Places of interest in Picos de Europa National Park

Probably the most incredible national park in Spain, perhaps even in the whole of Europe, Picos de Europa is one of the few truly unspoiled areas of the country that is still unaffected by large numbers of tourists. The contrasts within these 300 square miles of spectacular natural beauty that link Cantabria and Asturias are amazing. Why not take a deep breath and try to imagine that you are there?

Amazing Beauty

Looking up you can see a series of dramatic rocky mountain peaks rising to well over 8,000 feet, their sharp jagged edges clearly defined against the pale blue skyline. Then, casting your eyes down a little from these summits, the first signs of colourful mountain flowers begin to appear. Scattered and sparse at first, they gradually increase in frequency the lower you look. You spot a small mountain village tucked away in the higher slopes and wonder at its sheer isolation - there is obviously no road access of any kind up there. How much of the modern world has bypassed this secluded community, you wonder? It would be fascinating to find out.

Still pondering on the possibility of this, you allow your gaze to drop lower still, and suddenly you are down amongst the mountain's lower reaches. Green has become the predominant colour - every shade of green imaginable. You can see rolling hills lush with vegetation, gorges that plunge vertically down into deep river valleys, sparkling lakes, and forests that seem to hold a million tantalising secrets. It's an adventure playground just begging to be explored.

Wildlife

A golden eagle glides gracefully overhead, a timely reminder that however much you may feel at one with this natural paradise, you are in fact merely sharing it with a huge variety of wildlife. For some endangered species such as the European brown bear and asturcon, this is one of their few remaining protected refuges. The asturcon is a shaggy, rather small wild horse, so small that it could easily be mistaken for a toy pony.

Far more commonly sighted are chamois. Thanks to the total ban on hunting here, these nimble creatures have little fear of humans, and will usually allow you to plenty of opportunities for good camera close ups. Up in the skies, apart from golden eagles, other birds you can expect to frequently catch a sight of are peregrine falcons, short-toed eagles, black woodpeckers, snow finches and literally hundreds of other smaller species.

Get Active!

Throughout the park there are opportunities for any number of outdoor activities should you feel inclined - horse riding, fishing, white water rafting, and of course climbing to name just a few. There's no doubt that some of the peaks here would present a stiff challenge to even the most intrepid mountaineering enthusiast, but others, despite their awesome appearance, are relatively easy to climb by following well-trodden trails.

In some cases there is also the option of getting to the top the easy way via a cable car. Whichever method you choose, the views from any given summit on a clear day are never less than spectacular. And as for wondering about those secluded mountain villages - yes, you'll find that virtually all aspects of the modern world have indeed passed them by. For anyone used to the cultures and commercialism of the 21st century, it is an almost unbelievable experience and education to mingle with these hardy, self-sufficient people and witness a traditional way of life that has all but disappeared from most other parts of Europe.

The best way to enjoy the park is by car

So what is the best way to enjoy the many delights that the Picos de Europa National Park can offer? Certainly for generally getting around, a car is essential. The N-621 highway leading from Santander takes you quickly and easily right through the heart of the park in virtually a straight line, and this one major road is joined by almost all of the area's important subsidiary routes.  With such an uncomplicated arrangement, navigation should be a fairly simple matter no matter which part you are heading for.

Finding the perfect holiday

Finding the holiday accommodation that is exactly right for you shouldn't be much of a problem either. The Brittany Ferries' range of holiday brochures features a superb choice of casas, villas, hotels, paradores, apartments and chalet camping, all located either within the park itself or just a very short drive away.