# A weekend in the Sierra de Gredos, two hours from Madrid La Laguna Grande on Saturday, horse or spa for your legs and, on Sunday, the south face via the Puerto del Pico: Cuevas del Águila and the castle of Arenas. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/sierra-de-gredos/itineraries/gredos-weekend-from-madrid-laguna-grande · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Dónde: Sierra de Gredos Gredos is the closest high mountain to Madrid that can be done without being a mountaineer: two hours by car, a five-hour route to a glacial lagoon and a village to sleep in at the foot of the sierra. From Ávila it is an hour away, and from Segovia, Salamanca or Valladolid under two. This plan splits the weekend between the two faces of the sierra: Saturday, the north, with the Laguna Grande; Sunday, the south, milder, with the Puerto del Pico causeway, the Cuevas del Águila and the castle of Arenas de San Pedro. In between, horse riding or a spa, and two meals of patatas revolconas. ## Where to sleep? In Hoyos del Espino, ten minutes from the Plataforma. The Hotel Rural Cuarto de Milla is simple and warm, with a double and breakfast for €70, and belongs to Gredos a Caballo: it has two-night packages with a horse ride for €105 per person, except on long weekends and July and August weekends. La Mira de Gredos has double rooms, junior suites and suites and, downstairs, the restaurant recommended by the Michelin Guide. If you go in summer with a tent or motorhome, Camping Navagredos, in the Navarredonda pine wood, is open from March to September. The Parador de Gredos is closed for works until June 2028. ## What changes with the season From May to October the plan works as it stands. In July and August the Plataforma fills up: leave before eight. From November to April the cirque has snow and ice, and the Laguna Grande is only for those who carry crampons and know how to use them: swap Saturday for the half-day horse ride (€60, for those who already ride) or for the whole south face, and leave the spa for the end of the day. In winter La Mira de Gredos and La Galana open only Thursday or Friday to Sunday, so book. ## El plan ### Friday · 19:00 · Arrival in Hoyos del Espino Two hours from Madrid via Ávila and the N-502. A quiet dinner and early to bed: Saturday is an early start. ### Saturday · 8:30 · From the Plataforma to the Laguna Grande Go up to the Plataforma before nine: at weekends access is regulated from kilometre 7. A stone causeway to Los Barrerones, at 2,178 m, and the descent to the lagoon: two and a half hours. A picnic by the water with the ibex and back the same way. 13.6 km in all. ### Saturday · 15:00 · Late lunch at La Galana At the entrance to Hoyos del Espino. The traditional menu is served until 17:30: revolconas and Ávila beef T-bone. ### Saturday · 18:00 · Spa at Aguas de Gredos A 90-minute hydrothermal circuit, €38, booked. Your legs will thank you. ### Sunday · 10:00 · Horse ride in the Tormes valley Two hours through pine woods and the river bank with the cirque in front of you, €45, for beginners. If you prefer to walk, skip it and set off earlier towards the Puerto del Pico. ### Sunday · 13:30 · Lunch at La Mira de Gredos Open at midday from Thursday to Sunday. El Barco beans or revolconas facing the sierra. Book. ### Sunday · 15:30 · Puerto del Pico and Cuevas del Águila Cross the sierra on the N-502. If you feel like walking, stop at the pass and go down a stretch of the paved causeway. Below, the Cuevas del Águila: 40 minutes underground, €12, last tour before 18:00 in winter. ### Sunday · 17:30 · Arenas de San Pedro and the drive back A walk to the castle of the Triste Condesa, from the 15th century, and back to Madrid via Talavera and the A-5, a good hour and a half. ## Un consejo más Ask La Mira de Gredos for a picnic for the Laguna Grande. Carrying food is essential: on the route there is nowhere to buy any, except the refuge. ## Cuándo no ir Doing the Laguna Grande in November or December without winter equipment. And crossing the Puerto del Pico in thick fog: the road has many bends. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take from Madrid? About two hours to Hoyos del Espino via Ávila. To the south face, via the A-5 and Talavera, a good hour and a half. ### How much does the weekend cost? About €180–300 per person with two nights, meals, horse, spa and cave. ### Can it be done with children? Yes, swapping the Laguna Grande for the horse ride, from age 8 or 9, and the cave, which delights all ages. ### Do I need to book? The accommodation, spa, horse ride and meals, yes. The cave is bought on its website or at the ticket office. ### What if it rains? The cave, the spa and the castle work just the same. The Laguna Grande in rain or fog, no. ## Dónde dormir if you're driving - **La Mira de Gredos**: The house A small hotel on the edge of Hoyos del Espino, on the AV-941 road towards El Barco, about ten minutes by car from the Plataforma. It has ten renovated rooms, all facing the Sierra de