Park Reception and Interpretation Centre and tourist office

The Reception and Interpretation Centre of Somiedo Natural Park is in Pola de Somiedo, the capital of the council area and the geographical centre of the park, on avenida Narciso H. Vaquero. It shares functions with the council's tourist office, so it is the logical first stop on arrival: here they inform you about routes, park rules and the state of the passes, and it also has an exhibition on Somiedo that you can visit free of charge.

Hours and contact

Open Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 15:00 to 18:30, and closed on Monday and Tuesday. Some directories publish different hours depending on the season, so, especially outside summer, confirm beforehand by phone on 985 763 758. The office's email is [email protected]. Entry to the exhibition is free.

What you see

The exhibition is audiovisual and has many interactive elements. It explains the essentials of the area: the landscape and geology of a high-mountain park, the flora, the fauna and the council area's ethnographic heritage. Somiedo was the first natural park declared in Asturias, covers 283 square kilometres and has been a biosphere reserve since 2000. Its highest point is Pico Cornón, at 2,194 metres, and its best-known animal is the brown bear. It is a good plan for a rainy afternoon or for children before an excursion.

What to ask before heading into the hills

The most useful thing is to know which routes are passable that day. If you plan to go to the Saliencia lakes from La Farrapona, ask whether there is snow on the pass; if you are going to the La Pornacal brana, where to leave the car in Villar de Vildas. The same goes for Lago del Valle, the largest in Asturias, reached from Valle de Lago.

They will also remind you of the park rules: dogs must be on a lead, except herding, hunting and guide dogs; wild camping and overnighting in a caravan are not allowed, except bivouacking in authorised areas; motor sports, canyoning and whitewater in the rivers are prohibited, as is disturbing wildlife. If you are interested in sleeping under the open sky with someone who knows those areas, see the guided bivouac.

Bears and guided routes

The brown bear is Somiedo's best-known mammal, but this is not a zoo: it is observed from afar, with binoculars or a telescope and without approaching. If you want to try with someone who knows where to look, see the guided bear watching, which leaves from Pola de Somiedo, or the one-day guided route.

Near the centre

In Pola de Somiedo itself, for eating you have Casa Miño and the Castillo del Alba restaurant. At Caunedo is the Somiedo Ecomuseum, and at Veigas, the teito houses, two visits that complete what the exhibition says about traditional life on the branas.