The most beautiful drive from Bilbao Airport to Potes and the Picos de Europa (and back)
Landing at Bilbao (BIO) and heading for the mountains? Skip the monotonous A-8 and take the finest Cantabrian coast, with medieval Santillana del Mar, modernist Comillas and the fishing town of San Vicente de la Barquera with the Picos as a backdrop, then inland through the spectacular La Hermida gorge to Potes, the gateway to the Picos de Europa.
Not the fastest route, the most beautiful one. All the stops are already in it.
Photos vía Wikimedia Commons: Luis Fermin Turiel Peredo (CC BY-SA 4.0), Respinya (CC BY-SA 4.0), Johan N (CC BY-SA 3.0). Alle commercieel bruikbaar met naamsvermelding.
Coast and gorge instead of just the A-8
The fastest way from Bilbao Airport to Potes is the A-8 along the coast and then the N-621 inland: about two hours, toll-free, but mostly motorway. This route takes the beautiful side: the classic seaside towns of Cantabria, with wholly medieval Santillana del Mar, modernist Comillas with an early work by Gaudí, and the fishing town of San Vicente de la Barquera with the snow-capped Picos behind. Then you turn inland and climb through the Desfiladero de La Hermida, the longest gorge in Spain, to Potes.
It is a true fly-drive route: you land at Bilbao, pick up your rental car and drive to your base in the Picos. We write out both directions separately. You open the whole route with every stop in Google Maps or download the GPX, so you never have to look anything up along the way.
The route on the map
A schematic overview by Touren.app, not a navigation map. The exact route opens under “Drive this route” or in Google Maps. Map orientation: north is up.
Key facts for this route
| Distance (scenic route) | approx. 190 km vía the coast and the gorge (fastest route A-8: approx. 150 km) |
|---|---|
| Pure driving time | approx. 3 h 30 (fastest route: approx. 2 h) |
| Day length with stops | 7 to 9 hours with the five stops; a full day from sea to mountains |
| Motorway share | approx. 40%, on the A-8 along the coast; the coast stretch and the La Hermida gorge are ordinary roads |
| Tolls and vignettes | none: the A-8 and the N-621 are toll-free, and Spain has no vignette |
| Fuel (estimate) | approx. 16 litres at 8 l/100 km in the mountains; expect 23 to 30 euro (fuel prices vary) |
| Countries and border crossings | 1 country (Spain, Basque Country and Cantabria), no border crossing |
| Road type | coast roads, motorway (A-8) and the mountain road through the La Hermida gorge (N-621), locally narrow |
| Suitable for | rental car: yes · convertible: highly · motorbike: highly (the gorge is a classic) · camper: yes, the N-621 through the gorge is narrow but manageable, drive calmly |
The A-8 (Autovia del Cantábrico) and the N-621 through the La Hermida gorge are toll-free, and Spain has no vignette. Distance, driving time and motorway share are indicative estimates along the chosen stops and are measured in the build (July 2026). Fuel is a calculation with stated assumptions; prices vary.
Always check road signs, current closures and local rules along the way.
Who is this route for
For anyone landing at Bilbao with a rental car whose destination is the Picos de Europa. For those who want to use the drive to catch the best of the Cantabrian coast before the mountains begin, and for everyone who loves variety: medieval towns, a beach, a river mouth and then one of the finest gorges in Spain. The La Hermida gorge is a classic on a motorbike or in a convertible.
From Bilbao Airport to Potes
Pick up your car at Bilbao Airport and head west on the A-8 along the Cantabrian coast. First stop is Santillana del Mar, a perfectly preserved medieval town of cobbles and manor houses (and near the Altamira caves). On to Comillas with El Capricho, a colourful early work by Gaudí, and to San Vicente de la Barquera, a fishing town on a river mouth with the snow-capped Picos behind. Then you turn inland and drive through the Desfiladero de La Hermida, where the road winds between sheer walls along the Deva, passing the Mozarabic church of Santa María de Lebeña, until you reach Potes.
A tip: this is a full day from sea to high mountains. If you land late, choose San Vicente and the La Hermida gorge and save the coast towns for a day trip. Potes and the Liébana valley have plenty of places to stay.
From Potes to Bilbao Airport
The other way, on the day of your flight, time matters. Leave Potes with a good margin and drive down the La Hermida gorge to the coast, then east past San Vicente de la Barquera. If you want to be sure of your flight, take the A-8 at Unquera or Torrelavega and stay on it to Bilbao Airport, saving the coast towns for another time.
Mind the rental car return time and your provider's fuel rule (usually return it full). Fill up just before the airport; there are petrol stations along the A-8 and near Bilbao.
The fastest route or the most beautiful route
The A-8 along the coast and the N-621 inland get you from Bilbao Airport to Potes in about two hours, toll-free. Handy if you are in a hurry or land late, but mostly motorway. This route deliberately chooses the coast towns and the gorge: longer, but with much more to see. To shorten it, take the N-621 straight through the gorge from San Vicente de la Barquera and skip the first coast towns.
The 5 stops along the route
1. Santillana del Mar
Santillana del Mar is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Spain: cobbled streets, manor houses with coats of arms and a Romanesque collegiate church, all within a few hundred metres. Nearby are the famous Altamira caves with their prehistoric paintings (the museum shows a replica).
