SHORT BREAK PICOS DE EUROPA
03 Day Self Guided Walking Tour
On request from May to October
The Picos de Europa National Park offers breath-taking landscapes, deeply rooted tradition and tasty regional gastronomy. A truly magical corner of the world. Enjoy the best of the county of Cabrales in just one weekend. Immerse yourself in both natural beauty and traditional culture, while you enjoy a combined 4x4 and self-guided walking excursion one day and a guided cheese and cider tour the next. Discover 'The Picos' as you explore authentic villages and lush green valleys beneath towering peaks.
DAY 01: OVIEDO - SOTRES
On arrival at the airport you will be met and transferred to the beautifully situated village of Sotres, at 1050m, it is the highest villages in the National Park of Picos de Europa. Settle into your welcoming family-run accommodation at Hotel Sotres. In the afternoon, enoy the splendid alpine views on an optional walk along farming tracks near the village (1 to 2 hours). A welcome dinner is served at the hotel. Accommodation: Hotel Sotres.
DAY 02: WALKING AND 4X4 EXCURSION
Distance: 12km
Duration: 3,5 hours
Ascent/Descent 70/250 m
Combined walking and 4x4 excursion through the dazzllng limestone landscapes of the Picos de Europa National Park, traversing areas with restricted access in landrover and ending the day with a self-guided walk through the Cares Gorge, a deep cleft dividing the Central from the Western Massif of the Picos de Europa. The trail runs above the River Cares with the walls of the two massifs closing in, leading you through the impressive gorge. Its spectacular drops, plummeting over 1.000 meters at the Canal del Agua, make it one of the most stunning and popular of all the Asturian routes. In the evening, you will dine again at Hotel Sotres Accommodation: Hotel Sotres.
DAY 03: THE CABRALES CHEESE AND CIDER TOUR
Distance 10km
Duration: 3 hours
Ascent/Descent 30m
A 30-minute transfer to the village of Asiego to experience the "Ruta 'l Quesu y la Sidra" - a fascinating cultural excursion guided by highly qualifed geographers. Marvel at the experts' detailed analysis of traditional life in this tiny village of Cabrales. Enjoy a traditional Asturian meal, sampling local specialities such as delicious Cabrales blue cheese accompanied by local cider, all served in your hosts' own authentic cider house. A wonderful way to end your stay in Picos de Europa. Transfer to Santander airport /city.
END OF ITINERARY!
IMPORTANT NOTE: On a scale of 4, we have rated this program as level 2 (walking excursion on Day 2. The walking excursion along the Cares Gorge follows a wide well-maintained path (some loose rocks). Though the path does not go near the edge, sheer drops may make this walk unsuitable for those with a fear of heights.
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Land of Contrasts
Appropriately called the 'Bull's Hide' by Roman geographer Strabo in 29-27BC, the landmass of Spain with its 505,000 sq. km, provides the traveller with an opportunity to experience the great diversity within its borders, bounded by sea, except for Portugal to the west and France to the north-east.
Iberia has charmed travellers for centuries, but it was not until the early19th century that the first romantics brought Spain into world recognition. Richard Ford along with many others of his time, describing the country as a 'land of miracles, anomalies and contradictions'.
Spain today embodies all of the contrasts of yesteryear. With its rich and varied culture and language, Spain's 17 autonomous regions offer many unexpected architectural, geographical, cultural, gastronomic and climatic differences; all contributing to the many delights and pleasures of the visitor.
Once Spain was one of the most powerful nations on earth with far flung dominions wielding great influence on world political and commercial affairs. The Spain of today is an energetic member of the European Community with a population of 45 million and a universally appreciated culture, individuality and language.
