Puertos de Áliva Hike: Guide to Fuente Dé for Beginners

Picos de Europa is a stunning National Park that you won’t want to miss if you’re looking to hike in Spain. The trail we took was PR-PNPE-24 Puertos de Áliva, which takes you on a point-to-point loop around stunning mountain ranges in the region.

We started this hike by taking the Fuente Dé Cable Car up to El Cable station and viewpoint.

The trail from here begins to ascend slightly into the Horcadina de Covarrobles pass and from there, it is a gradual decline.

The Puertos de Áliva trail takes you through different ecosystems as you pass landmarks like Hotel Refugio Áliva.

This trail is a long hike (8.6 miles/14 km), depending on specific stops, with mountain ranges and greenery all around you.

Fuente Dé in Picos de Europa (Puertos de Áliva): Who This Guide is For

Is This Hike for You?

There are many different trails in Picos de Europa that you can go on and they’re all excellent. Each has its own pros and cons.

The trail we took, Puertos de Áliva, is an easier trail that most fitness levels can do with no issue, while also seeing the beauty of the area.

There’s nothing technical about this hike. Simply follow the trail and gaze upon your surroundings. It’s also amazing for a family with young children.

Looking for another hike in the Picos de Europa that is shorter? Check out the hike to Bulnes! It even has a funicular if you’re short on time.

What Makes Áliva Special?

Hiking through this area of the Picos de Europa, you’ll first come across limestone walls while hiking down into green pastures and then through a forested area.

This hike begins by taking El Cable (a cable car) up to the viewing station, where you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.

From here, everyone will have their own separate itinerary of what they want to see. Your options are endless here.

Choose Your Route

PR-PNPE-24 is a point-to-point hike but you don’t always have to hike exactly this. You can see what you want to see and as much of it as you’d like.

Classic Route (Point to Point)

The classic route is what we decided to do. We had enough time to hike the entire thing and loved the feel of accomplishment when we ended up back at Fuente Dé.

Depending on stops, this should take you no more than 5.5 hours to complete in its entirety and it’s very possible to finish it much faster than that.

There aren’t massive canyons to look down into like there are in Ordesa Valley, hiking the Senda de los Cazadores.

It was nice hiking this trail and taking our time because we knew there weren’t any extremely difficult sections to plan for.

If you start this hike early enough, there shouldn’t be any reason you wouldn’t finish it with enough time left in your day.

Family Route (to Hotel Refugio Áliva and back to Fuente De Cable Car)

If you’re planning on hiking here with a family and small children, then there’s another possible option you can do.

Instead of hiking the trail in its entirety, you can hike down to Hotel Refugio Áliva (or further if you want), and then hike back to the cable car station.

This would require you to purchase a round-trip ticket at the box office down in Fuente Dé in advance, which would save you money.

If you decided last minute you don’t want to hike it all and want to go back, then you can purchase another separate ticket back down to the bottom.

Things You Need to Know

When traveling abroad, and especially hiking, the logistics of the trip can be confusing. Below, I’ll go over all the details you need to complete this exact hike.

Parking

Near the base of the cable car at Fuente Dé is a large parking lot. You can find that here on Google Maps.

We arrived at the parking lot around 9 am and there were still plenty of spots left but it seemed they were filling up fast.

For any hike, especially ones as popular as this, I always suggest showing up early to avoid the crowds and make sure there are available parking spots.

It is free to park here.

Taking the Cable Car

From the parking lot, we hiked up a few stairs that led straight to the Fuente Dé Cable Car.

All cable car tickets are timed, and you can purchase them in advance online. A one-way ticket costs 13 Euros and a round-trip ticket costs 20 Euros.

I’d suggest purchasing them in advance to avoid waiting in a long line and so you can be sure to get the time you want.

What to Pack

You’ll want different types of hiking clothes depending on the time of year that you plan to visit the Picos de Europa.

Below, I’ll go over my favorite pieces of hiking gear I brought with me on this hike.

• Patagonia Bomber Jacket
• REI Daypack
• Merrell Moab Hiking Boots
• Hiking Socks

What Map to Download

I typically use two forms of maps when hiking abroad, both of which can be downloaded for offline use. I highly recommend everyone do the same.

Whenever I’m in a new town and I’m about to begin hiking, I download the region on Mapsme.

We also downloaded the hiking trail on AllTrails, which is another great source of information for hikes around the world.

Puertos de Áliva Hike Details

My Experience Hiking Fuente Dé in Picos de Europa (Puertos de Áliva)

Hiking in Spain was a dream come true and especially in the Picos de Europa National Park. We loved this trail a bunch, specifically because it wasn’t so strenuous.

Being on the road for weeks and months at a time in Europe is exhausting and it was nice to get to see all of the views without wearing down the body even more.

Don’t get me wrong, I love hard and challenging hikes but this trail was a nice change of pace while still being long enough for a really good workout.