Practical: park at the edge, the town is car-free and small. Early or late in the day is quieter; the coaches come at midday.
2. Comillas
Comillas is a surprising town: wealthy Indianos (returned emigrants) commissioned modernist buildings here in the late nineteenth century, including El Capricho, a colourful and playful early work by Antoni Gaudí. The university building and the hilltop cemetery are also worth a look.
Practical: park by the centre; El Capricho can be visited (paid). Combine with a walk to the beach.
3. San Vicente de la Barquera
San Vicente de la Barquera lies picturesquely on a river mouth, with a long medieval bridge, a castle and a hilltop church. On clear days the snow-capped peaks of the Picos de Europa rise behind the town: one of the finest views on the coast. A good place for a lunch of fresh fish.
Practical: park by the harbour and walk to the bridge for the classic photo with the mountains behind. Here you turn inland into the mountains.
4. Desfiladero de La Hermida
The Desfiladero de La Hermida is a thirty-kilometre gorge where the river Deva has cut deep between sheer limestone walls. The N-621 follows the river on the floor, with the walls hundreds of metres straight above you. It is one of the finest mountain roads in northern Spain, and the sheltered gorge is so mild that even eucalyptus grows here.
Practical: the road is well surfaced but narrow and winding; drive calmly and use the pull-outs for photos. Do not overtake in the tunnels.
5. Santa María de Lebeña
Just before Potes lies Santa María de Lebeña, a small tenth-century Mozarabic church tucked into the green Liébana valley below the Picos. It is one of the best-preserved examples of this rare style in Spain, with horseshoe arches and an ancient yew beside it. A quiet, special last stop before Potes.
Practical: small car park by the church, right by the road. Opening times vary by season; from outside it is always worth it.
Practical: rental car, season and vehicle
Picking up your rental car at Bilbao: the rental desks are by the arrivals hall of Bilbao Airport (BIO). Book online in advance, almost always cheaper. For this route you usually return the car to Bilbao (round trip), so no drop-off fee.
The La Hermida gorge: the N-621 through the gorge is well surfaced but narrow and winding, with a few tunnels. Drive calmly, do not overtake and use the pull-outs to stop for photos. In winter there can be ice in cold spells.
Best time to travel: May to October is ideal. In summer the Picos are popular; book accommodation in Potes and Fuente De ahead. The Cantabrian coast is green because it rains often, even in summer; bring a rain jacket.
Vehicle: the gorge is a classic on a motorbike or in a convertible. Perfectly fine in an ordinary rental car; with a camper the N-621 is narrow but manageable, drive calmly and mind oncoming traffic.
Further into the mountains: from Potes you can drive on to Fuente De (cable car up into the Picos) or the monastery of Santo Toribio; that is a fine follow-up day, not part of this arrival drive.
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Email this route to yourselfFrequently asked questions
Can you reach the Picos de Europa and Fuente De from Bilbao Airport in one day?
The drive to Potes is already a full day from sea to high mountains, about 190 kilometres with the stops. Fuente De with its cable car is another half hour deeper into the mountains; that is a fine follow-up day from Potes, not something for your arrival day.
Is the La Hermida gorge suitable for campers and larger cars?
Yes, the N-621 through the gorge is paved and used by service buses, but it is narrow and winding with a few tunnels. Drive calmly, do not overtake and use the pull-outs. In a camper or larger car it is manageable if you take your time.
What is the most beautiful drive from Bilbao Airport to the Picos de Europa?
Not just the A-8, but along the Cantabrian coast vía Santillana del Mar, Comillas and San Vicente de la Barquera, then through the La Hermida gorge to Potes. About 190 kilometres. You open it above with every stop in Google Maps.
How long does the drive from Bilbao Airport to Potes take?
On the A-8 and N-621 about two hours, toll-free. The scenic route with the five stops is about 3.5 to 4 hours of pure driving; with the stops it becomes a full day from sea to mountains.
Can you drive from Bilbao Airport to the Picos in a rental car?
Yes. The rental desks are at Bilbao Airport (BIO). Driving there and back from Bilbao means no drop-off fee; to return the car elsewhere, check the one-way rules in advance.
Is the La Hermida gorge difficult to drive?
No, the N-621 through the gorge is well surfaced, but narrow and winding with a few tunnels. Drive calmly, do not overtake and use the pull-outs to stop. In winter there can be ice in cold spells.
Is this route toll-free?
Yes. The A-8 and the N-621 are toll-free, and Spain has no vignette. You pay no toll on this route.
Is the route the other way, Potes to Bilbao Airport, the same?
We write out both directions separately. On the day of your flight time matters: you can take the A-8 from San Vicente or Torrelavega and stay on it to the airport.
Can you open the route in Google Maps?
Yes, free. Choose your direction above and the route opens in Google Maps with every stop already in it. There is also a GPX per direction for Garmin, Komoot or TomTom.
What we deliberately leave out
Santander, the capital of Cantabria, is close to the route but a city visit in its own right; we keep to the coastline. We deliberately leave out Fuente De with its cable car and the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana as stops: those are highlights for a follow-up day from Potes, not for the arrival day. And the Altamira caves are mentioned only at Santillana del Mar, as an optional detour.