Gredos. The five on the ground floor have direct access to the garden and a terrace with a fan and parasol; the five on the second floor have a terrace, air conditioning and awnings that open in the sun and retract at night or in wind. Downstairs is the restaurant, one of the three in Ávila recommended by the 2026 Michelin Guide. The rooms There are doubles, superior doubles, junior suites and suites. All have beds up to 2 × 2 m, television up to 55 inches, a safe, fridge, desk, free wifi and spacious bathrooms; there are adapted bathrooms and a lift to all three floors. Breakfast is included. It has parking and does not accept pets. The website does not publish prices openly: book through its online engine, on 920 349 023 or at info@lamiradegredos.com. Eating and dining in The restaurant is run by César Hinojal, Cocinero del Año prizewinner, with traditional cooking such as patatas revolconas, Ávila entrecôte or cod loin. In winter hours, from 15 October to 15 March, it opens at midday from Thursday to Sunday, from 13:30 to 15:30, and closes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday except on public holidays, long weekends and Christmas. Dinners, from 20:30 to 21:30 and by reservation, are for hotel guests only from Sunday to Friday, with their own menu of Iberian meats, cheeses, omelette, cod and chargrilled Ávila beef; on Saturday they are open to everyone. On Sunday night you can order a cold dinner in your room. The restaurant closes for a fortnight between September and October and another in January. More details on the page for the La Mira de Gredos restaurant. For the walk It prepares a picnic for the Laguna Grande or Almanzor: a sandwich of your choice, fruit, water, nuts and a chocolate bar for €16, ordered the night before. Its website recommends, to round off your stay, the horse ride with Gredos a Caballo, the Aguas de Gredos spa and hiking and astro-tourism guides in the area. From Sunday to Thursday, outside public holidays, Easter, Christmas, July and August, it has one- or two-night offers, and a 5% discount on stays of two nights or more booked on its website. - **Hotel Rural Cuarto de Milla**, desde 70 € / night: The house The rural hotel of Gredos a Caballo, the horse-riding company that has worked in Hoyos del Espino since 1981. It is a three-storey house, simple and warm. Downstairs are reception, toilets and the dining room, with big windows onto the porch and a stone fireplace. On the first floor, the double rooms, with a double bed or twin beds, simple and modern in design, each with a bathroom and television. Upstairs, a shared attic with a television area, pouffes, a big table for board games and a corner for reading and chat, useful on rainy or snowy afternoons. Prices and packages A double room with breakfast costs €70 a night, and €50 for single use. The house's special appeal is the packages with horse riding: 2×1 on horseback: two nights in a double with breakfast and a two-hour ride, €105 per person. 2×2 on horseback: two nights in a double with breakfast and a two-hour ride each day, €140 per person. They are valid any day of the week except long weekends and weekends in July and August; the single-use price must be requested. The rides cover pine woods, country lanes, broom scrub and the Tormes bank, with the sierra in the background. Hotel bookings on 615 946 025. The website does not publish check-in and check-out times, parking or a pet policy. On horseback, without a package Guests can also book Gredos a Caballo's rides separately: the two-hour one, for beginners, costs €45; the half-day, for enthusiasts, €60; and the full day, for riders who ride regularly, €115. There are weekend and multi-day rides, full-moon night rides and tailor-made rides for groups, all year round. They are booked on 645 387 927. If you travel with your own horse, the house offers to stable it. More details in the horse ride through the Tormes valley. What to do nearby Hoyos del Espino is the gateway to the Plataforma de Gredos, where the route to the Laguna Grande starts. In summer and at weekends access is regulated: check the Plataforma access before going up. In the same village are the Aguas de Gredos spa and, for eating, La Galana or the La Mira de Gredos restaurant. ## Dónde dormir if you're on foot - **La Mira de Gredos**: The house A small hotel on the edge of Hoyos del Espino, on the AV-941 road towards El Barco, about ten minutes by car from the Plataforma. It has ten renovated rooms, all facing the Sierra de Gredos. The five on the ground floor have direct access to the garden and a terrace with a fan and parasol; the five on the second floor have a terrace, air conditioning and awnings that open in the sun and retract at night or in wind. Downstairs is the restaurant, one of the three in Ávila recommended by the 2026 Michelin Guide. The rooms There are doubles, superior doubles, junior suites and suites. All have beds up to 2 × 2 m, television up to 55 inches, a safe, fridge, desk, free wifi and spacious