Overview
An eight day, self-guided journey, hiking the Picos de Europa highlights of northern Spain. This tour takes you into the heart of a landscape of limestone spires and twisting trails, taking in its array of massifs. This is categorised as a moderate hiking tour, with plenty of options to shorten or lengthen your trails. Highlights include Cares Gorge, Picu Urriellu or Naranjo de Bulnes, and sublime saunters through Valle de Áliva. Stay in just two small, locally-owned hotels, one in Arenas de Cabrales and the other in Sotres, the highest village in the Picos at 1,050m.
- Picos de Europa National Park
- Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes)
- Cares Gorge
- Chamois, golden eagles and Griffon vultures
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Arenas de Cabrales
Check-in to your hotel in Cabrales in the heart of the Picos de Europa and home to the famous Cabrales cheese. If time allows, we recommend exploring the village with a visit to the Romanesque Iglesia de Santa María de Llas. If it’s your thing, we do recommend also trying the local sidra (cider) at one of several bars.
- Accommodation: Hotel Picos de Europa or similar in Arenas de Cabrales
Day 2: Circular walk from Arenas de Cabrales | 9.5 or 12km
Start the week with a quiet walk along farming tracks between Arenas and Poo de Cabrales. There is also an option to continue further to Humones Col from which you get great views of Cabrales.
- Walking for the day: 9.5-12km, 3.5-4h, ↑380m ↓560m
- Accommodation: Hotel Picos de Europa or similar in Arenas de Cabrales
- Meals: breakfast
Day 3: Tielve to Sotres | 9km
Short transfer to the traditional village of Tielve, where you start your walk to Valfríu, where residents still produce the famous local blue cheese, Queso de Cabrales. Follow a gradual ascent through heather, old beech woods and streams to a pass at 1,240m, then down to Sotres (1,050m), one of the highest villages in Picos de Europa.
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3-4h, ↑570m ↓250m
- Accommodation: Hotel Sotres or similar in Sotres
- Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Circular walk of eastern massif | 12 or 18.5km
On this circular walk from Sotres, you have time to take in the typical Picos landscapes of sharp limestone ridges, where brightly-coloured alpine flora thrives against the rocks. There is a good chance of seeing chamois, vultures and different types of eagles on today’s walk. There are also several options to shorten or extend the walk.
- Walking for the day: 18.5km, 8-9h, ↑1,045m ↓1,335m or 12km, 5-6h, ↑550m ↓840m (shorter option)
- Accommodation: Hotel Sotres or similar in Sotres
- Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Sotres to Vega de Urriellu | 14.5 or 19km
This spectacular route takes you up to the mountain hut at Vega de Urriellu, located at the foot of the iconic Picu Urriellu, or Naranjo de Bulnes. Start off with a transfer to Pandébano Col (1,240m). From there, begin a steep ascent along a stone footpath into a lunar landscape of outstanding beauty. Once at the hut, after a well-deserved rest and time to properly admire the peak, head back down to Pandébano Col and continue walking to Sotres.
Please note: in spring and autumn, snow may prevent you from doing the walk up to the refuge. If so, we offer you alternative hikes that feature on day six.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 7h, ↑1,000m ↓1,000m or 14.5km, 5-6h, ↑840m ↓840m (shorter option)
- Accommodation: Hotel Sotres or similar in Sotres
- Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day 6: Choice of walks from Sotres | 6, 14 or 18km
There are three different walks from Sotres to choose from:
- Option one: Capercaillie Route, a demanding but rewarding and varied circular walk through meadows and beech woods near Tresviso, with views deep down into Urdón Gorge
- Walking for the day: 18km, 6-7h, ↑635m ↓635m
- Option two: Valle de Áliva is a technically easier walk to the summer meadows of Áliva and back, exploring a glacial valley at elevations of up to 1,650m, beneath impressive limestone walls of the central and eastern Massifs. At the halfway point there is an opportunity to stop for a rest on the terrace at the Hotel Refugio de Áliva, with some great views.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 5-6h, ↑500m ↓700m
- Option three: The last option is a circular walk from Sotres, a relaxing shorter wall that starts directly from your hotel and takes you through woodlands and fields in the peaceful area around Sotres.
