The villages of Somiedo

Somiedo Natural Park covers the whole municipality and is laid out in four valleys: the Somiedo river valley, Valle del Lago, Saliencia and Pigüeña. Each has its own villages, trails and character, and there is not always a direct road between them.

This page goes through them valley by valley, with what each village offers and what it is good for as a base. You can find them on the park map.

The Somiedo river valley

The backbone of the municipality: the AS-227 runs along it from Aguasmestas up to the Somiedo pass, on the border with León. Both ways into the municipality are in how to get to Somiedo.

Pola de Somiedo

The main village and the only one with every service: the Park Interpretation Centre, restaurants, shops and a campsite. The Senda Accesible starts in the village itself, and it is the most practical base for a first visit. It has 10 places to stay. Full details in Pola de Somiedo, and the restaurants in where to eat in Somiedo.

Gúa

The first village on the way up from Pola to the pass, about 3 km away. A quiet village with one of the viewpoints used for bear watching. It has 1 place to stay.

Caunedo

A little higher up, about 5 km from Pola. Its old school houses the site of the Somiedo Ecomuseum devoted to traditional trades and transhumance, and on the rise above the village there is an accessible wildlife viewpoint used for bear watching. It has 2 places to stay.

La Peral

A former herders' braña that is now lived in all year round. Beside the village is the Mirador del Príncipe, the best known viewpoint for bear watching, and the traverse to Villar de Vildas starts here (Ruta de La Peral - Villar de Vildas, PR.AS-14, 13 km). In snow it is the starting point of two winter routes.

Santa María del Puerto (El Puerto)

At almost 1,500 metres, next to the Somiedo pass. Another herders' braña, it received the Asturias Exemplary Village award in 2021. The climb to El Cornón, at 2,194 metres the highest point in the municipality (PR.AS-10, 7 km), and the traverse to Valle del Lago (PR.AS-16, 9.5 km) start here, as do five winter routes for snowshoes or skis. It has 1 place to stay.

Valle del Lago

Valle del Lago

The village where the road ends and the walk up to Lago del Valle, the largest lake in Asturias, begins (PR.AS-15.1, 6 km). The Ruta de la Braña de Sousas also starts here. It is the best base for walking without the car and has 4 places to stay. Getting there and parking: Valle del Lago.

The Saliencia valley

The road that runs along it leaves Pola and ends at the Alto de La Farrapona, where the Ruta de los Lagos de Somiedo (PR.AS-15, 14 km) begins.

Veigas

Home to the other site of the Ecomuseum, "La Casa": three traditional houses that keep their broom-thatched teito roofs. It has 1 place to stay.

Éndriga and Saliencia

The two villages in the upper valley, the closest to the lakes. The Ruta de las Brañas de Saliencia (PR.AS-12, 8 km) runs through here. Between them they have 2 places to stay.

The Pigüeña valley

Villar de Vildas

On the western side of the municipality, about 20 km from Pola by road, and winner of the Asturias Exemplary Village award in 2004. The Ruta del Valle de Pigüeña (PR.AS-14.1, 6 km) leaves the village on foot and in a little over 3 km reaches the Braña de La Pornacal, the largest group of thatched cabins in Somiedo, before continuing to Braña Viecha. The traverse from La Peral also ends here. It has 1 place to stay.

How to get to Villar de Vildas: not through Pola. At Aguasmestas, where the AS-227 starts climbing towards the main village, take the road that follows the Pigüeña valley up to the village.

Which village to stay in

• First visit, or no wish to drive to dinner: Pola de Somiedo.
• To walk to the lakes from the door: Valle del Lago, or Saliencia for the upper lakes.
• For bear watching: Pola, Gúa or Caunedo, close to the viewpoints.
• For the thatched brañas: Villar de Vildas.
• In snow: El Puerto.

All of them, grouped by area, are in accommodation in Somiedo.