Barcelona is Spain's crowded city break. Asturias, on the rainy green north coast, is the Spain Spaniards keep for their own holidays: the Picos de Europa mountains, the Covadonga lakes, gorge walks like the Cares, and a coast of small harbours and hidden beaches. Fly into Asturias airport, bus to Oviedo, then on to Cangas de Onís as a base for the mountains. Give it five days: three inland, two on the coast.
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When to go
May, June and September are best: green, mild and quieter. July and August are warm and busy with Spanish holidaymakers, and car access to the Covadonga lakes is restricted in high season (you take the bus). Rain is possible in every month; winter is wet and the high mountains get snow.
Asturias right now and the next 7 days
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Asturias on the map
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The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Asturias · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
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Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Page updated 18 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Check live prices
Asturias in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Lagos de Covadonga (Enol and Ercina)Full day · ₹840 each · Two glacial lakes high in the Picos with easy loops around them. Bus about €9 on restricted days; at other times you can drive.
- Lunch on the way
- 08:00Covadonga basilica and the Santa Cueva1 h 30 m · free · The pink basilica and the cave shrine below it, on the way up to the lakes. The Cangas-Covadonga shuttle is about €1.55 one way.
- 10:00Gulpiyuri inland beach, near LlanesHalf day · free · A tiny beach in a meadow, fed by the sea through a tunnel in the rock. Go at high tide.
- Lunch on the way
- 08:00Ruta del Cares gorge walkFull day · free · A path cut into the cliff of a deep gorge between Poncebos and Caín. Walk in and back the same way unless you arrange transport.
- Lunch on the way
How to get to Asturias
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Airport bus Cheapest
₹840ALSA, about €9 one way, roughly hourly from about 06:00 to midnight. Pay by card on board. Same fare to Gijón.
Bus Last leg
₹650ALSA, about €7, frequent direct buses. Cangas is the base for the Picos and the Covadonga lakes.
Train
Check fareFor travellers flying into Madrid. Fares vary by operator and date; check Renfe.
Lakes bus Last leg
₹840About €9 for an adult day ticket, on restricted-access days only (Easter, May weekends, 1 June-mid October, some holidays). Book on ALSA.
Getting around once you're there
ALSA regional bus
₹650Links Oviedo, Gijón, Cangas de Onís, Arriondas and the coast towns. Fine for the main places, thin for the villages.
Covadonga lakes bus
₹840About €9 adult. In 2026 the last bus up was 17:45 until September, 16:00 from October. Park-and-ride car parks about €2 a day.
Rental car
Check priceThe easiest way to reach the Cares gorge start at Poncebos and the coves on the coast. Check the lakes road restrictions first.
On foot
FreeMarked trails everywhere. Cangas de Onís and the coast villages are small and walkable.
Where to stay in Asturias
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Hostel bed
₹1,210/nightAlbergue beds average about €13 a night per person. The base for walkers.
Small hotel
₹5,100/nightFrom about US$59 a night on listings. Much higher in August.
Rural house
₹0/nightWhole houses in stone villages, good value split between a group. Check prices for your dates.
What to eat, and what it costs
Menú del día
₹1,230Three courses, bread and a drink at lunchtime. Asturias averaged about €13.20 in 2025, one of the cheapest regions in Spain.
Fabada asturiana
Check priceBig white-bean stew with chorizo, black pudding and pork. The regional dish; often on the menú del día.
Bottle of Asturian cider
₹280About €3 a bottle in shops (older figure). In a sidrería it is poured from a height a splash at a time; more there.
Cabrales cheese
Check priceStrong blue cheese matured in Picos caves. Buy it in the villages around Arenas de Cabrales.
Things to do in Asturias
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Lagos de Covadonga (Enol and Ercina)
₹840Two glacial lakes high in the Picos with easy loops around them. Bus about €9 on restricted days; at other times you can drive.
Covadonga basilica and the Santa Cueva
FreeThe pink basilica and the cave shrine below it, on the way up to the lakes. The Cangas-Covadonga shuttle is about €1.55 one way.
