Excursion to Picos de Europa : Bulnes, funicular and cheese Cabrales

Bulnes is the star here, a tiny mountain village reached by funicular rather than ordinary road, with the Picos de Europa rising around it. From Gijón, this full-day trip also adds the Cares Gorge, a viewpoint for Naranjo de Bulnes, and a Cabrales cheese cave.

I like the efficient mix of mountain scenery and local food, especially the return funicular ticket and the guided cheese tasting. I also like that the tour removes the need to drive mountain roads or piece together rural buses. The drawback is the long 12-hour day, with lunch not included and a group that can reach 54 people.

Key points to know before booking

• Bulnes is the main event: You get a guided visit and free time in one of the Picos de Europa’s most unusual villages.
• The return funicular is included: The ticket is valued at €22.16, so you do not need to arrange this part yourself.
• Cabrales cheese gets a proper introduction: Visit a cheese cave, then taste Cabrales and Asturian cider.
• The Cares Gorge is seen from the bus: This is a panoramic ride, not a hiking trip through the gorge.
• Lunch is your responsibility: The tour guarantees access to Bulnes for lunch, but the meal costs extra.
• The day depends on solid organization: Guide Santiago received special praise for keeping everyone accounted for and informed.

Why Bulnes makes this Gijón day trip worthwhile

Picos de Europa can be awkward to visit without your own car. Mountain roads, village access, funicular schedules, and food stops all take planning. This tour handles the transport from Gijón by private bus and gives you a guide for the main visits.

The payoff is Bulnes, a village in the mountains with a setting that feels far removed from the coastal city. You arrive at the quintana of Poncebos, the point used for ascent and descent to Bulnes. From there, the funicular takes care of the steep connection, and the tour includes the return trip.

That matters because Bulnes is not simply another stop on a bus route. It is the reason many people want to enter this part of the Picos de Europa in the first place. You get a guided walk to help you understand the village, followed by free time to look around at your own pace.

I like this structure. A guide gives you context and keeps the day moving, but you are not being talked at every minute. Three hours in Bulnes gives you time for the guided portion, a meal, and a little wandering.

Poncebos and the start of the mountain section

The first stop is Poncebos, where the group reaches the point for travel up to Bulnes. The scheduled time here is about two hours, although this includes the practical process of arriving, organizing the group, and using the funicular connection.

This is one place where group size matters. The maximum is 54 people, so the meeting point may feel busy, especially if several visitors are moving through the same access point. The private bus is useful, but you should expect the pace of a shared excursion rather than the freedom of an independent car trip.

The return funicular ticket is included in the price. That is a real convenience. You do not need to buy it separately or worry about arranging your own descent after free time in Bulnes.

The tour description does not give a precise pickup time in Gijón, so check the confirmation carefully for the meeting details. A 12-hour day leaves little room for a late start, a missed meeting point, or a long unscheduled lunch.

Three hours among the stone houses of Bulnes

The Bulnes visit lasts about three hours, making it the longest stop. You receive a guided tour of the village, then free time to explore and eat.

The value here is not in ticking off a quick viewpoint. You have enough time to notice the character of the place, take photographs, and enjoy the mountain setting without immediately being called back to the bus. The guided portion should also help you see Bulnes as a living village rather than just a scenic stop.

Lunch is not included, but the tour provides guaranteed access to Bulnes for lunch. That wording is useful: you should have the chance to eat there, but the cost is yours. It is sensible to budget for a meal or carry a snack in case you prefer a quick bite and more free time.

You also need to keep an eye on the meeting time. In a village reached by funicular, the group cannot simply wait for one person who has wandered too far. The included transport is convenient, but it ties your schedule to the rest of the group.

If you want a full mountain hike, this is not that experience. The provided plan focuses on a guided village visit, free time, and transport. You get mountain views and an unusual destination without committing to a demanding walking day.

Naranjo de Bulnes and the highest accessible viewpoint

The schedule includes a viewpoint for Naranjo de Bulnes and the highest point tourists can access, with about one hour assigned to each. The itinerary describes these as optional for people who wish to climb to the highest area.

That makes this section more flexible than the village visit. You can choose the viewpoint experience if you want broader views, or stay with the main group if you would rather keep the day easier. The supplied details do not state the exact walking distance or grade, so do not assume the climb will be effortless.

Naranjo de Bulnes is one of the major visual draws of this part of northern Spain. The tour gives you a chance to see it from a designated viewpoint rather than only passing through the region. Keep expectations practical, though. Weather and visibility can affect what you see, and the description does not promise a particular view on the day.

The wording about the highest place tourists can access is also worth noting. This is not an invitation to an unrestricted mountain ascent. It refers to the upper point available within the planned visit.

The Cares Gorge by panoramic bus

The Cares section is a two-hour panoramic ride through the gorge during the journey to the visitable points. This is important: you are seeing the gorge from the bus, not signing up for the famous Cares Gorge hiking route.

That makes the tour a good choice if you want an introduction to the area without spending several hours on foot. You can look out at the steep rock walls and mountain scenery while keeping your energy for Bulnes and the food visit.

It also means that this part may feel less active than you expect if you arrive hoping for a hike. The Cares Gorge is often associated with walking, but this excursion uses the route as a scenic transfer. I would book it for the overall combination of village, views, funicular, and food, not as a dedicated gorge trek.

The private bus helps here. You can cover more ground than you would on foot and avoid the work of planning a mountain driving route yourself. On the other hand, a panoramic ride depends on where you are seated and on traffic or road conditions, so it will not provide the same close-up experience as hiking.

