Bulnes: your definitive guide to this charming Asturian town

Many visitors who tour Asturias They wonder how to get to Bulnes. Not in vain, it is one of the most typical towns in the region and has surroundings worthy of the best postcard.

In many provinces of Spain there are still villages, like this one, that cannot be reached by car. They are villages that seem to have stopped in time. Hence much of their appeal. In addition, their very isolation is often caused by a nature as wild as it is beautiful. Next, we will solve the question for you Bulnes and how to get there to then show you the main charms of this Asturian town.

Where is Bulnes?

Bulnes is located in the unique setting of the central massif of the Picos de Europa. Belongs to Council of Cabrales and is about fifteen kilometers from Carrena, the capital of the municipality. Likewise, since 2021 it has been integrated into the network of The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain.

It is located at an altitude of 649 meters above sea level, although it is divided into two zones of unequal height. The first is the castle or Bulnes de Arriba, the oldest and with fewer houses. The second is called La Villa or Bulnes de Abajo and is the most populated.

In total, his parish has 34 inhabitants, according to data from the National Statistics Institute published in 2011. They are distributed between Bulnes itself, with 22 registered residents, and the village of Camarmena, with 12 people. Its inhabitants have traditionally dedicated themselves to livestock farming and, with the milk they obtained, to the production of the famous Cabrales cheese.

However, today the main activity is The tourism. In fact, in the village you can find accommodations, restaurants and shops that live off the travelers who come to visit Bulnes. But, above all, they receive their income from the many mountaineers who come to the village to then undertake the ascent of the mythical peak. Urriellu Peak or Naranjo de Bulnes.

How to get to Bulnes

Once we have explained the location of this beautiful village, we will resolve the question of Bulnes and how to get there. Until 2001, the only way to get there was by a path that ran along the so-called Tejo Channel (of Texu, in Asturian). But, as the most common thing is to approach the area from Oviedo o Gijón, we are going to show you the whole route.

In case you are traveling from this last city, you have to take the highway A-8. In Posada de Llanes, you must take the road AS-115 and then the AS-114 which will take you to Carreña de Cabrales and Arenas. Then, follow the AS-264 that takes you up Poncebos, where the funicular departs. There you have it a parking lotHowever, you should keep in mind that it also serves as a parking place for hikers who are going to do the hike. Route of the Cares, so, especially during high season, it is easy for it to get crowded.

On the other hand, if you travel from Oviedo, you have to follow the highway A-64. Then you have two options: take your own A-8 and national highway 634 to Cangas de Onís. In the first case, the route is the one we have already explained to you. As for the second, from the first capital of the Kingdom of Asturias you have to go directly by road AS-114 to Arenas de Cabrales and then through the aforementioned AS-264 to Poncebos.

From this town, to properly answer your question about Bulnes and how to get there, we have to talk to you about the two possibilities that we have already mentioned.

Bulnes and how to get there on foot

We have already told you that the walking route to reach the Asturian village passes through the Tejo Channel. This tour starts from the same town of Poncebos, specifically, from the Jaya bridge. It is approximately four kilometres long and takes approximately one hour and fifteen minutes.

Of course, this depends on each person, as the route has a gradient of almost five hundred metres, with slopes of up to eighteen percent. And, although it is not difficult, it is dotted with vertical walls and loose stones. Therefore, it is necessary to wear proper footwear and good equipment. In fact, we advise you that, if you are not used to hiking or you are going with small children, choose the funicular to be saferBelow, we give you all the practical information to properly answer the question about Bulnes and how to get there.

Bulnes and how to ascend by funicular

As we have also explained to you, the Bulnes funicular departs from the town of Poncebos, where you have parking. However, you should keep in mind that, in summer, it can be restricted Access to this town is difficult due to the large influx of visitors who come to take routes through the Picos de Europa.

Transport has two schedules depending on the time of year. The high season coincides with the summer months and some dates of other seasons. You have a funicular between the hours 10 and 20. On the other hand, in low season it is more restricted. It works between 10 a.m. and 12.30:14 p.m. and between 18 p.m. and XNUMX p.m.. Also, from Monday to Friday, there is a shuttle at 8.30:XNUMX in the morning.

The journey barely lasts seven minutes and leaves you in a privileged natural environment. In addition, dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash and, if they are a dangerous breed, with a muzzle. As for tickets, you can buy them at the funicular ticket office. However, it is better to do so in advance to avoid going there and not having them.

You can also find them at the company's points of sale. ALSA and in the 902 42 22 42 phoneHowever, these tickets are provisional, that is, You will have to exchange them for the definitive ones at the point of sale. In any case, they serve to let you know that you will have these last ones reserved.

As for prices, they can vary depending on the time of year and even with inflation. But, on our last visit, they were 22,16 euros round trip for adults (17,61 one trip) and 6,71 for children up to 12 years (4,32 one way). In any case, if you want more information, you can call the funicular station at 985 84 68 00; Cabrales Town Hall at 985 84 50 21 or the Arenas de Cabrales tourist office at 985 84 64 84 (summer and long weekends only).

What to see in Bulnes

After answering your question about Bulnes and how to get there, we will explain what you can see in this beautiful village in Asturias. After leaving the funicular, you will find the aforementioned neighborhood of La Villa, with its traditional stone-built houses. You can also see the parsonage and the pretty Chapel of the Virgin of the Snows, which was restored a few years ago and houses the image of the town's patron saint.

Then you can go up to the neighborhood of Bulnes de Arriba or the Castle, where you will also find cobbled streets and typical houses, as well as the ruins of an observation tower (hence its name). Also, on the outskirts of the town, you have the remains of two old mills, the one from La Reguina and the one from Chiflón, dating back to the 18th century. All this without forgetting the St. Stephen's Bridge, which crosses the Bulnes River.

On the other hand, in the town you have several places to stay and some restaurants where to eat. In addition, about 400 meters from the villa in the direction of Pandébano, you will find the so-called Bulnes viewpoint, which offers you wonderful views of the Urriellu PeakAnd this brings us to tell you about the beautiful hiking routes that you can take from the village.

What to see around Bulnes

When answering the question about Bulnes and how to get there, we have also told you about the Texu Canal route, which takes you from Poncebos to Bulnes. But, leaving from the latter, you can take other wonderful routes.

Among them, you have several up to the town of Sotres through different places. We recommend one of the easiest ones, which connects both towns through the Pandébano hillIt has a length of 4,5 kilometres with 100 metres of ascent and 600 metres of descent.

The route from Bulnes to the town is also easy. Arnandes sheepfold, as it only lasts 45 minutes and has a gradient of 350 metres. On the other hand, the most difficult is the route to Amuesa and Cabrones, with a level variation of 800 meters. But, some of the hardest routes are those that go, precisely, to the Urriellu Peak.

For example, the one that passes by the Balcosín gorge, the Jou Baju, the Camburero sheepfold or the Les Cuestes rock. It has a length of almost 18 kilometers between the round trip and a high difficulty with a gradient of 1304 meters. Finally, if you wish, you can walk to Camarmena. In this case, there is a road from Arenas de Cabrales, but also a nice hiking route. However, although it is only 5,46 kilometers long, it is difficult. Once in Camarmeña, you will be able to see the chapel of st peter and the set of traditional houses built in stone. But, above all, you will find another impressive Viewpoint to the Picos de Europa.

In conclusion, we have answered your question about Bulnes and how to get there. We have also shown you what to see in this village and its surroundings. Finally, we only have to advise you to take advantage of your visit to try the Typical Asturian dishes and, above all, the magnificent Cabrales cheese typical of the municipality. Come and discover the charms of Bulnes.