- Walking for the day: 6km, 2h, ↑300m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Hotel Sotres or similar in Sotres
- Meals: breakfast and dinner
Day 7: Sotres to Poncebos or Cares Gorge | 13 or 23km
Start the day with an ascent up to Pandébano Col, followed by a long descent on a variety of footpaths. This route goes from Sotres to Bulnes, a famous village that’s enveloped by peaks and which can only be reached on foot or by a funicular railway. Once in Bulnes, either take the funicular down to Poncebos or continue another 1.5 to 2h on foot through Texu Gorge. From Poncebos, take the local bus (payment in cash to the driver) to Arenas de Cabrales. Alternatively, we highly recommend taking on the 24km walk along Cares Gorge, which is one of the most spectacular, and sometimes stomach-flipping, gorge walks in Spain. It’s an out-and-back walk from Poncebos.
Please note: if the bus is not running, we will arrange a private transfer for you.
- Walking for the day: 23km, 7-8h, ↑600m ↓600m or 13km, 5h, ↑425m ↓1,100m (shorter option)
- Accommodation: Hotel Picos de Europa or similar in Arenas de Cabrales
- Meals: breakfast
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is two small, locally-owned hotels. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Picos de Europa (Arenas de Cabrales)
- Hotel Sotres (Sotres)
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
All breakfasts and four dinners at Hotel Sotres are included in the programme. Lunch packs can be pre-ordered at the hotels or you can buy food in the villages along the way. Dinners in Arenas are available at nearby restaurants or at your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
The walking sections require a good fitness level as there are some steep descents and ascents. The hike includes varied terrain, following jeep tracks, wide paths, narrow footpaths and animal trails. When wet, paths may be muddy and slippery. On days five and seven, there are also a couple of exposed sections that would not suit those who suffer from vertigo. We have provided alternative routes to avoid these sections (read more about difficulty grades).
The routes on this trip are generally well-marked, but marking can be poor in places, and you will need to follow the route notes and maps provided by us. You will be walking in the high mountains, and the ability to navigate with a map and compass in the event of bad weather is recommended. We strongly advise you to follow the trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
You can start on any day of the week, subject to availability, between the beginning of April and the end of October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Temperatures in the Picos are milder than other parts of Spain, with daily averages around 20C. Whilst sudden mists are common in the Picos, they usually burn off by mid-day. As with all mountainous areas and particularly because of the mountain’s proximity to the coast in this area, the weather can also change suddenly, and there can be sudden rain-showers or even snow at any time of year. To find out more about when to go, take a look at our blog Best time to go to Spain.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
By train or bus
- Asturias Airport – bus or taxi to Oviedo bus station (45mins), then take the bus to Unquera (2h). From Unquera take a taxi to Arenas de Cabrales (45mins)
- Bilbao Airport – bus or taxi to Bilbao bus station (14mins), then take a bus to Unquera (3h)
- Santander Airport – bus or taxi to Santander bus station (15mins), then take the bus to Unquera (1h 20mins)
- For further information, timetables and tickets, visit the national bus operator Alsa or use the Omio planner above
- You can also arrive into Santander or Bilbao by ferry from the UK or to Bilbao from Ireland with Brittany Ferries
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in country hotels in private en-suite rooms
- 7 breakfasts
- 4 dinners in Sotres
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site.
- Luggage transfers on days three and seven (one piece up to 20kg per person)
- Transfers on day three with a shared car. Private transfers on days four, five and six. Private transfer Poncebos-Arenas on day seven is included only if the bus is not running
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners in Arenas, drinks and snacks
- Local transport
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. A supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms).
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Airport transfers are bookable upon request.
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
