The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Covadonga, Spain

In 722, a Visigothic nobleman named Pelayo led a small band of Christian warriors into a mountain cave above the Deva River and knelt before a statue of the Virgin Mary. Outside, a Moorish army sent to crush the last remnants of Christian resistance in Iberia waited in the narrow gorge below. What happened next would echo through eight centuries of Spanish history: Pelayo and his men emerged victorious, and the Reconquista had begun. Today, the Sanctuary of Covadonga in the Picos de Europa mountains of Asturias remains one of Spain's most sacred pilgrimage destinations. The cave where Pelayo prayed now houses the beloved image of Our Lady of Covadonga - affectionately called La Santina by the Asturian faithful - while a magnificent pink-stone basilica rises from the mountainside above. Over a million pilgrims visit annually to honor the Virgin credited with this foundational Christian victory.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 swept away the Visigothic Kingdom with devastating speed. King Roderic fell at the Battle of Guadalete, and within seven years, Muslim forces controlled nearly all of what is now Spain and Portugal. The remnants of the Visigothic nobility fled north into the mountains of Asturias, where the rugged terrain offered some protection against the advancing Umayyad armies. In 718, these refugees elected a man named Pelayo as their leader. Little is known of his origins - he may have been a Visigothic nobleman, possibly even related to the royal family. What is certain is that he organized resistance from the mountains, and in 722, a Moorish force under the commanders Al-Qama and Munuza marched into the Picos de Europa to eliminate him. According to tradition, Pelayo and his men took refuge in a cave where a hermit had hidden a statue of the Virgin Mary, saved from the Muslim conquest. Pelayo knelt before the image and prayed for the Virgin intercession. In the battle that followed, the Christians made brilliant use of the terrain. The Asturians fired arrows from both sides of the narrow gorge, and when the Moors retreated, many perished in an avalanche or drowned in the Deva River. Al-Qama himself was killed. The Battle of Covadonga established the Kingdom of Asturias, the first stable Christian kingdom in Iberia after the conquest. From this nucleus would eventually emerge the kingdoms of Leon and Castile, which over eight centuries would gradually reclaim the peninsula for Christianity - a process known as the Reconquista, completed only in 1492 with the fall of Granada.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Covadonga

Santa Cueva (Holy Cave)

The spiritual heart of Covadonga is the Santa Cueva, a natural cave set into the mountainside above a waterfall that cascades into a pool below. Here the beloved image of Our Lady of Covadonga - La Santina - gazes out from behind a gilded altar. The current wooden statue dates to the 16th century; the original medieval image was destroyed in a fire in 1777 and replaced with this one from the Cathedral of Oviedo. Pilgrims reach the cave by climbing the 103 steps of the Stairway of Promise - some ascending on their knees as an act of devotion. The cave also holds the tomb of King Pelayo, whose remains were moved here in the 8th century. A waterfall flows beside the entrance, feeding the Fountain of Seven Spouts below, traditionally called the Marriage Fountain from the belief that unmarried women who drink from all seven spouts without pausing will find a husband within the year.

Basilica of Santa María la Real de Covadonga

Rising dramatically from the mountainside above the Holy Cave, the neo-Romanesque Basilica of Santa María la Real dominates the sanctuary complex. Built entirely of pink limestone between 1877 and 1901, the church was designed by German architect Roberto Frassinelli and completed by Federico Aparici y Soriano. Two tall bell towers flank the entrance, and the interior features fine stained glass and a magnificent high altar. Address 33589 Covadonga, Asturias GPS 43.3089, -5.0537 Map Google Maps Web turismoasturias.es

Lakes of Covadonga

High above the sanctuary, at over 1,000 meters elevation, lie the glacial Lakes of Covadonga - Lake Enol and Lake Ercina. Carved by ice during the last glacial period, these alpine lakes offer spectacular scenery in the heart of Picos de Europa National Park. A five-kilometer circular hiking trail links the two lakes and takes about two hours to complete. A replica of the Virgin of Covadonga statue rests at the bottom of Lake Enol. Each year on September 8th, divers ceremonially retrieve the statue for the feast day celebrations before returning it to the depths - a tradition that began in 1972.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Feast of Our Lady of Covadonga - September 8

