Highlights of the Picos de Europa

Arrive at Arenas de Cabrales, the gateway to the Picos de Europa National Park, and your hotel for the week Hotel Torrecerredo. Below is a suggested itinerary for the week but you are free to pick and choose when and where you walk each day.

You stay at Hotel Torrecerredo.

hotel details

Hotel Torrecerredo, Arenas de Cabrales

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Your base for the week is the friendly, characterful Hotel Torrecerredo, managed by the owners Jim and Pilar for the past 30 years and situated only a few minutes walk from the town, Arenas de Cabrales. The Hotel has 19 individually decorated ensuite rooms, all with TV, wi-fi and heating for the colder months.

There is a lovely garden terrace and bar with views of the high Picos. From here you can relax and enjoy a drink at the end of the day. Your meals are taken in the upstairs restaurant with its magnificent views over Torre de Cerredo, the highest peak in the region. Breakfast includes cereals, fruit juice, ham, cheese, tea or coffee, cakes, toast & marmalade, as well as eggs cooked to order. We include picnic lunches on five of the days, which will typically be a good-sized roll with various fillings, a piece of fruit and a bar of chocolate.

Evening meals are included each night (apart from Wednesdays, when the restaurant is closed for the day). The restaurant specialises in local cuisine and has a set menu each evening for you. Typically, dinner comprises a homemade four-course meal of soup or salad to start, a choice of three main courses (meat, fish or vegetarian) and a homemade dessert. The hotel also has an excellent wine list with other beverages. On Wednesdays, there are a variety of restaurants for you to try in the town.

Experts on the area, Jim, Pilar and their team will assist you with booking a wide range of extra activities, give advice on the walks and local transport. You could decide to go canoeing, horse riding or take a canyoning trip, or a visit to the coast which can be done via bus and can also include a clifftop walk. All the walks can be easily reached from the hotel by local transport or taxi. The peaceful location is second to none and with such incredible mountain views all around, it's the perfect place if you decide to just take it easy at the hotel for a day.

Extra nights: Please contact us for details.

Starting out directly from the hotel, today you will wander up an ancient Roman path to the pastures high above. Leading to the summit of Juan Robre, this is a steep route, with the possibility of sighting eagles and vultures in the thermals and incredible views of Arenas de Cabrales below. The walk takes you back to the hotel.

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Your recommended walk today is the Senda de Caoru, a varied route bringing together the best of Asturian geography, incredible views and a chance to see some of the wildlife endemic to the region. Depending on the time of year, the transfer to the start can be by taxi or public bus (both payable locally) - the hotel can advise. It will drop you at the small village of Tielve, from there a climb up into the mountains takes you along the old roman road, the Cabeza de Caoru, some parts of the old laid stone work are still clearly visible as you descend back to Las Arenas and your hotel. There is nowhere to obtain refreshments until you return to Las Arenas so make sure you pick up your picnic from the hotel. On your return you may wish to visit the Cabrales Cheese Exhibition Cave (not to be missed).

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Partly man made, the 'Divine Gorge' trail, as it is also known, has been in operation since the 1940's when it was created as part of a hydroelectric maintenance route. Now it is one of the most popular in Spain, an incredible engineered path through the gorge, with spectacular mountain peaks all around. It is not one for those who do not like heights or tunnels, as there are a few bridges to cross and as the paths are carved directly into the rock, you will pass through around 70 tunnels, a most memorable day. You return along the same route giving you a different perspective on your return. Transfers to and from the end of the walk can be booked and paid for locally.

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Today we recommend a rest day. You may want to relax on the terrace with a good book, or take an easy stroll into the town for some shopping. As the hotel restaurant is closed, we recommend you dine at one of the local restaurants nearby, there are plenty to choose from. If a day of rest is not for you, try one of the other activities in the area, canoeing, a trip to the coast or horse-riding, the hotel team will be happy to assist.

Heading out today to the Covandonga Lakes, the route takes you through traditional farming land until you reach the municipality of Cangas de Onis and the three glacial lakes that make up Covadonga. The skies are normally full of the regional bird species here, corvids and raptors in particular and if you are lucky, you may even see vultures or an eagle. There are various trails all around the lakes of varying degrees of difficulty. On the way back you may wish to stop at the Santa Cueva and the Basilica of Covandonga, a place of pilgrim worship whose shrine is built into the rocks, and with an intricate natural spring. Transfers to and from the end of the walk can be booked and paid for locally.

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Your final day starts with a transfer to Poncebos, from where you can take the funicular up to Bulnes, an isolated village only accessible otherwise by foot. From Bulnes you continue on foot to the spectacular Texu Gorge. From there you follow paths through the valleys into the monumental Texu gorge and finish in the colourful village of Sotres, the highest village in the region. There are a few options to shorten the route today; the most obvious removes the 500m climb up from Poncebos, it does also remove the stunning views as you climb the gorge though. Alternatively you could climb up to Bulnes and then take the funicular back to Poncebos. Transfers to and from the end of the walk can be booked and paid for locally.

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Depart Arenas de Cabrales for your journey home, or travel onto Bilbao or Santander for a few extra nights