Picos de Europa

A dramatic limestone mountain range shared by Cantabria, Asturias and León, offering some of Spain's most spectacular hiking, gorges and peaks. The Cantabrian side provides stunning access points for trekking and cable car rides to breathtaking viewpoints.

Things to do

• Ride the Fuente Dé cable car — A dramatic teleférico whisks you nearly 800 meters up a sheer limestone wall to the Áliva plateau in just four minutes, opening up panoramic views over the Picos de Europa massif.
• Hike from the Mirador del Cable — From the cable car's upper station, trails lead across high alpine meadows toward Refugio de Áliva with sweeping views toward the Torre de Horcados Rojos and Naranjo de Bulnes.
• Walk the Cares Gorge trail — Known as the 'Ruta del Cares', this legendary path carved into vertical cliffs above the roaring Cares River is one of Spain's most spectacular gorge walks, starting from Poncebos.
• Visit Santo Toribio de Liébana Monastery — This ancient monastery near Potes holds a relic said to be the largest surviving fragment of the True Cross and offers views over the Liébana valley.
• Explore Potes — This charming stone-bridge town at the gateway to the Picos serves as the perfect base, with medieval towers, riverside cafés, and access roads into the mountains.
• Drive the Desfiladero de la Hermida — This narrow, towering gorge road cuts for over 20 kilometers between sheer rock walls, one of the most dramatic drives in northern Spain.
• Climb toward the Torre del Friero or Áliva peaks — Experienced hikers can push beyond the cable car station into high-altitude terrain among jagged peaks and grazing cows, following well-marked mountain routes.

Food to try

• Cocido lebaniego — A hearty chickpea stew with cabbage, morcilla, chorizo, and pork, traditionally eaten in Liébana valley villages around Potes.
• Queso picón Bejes-Tresviso — A pungent blue cheese aged in mountain caves near Bejes and Tresviso, considered one of Spain's finest artisanal blue cheeses.
• Orujo de Liébana — A potent local grape-pomace liqueur, often flavored with herbs or honey, traditionally sipped after meals in mountain villages.
• Alubias rojas del Cuera — Slow-cooked red beans stewed with local chorizo and pork, a warming dish typical of Cantabrian mountain cuisine.
• Quesada pasiega — A dense, lightly sweet baked cheesecake-like dessert originating from the Cantabrian valleys near the Picos.

Local customs & good to know

• Book the Fuente Dé cable car ahead — Queues can be long in summer, so reserving a timed ticket online in advance saves hours of waiting.
• Weather changes fast in the mountains — Even in summer, conditions can shift quickly from sun to fog or rain, so pack layers and check forecasts before hiking.
• Respect grazing livestock on trails — Cows, horses, and goats roam freely across mountain paths, and hikers should give them space and keep gates closed.
• Stay in a casa rural for local charm — Small family-run rural guesthouses in villages like Potes or Tresviso offer an authentic, low-key base for exploring the range.