Fuente Dé is the end of the road on the Cantabrian side of the Picos de Europa, and the cable car is the reason most people come. So the first question is a fair one: should you sleep as close to it as possible? It depends on how you like to travel. Here is how the options compare, including ours.
Right at Fuente Dé
There is very little accommodation at the foot of the cable car itself. The best-known option is the Parador de Fuente Dé, a few steps from the lower station. You wake up with the cliffs in front of you and you are first in the queue, but you pay for that position, and there is nowhere else to eat or shop once the day visitors have left.
Espinama and the upper valley
Espinama is the closest village, about 3 km down the road from Fuente Dé. It has a few small guesthouses and hotels, bars and a shop. It is a good base if you plan to walk every day: some routes start from the village, and the walk up to the cable car is possible on foot, although it is uphill along the road. Rooms here are limited and fill quickly in summer and at long weekends.
Potes
Potes is the largest town in Liébana and has by far the widest choice of hotels, apartments and restaurants. It is roughly 25 minutes by car from Fuente Dé, so it suits a stay that mixes the mountains with the valley, the market and the old town. Bear in mind that it is busy in August and during local festivals.
A house in Redo
We are in Redo, in the municipality of Camaleño, a small hamlet with the Picos de Europa in front of the terrace. The drive to the Fuente Dé cable car is about 25 minutes. Nobody lives in the house but you: it is let as a whole to a single party and sleeps 6 to 8 people over two floors, with a wood-burning fireplace.
This works well for families or groups of friends who want a kitchen, space to spread out and quiet evenings, and who do not mind driving a little each morning. It is less convenient if you want to be on the first cable car without any driving, or if you are two people wanting a hotel room with breakfast: for that, Espinama or Fuente Dé are the better choice, and we would rather tell you so.
Which one is right for you?
- Early start every day, no car: Espinama or the Parador.
- A couple, a few nights, hotel comfort: Espinama or Potes.
- Family or group of 6 to 8, several nights, self-catering: a whole house such as ours.
- Plenty of restaurants and evening life: Potes.
Before you go
Whichever you choose, check the opening times and prices of the cable car for your dates (we keep them on our cable car page) and go early in high season. If you would like to know whether the house is free for your dates, get in touch.