation. El Bosque parking lot: open from July 1st to September 7th. Muñigu parking lot: open from July 1st to September 7th. Repelao parking lot: open every day of operation. Covadonga point of sale: open every day of operation.
    Bus timetable. From April 9 to September 30 Road closure: from 8:00 to 21:00 First service: 8:30 Last service up: 19:30 Last service down: 20:30 From October 1st to December 11th Road closure: from 8:00 to 19:00 First service: 8:30 Last service up: 17:30 Last service down: 18:30
    Where to buy tickets? A new way to buy tickets to Los Lagos is established through the Alsa website (https://www.alsa.es/acceso-autobus-cangas-onis-lagos-covadonga). Please note that these tickets will have priority in reservations over those issued at the parking lots or the Cangas de Onís station. It is recommended to buy in advance.
    Dates of access regulation in 2022. April and May: all weekends Easter week: from April 9 to 17 Summer 2022: from June 1 to October 16 October: weekend of the 22nd and 23rd All Saints' Day weekend: October 29, 30, 31 and November 1 December: from 3 to 11
    Visit their website for more information.
    43.1 mi
    2 hrs
    19:0015 min

    Funicular de Bulnes. Terminal de Bulnes

    Until you get here you will have been able to admire the Picos de Europa in all its splendor from the road. The beauty of the small town of Bulnes is worth a visit for many reasons, but you should know that you can only access it on foot or by funicular. Our recommendation is that, at this time of the afternoon, you opt for the latter. To do this, leave your car in the parking lot provided for this purpose at the entrance of the funicular.
    Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 10:00-20:00
    0.3 mi
    10 min
    19:3015 min

    Ermita Virgen de las Nieves

    Included since 2021 in the exclusive selection of the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain, Bulnes is one of the tourist jewels of the Picos de Europa. In the town you will find several restaurants and bars where you can have a drink and even rural accommodation if you want to spend the night here. The chapel of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, restored in 2014, is one of the many photogenic buildings you will find along your walk.
    0.3 mi
    5 min
    20:0015 min

    Funicular de Bulnes. Terminal de Bulnes

    To return to the parking lot where you left your car, take the funicular back.
    33.7 mi
    1 hr 30 min
    21:451 hr

    Restaurante El Molín de la Pedrera

    Make a stop at this restaurant in Cangas de Onís for dinner.
    El Molín de la Pedrera is the family business of the Ardines Lara brothers and their mother, Inés. In their kitchen, delicacies such as crunchy Cabrales with hazelnuts, Gamoneu cookie with roasted peppers and anchovies, mussel on black garlic bread and sea urchin caviar, smoked sardine loins with orange carpaccio or grilled boronchu (typical local corn pudding).
    Opening hours: Monday: 11:00-17:00, 20:30-23:30 Tuesday: 11:00-17:00 Wednesday: Closed Thursday - Saturday: 11:00-23:30 Sunday: 11:00-18:00, 20:30-23:00
    Visit their web
    for more information.
    Map preview
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