About this tour
A nine-hour day trip into Spain's Liébana region, departing from Santander. You'll traverse the dramatic Hermida gorge by van, ride the cable car up to Picos de Europa (1,823 metres), and explore the medieval monastery of Santo Toribio—one of Christianity's four sacred pilgrimage sites. The route culminates in Potes, a stone-built village with narrow lanes and riverside bridges, where you'll have time to eat and wander. Kept to eight people maximum, with hotel or port collection included.
Highlights
- Drive through the Hermida gorge's towering limestone walls
- Cable car ascent to Picos de Europa alpine plateau
- Santo Toribio monastery, home to the Lignum Crucis relic
- Medieval Potes village with cobbled squares and stone bridges
- Free time for lunch and local exploration
What to expect
After pickup, you'll head inland towards the mountains. The drive itself is scenic—the gorge is worth watching from the van window. At Fuente Dé, the cable car rises steeply over forested slopes; the upper station opens onto bare, windswept peaks with long views across the Cantabrian range. Weather changes fast up there. Back down, Santo Toribio is a working monastery in a quiet valley—austere and genuine, not a tourist shrine. Potes is genuinely photogenic but gets busy midday; explore the backstreets if you can. Lunch options range from pintxos bars to sit-down meals.
Good to know
Cable car tickets (€31 adults, €13 children; €21/€7 low season) are not included but can be pre-booked for €20–€30 per person depending on season. Bring layers—the summit is cold and windy even in summer. Wear decent footwear for cobblestones and uneven monastery paths. No food included.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.