Picos de Europa and Our Lady of Covadonga in Cantabria (Spain)

The Picos de Europa (“Peaks of Europe”, also the Picos) are a mountain range extending for about 20 km, forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain. The range is situated in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León. The highest peak is Torre de Cerredo, at an elevation of 2650 m.
A widely accepted origin for the name is that they were the first sight of Europe for ships arriving from the Americas’

Most of the region is now protected as a single Picos de Europa National Park in Cantabria, Asturias and León provinces of Spain; the Asturian part was Spain’s first National Park. Access is via minor roads to each of the three massifs from the north and from the south to the aerial tramway at Fuente Dé and to Caín at the head of the Cares Canyon.

In less than four minutes, this spine-tingling cable car whisks visitors 753m up to the top of the sheer southern wall of the Picos’ central massif (1823m), from where hikers and climbers can venture further in.

Cantabrian brown bears and wolves live in the more remote regions. Rebeccos are fairly frequently seen.
The Picos de Europa contain many of world’s deepest caves, including Torca del Cerro (−1589 m), Sima de la Cornisa (−1507 m), Torca los Rebecos (−1255 m) and Pozo del Madejuno (−1252 m). Discovery of new caves and their exploration still continues.
Fantastic tour for mountain sport lovers, hiking.

Special mention to Cangas de Onis. “valleys of Onís”. Is a municipality in the eastern part of the province.

More than seventy square kilometers of Cangas de Onis, form part of the Picos de Europa National Park. Within the park is the village of Covadonga were we found the Covadonga Sanctuary, a construction made on the same cave and rock were was founded the image of Our Lady of Covadonga and its surrounding lakes are one of the main tourist destinations in Asturies.

Cheeses.– The Picos support a dwindling group of shepherds who move up from the valleys in the summer with their sheep, goats, cows, and an occasional pig. The area is famed for its piquant blue cheeses, such as Cabrales cheese and Picón Tresviso Bejes.

The jagged, deeply fissured Picos de Europa straddle southeast Asturias, southwest Cantabria and northern Castilla y León, offering some of Spain’s finest walking country – and some of Europe’s most spectacular mountain scenery.

Iberinbound, iberinbound@iberinbound.com incoming travel agency in Cantabria, is at your service to organize a tailor-made holiday for all ages, genders and preferences. Spain is an appealing destination for active tourism.