Picos de Europa: Northern Spain’s Overlooked Mountain Range

The Picos de Europa sit in the Cantabrian Mountains, straddling the borders of Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y León, about 20km from the Bay of Biscay coast. The name (“Peaks of Europe”) supposedly comes from returning Spanish sailors who spotted them on the horizon as the first European landmark visible from sea. They’re not particularly tall — the highest summit, Torre de Cerredo, reaches just under 2,650 metres — but the limestone geology creates a dramatic, almost alpine landscape of gorges, karst formations, and sudden vertical drops.

Most of northern Spain’s foreign visitors head straight to the Camino or to Galicia. The Picos gets overlooked, which works in your favour.

The Cares Gorge

The Ruta del Cares is Spain’s most famous gorge walk, and it earns the reputation. A path carved into the limestone follows the Cares River for 12km between Caín (in León) and Poncebos (in Asturias), crossing rickety bridges and threading through tunnels blasted during a 1940s hydroelectric project. The walking is straightforward — mostly flat, very well maintained — but the gorge is up to 500 metres deep and the exposure is dramatic. Do it as a there-and-back from Poncebos (the Asturian side) if you can’t arrange transport between both ends.

Start by 9am in summer to avoid the worst of the crowds and the heat.

The Fuente Dé Cable Car

On the southern edge of the massif in Cantabria, the cable car at Fuente Dé rises 740 metres in about 4 minutes to the plateau at 1,823m. From the top, you can walk for hours across a moonscape of limestone pavement with views south to the Castilian plateau. The car carries 20 people and has queues of 2+ hours in summer; go very early or in the evening.

Cangas de Onís and Covadonga

Cangas de Onís is the main service town on the Asturian side, with a famous Roman bridge over the Sella River and a good supply of restaurants and accommodation. About 10km east, the Sanctuary of Covadonga marks the legendary site of an 8th-century Christian victory over Moorish forces — important in Spanish national myth, and set in an attractive limestone gorge. The two glacial lakes above the sanctuary (Lagos de Covadonga) are worth the drive.

Where to Eat

The Asturian side of the Picos is fabulous for food. The region is famous for its sidra (cider, poured from height in a dramatic local style), fabada asturiana (white bean and pork stew), and extraordinary cheeses — particularly Cabrales, a blue cheese aged in limestone caves within the park. In Cangas, El Corral del Indianu is excellent for traditional Asturian cooking. Most village restaurants in the Picos serve a menu del día at lunchtime for around €12-15.

Where to Stay

Potes is the main hub for the Cantabrian side of the Picos: a small medieval town with a good selection of casas rurales and small hotels. Casa Gustavo in Potes is a reliable mid-range choice. On the Asturian side, Cangas de Onís has most options; Hotel Puente Romano by the old bridge is the obvious splurge.

Getting There

The nearest airports are Asturias (OVD, near Avilés, about 90km from Cangas de Onís) and Santander (SDR, about 80km from Potes). Car hire from either airport is the practical option — public transport into the heart of the park is very limited.

April to June and September are the best months. July and August are warm and popular; January-February can bring snow to the upper elevations, though lower trails remain accessible.