Where is it?
Lying in the Cordillera Cantábrica, astride a ridge between the autonomous regions of Asturias, Castilla y León and Cantabria. The Park covers an area of 67,455 hectares, lying within 11 municipalities and three provinces. See the shortest route from Castilla Termal Balneario de Solares.
Why is the Picos de Europa National Park of interest?
The Picos de Europa National Park holds an enormous historical, cultural and artistic heritage within its spectacular scenery. Here you can enjoy a landscape of fauna and nature unique in Spain. From its heights of up to 2,650 metres, you can glimpse how close the coast is, with points at which the sea lies only 15 kilometres to the north. This unique feature confers an enormous variety of landscapes on the Picos de Europa.
Its history
For us to enjoy its current topography, more than 300 million years and the passage of different civilisations have been necessary. A landscape made up of great mountains, gorges of crystalline water and lush valleys covered in forests and meadows.
We'll take a trip through its history, going back to the second and first centuries BC, with the appearance of the Celtic peoples, old-time settlers of the mountains, a people prone to deifying the phenomena and elements of nature, and also outstanding warriors.
Seven centuries later, the crags of the Picos de Europa served as the protection the Astur people needed from the Moors, and their forests and rocky massifs were the backdrop to the Battle of Covadonga, when King Pelayo, with a small army, enjoyed a victory over the Muslims. Here, the Reconquest ("Reconquista"), which was to last another 700 years, was born.
As the Middle Ages advanced, the creation of churches, monasteries and little villages, with their tracks around the Picos de Europa, took place.
In 1918, around the twelve hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Covadonga, the mountain of Covadonga and the massif of Peña Santa were declared a national park. However, not until 30 May 1995 did the Spanish parliament approve its extension, declaring the modern Picos de Europa National Park.
Would you like to visit?
There exists the possibility of free guided visits to the National Park. These visits take place in July, August and September, and cover a route which is easy at first, and then becomes harder or difficult. The groups are small, with no more than 20 persons per guide, and never fewer than 3.
By clicking here, you can send queries, see the FAQ and book your visit to the National Park.
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