Ruta del Cares gorge walk
FreeA path cut into the cliff of a deep gorge between Poncebos and Caín. Walk in and back the same way unless you arrange transport.
Cudillero and the western coast
FreeA fishing village of painted houses climbing a hollow above the harbour.
Gulpiyuri inland beach, near Llanes
FreeA tiny beach in a meadow, fed by the sea through a tunnel in the rock. Go at high tide.
Sidrería evening
Check priceCider poured from above the head, with shared plates. Calle Gascona in Oviedo is the famous street.
Day trips and next stops
Oviedo
₹650ALSA bus
Llanes and the eastern coast
Check fareBus or car
Gijón
Check fareBus or train
Santiago de Compostela
Check fareBus or train
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- Car access to the Covadonga lakes is banned on high-season days (Easter, May weekends, 1 June to mid-October and holidays). Take the bus from Cangas and check the last bus down.
- Mountain weather changes fast and fog rolls in on the lakes. Carry a rain layer on every walk, even in summer.
- The UK FCDO has no advice against travel to Spain. August is peak Spanish holiday season: book beds early or come in June or September.
Ways to spend less
- Eat the menú del día at lunch. Three courses for about €13 is the best value in Spain.
- Base yourself in Cangas de Onís: the buses to the lakes, Covadonga and the coast all start there.
- Come in September: the summer crowds have gone home, the sea is still warm and the trails are dry.
Before-you-go checklist
Asturias in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Asturias?
May–Jun, Sep is the best time. May, June and September are best: green, mild and quieter. July and August are warm and busy with Spanish holidaymakers, and car access to the Covadonga lakes is restricted in high season (you take the bus). Rain is possible in every month; winter is wet and the high mountains get snow.
How do I reach Asturias?
Airport bus: Asturias Airport (OVD) → Oviedo, About 45 min, about ₹840 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Asturias cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹12,000 on a shoestring, ₹22,500 mid-range or ₹39,000 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is airport bus (Asturias Airport (OVD) → Oviedo) at about ₹840 each way.
How many days do you need in Asturias?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Lagos de Covadonga (Enol and Ercina), Covadonga basilica and the Santa Cueva, Gulpiyuri inland beach, near Llanes, Ruta del Cares gorge walk without rushing.
Is Asturias good for families or solo travellers?
Asturias works best for solo, couples, groups, families. Solo travellers find it easy and cheap.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Asturias?
Doable but meat-heavy. Fabada and most stews contain pork; ask for a menú with salad, vegetable or egg dishes, tortilla and cheese. Vegans will rely on supermarkets and a few city restaurants in Oviedo and Gijón.
Will my phone and cards work in Asturias?
Any EU eSIM works. Signal is weak in the deep gorges and high Picos. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, including the airport bus. Useful for small bars and village shops, but most places take cards.
Guides for Asturias
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Sources and last check
Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- turismoasturias.es Official2026 restricted-access calendar for the Covadonga lakes; Cangas-Covadonga shuttle every 30 min included in lakes ticket (via search summary; page timed out on direct fetch)
- gov.uk OfficialFCDO Spain updated 12 Aug 2026; no advise-against areas
- elviajedesofi.comLakes bus €9 adult; Cangas-Covadonga €1.55; parking €2/day; 2026 bus dates and last-bus times (17 Jun 2026)
- tourismattractions.netALSA airport bus €9 to Oviedo/Gijón, about 45 min, hourly about 06:00-midnight, card on board (verified Sep 2026)
- omio.esOviedo-Cangas de Onís ALSA about €7, about 1 h 22-35 min, about 32 buses a day
- casasrurales.netAlbergue in Cangas de Onís about €13 per person per night (undated)
- menorca.infoAsturias average menú del día €13.20 (2025)
- barcelo.comBottle of Asturian cider about €3 (around 2022)
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 18 October 2026 · Photo: Txo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Javier.losa · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · Photo: Gabriel González · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · Photo: ana rien · CC BY 2.0 · source · Photo: Fernando Vázquez · CC BY 3.0 · source
