Can you drive to the Lakes of Covadonga, and how does the shuttle bus from Cangas de Onís work?

2026 car restriction dates and hours

The Principality of Asturias published these 2026 dates, when private cars and motorhomes cannot use the CO-4 above Covadonga:

• Easter: 28 March to 12 April, plus 18–19 and 25–30 April and 1 May.

• May weekends: 2–3, 9–10, 16–17, 23–24 and 30–31 May.

• Summer: every day from 1 June to 18 October, except 6 June (foot access only), the afternoon of 24 July, 25 July and 8 September.

• Autumn and winter: 24, 25 and 31 October, 1–2 November and 1–8 December.

On these dates Spain's traffic authority (DGT) lists the restriction as 00:00 to 24:00: there is no early-morning or evening window for private cars. Cyclists, authorised vehicles and drivers with an accredited disability certificate (not motorhomes or vehicles over 5 m) can pass the barrier at Covadonga. Guests at a hotel or mountain refuge up top can register their plate when booking. A restaurant reservation at the lakes does not count.

The shuttle bus from Cangas de Onís: fares and car parks

Adult return tickets cost €9, children aged 4–11 €3.50, under-4s free. A descent-only ticket for hikers costs €4.50 at the Buferrera booth, subject to space. Buy online at buslagoscovadonga.es before you go; the car-park booths only sell seats that are left.

Park in one of five official car parks (€3 per car per day): Cangas de Onís bus station (P1), El Bosque (P2), Muñigu (P3), El Repelao (P4) and El Peregrino in Covadonga (P5). Each bus line only stops at its own car parks: yellow from Cangas de Onís, red from El Bosque and El Repelao, green from Muñigu and El Peregrino. On peak days the queue to park can reach an hour, so arrive early.

The first bus goes up at 8:00. From late March to 30 September the last ascent is at 17:45 and the last descent at 20:50; from 1 October to 8 December the last ascent is at 16:00 and the last descent at 19:05. A separate shuttle runs every 30 minutes between Cangas and Covadonga for €1.55 one way.

Covadonga sanctuary on the way up

The bus passes the Royal Site of Covadonga, where the road to the lakes begins. The Santa Cueva, a chapel set into a cliff above a waterfall, holds the tomb attributed to King Pelayo, linked to the 8th-century battle Spanish history treats as the start of the Reconquista. Across the square stands the pink-stone Basílica de Santa María la Real, completed in 1901.

Visit the sanctuary before or after the lakes: the P5 car park and the Cangas–Covadonga shuttle make it easy. Allow an hour, more on Sundays and holidays, when it is busiest.

Lake Enol, Lake Ercina and the easy walks

The road climbs about 12 km from Covadonga, passing the Mirador de la Reina viewpoint, to Lake Enol and then Lake Ercina, at just over 1,000 m in the western massif of the Picos de Europa National Park. Cows and horses graze right up to the water.

The classic walk is the circular Lakes route, starting at the Buferrera car park area: an easy loop of roughly 5 to 6 km that links Ercina, the old Buferrera mines interpretation area and Enol, with a short climb to viewpoints. Allow 2 to 3 hours with stops. Fitter walkers continue to the Vega de Ario refuge or along longer trails; carry water, since there are few sources.

Weather, fog and timing tips

The lakes sit high and close to the Atlantic, so fog and low cloud often sit over them while Cangas de Onís is sunny, or the reverse. Check the webcam or forecast before you leave and be ready to switch days. Bring a warm layer and rain jacket even in August.

Take an early bus: by late morning in July and August the car parks and buses are at their busiest, and the light is better early. If you stay on the coast, the drive from Gijón to Cangas takes about an hour. Our Cangas de Onís guide covers the Roman bridge, cider houses and where to stay.

Frequently asked questions