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Spain

Picos de Europa short break

Self drive roundtrips
Food and Wine
Mountain Walking
Independent, Self Guided
  • 2 nights´accommodation in one of the highest villages in Picos  
  • Visit to the Cabrales Foundation museum, housed in a natural cave
  • Cheese-making demonstration
  • Guided walk to a natural cave where cheese is aged
  • Tasty regional cooking at an authentic family-run restaurant
  • Beautiful natural landscapes; gorges, pastures, woods and peaks

From: 135 €

Tripcode: ESDD096

3 Comfort

 

Level 1 - EN:

Simple accommodation, often with multiple rooms like huts, cottages or guesthouses. Sometimes with bunk beds and often with shared bathrooms. All camping trips fall into this category.

Level 1 - EN:

Simple accommodation, often with multiple rooms like huts, cottages or guesthouses. Sometimes with bunk beds and often with shared bathrooms. All camping trips fall into this category.

Level 2:

Simple to good inns, small family hotels, B&Bs and agriturismo (farmsteads), generaly with private bathroom. Often chosen for their excellent location in relation to the itinerary.

Level 2:

Simple to good inns, small family hotels, B&Bs and agriturismo (farmsteads), generaly with private bathroom. Often chosen for their excellent location in relation to the itinerary.

Level 2:

Simple to good inns, small family hotels, B&Bs and agriturismo (farmsteads), generaly with private bathroom. Often chosen for their excellent location in relation to the itinerary.

Level 3:

Good hotels, inns, B&B, agriturismo (farmstead) with ensuite private bathroom, often wel located and serving good meals

Level 3:

Good hotels, inns, B&B, agriturismo (farmstead) with ensuite private bathroom, often wel located and serving good meals

Level 3:

Good hotels, inns, B&B, agriturismo (farmstead) with ensuite private bathroom, often wel located and serving good meals

Level 4:

Special hotel with excellent food, ambiance and service. Accommodations with a special touch.

Level 4:

Special hotel with excellent food, ambiance and service. Accommodations with a special touch.

Level 4:

Special hotel with excellent food, ambiance and service. Accommodations with a special touch.

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3 Difficulty

 

Level 1:

Walking levels:

Trips with short walks of generally three to four hours (excluding breaks) and/or optional day excursions; flat or slightly hilly terrain using well kept paths.

Cycling levels:

Easy biking in nearly flat landscape; also possible for people with little or no bicycle experience. The daily distances are approximately 30-50 km in general. Bicycles with up to 3 gears can do the job. All our adult rental bikes have at least 21 gears.

Level 1:

Walking levels:

Trips with short walks of generally three to four hours (excluding breaks) and/or optional day excursions; flat or slightly hilly terrain using well kept paths.

Cycling levels:

Easy biking in nearly flat landscape; also possible for people with little or no bicycle experience. The daily distances are approximately 30-50 km in general. Bicycles with up to 3 gears can do the job. All our adult rental bikes have at least 21 gears.

Level 2:

Walking levels:

Moderate day walks, 4-5 hours per day (excluding breaks) on hilly to mountainous areas using well kept, sometimes stony paths.

Cycling levels:

Biking on gently undulating terrain, you may encounter short climbs from time to time. The daily distances vary between 30 and 65 km. A bicycle with minimum 7 gears will do. All our rental bikes have at least 21 gears.

Level 2:

Walking levels:

Moderate day walks, 4-5 hours per day (excluding breaks) on hilly to mountainous areas using well kept, sometimes stony paths.

Cycling levels:

Biking on gently undulating terrain, you may encounter short climbs from time to time. The daily distances vary between 30 and 65 km. A bicycle with minimum 7 gears will do. All our rental bikes have at least 21 gears.

Level 2:

Walking levels:

Moderate day walks, 4-5 hours per day (excluding breaks) on hilly to mountainous areas using well kept, sometimes stony paths.

Cycling levels:

Biking on gently undulating terrain, you may encounter short climbs from time to time. The daily distances vary between 30 and 65 km. A bicycle with minimum 7 gears will do. All our rental bikes have at least 21 gears.

Level 3:

Walking levels:

Trips with strenuous day walks or trekking in mountainous areas. 5 to 7 hours walking maximum per day, sometimes carrying backpacks with stuff for one night; height differences between 500 & 1000 m. per day

Cycling levels:

Strenuous biking trips in areas where you cannot avoid steep slopes. Some bicycle experience in short trips is needed. The daily distances range from 30 up to 75 km.

Level 3:

Walking levels:

Trips with strenuous day walks or trekking in mountainous areas. 5 to 7 hours walking maximum per day, sometimes carrying backpacks with stuff for one night; height differences between 500 & 1000 m. per day

Cycling levels:

Strenuous biking trips in areas where you cannot avoid steep slopes. Some bicycle experience in short trips is needed. The daily distances range from 30 up to 75 km.