Inside a Cabrales cheese cave

After the mountain portion, the group transfers from Poncebos to Arenas de Cabrales. There, you visit a Cabrales cheese cave with a guide. The cave visit is valued at €5 and lasts about two hours as part of the stop, including the tasting.

Cabrales is not a generic souvenir cheese. It is a strong local product, and the cave visit gives the tasting some sense of place. You are not simply handed a sample at the end of a bus ride. You learn about the cheese in the setting where it is kept, then taste it with Asturian cider.

I like this pairing because it changes the mood of the day. After the roads, viewpoints, and mountain village, the cheese stop offers a slower, more grounded look at local food. It also gives you something distinctly Asturian to remember beyond photographs.

The tasting includes Cabrales cheese and Asturian cider. The supplied details call these snacks, so do not count on the tasting as a replacement for lunch. If you have a large appetite, plan to eat in Bulnes or bring something small with you.

The cheese stop is also a good reason to keep the excursion in its full form. You could perhaps visit mountain viewpoints independently, but arranging the cave visit and tasting would take extra planning. Here, transport and the local introduction are bundled together.

What the $83.48 price really covers

At $83.48 per person, the tour is not just a bus ride to a village. The price includes private-bus transportation, an expert local guide, the return funicular ticket valued at €22.16, the €5 guided cheese cave visit, the Bulnes tour, and the cheese and cider tasting.

The included funicular ticket is the largest clearly stated individual value. Add the cave admission, transport over a long day, and the guide, and the price can make sense for someone who does not want to drive or arrange several connections.

The value is strongest for a solo visitor or anyone staying in Gijón without a car. You pay for convenience and coordination. The tour connects Poncebos, Bulnes, Arenas de Cabrales, the Cares Gorge, and the viewpoints in one day.

The value is weaker if you want a small, quiet group or a flexible hiking schedule. The bus can carry up to 54 people, and the tour follows a set plan. Lunch costs extra, and the full day may feel tiring if you prefer slow travel.

A useful way to judge the price is to ask what problem you need solved. If the problem is how to reach Bulnes and the Cabrales area without driving, this package does a lot. If you already have a car and want to choose your own stops, you may prefer independent planning.

The guide and the importance of organization

A well-run mountain day needs more than scenery. People must be counted, meeting points must be clear, and the transport must stay on schedule. Santiago, the named guide associated with one of the tours, was specifically praised for keeping the group accounted for and providing useful information.

That detail matters on this excursion because the day contains several moving parts. You have the private bus, the funicular, free time in Bulnes, an optional climb, and a transfer to the cheese cave. A guide who watches the clock and the group can prevent small delays from becoming major problems.

You should still remain responsible for your own time. Free time in Bulnes is a benefit, but it is not unlimited. Keep the return meeting instructions in mind before sitting down for lunch or walking farther from the village center.

The group limit of 54 is worth considering. Some departures may be smaller, but the stated maximum is large enough to affect the feel of the day. This is best for you if you value a clear plan and shared transport more than personal space.

Weather, changes, and the one serious caution

Mountain excursions depend on conditions. One past booking connected with a Bulnes excursion was canceled several days before departure because of a vehicle issue. The replacement offered was a Covadonga Lakes trip, but access to the lakes was then closed because of fires, leaving the customer unable to take either option.

That situation was clearly frustrating. It also shows why you should read the cancellation message carefully and avoid placing an important onward connection immediately after the tour.

The stated policy allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund. If the minimum number of participants is not reached, the operator says it will offer another date or experience, or provide a full refund.

These rules do not remove the risk of weather, road, vehicle, or access problems. They do give you a defined remedy if the operator cancels for failing to reach the minimum. Keep your confirmation available and check the local conditions before departure.

Who will enjoy this Picos de Europa tour?

I would recommend it to you if you are staying in Gijón, want to see the Picos de Europa, and do not want to drive. It is especially useful for a solo visitor who wants transport, a guide, and a ready-made day rather than a complicated rural itinerary.

It also suits food-minded visitors who like to connect scenery with regional specialties. The Cabrales cave and cider tasting add a local finish that a simple viewpoint trip would miss.

Families and mixed-age groups may appreciate the choice between guided visits, bus sightseeing, and the optional higher viewpoint. Still, the 12-hour duration is demanding, and the day includes several transfers. Anyone who needs a slow schedule should think carefully before booking.

Strong hikers should know what they are buying. The tour offers scenery and a village visit, but the Cares Gorge portion is by bus, and the available details do not describe a long hiking route. If your main goal is to walk for hours in the mountains, look for a dedicated hiking excursion instead.

Should you book it?

Book this excursion if your priority is efficient access to Bulnes and Cabrales without a car. The included funicular, guided village visit, cheese cave, cider tasting, and scenic bus ride create a useful full-day introduction to the area.

Skip it if you want a small group, a long independent hike, or complete control over meal and departure times. The group may reach 54 people, lunch is extra, and the day is tightly planned.

For the right visitor, the strongest feature is the combination: mountain village in the morning, Picos views during the day, and Cabrales cheese with cider afterward. That is a lot of northern Asturias in one organized outing.

FAQ

Where does this excursion take place?

The excursion is based in Gijón and travels into the Picos de Europa, including Poncebos, Bulnes, Arenas de Cabrales, the Cares Gorge, and viewpoints connected with Naranjo de Bulnes.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 12 hours.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Transportation by private bus is included.

Is the Bulnes funicular ticket included?

Yes. The return trip by funicular is included, with a stated value of €22.16.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included, although the tour guarantees access to Bulnes for lunch.

What food and drink are included?

The experience includes a tasting of Cabrales cheese and Asturian cider after the guided visit to the Cabrales cheese cave.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.