Cycling the Vuelta Ciclista Route to the Lagos
The road from Covadonga to the Lagos de Enol is one of the most iconic climbs in professional cycling — the Picos de Europa stage has decided multiple Vuelta a España titles, and any cyclist willing to grind up its 12 km of hairpins joins a very distinguished peloton. Rental bikes are available in Cangas de Onís, and the car-free summer weekends make the ascent genuinely exhilarating.
The Climb
The Lagos road gains roughly 650 m of elevation from Covadonga village to the upper lake at 1,100 m, with gradients hitting 15% on the steepest ramps. It's a genuine challenge, but the surface is immaculate, the hairpins are wide and the scenery — Atlantic forest giving way to open limestone pasture — changes dramatically every kilometre.
On summer weekends when the road is closed to private cars, you'll share the tarmac only with other cyclists, walkers and the occasional shuttle bus. The absence of traffic transforms the experience: you can hear the waterfalls, the wind and your own breathing rather than engine noise.
Practicalities & Rewards
E-bikes can be rented from Cangas de Onís (several outfitters on Avenida de Covadonga charge around €35–45 per day), making the climb accessible to non-racers. Even on an e-bike, the views from each successive hairpin — back over the basilica, then over the whole Asturian piedmont — are a genuine reward for the effort.
At the top, lock your bike at the Lagos car park and walk the 20-minute loop around Lago Enol before the descent. The downhill back to Covadonga takes under 15 minutes and is pure joy — wide, smooth and with the pink basilica towers growing larger in the valley below.
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