Arriving at the Parking Lot

We stayed in the town of Potes while planning our hiking trip in the Picos de Europa. It’s around a 25-minute car ride away, which was perfect.

During our time in Spain, we rented a car but some buses can take you from Potes to the cable car in Fuente Dé.

We left Potes around 9am and arrived at the parking lot at 9:30 and were greeted by a parking lot attendant who showed us where to park.

There were still plenty of spots left, but they could fill up fast. We laced up our hiking boots and headed to the cable car.

Taking the Cable Car Up

After purchasing our tickets for the cable car at the booth, we had about another 45 minutes until it was our time to head up the mountain.

We stopped at the cafe and enjoyed a quick latte while enjoying the scenery around us. The cable car fits 20 people inside, which is a healthy amount.

It took around four minutes to reach the top of El Cable at the station to begin our hike.

Don’t look down if you’re afraid of heights! Instead, look around at what Picos de Europa has to offer.

The Meadow Stretch to Hotel Áliva & Beyond

After reaching the top, everyone got out of the cable car and went on their own journeys.

Everyone took the same path until the Horcadina de Covarrobles pass, where some followed us on the PR-PNPE 24 trail or headed towards Torre de los Horcados Rojos.

If you’re up for another adventure, there’s a viewpoint at this junction that you can take and will only add another 20 minutes or so to your hike.

We took the trail down into the meadow while following the limestone walls on the way down.

A lot of the trail here and beyond the Hotel Refugio Áliva was on a large dirt road and even multiple motorcycles passed us along the trail.

This section of the hike was very open and there’s no shade at all, similar to the hike we did to Pico Mondoto.

Halfway through, we found some nice rocks to sit on to eat lunch and enjoy the views.

Downward Trail Back to Fuente Dé Cable Car

We kept along this part of the trail for around four miles or 6.4 km until we reached a gate with the road hooking to the left.

It was at this point that we went back onto a more normal trail and headed into the wooded forest. This section had a lot of sun coverage, which was much needed.

I do enjoy this type of scenery but I will say it wasn’t as enjoyable as the first half of the trail.

There were a few sections where we were able to look down into the valley to see other distant towns. We also had to dodge a few horses along the way.

Along this section, there was a point where the elevation increased a little bit but then it started to head back down until we reached the cable car station in Fuente Dé.

Tips That Most Guides Don’t Tell You

Water & Shade

For the first half of the hike, there is zero shade. Make sure to pack accordingly and use sun protection!

As you get closer to the junction where you’ll start the hike into the forest, a river will be alongside you. There are a few places to fill up your water if you need to.

There are also other water spots labeled on the AllTrails map.

Crowd Strategy (and how it changes the vibe)

I’d suggest purchasing your cable car ticket in advance (and early) in order to avoid the crowds during this hike. We made that mistake and we weren’t able to take the cable car until around noon.

Other trails in the Picos de Europa are more populated than the one we did but it’s still the best strategy to make sure the trail is quiet.

I like to hear as much nature as possible and too much talking can ruin the vibe for me.

Planning Around the Weather

Check the weather before you go! Going early in the morning will be your best bet to avoid the summer heat, which is what we were trying our best to do.

Unfortunately, we had to wait too long and the sun was at its peak for the majority of our hike.

Where to Stay Near Fuente De in Picos De Europa

Potes

The small town of Potes is where we decided to make our base during our time in the Picos de Europa.

This town isn’t cheap and can become crowded during the peak season but it’s lively with a lot of other things to do after you finish hiking for the day.

• Villa Elena: A moderately priced hotel that is .4 miles away from downtown. It’s super cozy with stunning views of the surrounding area.
• El Balcón de Potes: This hotel has a nice interior while being competitively priced and still close to downtown! Apartamento El Nial de Potes: Tucked right inside the medieval town of Potes is this beautiful hotel that will bring you back in time and is located along the river!

FAQs

Is Puertos de Áliva worth it if you skip the cable car?

Taking the trail up to the top instead of taking the cable car is hard but worth it! Keep in mind it’s an extra 5 miles or 8km added to the hike with 800 meters of elevation gain.

Can you do Puertos de Áliva with kids?

Absolutely! Puertos de Áliva is the perfect trail in the Picos de Europa to do with kids. It’s not strenous and you can turn back whenever you want to take the cable car back down.

What’s the best time of year and time of day?

The best time to hike in the Picos de Europa National Park depends on what you’re looking for. The summer months are the overall best time to hike in the mountains here as there will be the least amount of rain.

Hiking earlier in the morning before the afternoon heat is always the best time to hike in my opinion.

Final Thoughts

Hiking in the Picos de Europa National Park is something that must be added to everyone’s bucket list when they visit Spain. Pictures don’t do it justice and you need to experience it for yourself to see what I mean. The Puertos de Áliva trail might not be the most thrill-seeking hike in the world but it checks a majority of the boxes we look for while hiking. I’ll be coming back to Fuente Dé and hiking more of the park during my next visit to Spain!