Discover the breathtaking beauty of Spain’s Picos de Europa, where jagged limestone peaks soar above lush valleys, ancient beech and oak forests, and dramatic gorges carved deep into the earth. Highlights include classic valley rambles, exhilarating gorge traverses, and rewarding ascents to panoramic summits, revealing the Covadonga lakes, the awe-inspiring Cares Gorge, and a mosaic of traditional villages and pristine mountain wilderness.

Ideal for walkers of all abilities, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook features 38 graded day walks and 4 short treks (3–4 days) through the regions of Cangas de Onís, Cabrales, Liébana, Valdeón, and Sajambre. Each route uncovers the striking karst landscapes and rich biodiversity that have made the Picos de Europa a jewel among Spain’s mountain ranges.

• Walks are graded by difficulty, making it easy to select an adventure that matches your experience and ambition. Many routes take advantage of the area’s well-connected valleys, offering easy access to the heart of Spain’s first National Park.
• Explore celebrated Picos de Europa destinations, including Cangas de Onís, Cabrales, Liébana, Valdeón, and Sajambre, as well as classic routes to the Covadonga lakes and through the Cares Gorge. Walks range from gentle 6km (4-mile) strolls to challenging 22km (14-mile) hikes, with walking times from 3 to 8 hours.
• The Picos de Europa are best enjoyed between May and October, when wildflowers fill the valleys, and stable weather prevails, though many routes can be enjoyed year-round, even in winter.
• Features 1:50,000 maps and downloadable GPX tracks for every walk, ensuring straightforward navigation and confident route-finding in these striking mountain landscapes. Each route includes an at-a-glance information box with distance, ascent and descent, estimated time, grade, start and finish points, public transport options, and accommodation, ideal for planning your Spanish mountain adventure.
• Practical guidance covers everything you need for your trip: essential equipment, preparation, travel and access, accommodation choices from campsites to luxury hotels, mountain safety, local cuisine, and advice for botanists and wildlife enthusiasts.
• Includes summary tables for quick route comparison, review highlights, distance, grade (Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Very Difficult), and estimated duration to easily plan your walks and treks.

Plan your adventure in the Picos de Europa with this definitive Cicerone guidebook and discover a region of limitless variety, where every path leads to new wonders and the spirit of Spanish mountain adventure awaits.

Walking in the Picos de Europa – Quick Facts

Location: Northern Spain, Picos de Europa National Park
Number of routes: 38 day walks, 4 short treks (3–4 days)
Distance: 6–24 km (4–15 miles) per day walk; 42–70 km (26–43 miles) per trek
Duration: 3–10 hours per walk; 3–4 days per trek
Areas covered: Cangas de Onís, Cabrales, Liébana, Valdeón, Sajambre
Route type: Well-marked valley walks, gorge paths, high-mountain trails, and multi-day treks
Difficulty: Easy strolls to challenging summit hikes (graded in four categories)
Terrain: Jagged limestone peaks, deep gorges, alpine lakes, pristine beech and oak forests, rural villages
Navigation: 1:50,000 maps, detailed route descriptions, downloadable GPX tracks
Best season: May to October (many valley walks are possible year-round)
Highlights: Covadonga lakes, Cares Gorge, panoramic summits, wildflower meadows, traditional culture
Equipment: Sturdy walking boots, layered clothing, waterproofs, and a camera (especially for botanists)
Accommodation: Valley hotels, hostels (albergues), self-catering cottages, campsites, and camper-van facilities in select towns

Author Highlight

“The Pyrenees, the Sierra Nevada, the Guadarrama to the north of Madrid… the list of mountain ranges in Spain is as extensive as the country itself. But in the minds of many, the Picos de Europa are the jewel in the Spanish crown. This tiny gem, only 30km by 25km in size, climbs to over 2500m in numerous places, but plunges to below 100m in others, offering, as a result, walking for all tastes…  Add to the equation the first-rate options for accommodation, the rich and varied cuisine, the favourable northern Spanish climate, plus the chance to mix demanding mountain days with long afternoons lazing on the beach, and you have all of the ingredients for an unforgettable holiday."

- Robin Walker, author of Walking in the Picos de Europa

CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
Preface
INTRODUCTION
Location and geography
Geology
Climate and weather
Plants and flowers
Wildlife
The National Park
Getting there
Getting around
Language and money
Where to stay
When to visit
What to take
Maps
GPS in the Picos
Roads, tracks and paths
Safety
Emergencies
Using this guide
CANGAS DE ONÍS
Walk 1 La Cruz de Priena
Walk 2 La Majada de Belbín
Walk 3 La Buferrera and Los Lagos
Walk 4 Covadonga from Los Lagos
Walk 5 Ario and El Jultayu
Walk 6 El Mirador de Ordiales
Walk 7 Tour of the Torre de Santa María
Walk 8 Torre les Travieses
Walk 9 La Jocica and La Senda del Arcediano
CABRALES
Walk 10 Pueblos de Cabrales
Walk 11 Cabeza de Juanrobre
Walk 12 El Cuetón
Walk 13 Monte Camba
Walk 14 Vao los Llobos
Walk 15 Pico de San Carlos
Walk 16 Pica el Jierru
Walk 17 Colláu Cambureru
Walk 18 Cabrones and Urriellu
LIÉBANA
Walk 19 Pueblos de Liébana
Walk 20 Pico Jano
Walk 21 Vega de Liordes
Walk 22 Alto la Padierna
Walk 23 El Cable and La Jenduda
Walk 24 Peña Vieja
Walk 25 Los Puertos de Áliva
Walk 26 Peña Oviedo
VALDEÓN
Walk 27 Pico Cebolleda
Walk 28 La Torre Salinas
Walk 29 Collado Jermoso
Walk 30 El Valle del Arenal
Walk 31 Pueblos de Valdeón
Walk 32 La Travesona
Walk 33 The Cares Gorge
SAJAMBRE
Walk 34 Pica Beza
Walk 35 Vega Huerta
Walk 36 Pico Jario
Walk 37 Pueblos de Sajambre
Walk 38 Sajambre es Bosque
TREKKING
Trek 1 Tour of the Western Massif
Trek 2 Tour of the Central Massif
Trek 3 Tour of the Eastern Massif
Trek 4 Ruta de la Reconquista – GR 202
Appendix A Useful contacts and website addresses
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Huts of the Picos de Europa

Seasons

The Picos de Europa can be visited at any time, but May–June are best for the meadows of the lower and middle mountains, and July–September for the high summits.

Centres

Cangas de Onís, Covadonga, Arenas de Cabrales, Bulnes, Sotres, Panes, Potes, Fuente Dé, Posada de Valdeón, Caín, Oseja de Sajambre, Amieva

Difficulty

The routes are graded from easy to very difficult and take anything from 3 hours to a full day. In the lower and middle mountains, walks follow tracks and paths and navigation is generally straightforward. In the high mountains, paths can be vague and exposed and require good navigation skills. Steep climbs and descents mark many middle and high mountain routes.

Must See

El Naranjo de Bulnes, Torrecerredo, Peña Vieja, Peña Santa de Castilla, Morra de Lechugales, Collado Jermoso, Vega de Liordes, Jou de los Cabrones, Jou Santu, the Cares Gorge, the Canal de Trea, the Covadonga lakes, the Mirador de Ordiales, poljes, Griffon, Egyptian and Bearded vultures

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