What you get on this adventure: An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area 8-day hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain (5 guided hikes) All airport and trail transfers Luggage transfers Meals indicated in the itinerary Accommodation (7 days en-suite hotel accommodation based on double occupancy) What’s not included: Flights to and from Spain Extra days in Bilbao or Santander — can be arranged, please indicate at checkout Drinks with meals Meals not indicated in the itinerary Guide gratuities — optional

How fit do I need to be?

This hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain requires good fitness levels and some hiking experience. The trek involves 4-7 hours of daily hiking over mountain terrain, covering distances of 12-24 km (7.5-15 miles) with elevation changes between 500-1,200 m (1,640-3,937ft). While the cable car and funicular options provide some flexibility on tougher days, you’ll need stamina for five consecutive days of hiking, including exposed paths in the Cares Gorge. If you regularly exercise and have some experience with day hikes and uneven terrain, you will enjoy this adventure! For more hiking adventures in Spain, click here!

What do I need to bring?

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring: Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 25-40L bag) Hiking poles — optional Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity) Lightweight hiking boots or shoes Comfortable hiking clothes Spare clothes for layering Waterproof rain jacket Sunhat Sunglasses Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, blister plasters etc.) Headlamp or flashlight Sunglasses Camera — optional (but recommended) Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Group sizes and age requirements

Group sizes and pricing For this hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 12:1. It takes a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 12 participants. A hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements. Min. age requirements If you are older than 16, you’re good to go. Minors younger than 16 may be permitted to join this hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. If your group has hikers under the age of 16, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Getting there and meeting location

The starting point of your hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain is Espinama. To get there, most people fly into Bilbao Airport (BIO) or Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport (SDR). A transfer will be arranged to take you from either airport to your hotel in Espinama on Day 1 of the tour.

Safety measures and insurance

Medical and travel protection is mandatory to join this hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible , simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner! Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered. Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!

Hiking the Picos de Europa: Northern Spain’s Finest Trails

Hikers on a dirt road with a view of village houses and mountains

Two hikers meet a donkey on a mountain trail

Hiker in a narrow tunnel in the Cares Gorge near Cain

View of the valley and mountains from the cable car in Fuente De

Rocky trail with a view of the valley on the route from Fuente De to Sotres

View of a valley and peak on the route to Poncebos

View of a village in the valley on the circular route to Sotres

PICOS DE EUROPA | SPAIN

Hiking the Picos de Europa: Northern Spain’s Finest Trails

5.00 ()

Season

June to October

Duration

8 days (5 days of hiking)

Accommodation

Comfortable 2- to 4-star mountain and city hotels

Difficulty

Guides

Ibex Trex Walking Holidays, Dan Shaffrey

Book a call

From $900 () / 8 days

Intro
Itinerary
Brochure
Guides
Accommodation
Reviews
Things to know

The Picos de Europa once guided sailors home to Spain; now they guide hikers to some of Europe’s finest trails. These limestone giants house the continent’s deepest gorge and countless chamois in their ancient walls. Over 8 days, we’ll cross the Eastern and Central massifs on paths carved first by glaciers, then by generations of shepherds. With trail choices to match your style, cozy nights in family-run mountain hotels, and a break from the mountains in vibrant Bilbao or Santander, this adventure brings together the best of northern Spain.

Adventure highlights

Trek Spain's finest trails

Sky-high gorge walls, ancient shepherd trails, wildlife sightings—¡dios mío!
Pick your pace

Crush the full route or save your legs—you call the shots
Leave your tent at home

Enjoy a warm meal and a proper bed after each day’s adventure

Download itinerary

Itinerary

Trek across northern Spain's most dramatic peaks on this 8-day hiking adventure across the Picos de Europa. With an expert guide, we’ll tackle five days of classic trails through limestone giants, including Europe's deepest gorge, and cap our mountain week in Bilbao. All the details are sorted: comfortable en-suite rooms in family hotels, daily luggage transfers between stops, all trail transport, and key meals featuring regional cuisine. Our experienced guide knows these peaks inside out, from the best photo spots to the richest local stories. Ready to explore Spain's wildest peaks?