The feast of La Santina on September 8 is the largest celebration of the year, coinciding with the Day of Asturias (the regional autonomic day). Tens of thousands of pilgrims converge on the sanctuary for solemn Masses, processions, and traditional Asturian music and dance. The festivities include the dramatic retrieval of the Virgin statue from Lake Enol by divers. Many pilgrims make the journey on foot from Oviedo or other parts of Asturias.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Gran Hotel Pelayo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Historic hotel just 100 meters from the basilica with stunning mountain views. The closest accommodation to the sanctuary, ideal for pilgrims wanting to attend early morning Mass. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Hotel El Repelao - Comfortable mountain hotel near the sanctuary with restaurant serving traditional Asturian cuisine. Good base for exploring both the sanctuary and the Lakes of Covadonga. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Hotel Covadonga - Located in Cangas de Onís (12 km), beside the River Sella. Good value option with easy bus connections to the sanctuary. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Casa Aspron ⭐⭐⭐ - Traditional stone house with views of the Basilica, 550m from the sanctuary. Cozy fireplace, library, and free breakfast. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel El Rincon de Don Pelayo ⭐⭐ - Adults-only rural hotel next to the sanctuary with mountain-view balconies. Rated 9.3 on Booking.com. Free parking and breakfast. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Casa Rural Priena ⭐⭐ - Family-run guesthouse 250m from the sanctuary with garden terrace. Ideal for accessing the Lakes shuttle bus. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel

🚗 Getting There

Covadonga lies in the Picos de Europa mountains of eastern Asturias, about 80 kilometers east of Oviedo. The sanctuary is accessible year-round, though the road to the Lakes of Covadonga may be restricted during peak season. By Air: Asturias Airport (OVD) is approximately 90 minutes by car. Santander Airport (SDR) is about 2 hours away. Both have car rental facilities. By Bus: ALSA operates frequent buses from Oviedo to Cangas de Onís (1h 35m, €7-10), with connections to Covadonga (15 min, €1.55). The first bus from Cangas de Onís to Covadonga departs at 7:40 AM. By Car: From Oviedo, take the A-64 motorway east toward Santander, exit at Arriondas, then follow AS-262 to Cangas de Onís and AS-114 to Covadonga. During summer and holidays, private vehicles are restricted from the Lakes; use the shuttle service from Cangas de Onís instead.

📚 Further Reading

Books: Saba, Almash. Covadonga: A Sanctuary of Spiritual Beauty in the Spanish Mountains - A guide to the historical and spiritual significance of Covadonga, covering the sanctuary, basilica, and surrounding Picos de Europa.

🔗 Useful Links

Turismo Asturias - Covadonga - Official Asturias tourism information for the sanctuary. Archdiocese of Oviedo - Official website of the Archdiocese of Oviedo with Mass schedules. ALSA Bus Timetables - Bus schedules from Oviedo to Cangas de Onís and Covadonga.

🥾 Pilgrim Routes

Several historic pilgrimage routes lead to Covadonga, all converging on this sacred Marian sanctuary in the Picos de Europa. GR-105 Ruta de las Peregrinaciones (55 km) - The main pilgrimage route from Oviedo to Covadonga, a multi-stage walk through mountains, forests and rivers. This Marian pilgrimage path has been walked for centuries. Route info Camino de los Santuarios (174 km) - The Way of the Sanctuaries connects Oviedo Cathedral to Santo Toribio de Liebana via Covadonga, crossing from Asturias into Cantabria through spectacular Picos de Europa scenery. Route info Ruta de la Reconquista - A historical route following King Pelayo's path, combining nature and spirituality through the landscapes of early Christian resistance. Route info Camin del Oriente - Starting from Llanes on the coast, this route crosses the Cuera mountains before entering the Picos de Europa toward Covadonga. Route info Travesia Andariega - An alternative pilgrimage beginning in Gijon on the coast, offering a different approach to the sanctuary through Asturian countryside. Route info

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Oviedo (80 km) — The Cathedral of San Salvador houses the Holy Sudarium of Christ and the UNESCO-listed Cámara Santa. Medieval pilgrims said: "He who goes to Santiago and not to the Saviour, visits the servant and not the Lord." Start of the Camino Primitivo. Santo Toribio de Liébana (45 km) — Monastery housing the Lignum Crucis, the largest surviving relic of the True Cross. One of only five sites worldwide granted perpetual Jubilee Year privileges. Connected via the Camino de los Santuarios. Santiago de Compostela (320 km) — Tomb of the Apostle Saint James, the ultimate destination of the Camino. The Camino Primitivo from Oviedo passes through Covadonga's region, making this a natural extension of your pilgrimage.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"The Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga is intimately connected with all this important process [the struggle to defend Christian values], and remains as a cradle of Spanish Christianity and a symbol of its national identity."

— Pope John Paul II, General Audience, August 23, 1989