VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
The Picos de Europa by motorhome: green Spain from Bilbao
From Bilbao, 5 days of campervan in the Picos de Europa: the Covadonga lakes, Fuente Dé, Potes and the Cantabrian coast — regulated access, stages and budget.
Two hours from Bilbao, the Picos de Europa throw limestone walls 2,600 metres into the sky, barely twenty kilometres from the Atlantic. This is green Spain: mists, high pastures, fierce cheeses and mountain roads made for a compact van.
The itinerary
From Bilbao, head for Santillana del Mar and San Vicente de la Barquera, then enter the massif from the Asturian side: Covadonga and its lakes (Enol and Ercina), the emblematic heart of the park. Swing round via the Cares gorge to the Cantabrian side: Potes, a medieval town deep in the Liébana valley, and the Fuente Dé cable car, which lifts you to 1,823 metres in 4 minutes. Total loop: about 500 kilometres over 5 days. Bring layers whatever the month: this is Atlantic mountain weather, and ten degrees can separate the coast from Fuente Dé.
Regulated access: know before you go
In high season the Covadonga lakes road is closed to private vehicles for much of the day: mandatory shuttles run from Cangas de Onís — actually an advantage in a van, which you park without stress. Inside the national park, overnight parking is banned; the áreas and campsites of Cangas, Potes and Arenas de Cabrales take over (€8-18 a night).
Which vehicle, what budget
A campervan or converted van under 6.5 metres (€75-160/day): the gorges and village approaches are tight. Five days from Bilbao: €400-700 rental, €80 of fuel, €40-70 of overnight fees. On timing, see off-season motorhome rental: June and September are magic here.
Insider tip
Weather is everything: the southern side (Potes) often sits in sunshine while Covadonga is buried in cloud. Check the park webcams in the morning and reverse the loop without a second thought — that is the luxury of travelling by van.