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Holiday Ideas : Picos de Europa - Mountain holiday in Northern Spain |
An outdoor holiday in the Picos |
The Picos de Europa National Park is the spectacular mountain range that runs across the North of Spain through the provinces of Cantabria and Asturias. The jutted limestone peaks, favourites with climbers, reach to over 2000m in places, and the three massifs of the range are also crossed south to north by sparkling, mountain rivers taking the snow melt through lush, green meadows to the Cantabrian sea close by. The area is dotted by pretty villages – some of them still very isolated – and busy market towns. The summer weather from mid June until mid September is usually excellent with midday temperatures in the high 20s although it can rain. The area is also popular in winter with seasoned climbers and walkers, who love the dramatic snow covered mountains. It's a great place for families with lots of opportunities for outdoor adventure sports and being less than half an hour from the Costa Verde with it's fine beaches and towns and fishing ports like Ribadesella, Llanes and San Vicente de la Barquera this is a hard to beat holiday destination. |
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Things to do in the Picos |
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This is now a favourite place for holidays for lovers of the outdoors, from occasional walkers to advanced mountaineers. There are well signposted walks along spectacular valleys; cable car rides to the high peaks; and a host of activity centres where you can enjoy canoeing trips, riding or 4x4 touring. The area is well developed for tourism without being overcrowded or spoilt. The villages and towns have maintained their traditional air, with many bars and restaurants serving home cooked food, and in summer many more open-air bars, music bars and snack bars add to a holiday atmosphere. The summer period also sees many local “fiestas”, where you can experience the traditions of the area, and don’t miss a visit to the Covadonga Monastery and the spectacular glacial lakes. One of the great advantages of this mountain range is it’s close proximity to the sea. Within an hour you can be on one of the beautiful Cantabrian beaches looking back up at the peaks. |
Where is the Picos de Europa? |
Between the provinces of Cantabria and Asturias on the Northern Spanish Coast. The best access is through Santander and Torrelavega from the east or Oviedo from the West and take the Autopista (motorway) A8 from either city. The two main towns at the borders of the Picos are; Panes in Cantabria and Cangas de Onis in Asturias. The central town for access to the northern peaks is Arenas de Cabrales and for the southern peaks and the cable car it is Potes. All of the four towns are well appointed with services for tourism and are lovely places to spend a day. |
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How to get there |
Flights: Ryanair flies to Santander from London Stansted and also to Valladolid from London Stansted (approximately 3 hours by car). Easyjet flies to Asturias from London Stansted and to Bilbao (approximately 2 hours by car). There are flights to Madrid from most UK airports (approximately 4.5 hours by car).
Brittany Ferries sails twice weekly from Plymouth to Santander.
Car hire is available at all Spanish airports from most major car hire firms. It is advisable to pre-book.
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Holiday accommodation in the Picos de Europa |
The holiday houses in the Picos de Europa on the Colours of Spain web site range from the simple and comfortable guest house with a welcoming owner to beautiful old restored Asturian barns with a more luxurious air. Some of the houses do simple bed and breakfast while others will offer more meals if requested. There are also apartments and whole houses for rent on site for groups staying longer. Whatever your choice or your budget you will find the Spanish owners of this area very friendly and welcoming. |
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How to find out more or make a reservation |
Make a shortlist of the holiday properties that you like. Click on the contact owner button to send an email to the owner. If the owner does not speak English use the bilingual dictionary to ask him questions. The Spanish are used to and expect questions about the holiday property. You may want to ask questions about availability, pricing for your group’s particular needs etc.
Wait 48 hours for the replies and then once you have made your decision write to the owner of the property and request instructions for how to make a reservation. The details of the reservation and deposit are in the original advertisement on the Colours of Spain website.
If you don’t get an answer to your emails or you find communication breaks down write to Colours of Spain with a copy of your email and the reference number of the house. Don’t just give up! We can usually solve most problems and it’s well worth it for the very different and enjoyable holiday you are going to have.
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Recommended holiday accommodation |
Click on the links below to see your choice of our recommended holiday accommodaton in the Picos area or the coast:
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