bathrooms; there are adapted bathrooms and a lift to all three floors. Breakfast is included. It has parking and does not accept pets. The website does not publish prices openly: book through its online engine, on 920 349 023 or at info@lamiradegredos.com. Eating and dining in The restaurant is run by César Hinojal, Cocinero del Año prizewinner, with traditional cooking such as patatas revolconas, Ávila entrecôte or cod loin. In winter hours, from 15 October to 15 March, it opens at midday from Thursday to Sunday, from 13:30 to 15:30, and closes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday except on public holidays, long weekends and Christmas. Dinners, from 20:30 to 21:30 and by reservation, are for hotel guests only from Sunday to Friday, with their own menu of Iberian meats, cheeses, omelette, cod and chargrilled Ávila beef; on Saturday they are open to everyone. On Sunday night you can order a cold dinner in your room. The restaurant closes for a fortnight between September and October and another in January. More details on the page for the La Mira de Gredos restaurant. For the walk It prepares a picnic for the Laguna Grande or Almanzor: a sandwich of your choice, fruit, water, nuts and a chocolate bar for €16, ordered the night before. Its website recommends, to round off your stay, the horse ride with Gredos a Caballo, the Aguas de Gredos spa and hiking and astro-tourism guides in the area. From Sunday to Thursday, outside public holidays, Easter, Christmas, July and August, it has one- or two-night offers, and a 5% discount on stays of two nights or more booked on its website. - **Hotel Rural Cuarto de Milla**, desde 70 € / night: The house The rural hotel of Gredos a Caballo, the horse-riding company that has worked in Hoyos del Espino since 1981. It is a three-storey house, simple and warm. Downstairs are reception, toilets and the dining room, with big windows onto the porch and a stone fireplace. On the first floor, the double rooms, with a double bed or twin beds, simple and modern in design, each with a bathroom and television. Upstairs, a shared attic with a television area, pouffes, a big table for board games and a corner for reading and chat, useful on rainy or snowy afternoons. Prices and packages A double room with breakfast costs €70 a night, and €50 for single use. The house's special appeal is the packages with horse riding: 2×1 on horseback: two nights in a double with breakfast and a two-hour ride, €105 per person. 2×2 on horseback: two nights in a double with breakfast and a two-hour ride each day, €140 per person. They are valid any day of the week except long weekends and weekends in July and August; the single-use price must be requested. The rides cover pine woods, country lanes, broom scrub and the Tormes bank, with the sierra in the background. Hotel bookings on 615 946 025. The website does not publish check-in and check-out times, parking or a pet policy. On horseback, without a package Guests can also book Gredos a Caballo's rides separately: the two-hour one, for beginners, costs €45; the half-day, for enthusiasts, €60; and the full day, for riders who ride regularly, €115. There are weekend and multi-day rides, full-moon night rides and tailor-made rides for groups, all year round. They are booked on 645 387 927. If you travel with your own horse, the house offers to stable it. More details in the horse ride through the Tormes valley. What to do nearby Hoyos del Espino is the gateway to the Plataforma de Gredos, where the route to the Laguna Grande starts. In summer and at weekends access is regulated: check the Plataforma access before going up. In the same village are the Aguas de Gredos spa and, for eating, La Galana or the La Mira de Gredos restaurant. - **Camping Navagredos**, desde 10.5 € / pitch: Navagredos is a campsite in the pine wood of Navarredonda de Gredos, about a hundred metres from the source of the River Tormes, near the Valdeascas pools and with views of the Gredos cirque. It stands at 1,500 metres altitude, on the Navatormes road, km 2.5, about four kilometres from Hoyos del Espino and the Plataforma road. It has been open for almost thirty years and has, besides pitches, bungalows, mobile homes and static caravans. 2026 season and prices It opens from 1 March to 30 September. High season is Easter, the May long weekend and from 15 June to 15 September; the rest is low season. In low season, a pitch without electricity costs €10.50 and with electricity €17.50, and includes a car and tent, or a motorhome, or a car and caravan. Add €5.50 per adult, €3.50 per child aged 2 to 14 and €2 per dog. Without a pitch, an individual tent pays €4.50 and a family tent €5.80; a motorhome, €6.80. In high season: €12.50 and €19.50 for the pitch, €6.50 per adult, €4 per child and €2.50 per dog. There are monthly stays and annual passes for caravans and mobile homes. Showers, washing machines and shop It has a toilet block with twelve showers and, at the entrance, another with two adapted