From Gijón: Covadonga, Cangas de Onís, and Lastres Day Trip

Asturias saves its best scenery for the mountains. This 11-hour trip from Gijón links the glacial lakes of Covadonga with the historic villages of Cangas de Onís and Lastres, so you get mountains, religious landmarks, cider country, and sea views in one long day. I like the route because it reaches places that are awkward without a car, and I especially like the final stop at Lastres, where the San Roque viewpoint looks across the coast and toward the Picos de Europa. The main drawback is the language balance: the tour is bilingual, but some bus commentary may be delivered mainly in Spanish.

The price is $48 per person, which is strong value for air-conditioned transport, a guide, and a full day across Asturias. Guides such as Santiago, Esmeralda, and Martin have been praised for their warmth, organization, and local knowledge. Bring water, wear comfortable clothes, and arrive 15 minutes early at Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Begoña, since the bus cannot wait for late arrivals.

Five details that shape the day

• Covadonga’s two lakes: Lake Enol and Lake Ercina sit high in the Picos de Europa, with time to stop at Mirador de Entrelagos and walk around independently.
• A sacred cave above a waterfall: The Santa Cueva holds the Virgin of Covadonga and includes a chapel, fountain, waterfall, and lake below.
• Cangas de Onís for cider and history: You get time for Asturian food, a cullín of cider, cobbled streets, and the famous bridge over the Sella River.
• A scenic return along the coast: The bus passes the beaches of La Espasa, La Isla, and La Griega before reaching Lastres.
• A bilingual tour with an important caveat: English is available, but some explanations on the bus may be mostly in Spanish.
• Weather can change the mountain plan: Snow and ice can close access to the lakes, with an alternative visit arranged instead.

Why this Asturias day trip works

Asturias is spread out. Gijón gives you an easy base on the coast, but the Picos de Europa and the inland villages require time, route planning, and confidence on mountain roads. This excursion solves that problem with one vehicle and a guide who handles the driving, timing, and background information.

The route is ambitious. You spend about 11 hours away from Gijón, with roughly four hours of road travel between the main stops. That sounds like a lot, but the scenery helps make the journeys part of the experience. You pass through green countryside, mountain roads, and the Cantabrian coast without having to concentrate on traffic or parking.

I would choose this trip if you have only a few days in Asturias and want a broad sample of the region. It is not a slow village tour, and you will not have hours to linger at every stop. Instead, it gives you a useful first look at several places that deserve separate visits.

Starting in Gijón at Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Begoña

The meeting point is Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Begoña. Look for the Buendía Tours guides and arrive 15 minutes before departure. This matters because the schedule is tightly arranged, and the bus cannot wait for late arrivals.

The first ride lasts around an hour and a half. Your guide provides information about Asturias, its natural areas, local products, and regional history. English is offered, but the format is not always a sentence-by-sentence translation. Several English-speaking visitors found that the bus commentary was mainly in Spanish, with more English explanation during stops.

If you want the most from the guide, ask questions during the breaks and walking visits. Santiago has been particularly praised for making sure English-speaking members of the group were included, while other guides have also been described as friendly and attentive. Still, I would not book this trip expecting a fully equal bilingual presentation at every moment.

The high country at Covadonga’s lakes

The first major stop is the Lakes of Covadonga, with about two and a half hours for a guided visit and free time. This is the visual heart of the day. Lake Enol and Lake Ercina are glacial lakes in the Picos de Europa, surrounded by mountain scenery that feels far removed from the coast and city.

The stop at Mirador de Entrelagos is especially useful because it gives you a broad view before you explore at ground level. You can take photographs, listen to the guide’s explanation of the park, and then use your free time to enjoy the setting at your own pace.

The tour includes a moderate amount of walking. Comfortable clothes are listed as essential, and sensible footwear is a good idea even though special hiking equipment is not required. Bring water, since the mountain portion is active and exposed compared with the bus rides.

There is one important seasonal warning. Snow and ice can close the road to the lakes on some days. In that case, the operator provides an alternative plan. You should treat the lake visit as weather-dependent, not guaranteed in every season.

This stop works best for people who want scenery without committing to a full mountain hike. You get the high-altitude views and a chance to walk, but the schedule does not turn into a demanding trek. If you have small children, allow for a slightly brisk pace, since the overall day has several fixed departure times.

Covadonga’s basilica and the sacred cave

After the lakes, the bus descends for about 45 minutes to Covadonga. You have around an hour here for a guided visit and free time. The focus is the Basilica of Covadonga and the nearby Santa Cueva, or sacred cave, dedicated to the Virgin of Covadonga.

The basilica is built from stone taken from the surrounding mountains. Its heavy masonry and two prominent towers make it visible from a distance, and its position against the mountain gives the stop a strong sense of place. This is not just a quick photo stop. The guide explains why Covadonga matters to Asturias and how the sanctuary fits into the region’s identity.

The cave is the more unusual sight. A chapel sits inside the rock above a spring, waterfall, and small lake. The setting combines religious importance with dramatic natural features, and the waterfall below gives the visit a memorable visual focus.

The cave also connects with early Asturian history. The sanctuary contains the graves of King Pelagius and Alfonso I, adding historical weight to a place that can otherwise seem purely scenic. You may find the hour enough for the main sights, but not enough for a long, unhurried visit to every part of the complex.

This is one of the strongest sections for visitors interested in both culture and scenery. It also gives the guide a chance to explain Asturias beyond dates and monuments. If you listen carefully here, the later stop in Cangas de Onís makes more sense.

Cangas de Onís, cider, and the Sella River

A 30-minute ride brings you to Cangas de Onís, where you have about two hours. This is the most flexible part of the day. You can choose an Asturian meal, try a cullín of cider, and then walk through the center with the guide.

