What to do · Cabrales
Funicular from Poncebos to Bulnes
Information
- From
- €22 return, adult
- Duration
- 3 h
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- All ages
Bulnes is a stone village in the Picos de Europa that no road reaches. For centuries it could be reached only on foot, along the Canal del Texu, a goat track; today a funicular leaves from Poncebos, beside the start of the Cares trail, and drops you in the lower district of the village in a few minutes.
Hours and price
It runs all year. There is a departure at 8:30 and, from 10:00 to 20:00, one every half hour. In high season (in 2026, from 28 March to 6 April, 1, 2 and 3 May, from 1 June to 12 October and from 5 to 8 December) extra departures are added at 20:30, 21:00, 21:30 and 22:00. The single ticket costs €17.61 and the return €22.16; children aged 4 to 12 pay €4.32 single and €6.71 return.
Getting to Poncebos
On the dates of the Principality's transport plan (in 2026, Easter, the May bank holiday, May weekends and 1 June to 12 October) the most convenient thing is to leave the car in Arenas and take the bus to Poncebos: it leaves roughly every hour from 8:00 to 13:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00, takes 15 minutes and costs €1.55 each way. It stops at the Ovar car park, about 146 spaces 1.2 km from Poncebos, which does not guarantee a space. Next to the funicular only Bulnes residents and buses park.
What to do at the top
The funicular leaves you at La Villa, the lower district, with its church, the bridge over the river and terraces where you can have a culín (a glass of cider). Then go up to Bulnes de Arriba, El Castillo, with views over the valley and the Canal del Texu, and walk to the Urriellu viewpoint, a quarter of an hour from La Villa, to see the Naranjo de Bulnes from a side you cannot see from the road. Allow half a day at an easy pace.
If you have the legs, a good combination is to go up by funicular and walk down the Canal del Texu, the villagers' old path, steep and with loose stone: hiking boots and fit knees.
Tips
- Take the bus from Arenas in summer There is no room to park at Poncebos, and Ovar fills up early.
- Go up early The 8:30 departure and the first ones of the morning avoid the midday queue.
- A coat in the rucksack At the bottom of the valley the fog comes in fast and it gets cooler up there.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Bulnes funicular cost?
€17.61 single and €22.16 return; ages 4 to 12, €4.32 and €6.71.
Does it run in winter?
Yes, all year, with departures every half hour from 10:00 to 20:00 and one at 8:30.
Can I walk up to Bulnes?
Yes, along the Canal del Texu from Poncebos: it is a steep mountain path.
Where do I park?
In season, in Arenas, and take the bus up. The Ovar car park has about 146 spaces and fills up.
As a family
