WALKING THE PICOS DE EUROPA
08 Days Self Guided Walking Tour
On Request from May to October
The Picos de Europa without a doubt the most impressive mountains in all of Spain, emerging dramatically from the coastal landscape as a natural frontier between the green north coast and the more arid Castille. This 08 day walk on the north side offers a variety of landscapes to explore, doing easy or optionally more difficult day walks in the Eastern and Central Massifs, including an ascent to the mountain hut at the foot of the famous Picu Urriellu. 
DAY 01: OVEIDO - ARENAS DE CABRALES
Trasndfer from Oviedo to Arenas. Settle into your cozy hotel located in a quiet lane of the village. Try the local cider on one of the terraces, or visit Santa Maria de Llas Church of Romanesque origin. For walking gear or special food items, Arenas is one of the gate-ways to Picos thus an excellent place to do your shopping. Accommodation: Hotel La Rivera
DAY 02: CIRCULAR WALK FROM ARENAS
Distance: 9,5km
Ascent / Descent: 650 m
Time: 5,5 hours
Alternative route: 9,5 km, ascent/descent 380m/4 hours
Villages along the way: Arenas de Cabrales, Poo de Cabrales
Ascent to the summer meadows of Nava, situated 500m above the Cares River with excellent views of the Picos. A strenuous but very rewarding walk, especially in early summer when the meadows display a multitude of brightly coloured flowers. Option of doing an alternative shorter walk through shady countryside at a lower elevation. Accommodation: Hotel La Rivera
DAY 03: FROM ARENAS TO SOTRES DE CABRALES
Distance: 9km
Ascent 575m / Descent: 250 m
Time: 4 hours
Villages along the way: Tielve and Sotres
Short transfer to Tielve, one of the most authentic villages in this part of the Picos.Walk to Valfríu, where residents still produce the famous local blue cheese, Queso de Cabrales.Gradual ascent through a fairy-tale landscape of heather, old beech woods and streams to a pass at 1240m, then down to Sotres (1050m), one of the highest villages in the Picos de Europa. Accommodation: Hotel Sotres
DAY 04: WALK FROM SOTRES THROUGH THE ANDARA MASSIF
Distance12,5km
Ascent 550m / Descent: 900 m
Time: 5 hours
Villages along the way: Sotres
Circular walk through the Eastern Massif of Picos, an area exploited by mining industries in the 19th century. A limestone landscape of sharp ridges, deep depressions and bottomless shafts. Brightly coloured alpine flora among the rocks. Good chance of seeing chamoix, vultures and different types of eagles. Several options to shorten or extend your walk. Accommodation: Hotel Sotres
DAY 05 & 06: SEVERAL WALKS FROM SOTRES
Distance: 11km to 14km
Ascent 450m to 950m / Descent: 450m to 1150m
Time: 4,5 hours to 6,5 hours hours
Alternative route: 9,5 km, ascent/descent 380m/4 hours
Villages along the way: Sotres
Choose from among 4 different walks to do from Sotres, depending on the weather or your personal conditions and preferences. To the Vega de Urriellu mountain refuge and back, reaching an elevation of 2000m at the foot of the imposing Picu Urriellu. Through meadows and woods of the neighbouring village of Tresviso, where the very rare Urugallo, or local Capercaille, lives. Up to 1650m through an interesting glacier valley surrounded by sheep, horses and cattle, all closely watched by vultures. Or a quiet stroll along farming tracks near the hotel. Accommodation: Hotel Sotres
DAY 07: FROM SOTRES BACK TO ARENAS DE CABRALES
Distance: 11,5km
Ascent 335m / Descent: 950 m
Time: 5,5 hours
Villages along the way: Sotres, Poncebos and Arenas de Cabrales
Along farming tracks up to Pandebano Pass (at 1245m), leaving Sotres behind. Descent along an ancient footpath through natural meadows and low vegetation to Bulnes, a truly authentic mountain village accessible only on foot or by funicular railway (since 2001). Ride the train down through a tunnel to Poncebos or extend the walk through an impressive gorge where vultures nest. Taxi transfer from Poncebos to your hotel in Arenas. If the weather is not the best or you wish to rest your knees, taxi transfer to Poncebos in the morning to walk into the famous Cares Gorge. Return to Arenas by public bus or taxi. Accommodation: Hotel Rivera
DAY 08: ARENAS DE CABRALES - SANTANDER*
Breakfast and transfer to Santander. end of tour.
END OF ITINERARY!
* We can also transfer to Oviedo city
IMPORTANT NOTE: On a scale of 4, we have rated this program as level 2 (level 2 to 3 if you choose the more difficult program) Walks of 4 to 5,5 hrs with an average ascent and descent of 550 (if you choose the easy walks) or 750m if you opt for the more difficult program. The hikes cover varied terrain following jeep tracks, wide paths, narrow footpaths and animal trails, with some steep ascents or descents. You will walk on gravel, loose rock and grass. When wet, paths may be muddy and slippery.
- Spain
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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.
Download our 2012 brochure!
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.