Picos de Europa (Peaks of Europe) is a range of limestone mountains in the north of Spain. The natural process of glaciations and corrosion over a period of 300 million years sculpted these mountains of limestone in to amazing landscape. This fabulous miracle of nature is situated along with the coasts of Spain.

El Torcal in Picos de Europa
Image © Jakub Botwicz

The entire landscape is part of the Picos de Europa National Park and serves as a protected area filled with rivers, deep gorges, lakes, forests and peaks of over 2,000 meters. The topography of these marvelous peaks have made the navigation a tough task. Naranjo de Bulnes (2,519 m) also known as Picu Urriellu is one of the most beautiful mountains of Picos de Europa.

Naranjo de Bulnes Peak
Image from exodus.co.uk

Picos de Europa also has a collection of some deepest caves of Spain, including Torca del Cerro (−1589 m), Sima de la Cornisa (−1507 m), Torca los Rebecos (−1255 m) and Pozo del Madejuno (−1252 m).

The flora and fauna of the area is also worth seeing. Choughs and Buzzards are common, various eagles and vultures are frequently seen, and there is a diverse butterfly population in Picos de Europa. Similarly a hugely varied and rich variety of flora is to be found in the Picos de Europa, many of which are endemic to Northern Spain.

An extraordinary way to feel its beauty is to use the cable car facility which leads you in exhilarating minutes to the magnificent alpine meadows at the height of 1850 meters. It is considered to be the longest unsupported span of cable car in the world.

Apart from walks, hikes and biking routes, these mountains also offer a wide range of adventure sports (canyoning, rafting, caving, climbing, quad biking, paragliding, horse-riding and kayaking).


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