Bulnes is one of the most remarkable villages in Spain — a cluster of stone houses perched in a narrow valley at 650 metres altitude in the Central Massif, completely inaccessible by road. Until 2001, reaching it required a 1.5-hour hike from the road at Poncebos; today, an underground funicular makes the journey in minutes. But the village itself has barely changed: stone houses, a small bar-restaurant, a couple of rural guesthouses, and an extraordinary view of the Naranjo de Bulnes peak above.
From Bulnes, the walking routes into the heart of the Central Massif begin immediately. The path to the Vega Urriellu (base camp for Naranjo de Bulnes) takes about 3 hours. Routes toward the Pandébano pass and on to Sotres are also accessible. Bulnes is split between Bulnes de Abajo (Lower Bulnes, where the funicular exits) and Bulnes de Arriba (Upper Bulnes, a ten-minute walk higher). Staying a night here — in a casita rural — gives you the mountains after the day visitors have gone.