After meeting at Bilbao or Santander airport, an airport transfer will take you to Espinama. In the evening, we gather for a welcome dinner with the guide and get an overview of our hiking adventure ahead. We’ll get to know each other in this quiet mountain setting.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Posada Sobrevilla III
Our first hike begins with a transfer to Fuente De, where El Cable (a cable car) will lift us into the high mountains. Our circular route to Refugio Veronica will show us our first glance at Picos de Europa, with sweeping views of rugged peaks and limestone formations. We’ll return to Espinama for dinner at a local restaurant and trade stories of our first day on the trails.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking time: 5-6 hours
Hiking distance: 12 km / 7.5 miles
Elevation: +600 m / +1,969 ft, -600 m / -1,969 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Posada Sobrevilla III
We’ll begin our second hike with a transfer to Fuente De. From there, we’ll either walk up to the plateau or catch El Cable. Today we’ll traverse the Central Massif from Fuente De to the mountain village of Sotres. Our path will weave through stark limestone landscapes and bring us to the foot of the legendary Naranjo de Bulnes peak. We pause for lunch at the mountain refuge under its imposing face before a beautiful long descent into the valley to reach Sotres, our home for the next two nights.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking time: 5-7 hours
Hiking distance: 13 km / 8.1 miles
Elevation: +500 m / +1,640 ft, -500 m / -1,640 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Cipriano or Hotel Pena Castil
Today we’ll explore the pastoral landscapes around Sotres. Our route will cross grazing lands with stunning views down the Rio Duje Valley. We’ll pass abandoned farmsteads, then descend to Tielve and follow an ancient mule trail back to Sotres.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking time: 4-6 hours
Hiking distance: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Elevation: +700 m / +2,297 ft, -700 m / -2,297 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Cipriano or Hotel Pena Castil
We’ll walk out of Sotres and over Collado Pondebano to reach Bulnes, an isolated village that remained accessible only by foot until 2001. After lunch in Bulnes, we’ll either take the funicular or walk through a stunning gorge down to Poncebos, before a short transfer to Arenas de Cabrales for the evening.

Alternatively, we can walk to the iconic Naranjo de Bulnes on our return for a longer, but beautiful walk.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking distance: 13 km / 8.1 miles (Naranjo de Bulnes hike: 17 km / 10.6 miles)
Elevation: +1,200 m / +3,937 ft, -700 m / -2,297 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Juansabeli
Our final mountain day will takes through the legendary Garganta del Gorge, where a 12 km / 7.5 miles long historic pathway carved into the cliff walls weaves through tunnels and along dramatic ledges, all the way up to the village of Cain. We can walk the full route to Cain and back or turn around whenever we wish. The gorge’s walls rise 1,500 m / 4,921 ft above us, creating one of Europe’s most spectacular walking routes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: up to 24 km / 15 miles
Elevation: +1,000 m / +3,281 ft, -1,000 m / -3,281 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Juansabeli
We leave the mountains behind and head to the city! Depending on the group’s flight schedule, we’ll head to either Bilbao or Santander. The day is yours to explore the city, visit the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao or the Centro Botín in Santander, try some excellent tapas, or enjoy the city’s attractions in your own way!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 3-star city hotel
After breakfast, we transfer to the airports in Bilbao or Santander, carrying memories of a week in Spain’s most dramatic mountains.

Meals: Breakfast

Hiking the Picos de Europa: Northern Spain’s Finest Trails

Adventure Brochure

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Talk with us and let one of our adventure experts help you plan your perfect adventure.

Meet your guides

5.00

Ibex has been creating and guiding great adventures in Spain since 2006. Hiking and showing the beautiful country of Spain to new hiking friends are the main goals of Ibex Trex. The guides are experienced in guiding and tour management, and customers can enjoy the guides’ knowledge on flora and fauna, history, and culture.

5.00

Dan Shaffrey

After two decades of living in Spain and leading mountain adventures, Dan knows northern Spain’s peaks like his backyard. Beyond the trails, Dan brings the region's wildlife, history, and culture to life with stories gathered from years of exploring Spain's wild corners.

Accommodation

Comfortable 2- to 4-star hotels

The mountain stretch of our journey across the Picos connects three key bases: Posada Sobrevilla in Espinama with its spacious en-suite rooms, a comfortable two-star hotel in Sotres (Casa Cipriano or Peña Castil), and the charming Hotel Juansabeli in Arenas de Cabrales. For our final night, we move to a three-star city hotel. Every property offers en-suite rooms and Wi-Fi, and most have restaurants on site. All bookings are double occupancy unless you request a single room.