showers; they are cleaned daily. There are two washing machines, at €3 a wash, and a barbecue area (ask about availability in high season). Reception and the small shop are open from 9:00 to 15:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00; in high season the shop has basic goods and local artisan products, and the bar sells the day's bread. Check-out is at 12:00. Bar and restaurant The restaurant is open from March to September. Breakfasts from 9:00 to 11:30, lunches from 14:00 to 15:30 and dinners from 20:00. There is a menu of the day: €16.50 from Monday to Friday and €20.50 at the weekend, as well as rice dishes and roasts to order and stews. On the terrace you pay 10% more. Tables are booked by WhatsApp, on 622 716 852. For families and for the mountains In summer they organise activities: outdoor yoga, painting classes for children, English with native speakers and crafts. In Hoyos del Espino is the Pinos Cimeros adventure park. For the mountains, the walk to the Laguna Grande starts from the Plataforma, and for eating out, La Galana is at the foot of that road. Altitude: watch the weather At 1,500 metres temperature changes arrive without warning: check the forecast and bring warm clothes even in summer. In the cold months, the campsite advises snow chains or winter tyres. ## Dónde dormir if you're camping - **Camping Navagredos**, desde 10.5 € / pitch: Navagredos is a campsite in the pine wood of Navarredonda de Gredos, about a hundred metres from the source of the River Tormes, near the Valdeascas pools and with views of the Gredos cirque. It stands at 1,500 metres altitude, on the Navatormes road, km 2.5, about four kilometres from Hoyos del Espino and the Plataforma road. It has been open for almost thirty years and has, besides pitches, bungalows, mobile homes and static caravans. 2026 season and prices It opens from 1 March to 30 September. High season is Easter, the May long weekend and from 15 June to 15 September; the rest is low season. In low season, a pitch without electricity costs €10.50 and with electricity €17.50, and includes a car and tent, or a motorhome, or a car and caravan. Add €5.50 per adult, €3.50 per child aged 2 to 14 and €2 per dog. Without a pitch, an individual tent pays €4.50 and a family tent €5.80; a motorhome, €6.80. In high season: €12.50 and €19.50 for the pitch, €6.50 per adult, €4 per child and €2.50 per dog. There are monthly stays and annual passes for caravans and mobile homes. Showers, washing machines and shop It has a toilet block with twelve showers and, at the entrance, another with two adapted showers; they are cleaned daily. There are two washing machines, at €3 a wash, and a barbecue area (ask about availability in high season). Reception and the small shop are open from 9:00 to 15:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00; in high season the shop has basic goods and local artisan products, and the bar sells the day's bread. Check-out is at 12:00. Bar and restaurant The restaurant is open from March to September. Breakfasts from 9:00 to 11:30, lunches from 14:00 to 15:30 and dinners from 20:00. There is a menu of the day: €16.50 from Monday to Friday and €20.50 at the weekend, as well as rice dishes and roasts to order and stews. On the terrace you pay 10% more. Tables are booked by WhatsApp, on 622 716 852. For families and for the mountains In summer they organise activities: outdoor yoga, painting classes for children, English with native speakers and crafts. In Hoyos del Espino is the Pinos Cimeros adventure park. For the mountains, the walk to the Laguna Grande starts from the Plataforma, and for eating out, La Galana is at the foot of that road. Altitude: watch the weather At 1,500 metres temperature changes arrive without warning: check the forecast and bring warm clothes even in summer. In the cold months, the campsite advises snow chains or winter tyres. - **Camping Los Galayos**: The place A campsite in Guisando, on the southern slope of Gredos, among pines and with the mountain above. It has reopened in a new phase after renovating its facilities, with wooden cabins and bungalows for those who do not carry a home on their back, pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, and a bar, restaurant and beach bar in the heart of nature. It is a good base for the south face of the sierra, milder than the north: the Cuevas del Águila and the Castle of the Triste Condesa in Arenas de San Pedro are close. Accommodation and rates Its website publishes a rate per night, VAT extra: Small bungalow, for 1 to 3 people: €70 a night. Large bungalow, for 4 to 6 people: €120 a night. Pitch, small, medium or large, for a tent, caravan or motorhome: €15 per adult per night, €12 for ages 6 to 12 and free up to 5. Water and electricity are included. Large pitches pay €5 more per night for the car. The bungalows require a €20 deposit for damage. The website does not detail how many rooms they have or whether they have a kitchen, nor does it publish opening dates, check-in