Picos De Europa

Picos de Europa: The Mountain Range That International Tourism Forgot

The Picos de Europa sit 20 kilometres from the northern coast of Spain: a compact limestone massif straddling Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y Leon that rises to 2,648 metres at the Torre de Cerredo. That’s lower than the central Pyrenees and dramatically lower than the Alps, but elevation doesn’t tell the story here. The Picos are karst limestone, riddled with caves, fissures, and gorges, and the rock formations make the landscape look considerably more vertical and extreme than the altitude numbers suggest. The Naranjo de Bulnes – a 2,519-metre orange tower of sheer rock visible from multiple valleys – is a serious technical climbing objective. The Cares Gorge, carved 1,500 metres deep by the river of the same name, is one of the more dramatic landscapes in western Europe.

The range remains effectively unknown to international tourists who tend not to get north of Madrid or Barcelona. Spanish hikers come here in numbers; everyone else largely does not. This is an argument for going, not against it.

Getting There

The main access towns are Cangas de Onis (western Picos), Potes (eastern Picos), and Arenas de Cabrales (central, near the Cares Gorge). All three are reachable by car from Oviedo (Asturias) or Santander (Cantabria). Bus service exists but is infrequent. Fly to Asturias or Santander; from Santander airport, allow about 1.5 hours to Potes. From Oviedo, Cangas de Onis is under an hour.

The Cares Gorge

The Ruta del Cares is the most famous walk in the Picos and one of the most spectacular in Spain: a 12-kilometre path carved into the walls of a limestone gorge, with the Rio Cares running hundreds of metres below and cliffs rising 1,500 metres overhead. It connects Cain in Castilla y Leon to Poncebos in Asturias, losing only 200 metres over its length. The path passes through around 70 tunnels carved into the rock face. A full round trip is 24 kilometres; two cars and a one-way arrangement works better.

The path is well-maintained and wide for most of its length, but sections require attention in wet conditions. August is the most crowded period; starting at 7am avoids the main pressure even then. June and September are the most comfortable months.

The Naranjo de Bulnes

You cannot hike to the summit of Naranjo de Bulnes without technical climbing gear and experience – it is a Grade V+ route at minimum. But the approach valley via Sotres and the view from the Mirador de Ordiales of this vertical orange monolith rising from the surrounding terrain is worth the walk. The cable car from Fuente De reaches higher terrain quickly for those who want altitude without technical climbing.

Cabrales Cheese and the Hidden Caves

Cabrales blue cheese is made from a blend of cow, goat, and sheep milk and matured in limestone caves near Arenas de Cabrales at 90 percent humidity. The maturation caves are off-limits to visitors to prevent contamination, but the valley has queserias (dairies) offering tours and tastings. Buying Cabrales directly from a producer, wrapped in the traditional foil or leaves, and eating it with Asturian corn bread and cider is the correct introduction to the food of the region.

Food: This Is Asturias

Fabada Asturiana – white beans, chorizo, morcilla, and lacón (cured pork shoulder) slow-cooked together – is the definitive local dish, rich enough to be a meal by itself. Asturian cider (sidra natural) is poured high over the glass to aerate it and expected to be drunk quickly. Most sidrerias will pour it this way regardless of your preference. Casa Marcial in Arriondas holds two Michelin stars and does sophisticated modern cooking from Asturian ingredients; it requires booking months ahead and is worth the drive from anywhere in the Picos.

Staying

Potes in the eastern Picos is the most practical base for the Cares Gorge and Fuente De cable car – a small medieval town with cobbled streets, cider bars, and rural hotels. Arenas de Cabrales sits closer to the central massif. Casas rurales (rural guesthouses) scattered through smaller villages in the Liebana valley and western hills around Cangas are often the best value and the closest thing to actually staying in the mountains rather than near them.