Picos de Europa National Park

Understand

The Picos de Europa are the westernmost limestone mountains of the Cantabrian range. Their terrain changes quickly from green valleys to pale limestone ridges, deep gorges, sinkholes, scree slopes and alpine meadows. The route passes some of the park’s best-known landscapes, including the Cares Gorge and the base of Picu Urriellu, also called Naranjo de Bulnes. The Anillo follows old shepherd paths, mountain tracks, mining routes and mountaineering approaches. It links a chain of mountain refuges, allowing hikers to spend several days high in the national park without descending to valley accommodation every night. The full Tres Macizos route is for experienced mountain hikers. Expect long days, steep descents, loose rock, exposed traverses, awkward limestone and navigation in fog. Some sections are marked with cairns or paint, but the route is not consistently waymarked. In bad weather, route-finding can become serious. The shorter variants are best understood as branches of the same network:

Anillo Vindio – the western-massif circuit. It normally uses Vega de Ario, Vegarredonda and Vegabaño, then returns by the Valdeón and Cares side instead of continuing into the central massif. Anillo Extrem – the western and central massifs. It continues through Collado Jermoso, Cabaña Verónica and Urriellu, but skips the eastern Ándara loop. Anillo Tres Macizos – the full route. It includes the Vindio and Extrem terrain, then adds the eastern Ándara massif.

Getting there

Poncebos is the most common starting point. It is reached by road from Arenas de Cabrales. In high season, private car access and parking around Poncebos may be restricted or crowded. A shuttle bus usually connects Arenas de Cabrales, the Ovar car park, Poncebos, Tielve and Sotres. Check current schedules before travelling. By public transport, long-distance buses reach Cangas de Onís, Arriondas, Arenas de Cabrales, Unquera and Potes from larger cities such as Oviedo, Santander and Bilbao. Local buses and taxis then connect to trailheads. Services are seasonal and infrequent. By car, Arenas de Cabrales is the main gateway for Poncebos and the Cares Gorge. Potes and Fuente Dé are useful for the southern and Cantabrian side of the park. Posada de Valdeón and Caín are useful for the León side. Roads are narrow, and parking may be regulated. The nearest airports are Asturias, Santander and Bilbao. Santander also has ferry connections from the United Kingdom. Trains are useful for reaching northern Spain, but the last leg into the Picos usually requires bus, taxi or car.

Go next

After finishing at Poncebos, return to Arenas de Cabrales by shuttle bus, taxi or car. Arenas has accommodation, restaurants and transport connections toward Cangas de Onís, Oviedo and Santander. Cangas de Onís is a good base for visiting Covadonga and the lakes. Potes and Fuente Dé give access to the Liébana side of the park. Nearby hiking options include the Covadonga Lakes circuit, the Ruta del Cares as a day walk, the Fuente Dé cable car and Horcados Rojos area, or shorter day hikes from Sotres and Bulnes. For a cultural change of pace, head to the Cantabrian coast at Llanes or San Vicente de la Barquera, or continue west into Asturias for Oviedo and the Camino Primitivo.