Picos de Europa National Park

Picos de Europa National Park is a protected mountain area in northern Spain covering parts of Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León, recognized for its dramatic limestone peaks, deep gorges and high mountain pastures.

The park offers extensive hiking networks, well-known features such as the Cares Gorge (Ruta del Cares), the Lakes of Covadonga and alpine-access facilities like the Fuente Dé cable car. Trails range from valley walks to high mountain routes and are widely used by day hikers and multi-day trekkers.

Historically the high pastures were used for transhumant grazing and small mountain communities; over the 20th century the region gained legal protection and infrastructure to support recreation while conserving its karst landscapes and biodiversity.

The park lies along Spain’s northern Cantabrian range, inland from the Bay of Biscay and roughly between the cities of Oviedo and Santander, with multiple valley entry points on the Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León sides.

• Access point: The Fuente Dé cable car shortens ascent into the central massif and is a major access point for hikers and sightseers.
• Signature trail: The Ruta del Cares is a long, well-known hiking route through a deep limestone gorge that is often walked as a day trip between valley villages.

What to See #

• Cares Gorge (Ruta del Cares): A limestone gorge trail that links villages in Cantabria and Asturias, renowned for its dramatic cliffs and a well-maintained walking route known as the Ruta del Cares.
• Lakes of Covadonga: A group of glacial lakes and a shrine area near Covadonga that serves as a popular gateway for visitors and pilgrims to the park's southern valleys.
• Fuente Dé cable car: A cable car at Fuente Dé providing rapid access from the valley floor to high mountain trails and viewpoints in the central massif.