A weekend in Asturias: hiking in Picos de Europa

I went to Picos de Europa last weekend to meet up with one of my best friends.

I didn’t find many articles about that place online so I didn’t know what to expect…

It turns out, Picos de Europa are quite spectacular. Impressive rocky mountain highs, endless gorges and hidden valleys made it the perfect place for a relaxing weekend. Even if getting there can be a bit complicated, it remains convenient enough for occasional travelers like me.

I only had 4 days in the Picos, but I could have easily spent a few weeks there. There are so many hiking trails that deserve your attention. There’s literally hundreds of miles worth of mountains and (dangerous!) rocky paths.

Where and what are the Picos de Europa

The Picos de Europa are located in the Asturias and Cantabria. It’s a five-our drive from Madrid and approximatively two hours from Santander.

Walking in the Picos

Walking information – particularly guidebooks – is fairly limited if you don’t speak or read Spanish. If, like me, you don’t have a Spanish friend handy, get prepared to google a lot…

Walking in the Picos de Europa is so rewarding. The marking is abundant so you don’t need to spend hours on your Google Maps or Maps.me to find where to go. Just relax and enjoy the scenery… Oh and also, bring a lot of water because they are not many drinkable fountains or streams (especially in summer).

Beyond walking

In addition to walking, this region is praised for its delicious wine, gorgeous cheese (the area is famous for Cabrales) and fabada (a delicious stew with white beans, chorizo, pork belly and morcilla).