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Tours
Ranging from short Fully Escorted coach tours to Private itineraries with your own driver, we have a tour to suit your time frame and budget. Here are a few examples of some of our most popular touring options...
| Self Drive Tours: | A GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE IN NORTHERN SPAIN -- ROMANTIC ANDALUCIA -- WORLD HERITAGE ENCOUNTER |
| Fully Escorted Tours: | ANDALUCIA AND MEDITERRANEAN COAST -- ANDALUCIA AND MOROCCO -- ANDALUCIA AND TOLEDO -- CASTILLA, PORTUGAL AND ANDALUCIA -- GREEN SPAIN -- NORTH OF SPAIN -- SALAMANCA AND PORTUGAL |
| Small Group Tours: | GOURMET SPAIN |
| Tours with Private driver: | SEVILLA AND THE WHITE VILLAGES OF ANDALUCIA -- SEVILLA, CORDOBA AND GRANADA |
| Walking Tours: | EL CAMINO DEL NORTE -- EL CAMINO PRIMITIVO -- SHORT BREAK PICOS DE EUROPA -- THE ALPUJARRAS - MOORISH SPLENDOUR -- WALKING THE PICOS DE EUROPA |
| Unique Spain: | BARCELONA AND ORGANIC WINE IN THE PENEDÈS -- BARCELONA AND THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGES OF CATALONIA -- A GOURMET'S GRANADA -- BARCELONA AND THE GENIUS OF DALI -- GRANADA -ORIGINS OF FLAMENCO -- SEVILLA AND THE PUEBLOS BLANCOS - A CULINARY ENCOUNTER -- THE MOORISH LEGACY IN GRANADA |
The Great Train Journeys of Spain
IBERTOURS is the sole GSA in Australia and New Zealand for the Great Train Journeys of Spain. These marvellous journeys attend to the needs of the traveller who is keen to savour the travel delights of yesteryear and who is enticed by the notion of a special journey by rail.
"El Transcantabrico" explores the rugged mountains and seascape of the northern coast in an 08 day gastronomic adventure. There are 2 very special and itineraries to select.
The "Espreso de la Robla" takes one on an enjoyable 4 day regional rail experience between Bilbao and Leon, as well as Gijon and Santiago de Compostela.
The legendary "Al Andalus" returns in 2012 in a luxurious 6 day adventure through historical Andalucia, from Sevilla to Sevilla, visiting Cordoba, Granada and Jerez along the way.
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EL EXPRESO DE LA ROBLA | EL TRANSCANTABRICO - 8 DAY JOURNEY AL ANDALUS
Unique Historic Accommodation
IBERTOURS TRAVEL is the Official Representative of Paradores in Australia and New Zealand.
The concept of utilising these unique establishments as selected accommodation for tourism goes back to 1926, when the royal tourist commissioner, the Marques of Vega-Inclan, sought Royal Approval for the extraordinarily far sighted idea of setting up State run Paradores as lodgings for nature lovers and hunters around the country.
Rustic and Rural Spain with Rusticae
Rusticae is a network of boutique properties and guesthouses that are often old farms, mills and homes, transformed into small hotels. Rusticae has currently has over 160 hotels spread across Spain, Portugal, France and Argentina divided into two main types of accommodation, Metropoli and Tradition.
The Metropoli range incorporates a selection of small, boutique hotels inside major cities including Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Palma de Mallorca and Bilbao.
The Tradition range is the most extensive and has a wide selection of hotels and manor houses located in small villages in the countryside.
There are around 140 of these properties in Spain alone and each possesses its own individual charm and style, reflecting the history and traditions of the region and its people.
Spanish Hotels
Stopovers can include 2 and 3 night packages in all major cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and San Sebastian, plus many other smaller regional cities such as Granada, Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela and so on... In fact, with our extensive experience and contacts we can develop stopover packages for almost any city or town in the Iberian Triangle, for any length of time, to suit your requirements. Here are some examples...
View a selection of hotels by region:
Northern Spain and the Pyrenees / Madrid and Surrounds / Extremadura and Castilla La Mancha / Valencia / Andalucia / Balearic Islands /Canary Islands
Apartments
If you are planning a stay of 3 nights or more, why not consider an apartment? Live like the locals do in the centre of one of Spain's vibrant and emblematic cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, and others. Ideal for an extended stay, an apartment gives you the freedom and choice to shop with the locals at the market and cook up your own Spanish fusion! All we need to know is how many people, what city and when and we can find one perfect for you! Just ask us to add an apartment to your creative itinerary.