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

Covadonga gives this day trip its real punch: two glacial lakes high in the Picos de Europa, a mountain basilica, and a cave sanctuary above a waterfall. Then the scenery shifts to the coast, ending at Lastres, where the San Roque viewpoint looks over the sea and mountain country.

I like that you get both Asturias in one outing: dramatic mountain scenery and old villages with cider, stone bridges, and church towers. I also like the value at $48, since you avoid a long mountain drive and get a guide, bus, and several guided walks in one day.

The main consideration is language. The activity is offered in Spanish with English explanations, but English commentary may be shorter, especially during the bus rides. You should also expect a long 11-hour day and a moderate amount of walking.

Key points to know before booking

• Covadonga’s two lakes are the day’s main natural attraction, with time for views and independent walking.
• The sacred cave and waterfall make Covadonga more than a mountain photo stop.
• Cangas de Onís gives you time for Asturian food, cider, cobbled streets, and the famous bridge over the Sella River.
• Lastres adds the coast, with a brief but worthwhile stop at the San Roque viewpoint.
• Bilingual guiding varies, so English speakers should ask questions and stay close during explanations.
• Winter weather can change the route, since snow and ice may close access to the lakes.

Why this Asturias day trip works so well

Asturias is a region where mountain and sea sit surprisingly close together. This tour makes good use of that geography. In one day, you move from the high country of the Picos de Europa to a historic pilgrimage site, then to Cangas de Onís and the Cantabrian coast.

I see this as a practical choice if you are staying in Gijón without a car. Driving to the lakes involves mountain roads, changing weather, and a strict access system on some days. Here, you can leave the driving to someone else and spend your time looking out the window.

The $48 price is strong value for a full day. Transportation, a live guide, the Covadonga Lakes visit, walking tours at the basilica and sanctuary, Cangas de Onís, Lastres, and the San Roque viewpoint are included. Lunch, drinks, and personal purchases are not listed as included, so budget separately for food and cider in Cangas de Onís.

This is not a small private outing. It is a coach excursion with a fixed timetable. That keeps the cost down, but it also means you need to be ready when the group moves.

Meeting in central Gijón

The tour begins at the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Begoña, also identified as Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Begoña. Arrive 15 minutes early and look for the guide with the Buendía Tours logo.

The departure rule matters. The guide cannot wait for late arrivals because the route has several timed sections and a long return to Gijón. I would arrive early rather than try to cut it close, especially if you are unfamiliar with the church and surrounding streets.

The bus is air-conditioned, which helps on a long day. Bring water, wear comfortable clothes, and carry your passport or identity card as requested. Pets are not allowed, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.

The road to the Picos de Europa

The first bus ride lasts about 1.5 hours. This is not dead time. The road takes you from the city toward the mountain country, and the changing views are part of the appeal.

Your guide uses the ride to discuss Asturias, its past, local customs, and subjects such as cider and cheese. This is also where the language issue is most noticeable. Several English-speaking participants found that much of the extended commentary was delivered in Spanish, with shorter explanations in English.

Guides including Santiago, Esmeralda, and Martin have been singled out for being friendly, helpful, and good at managing the group. Santiago in particular has been praised for translating carefully when only a few people in the group spoke English. Still, the amount of English can depend on the day and the mix of languages.

If you want more context, ask direct questions at the stops. A guide may be able to explain a point more fully there than on a moving bus. I would also keep your phone ready for notes, since the tour does not promise a printed English information sheet.

Two high mountain lakes at Covadonga

The Lakes of Covadonga receive about 2.5 hours, including a guided visit and free time. This is the longest stop and rightly so. The lakes of Enol and Ercina are the core of the day, with mountain scenery that feels very different from the streets of Gijón.

The stop at the Mirador de Entrelagos is especially useful. It gives you a broad view before you spend time near the lakes themselves. Your guide explains the importance of the national park and its place in Spanish history, while you get time to look around at your own pace.

The word glacial matters here. These lakes were shaped by ice, and their setting is defined by high mountain rock, open slopes, and changing weather. On a clear day, this is the kind of place where you will want to pause rather than hurry from one photo to the next.

The walking is moderate, not a demanding mountain hike according to the tour details. You should still wear shoes and clothes suited to uneven outdoor ground and cooler conditions. Water is a good idea.

Weather can change the experience. On some days, snow and ice close access to the lakes. If that happens, the operator provides an alternative plan. This is an important seasonal limitation, so do not book this outing solely for a guarantee of seeing the two lakes in winter.

Basilica and sanctuary at Covadonga

After the lakes, the bus continues for about 45 minutes to Covadonga. The visit here lasts about an hour and combines a guided tour with free time.

The Basilica of Covadonga is built from stone taken from the surrounding mountains. Its strong, jutting form and twin towers make it easy to spot from a distance. I find the setting more interesting than the building alone, since the basilica sits in a mountain hollow and connects the natural scenery with Asturias’s religious and political story.

Nearby is the sacred cave of the Virgin of Covadonga. It is set above a fountain, waterfall, and pool, creating one of the more unusual religious sites on the route. The cave includes a chapel, and the sanctuary is linked with the graves of Pelagius and Alfonso I.

You do not need to be religious to appreciate the place. The cave, falling water, stonework, and mountain setting give Covadonga a strong sense of place. Your guide provides the historical background, while free time lets you take in the architecture and surroundings without staying attached to the group every minute.

The visit is fairly short, so keep an eye on the meeting time. It is easy to spend longer than expected around the cave and basilica.

