Capercaillie Centre in Caboalles de Arriba

In Caboalles de Arriba, next to the municipal hostel, the Capercaillie Centre is a new house with the horseshoe shape of the traditional Laciana dwelling. Inside, audiovisuals and panels on the habitat of the capercaillie, the bear and other species of the area, and on the architecture of the valley. It was promoted by Villablino town council and is run by the Junta, through the Fundación Patrimonio Natural, as a Casa del Parque.

What you will see

An audiovisual follows the seasons, life and nature of the valley, whose forests are home to the brown bear and the Cantabrian capercaillie, the two emblem species of the Laciana Biosphere Reserve. The room explains the topography, the geological and palaeontological history and the main habitats, from the high mountain to the valley floor, as well as life in the brañas. There is an audio guide and an accessible audio guide.

According to Turismo de Castilla y León, the viewing platform can only be visited by booking and with a guide, in sessions every 45 minutes and for a maximum of 20 people: at 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 16:30, 17:15 and 18:00. Allow about 45 minutes for the visit.

2026 hours and booking

Booking by phone is essential all year, on 987 490 107 or at [email protected].

• November and December: Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 to 17:00; Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00. On 1 November, from 11:00 to 17:00; on the 2nd, from 11:00 to 14:00.
• December long weekend: the 6th, from 11:00 to 14:00; the 7th and 8th, from 11:00 to 17:00.
• On 20 December at 14:00 it closes until February; in January it is closed.
• From 1 June to 13 September: Tuesday to Sunday, from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00.
• In spring and autumn, mainly Friday to Sunday, and in May Tuesday to Sunday.

Patrimonio Natural warns that the hours are approximate. The listing does not publish an admission price: ask when you book.

Getting there

It is on Calle Real in Caboalles de Arriba, in the municipality of Villablino, at the end of the Laciana Greenway. You can arrive by car or on foot or by bike along the Greenway from Villablino, 6.2 km with no climbs, and in the village you can also see the group of hórreos (granaries).

With children and to combine

For children it is a good introduction before heading out into the hills, especially on a rainy day. The capercaillie is a protected and very scarce species: what you learn here helps you understand why you must stay on the paths in the Caboalles birch wood. In winter, a few kilometres away the road climbs to the pass and to the Leitariegos resort, where the snowshoe routes leave from. For information on the rest of the valley, the Villablino tourist office.