The Picos, as this mountain range is known for short, actually only covers 40km, but it certainly makes its mark, creating a beautiful band along the coasts of Asturias, Cantabria and León, in Spain. Most of it is protected by Picos de Europa National park, a landscape of limestone spires, twisting trails and tranquil wildlife habitats. The Picos are a well known backdrop to the Camino del Norte, but they also have a tapas-style menu of trails to suit all walkers and cyclists. For example, you can hike the Picos circuit in twelve days, covering its three massifs, or enjoy the range’s highlights in a week. You can also go cycling in the Picos, with some challenging ascents, such as up to Collado de los Buitres or Collado Prioro. This is Spain’s northernmost national park, and you’ll definitely feel on top of the world when you take a cheeky Picos break.
Highlights of Picos de Europa National Park
Picu Urriellu
One of the highlights for many adventurers is trekking up to Picu Urriellu (2,519m), also called Naranjo de Bulnes. Its pointy summit is a mecca for world-class rock climbers, but you can also get pretty up close and personal with no technical experience. It’s close to the end of this Picos de Europa circuit holiday, so you have a great build up to it. Starting out from the village of Sotres, you walk on mule tracks up to Pandébano Col (1,240m). Then cross lunar-like landscapes at the heart of the central massif, up as far as Vega de Urriellu mountain hut (1,953m), where you also spend the night, so you can string out this great moment for many hours to come.
Torre Cerredo
This is the highest peak in both Picos de Europa National Park and also the Cantabrian Mountains, at 2,650m and, although you don’t summit it on our tours, it’s an omnipresent peak, weather depending. Although Naranjo de Bulnes is more iconic, Torre Cerredo is the papa of the Picos. It’s a technical climb, and a tough one at that, but this rugged ruler deserves a mention as it oversees the many other summits over 2,000m, as well as the Bay of Biscay, which is around 55km away.
Sotres
This is one of the highest villages in the national park and it’s typically Asturian, where you find everyone from artisan cheese makers to transhumance practitioners or outdoor adventure guides. At 1,050m, it’s a great spot to go hiking or cycling from in the park and, on this hiking tour you spend two nights there, and on our shorter highlights holiday, you spend four nights there. It’s also a common starting point for those who want to head into the clouds up to Picu Urriellu.
“I’ve backpacked in many amazing places and each adventure required extensive planning. Then I discovered The Natural Adventure. They planned my trip thoroughly and thoughtfully for an affordable rate. I was provided an extensive itinerary, multiple ways to track my route, trail and luggage transfers, rooms, and meals. I highly recommend The Natural Adventure. I am looking ahead to my next adventure with them.” – 2 Hikers from California on our Picos highlights walking holiday.
Arenas de Cabrales
Arenas de Cabrales is the starting point on our main Picos hiking holiday and our Picos highlights holiday, and it definitely sets the mood for what will be a very exciting adventure. This is a traditional mountain village with stone houses that are home to around 800 people, and it’s well known not only as a hiking hub for Picos-eurs, but also for its Cabrales blue cheese. You can even visit the caves where the cheese is fermented, in the village. From Arenas de Cabrales, you have access to a plethora of Picos trails, including Nava Meadows and Cares Gorge for hikers, or the viewpoints at Vanu and ancient mining roads to the villages of Inguanzo and Berodia for cyclists.
Cares Gorge
Garganta del Cares really is gargantuan, at 1,500m in depth, and the trail that goes through it is called Ruta del Cares. This is a 24km in-and-back-out hike, on a trail that is built into the gorge wall. So, although it’s pretty flat, it’s also a little stomach-flipping, as you overlook the River Cares below. The trail was originally constructed as a maintenance path for workers on a hydroelectric project and, in many parts, it has guardrails along the side. There can be times, however, when you get splashed from waterfalls tumbling over the edge or have to pass through dripping caves, but it all adds to the Cares adventure. The trek is available on this eight day and this 12 day tour.
Llanes
This coastal town isn’t strictly in Picos de Europa National Park, but we’re adding it to this peak Picos list to illustrate just how close the park is to the sea. Also because, you’d kick yourself if you missed it and, even more so, if you didn’t book a table and feast at El Bálamu seafood restaurant. Llanes is a feature on the Camino del Norte, if you’re following the section between Santander and Gijón, which means you also spend a night here between the mountains and the sea. There are two spots to dive into these views, one at Playa El Sablon, a small sandy beach with calm waters, or Playa de Puerto Chico which has a landmark lighthouse. You also pass through it on our Cycling holiday along the Camino del Norte.
Cangas de Onís
This beauty sets the bar high on our Picos de Europa cycling holiday, as you start off on a circular route along forest tracks and rural roads in the Cangas de Onís Valleys. Cangas de Onís was the first capital of the Kingdom of Asturias and its romanesque bridge over the River Sella is spectacular. It has five arches, three of them pointed, and there’s a giant cross hanging from the centre of it. This is the iconic emblem of Asturias, and it was attached there in 1939.
Fuente Dé cable car
Although there are ski stations in Picos de Europa National Park, there is a cable car up to the snowy heights and high pastures of Aliva. It has a very rural location, in the hamlet of Fuente Dé (1,090m), in the heart of a glacial circus that’s surrounded by peaks. The cable car takes you up into peak Picos landscapes at an elevation of 1,823m, in just four minutes. From here you not only get great views, if the mists haven’t come in, but you can also snowshoe, as there can be snow as late as April. This cable car trip is possible on these following Picos tours, and please note that it’s worth buying your tickets in advance. With our cycling holiday, for example, you take the cable car up with your bike, and then descend through mountain pastures and tracks to Áliva and Majada Vegas de Sotres. And on this walking holiday, you walk back down to Horcados Rojos, where you get another superb viewpoint of the Picos, and then a walk through the luscious landscapes of Espinama Valley.
Cheese and cider
It’s not the first combo on most people’s list, but be prepared to test your palate in the Picos. Their famous blue cheese is the Picos at its pongiest and tastiest. The most famous one is from Cabrales which is matured in local caves. And which you have a chance to taste in its home town on our Picos cycling holiday, our Picos hiking holiday and our Picos highlights holiday. Mixing it with cider is very much the done thing, as it’s the drink to consume in the Picos Mountains. In fact, Asturias produces 80% of Spain’s cider, so the Picos are oozing with orchards’ outputs. The most striking thing about it, is that it’s traditionally poured from a height to aerate it. This process is called escanciar and it’s one very quick way to imbibe Asturian culture.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our peek into the Picos, and that you’re ready to explore this mountainous region a bit more. For more blogs about Spain, check out the following: Best cycling routes in Spain, Spanish holidays by train, Best time to go to Spain, and Our seven best hikes in Spain. For more information, don’t hesitate to contact our adventure specialists.