Cangas de Onís, cider, and the Sella bridge

The next bus ride takes about 30 minutes, followed by roughly two hours in Cangas de Onís. This is the most flexible stop for food and a relaxed walk.

Cangas de Onís is closely tied to the story of Asturias, and your guide introduces the town before giving you time to explore. The old streets are pleasant to walk, but the famous Roman Bridge is the main landmark. Despite its common name, the bridge visible today dates from the medieval period, with the route information identifying it as a 13th-century monument. It crosses the mountain-fed Sella River and makes a fine photo stop.

You can also see the bell tower of the Church of Santa María. The town is compact enough for a short independent wander, though two hours can pass quickly if you stop for lunch.

This is the place to try Asturian food and cider. The tour specifically points you toward local dishes and a culine of cider, the traditional tall pour that is part of the region’s drinking culture. Food and drink are not listed as included, so check the time and your budget before sitting down.

I would treat lunch as part of the experience, not an afterthought. A local meal gives the middle of the day a slower pace after the mountain stops. If you are with small children, keep expectations practical. One hour for Covadonga and two hours for Cangas de Onís may feel tight if you want to eat slowly, see every landmark, and avoid rushing.

The Cantabrian coast and Lastres

The return route leaves the usual inland road and follows the Cantabrian coast past the beaches of La Espasa, La Isla, and La Griega. This section is a pleasant bonus because it changes the mood of the day again.

You are not stopping for a beach day. The coastal ride is mainly panoramic, so stay alert at the windows and expect views rather than extended time on the sand. After the mountains and historic towns, the sea gives the final part of the journey a fresh look.

Lastres gets about 30 minutes, including a guided visit and free time. That is brief, but the goal is clear: reach the San Roque viewpoint for wide views over the village, sea, and Picos de Europa.

Lastres is known as one of Spain’s most beautiful villages, and the viewpoint helps you understand why. The stop is more about seeing the whole setting than exploring every lane. If you enjoy photography, this is a useful final pause, especially when the weather gives you a clear view in both directions.

Do not expect a long village walk here. Half an hour goes quickly, and the tour must return to Gijón on schedule. Use the stop for the viewpoint first, then explore nearby if time allows.

What the bilingual guiding is really like

The guide speaks Spanish and English, but this is not always an equal two-language presentation. The strongest English experience seems to come when the guide makes a point of translating directly, as Santiago did for a small English-speaking part of one group.

Several English speakers found the guides warm, capable, and willing to answer questions. Others felt they missed historical and cultural details because much of the bus commentary was in Spanish. That difference is the biggest weakness of an otherwise well-regarded outing.

I would book this tour comfortably if your main goal is scenery, transport, and a broad introduction to Asturias. If detailed English interpretation is essential, contact the provider before booking and ask how the language arrangement will work on your date.

You can also improve the experience by staying near the guide during each stop and asking for clarification. The guides have been praised for looking after the group, taking photos when asked, and helping with practical problems.

Who will get the most from this tour

This day trip suits you best if you:

• Are based in Gijón and do not have a car
• Want mountain, village, religious, and coastal sights in one day
• Prefer a guided overview to planning several regional connections
• Are comfortable with a long day and moderate walking
• Can manage a tour where Spanish may take up more speaking time
• Want good scenery without signing up for a serious hike

Families can enjoy the range of stops, and the mountain lakes and waterfalls offer plenty to look at. Still, the schedule is fixed, and some parents may wish for more time at Covadonga and Cangas de Onís.

This is less suitable if you need wheelchair access, dislike coach travel, or want a slow visit centered on one town. It is also not ideal if the lakes are the only reason you are going and your date falls during a period when snow or ice may close access.

Practical value, timing, and comfort

The stated duration is 11 hours, so plan your whole day around it. The route includes long bus sections, but those rides are what make it possible to cover such a wide area from Gijón.

The air-conditioned bus is a clear advantage on a full-day route. You avoid driving mountain roads and can watch the scenery instead. The tradeoff is that you follow the group timetable, with no freedom to stay longer at a favorite viewpoint.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start and the reserve-now, pay-later option make the $48 commitment easier to manage. Check the available starting time when booking, since the exact departure time is not fixed in the supplied details.

The overall rating is 4.7 from 282 reviews, and the most consistent praise centers on the scenery, friendly guides, good organization, and value. The repeated caution is the language balance, not the route itself.

Should you book the Covadonga day trip?

I would book it if you want an efficient first look at Asturias beyond Gijón. The combination is unusually good: glacial lakes, the cave and basilica at Covadonga, Cangas de Onís with its bridge and cider, and a final coastal viewpoint at Lastres.

At $48, it offers a lot for the money, especially when you are traveling without a car. Go in knowing that it is a long coach day, that English explanations may be shorter than Spanish ones, and that winter conditions can replace the lake visit with another plan.

For scenery and regional variety, this is an easy recommendation. For a slow, deeply detailed English-language history tour, I would choose a smaller or more explicitly English-led option instead.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin and end?

It begins and ends at Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Begoña, also listed as Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Begoña, in Gijón.

How long does the day trip last?

The tour lasts 11 hours. Check availability for the starting time on your chosen date.

Which languages are available?

The live tour is offered in Spanish and English. The activity is conducted in Spanish with explanations in English, and the amount of English commentary can vary.

What happens if snow or ice closes the Covadonga Lakes?

Access to the lakes can be closed on some days because of snow and ice. In that case, the tour includes an alternative plan.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is not listed among the included services. You have time in Cangas de Onís to choose local Asturian food and cider.

What should I bring?

Bring your passport or identity card, water, and comfortable clothes. The tour includes a moderate amount of walking.