5.00 (3 reviews)

Michael Frost (source: Google Reviews)

Would highly recommend. A throughly enjoyable weeks walking in Cantabria. Very well organised, excellent accommodation & food. A big shout out to our guide Dan for the fantastic walks, especially the Cares Gorge. An unforgettable experience. Many Thanks.

Sheila Duncan (source: Google Reviews)

Highly recommend this company. Excellent value and Dan dealt with all aspects of trip/our queries with good humour, and very informative of local history. Accommodation fantastic and memorable in all the right ways. Myself and group of friends thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would use again

Michael Gilbert (source: Google Reviews)

Quite simply a superb holiday in Cantabria Northern Spain. Great region to walk whilst leaving all the day to day arrangements to Ibex Trex who came up trumps in every way. Thank you Dan

Things to know

What you get on this adventure:
- - An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  - 8-day hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain (5 guided hikes)
  - All airport and trail transfers
  - Luggage transfers
  - Meals indicated in the itinerary
  - Accommodation (7 days en-suite hotel accommodation based on double occupancy)
What’s not included:
- - Flights to and from Spain
  - Extra days in Bilbao or Santander — can be arranged, please indicate at checkout
  - Drinks with meals
  - Meals not indicated in the itinerary
  - Guide gratuities — optional
This hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain requires good fitness levels and some hiking experience. The trek involves 4-7 hours of daily hiking over mountain terrain, covering distances of 12-24 km (7.5-15 miles) with elevation changes between 500-1,200 m (1,640-3,937ft).

While the cable car and funicular options provide some flexibility on tougher days, you’ll need stamina for five consecutive days of hiking, including exposed paths in the Cares Gorge. If you regularly exercise and have some experience with day hikes and uneven terrain, you will enjoy this adventure!

For more hiking adventures in Spain, click here!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
- - Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 25-40L bag)
  - Hiking poles — optional
  - Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
  - Lightweight hiking boots or shoes
  - Comfortable hiking clothes
  - Spare clothes for layering
  - Waterproof rain jacket
  - Sunhat
  - Sunglasses
  - Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, blister plasters etc.)
  - Headlamp or flashlight
  - Sunglasses
  - Camera — optional (but recommended)
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and pricing
- - For this hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 12:1.
  - It takes a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 12 participants.
A hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements
- - If you are older than 16, you’re good to go.
  - Minors younger than 16 may be permitted to join this hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has hikers under the age of 16, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
The starting point of your hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain is Espinama. To get there, most people fly into Bilbao Airport (BIO) or Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport (SDR). A transfer will be arranged to take you from either airport to your hotel in Espinama on Day 1 of the tour.
Medical and travel protection is mandatory to join this hiking tour of Picos de Europa in Spain. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!

Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
Deposits

You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.

Cancellations

Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:

Basic
- - In case of cancellation within 48 hours after booking, the amount paid is fully refundable.
  - For cancellations 60 or more days before the trip, you are eligible for a 70% refund of the trip price.
  - For cancellations 0-59 days before the trip, there is no refund.
Flexible
- - In case of cancellation within 48 hours after booking, the amount paid is fully refundable.
  - For cancellations 60 or more days before the trip, you are eligible for a full refund of the trip price.
  - For cancellations 30-59 days before the trip, you are eligible for a 50% refund of the trip price.
  - For cancellations 0-29 days before the trip, there is no refund.
Super Flexible
- - In case of cancellation within 48 hours after booking, the amount paid is fully refundable.
  - For cancellations 30 or more days before the trip, you are eligible for a full refund of the trip price.
  - For cancellations 0-29 days before the trip, you are eligible for a 50% refund of the trip price.
57hours partners with Redpoint Travel Protection, offering you a fully integrated program with a single point of contact for all your needs, from emergency services to travel assistance and protection claims. We highly recommend purchasing a comprehensive protection policy from Redpoint, which will protect you both before and during your travels. Before your departure, your investment is protected by the trip cancellation benefit. Once you depart, your policy provides coverage for trip interruption, medical assistance and rescue, baggage loss, trip delay, and more. Once you complete booking with 57hours, we'll create bespoke quote for you (and your group), making sure you're fully protected for the adventure ahead.