On many occasions we think of going far away on vacation, hardly realizing the beautiful and interesting spaces that we have just a few hours away by car. One of them is the fabulous Picos de Europa National Park. If you have not visited it yet, you will need more than a weekend, since it is an extensive park in which there are from monuments to natural areas of great beauty, activities and leisure.
This is one of those trips that is perfect for the whole family. Natural spaces appeal to everyone, and outdoor exercise on hiking trails is good for everyone. Seeing them completely is almost impossible, since it is a park that occupies territory of Asturias, León and also Cantabria. It is the second most visited national park in all of Spain, after the Teide National Park in the Canary Islands.
This time we will talk about some things that are essential and what to see when visiting the Picos de Europa. However, getting lost in the small mountain towns, surrounded by nature and tranquility, is always an adventure. Are you ready to discover this beautiful National Park?
Cangas de Onis
This town is one of the most popular and one of the most visited when going to the Picos de Europa. Cangas de OnÃs is in the Principality of Asturias. It is a place with a lot of history, where you can see vestiges of Romanesque art in buildings, as in the renovated Parador, which was a church in this style. This municipality witnessed all kinds of stories and conquests, but it became the territory it is in the XNUMXth century.
There are many places of interest in this town, but an essential one is the Roman Bridge, which has several pointed arches and in the center of which is a reproduction of the Victory Cross. It is one of the symbols of the town, which everyone portrays in their photographs. Other places that can be seen are the Hermitage of Santa Cruz, built on an old dolmen that is still well preserved inside, or the Casa Dago in the mountain style, where the park information point is located.
Lakes of Covadonga
This is another of the visits that everyone wants to do when visiting the National Park. The lakes of Covadonga such as Enol or La Ercina They are surrounded by a natural and mountain landscape that is surprising. Lake Enol is the largest of all, and in its depths it houses the Virgin of Covadonga. Once there, you can walk up to the Mirador de la Reina, to see the entire area of ​​Cangas de OnÃs from a panoramic perspective. Remember that it is better to go on totally clear days, because there can be a lot of fog, and in this case we could not appreciate any detail of the lakes.
Once in the lakes, you also have to go to the Sanctuary of Covadonga, which is surrounded by nature, on Mount Auseva. The Holy Cave is a pilgrimage site, and the temple and complex were built around it in 1887. This cave has been carved out of the rock, and is on top of a waterfall. This is where the patron saint of Asturias has been for more than 1.300 years. You have to climb a long staircase to get there, and you can also see the museum with engravings, paintings and goldsmith objects that show the evolution of the sanctuary.
Ruta del Cares
This route may not be known to everyone, but it is a one of the best known hiking trails. Lovers of this sport cannot miss it. It is between the towns of CaÃn and Poncebos. It is known as the 'Divine Throat', and it is a very special route because it is carved into the rock. It is 11 kilometers long, and in it you can see from cliffs to various bridges that must be crossed. There are several caves carved into the rock, and the route eventually reaches the town of Cain.
In this area of ​​the Picos de Europa there are guided tours from July to September, the months of greatest influx. The routes are carried out every day, with a maximum of 25 people, and are carried out on several routes, which are the Lakes of Covadonga, Cabrales, Liébana and Sajambre / Valdeón.
Flora and fauna
This Natural Park is also a place to discover a nature full of flora and fauna. There are more than two thousand species of vegetables documented in a Atlantic type forest, very leafy, in which there are from oaks to beech. During spring it becomes an explosion of color.
The fauna of this park is protected, and some species are in a recovery program. It can be seen from the golden eagle to the bearded vultures, vultures, wolves or wild cats. One of the most characteristic animals is the chamois, and there is also a pair of brown bears, although it is difficult to see them.