Visiting Cabrales
Cabrales is a Spanish municipality located in the autonomous community of Asturias in the north of the country. It is subdivided into nine parishes: Arenas, Berrodia, Bulnes, Carreña, Poo, Prado, Puertas, Sotres, and Tielve. The area serves as a gateway to the central massif of the Picos de Europa, a rugged natural park partially designated as a biosphere reserve by Unesco since 2003. The contrast between jagged karst peaks and lush, flowered grazing meadows creates dramatic terrain, with Torre de Cerredo reaching an elevation of 2,649 meters (8,691 feet). Wildlife here includes gray wolves, brown bears, and chamois. It is also prime territory for raptors, specifically golden eagles and griffon vultures.
Breathtaking Terrain
Cabrales is set in an environment of extreme contrasts, starting with the deep subterranean caverns surrounding the municipality. In the sistema del Trave, the earth opens into shafts reaching depths of up to 1,000 meters (3,281 feet). The grotte de la Covaciella, a Unesco World Heritage site since 2008, features impressive cave paintings dating back more than 14,000 years. A reproduction of these prehistoric works is displayed at the Prehistory Park in the town of Teverga.
One of the essential hikes in the Picos de Europa is the sentier du Cares (Cares Trail). Originally carved as a maintenance path for the canal serving the Camarmeña-Poncebos hydroelectric plant, it is now open to the public and winds through deep gorges between steep limestone cliffs. The sentier du Cares spans 12 kilometers (7.5 miles), making for a rewarding full-day trek.
Mountain enthusiasts and climbers often take the funicular to Bulnes, a village that remained isolated from the world for generations, accessible only by a steep mule path. Bulnes is the departure point for the Naranjo de Bulnes, also known as Picu Urriellu, a legendary peak reserved for experienced mountaineers.
Understanding Asturian Traditions
The signature product of Cabrales is its namesake blue cheese, a pungent, sharp-flavored variety similar in intensity to Roquefort. To see how it is made, visit the Cabrales Cave-Museum in Arenas de Cabrales, which is located in a natural cave where traditional production methods are still practiced.
Wander through the small villages that make up Cabrales to enjoy the pastoral landscape of stone houses, old bridges, and mountain streams. In Arenas de Cabrales, the most populous village, you can see the baroque-renaissance style los Mestas y Cossio palace, the église Santa Maria de Llas, and its two chapels.
When to go
To fully experience outdoor activities in Cabrales and the Picos de Europa, plan your trip for the spring or summer months.
Getting there
If you are driving to Cabrales, take the AS-114 regional road. A daily bus network, with increased service during the summer, connects Cangas de Onís to Arenas de Cabrales.
