Picos de Europa

In October 2020 we swapped cities for mountains. We packed the car, left Porto early on a Saturday morning and drove north to the Picos de Europa, the national park that sits between Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León.

Expect green valleys, tiny stone villages, lakes up in the clouds, gorges carved by rivers and some of the best cheese in Spain. Also expect fog. A lot of fog. It is part of the charm (most of the time).

We slept in a different village every night, so the trip works as a loop: Cangas de Onís, then Arenas de Cabrales, then Potes, and back home.

Tip: Bring proper walking shoes, layers and a raincoat, even if the forecast looks good. The weather in the mountains changes in minutes.

Day 0 - Porto to Asturias, the scenic way

We left Porto at 8am and took the long way up, along the AP-9 and the A-8, stopping along the coast of Galicia and Asturias:

• Pontevedra, with its pretty, compact old town.
• Santiago de Compostela, for a walk around the Cathedral and the Praza do Obradoiro, where the pilgrims finish the Camino.
• A Coruña, by the sea, with the Roman Tower of Hercules, the oldest working lighthouse in the world.
• Oviedo, the elegant capital of Asturias, with its Gothic cathedral and cider houses.
• Gijón, on the coast, for a last stretch of the legs by the beach before heading inland.

It makes for a long day in the car, but every stop breaks it up nicely.

Day 1 - Cangas de Onís, Covadonga and the Lakes

1. Cangas de Onís

The gateway to the Picos de Europa and a great base for the first night. The main points of interest:

• The municipal market, where local producers sell their artisan cheeses.
• The Church of Santa Eulalia.
• The Roman bridge over the River Sella, with the Victory Cross hanging under its arch.
• The Visitor Centre of the Picos de Europa National Park, good for maps and trail information.

2. Covadonga

About 9 km (11 minutes) from Cangas, Covadonga is one of the most visited places in the park. The pink stone Basilica sits on the mountainside, and next to it is the Santa Cueva, a cave in the rock with the Virgin of Covadonga and the tomb of King Pelayo, the first king of Asturias.

3. Lakes of Covadonga

Another 13 km (25 minutes) of winding road takes you up to the Lakes of Covadonga: Enol, Ercina and Bricial. Several trails start here.

The best way to see all of them is the PR-PNPE 2 trail, a 5 km loop that passes all the lakes and the old Buferrera mines. Cows, mist, mirror-like water, a very peaceful walk.

Parking was €2 for the whole day in 2020.

Night: Hotel Los Lagos Nature, in Cangas de Onís.

Day 2 - Poo de Cabrales, Poncebos and Bulnes

1. Poo de Cabrales

A small village with one of the best (and easiest to reach) viewpoints over the most iconic peak of the Picos de Europa, the Naranjo de Bulnes, also known as Pico Urriellu.

2. Poncebos

Just 7 km further, Poncebos is basically the starting point for the walk up to Bulnes (and for the Ruta del Cares, more on that tomorrow).

3. Bulnes

A tiny, isolated village in the mountains, with no road access. There are only two ways to get there: on foot, or with an underground funicular that climbs through the mountain.

We walked the Canal del Texu path, 4 km uphill (8 km return). It is steep, but the views over the gorge make up for it, and arriving at the stone houses of Bulnes feels like a little prize.

4. Naranjo de Bulnes (Pico Urriellu)

The most emblematic mountain of the Picos de Europa, with its huge orange-tinted rock wall. From Bulnes, a short extra walk takes you to a spot where you can see it.

Night: Hotel Los Ángeles, in Arenas de Cabrales.

Day 3 - Arenas de Cabrales and the Ruta del Cares

1. Arenas de Cabrales

Famous for Cabrales cheese, one of the best blue cheeses in the world, aged in natural caves in the mountains. Don't leave without trying it (and maybe bringing some home, if you can handle the smell in the car).

2. Ruta del Cares

The rest of the day was all about the most famous trail in the Picos de Europa, the Ruta del Cares, also known as the Divine Gorge. It starts in Poncebos and follows the River Cares through a deep canyon all the way to Caín.

It is 12 km each way, so 24 km there and back. Long, but mostly flat, carved into the rock with tunnels, bridges and vertical walls on both sides. One of the most impressive walks we have ever done.

Tip: Start early, bring plenty of water and snacks, and keep an eye on the time, it gets dark early in October.

Night: Hotel Valdecori, in Potes.

Day 4 - Potes, Sotres and Fuente Dé

1. Potes

A lovely stone village where four valleys meet, surrounded by mountains on all sides. Don't miss:

• The Torre del Infantado, a medieval tower in the centre of town.
• The medieval bridges of San Cayetano and La Cárcel, over the River Quiviesa.

2. Church of Santa María de Lebeña

On the road through the Hermida gorge you pass this small 10th-century Mozarabic church, set against the mountains. A quick but beautiful stop.

3. Sotres

The highest village in the Picos de Europa, at the end of a twisty mountain road. Quiet, stony and surrounded by peaks.

4. Fuente Dé

Fuente Dé is famous for its cable car, which climbs 753 metres in just four minutes to the Mirador del Cable, at 1,834 metres. On a clear day the views from the top are magnificent, and several hiking routes start up there.

Our day was not a clear day. The fog and the snow were so heavy that we didn't go up. Seeing the cable car disappear into a white wall was enough for us! So it stays on the list for next time.

In 2020 the cable car cost €11 one way and €17 return, from 10am to 6pm.

From Fuente Dé we drove all the way back to Porto, tired, muddy and very happy.

Where to Sleep?

• Cangas de Onís: Hotel Los Lagos Nature.
• Arenas de Cabrales: Hotel Los Ángeles.
• Potes: Hotel Valdecori.

Sleeping in a different village each night means less driving back and forth, and you wake up every morning right where the day's walk begins.