and check-out times or a pet policy. Who it suits For families who want the sierra without giving up a bed, for groups of friends who fill a large bungalow and for those travelling by motorhome who want a socket and water on the south face. In the same valley, from Cuevas del Valle, starts the Puerto del Pico Roman Road, a cobbled road that climbs to the pass, and in Arenas is the tourist office to plan walks. Before booking As it is in the middle of reopening, confirm dates and prices by phone. Bookings on 920 234 760; to check availability, also on 690 306 733. The email is info@campinglosgalayos.com. The website has a contact and booking form. ## Dónde dormir in a campervan - **Camping Navagredos**, desde 10.5 € / pitch: Navagredos is a campsite in the pine wood of Navarredonda de Gredos, about a hundred metres from the source of the River Tormes, near the Valdeascas pools and with views of the Gredos cirque. It stands at 1,500 metres altitude, on the Navatormes road, km 2.5, about four kilometres from Hoyos del Espino and the Plataforma road. It has been open for almost thirty years and has, besides pitches, bungalows, mobile homes and static caravans. 2026 season and prices It opens from 1 March to 30 September. High season is Easter, the May long weekend and from 15 June to 15 September; the rest is low season. In low season, a pitch without electricity costs €10.50 and with electricity €17.50, and includes a car and tent, or a motorhome, or a car and caravan. Add €5.50 per adult, €3.50 per child aged 2 to 14 and €2 per dog. Without a pitch, an individual tent pays €4.50 and a family tent €5.80; a motorhome, €6.80. In high season: €12.50 and €19.50 for the pitch, €6.50 per adult, €4 per child and €2.50 per dog. There are monthly stays and annual passes for caravans and mobile homes. Showers, washing machines and shop It has a toilet block with twelve showers and, at the entrance, another with two adapted showers; they are cleaned daily. There are two washing machines, at €3 a wash, and a barbecue area (ask about availability in high season). Reception and the small shop are open from 9:00 to 15:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00; in high season the shop has basic goods and local artisan products, and the bar sells the day's bread. Check-out is at 12:00. Bar and restaurant The restaurant is open from March to September. Breakfasts from 9:00 to 11:30, lunches from 14:00 to 15:30 and dinners from 20:00. There is a menu of the day: €16.50 from Monday to Friday and €20.50 at the weekend, as well as rice dishes and roasts to order and stews. On the terrace you pay 10% more. Tables are booked by WhatsApp, on 622 716 852. For families and for the mountains In summer they organise activities: outdoor yoga, painting classes for children, English with native speakers and crafts. In Hoyos del Espino is the Pinos Cimeros adventure park. For the mountains, the walk to the Laguna Grande starts from the Plataforma, and for eating out, La Galana is at the foot of that road. Altitude: watch the weather At 1,500 metres temperature changes arrive without warning: check the forecast and bring warm clothes even in summer. In the cold months, the campsite advises snow chains or winter tyres. - **Camping Los Galayos**: The place A campsite in Guisando, on the southern slope of Gredos, among pines and with the mountain above. It has reopened in a new phase after renovating its facilities, with wooden cabins and bungalows for those who do not carry a home on their back, pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, and a bar, restaurant and beach bar in the heart of nature. It is a good base for the south face of the sierra, milder than the north: the Cuevas del Águila and the Castle of the Triste Condesa in Arenas de San Pedro are close. Accommodation and rates Its website publishes a rate per night, VAT extra: Small bungalow, for 1 to 3 people: €70 a night. Large bungalow, for 4 to 6 people: €120 a night. Pitch, small, medium or large, for a tent, caravan or motorhome: €15 per adult per night, €12 for ages 6 to 12 and free up to 5. Water and electricity are included. Large pitches pay €5 more per night for the car. The bungalows require a €20 deposit for damage. The website does not detail how many rooms they have or whether they have a kitchen, nor does it publish opening dates, check-in and check-out times or a pet policy. Who it suits For families who want the sierra without giving up a bed, for groups of friends who fill a large bungalow and for those travelling by motorhome who want a socket and water on the south face. In the same valley, from Cuevas del Valle, starts the Puerto del Pico Roman Road, a cobbled road that climbs to the pass, and in Arenas is the tourist office to plan walks. Before booking As it is in the middle of reopening, confirm dates and prices by phone. Bookings on 920 234 760; to check availability, also on 690 306 733. The email is info@campinglosgalayos.com. The website has a contact and booking form.