Asturian cider is traditionally poured from a height, and a cullín is a small serving intended to be drunk soon after pouring. The tour information specifically encourages you to taste local food and cider, but lunch is not included in the price, so budget separately for your meal.

The town’s cobbled streets are easy to combine with the principal sights. The famous Roman Bridge crosses the mountain-fed Sella River and is one of the most recognizable monuments in the area. Despite its familiar name, the bridge visible today dates from the 13th century, so the Roman label is better understood as a popular traditional name than a precise construction date.

You also see the bell tower of the Church of Santa María. The guided portion helps you identify the main points, while free time lets you choose between eating, photographing the bridge, and wandering through the center.

Two hours sounds generous after the faster pace at Covadonga, but families with small children may still want more time. You need to balance lunch, a drink, and sightseeing, so do not plan a leisurely restaurant meal if you also want a full walk around town.

Cangas de Onís is where the tour feels most connected to everyday Asturias. The lakes offer grand scenery and the cave offers symbolism, but cider, food, streets, and a river bridge show how the region feels at ground level.

The Cantabrian coast on the return route

The trip back to Gijón takes a scenic detour along the Cantabrian coast. Instead of following the quickest route, the bus passes the beaches of La Espasa, La Isla, and La Griega.

This part is mainly a panoramic ride rather than a series of long beach visits. Keep your camera ready, but do not expect a separate walking stop at each beach. The change of scenery is the point: after the mountains and inland villages, you return to the sea before the final village.

The coastal detour also helps prevent the day from feeling like a simple out-and-back mountain excursion. You see how quickly Asturias shifts from high peaks to open shore, one of the region’s great pleasures.

Lastres and the San Roque viewpoint

The final stop is Lastres, with about 45 minutes of travel before the visit and around 30 minutes for a guided stop and free time. The village is known for its steep setting above the coast, and the San Roque viewpoint provides the best reason to include it.

From the viewpoint, you can see the sea and, on clear days, the Picos de Europa. It is a fitting final image because it brings together the two visual themes of the trip: mountain and coast.

Thirty minutes is short, so Lastres is an overview rather than a full village exploration. You have time for the viewpoint, photographs, and a brief look around, but not a slow descent through every street. If Lastres is high on your personal list, return independently for longer.

The stop is still worthwhile because reaching the viewpoint by bus is easy, while exploring the village by car involves dealing with Asturias’s narrow and steep roads. Guides have also helped take photographs here, a small service that is useful when you want a picture of the whole group.

The bilingual guide question

The quality of the guide matters greatly on a day with so much driving. The strongest comments describe guides as warm, organized, helpful, and attentive to English-speaking participants. Santiago is noted for translating carefully when only a few people in the group spoke English, while Esmeralda and Martin have also received praise for their professionalism.

The language arrangement deserves clear expectations. The activity is offered in Spanish with explanations in English, but some guides deliver longer commentary in Spanish and summarize at the stops. That means you may miss details during the bus rides, especially when the guide is discussing local nature, cider, cheese, or regional stories.

I would ask questions rather than sit quietly if you want more context. A printed English handout would improve the experience, but none is specified. If detailed historical commentary is your main reason for booking, this language limitation may matter more than it would to someone mainly interested in views and landmarks.

Price, pace, and practical value

At $48 per person, this is good value if you do not have a rental car. The cost includes the guide, air-conditioned bus, the Covadonga Lakes visit, the Basilica and Sanctuary walk, guided visits in Cangas de Onís and Lastres, and the San Roque viewpoint.

You still need to pay for your own food and drinks in Cangas de Onís. Even so, arranging this route independently would require transport between Gijón, the mountain lakes, Covadonga, Cangas de Onís, and Lastres. The tour earns its price through coverage, not luxury.

The main trade-off is time. Eleven hours is a full day, and the itinerary has several departures to meet. You should be comfortable with bus travel, moderate walking, and a schedule that keeps moving.

The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, and pets are not allowed. Bring a passport or ID card, water, and comfortable clothes. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later if you need flexibility.

Who should book this day trip?

I would recommend it to anyone staying in Gijón without a car, especially if you want to see both the Picos de Europa and the coast in one day. Families can manage it, though parents should expect a long day and limited time at some stops.

It also suits first-time visitors who want a practical introduction to Asturias. You will see religious sites, mountain scenery, a historic town, cider culture, and a coastal village without having to build the route yourself.

I would hesitate if you want long hikes, slow meals, or detailed English commentary throughout the bus ride. I would also reconsider if Lastres or Covadonga deserves a full day on its own, since this route gives each place only a focused visit.

Should you book it?

Book this trip if you value variety, transport, and mountain access more than a relaxed pace. The lakes, sacred cave, Cangas de Onís, and Lastres make a strong combination, and the $48 price is fair for the distance covered.

Before paying, check the forecast and accept that snow or ice may change the lake portion. Also decide how important full English commentary is to you. With the right expectations, this is an efficient and scenic way to reach the best-known corners of inland and coastal Asturias from Gijón.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Begoña in Gijón. Look for the Buendía Tours guides and arrive 15 minutes before departure.

How long does the tour last?

The full experience lasts 11 hours and returns to the same meeting point in Gijón.

Which languages are available?

The activity is offered in Spanish with explanations in English. The amount of English explanation can vary, and some bus commentary may be mainly in Spanish.

What happens if snow or ice closes the Covadonga Lakes?

The lake visit may be replaced with an alternative plan when snow or ice makes access unsafe or unavailable.

Is lunch included?

No. You have free time in Cangas de Onís to choose an Asturian meal and drinks, but food is not listed among the inclusions.

How much walking is involved?

The tour includes a moderate amount of walking, including visits at the lakes, Covadonga, Cangas de Onís, and Lastres.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.