Level 3:

Walking levels:

Trips with strenuous day walks or trekking in mountainous areas. 5 to 7 hours walking maximum per day, sometimes carrying backpacks with stuff for one night; height differences between 500 & 1000 m. per day

Cycling levels:

Strenuous biking trips in areas where you cannot avoid steep slopes. Some bicycle experience in short trips is needed. The daily distances range from 30 up to 75 km.

Level 4:

Walking levels:

Trips with heavy excursions in high mountains, sometimes carrying backpacks with stuff for several nights. 6 to 8 hours maximum per day; height differences up to 1200 meters per day; only for participants with an excellent condition and without fear of heights.

Cycling levels:

Serious and strenuous biking trips in mountainous area, the slopes are longer and/or steeper than at the previous category. Requires a good physical condition, a broad cycling experience and adequate mountain climbing bicycle. The daily distances range between 30 and 80 km.

Level 4:

Walking levels:

Trips with heavy excursions in high mountains, sometimes carrying backpacks with stuff for several nights. 6 to 8 hours maximum per day; height differences up to 1200 meters per day; only for participants with an excellent condition and without fear of heights.

Cycling levels:

Serious and strenuous biking trips in mountainous area, the slopes are longer and/or steeper than at the previous category. Requires a good physical condition, a broad cycling experience and adequate mountain climbing bicycle. The daily distances range between 30 and 80 km.

Level 4:

Walking levels:

Trips with heavy excursions in high mountains, sometimes carrying backpacks with stuff for several nights. 6 to 8 hours maximum per day; height differences up to 1200 meters per day; only for participants with an excellent condition and without fear of heights.

Cycling levels:

Serious and strenuous biking trips in mountainous area, the slopes are longer and/or steeper than at the previous category. Requires a good physical condition, a broad cycling experience and adequate mountain climbing bicycle. The daily distances range between 30 and 80 km.

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Duration: 3 days

Book now

 

Details

Cabrales Cheese

The county of Cabrales is home to some of the most vertical terrain in all of Europe. In these fantastic natural surroundings, an enduring gastronomic tradition survives. Created at high elevations and aged in natural caves, the local blue is an exceptionally tasty artisan cheese known as Quesu Cabrales. Savour its pungency as you discover 'the Picos', exploring authentic villages and lush green valleys, quiet woodlands and towering peaks, friendly locals and authentic rural life. Your short break includes a visit to a dairy where 'Cabrales' is made and a guided walk to an ageing cave, high up in the mountains. Welcome to Asturias, welcome to paradise.

Itinerary

Expand itinerary Collapse itinerary
 
Day 1: Arrival in Asturias

This afternoon, you drive to the Picos de Europa National Park and settle in at your accommodation - a pleasant family-run hotel in the alpine village of Sotres. Dinner at the hotel is an excellent introduction to the tasty traditional cooking of Asturias.

Challenge: Travel to Asturias

Villages along the way: Sotres de Cabrales

Day 2: Cabrales Cheese

Many secrets are involved in the making of Europe's finest artisan blue cheese. All will be revealed as you view a cheese-making demonstration, then hike to an ageing cave (3-hour walking route). In the evening, savour the finest free-range meats, raised locally in 'the Picos', and enjoy a fireside table or dinner served on the terrace at Hotel Sotres.

Challenge: Learn about the spectacular local blue cheese, Queso Cabrales.

Villages along the way: Picos de Europa National Park

Day 3: End of program

Your gastronomic experience comes to an end today, following breakfast. Surely it's been just enough to whet your appetite. You'll soon be planning your next S-cape to Asturias!

Practical info

Included:

  • Accommodation in double rooms with en-suite bathroom
  • 2 dinners
  • 2 generous breakfasts
  • Several options of hiking routes from Sotres to chose  (2-6 hpurs)
  • Cheese-making demonstration
  • A visit to the dairy that won the Annual Contest of Cabrales Cheese on 2011
  • Walking route to an ageing cave
  • Entrance to the local "Museo de la Fundación Quesu Cabrales"

Not Included:

  • Transport to and from the Picos de Europa (Cabrales, Asturias)
  • Additional transfers not mentioned in the program
  • Personal expenses such as phone calls, drinks, tips, etc.

Optional Services:

  • Extra nights before or after the program at rural hotels in the mountains, quiet accommodations near the coast, or city hotels in Oviedo, Gijón or Bilbao, etc.
  • This short program combines well with other S-cape programs, such as Walking in the Picos de Europa, Cycling on the Green Coast, Cantabria Infinita, Camino de Santiago by Car, etc.

Reviews

Start: Sotres de Cabrales

Finish: Sotres de Cabrales

 

Dates & prices

Trip availability: From 01 March to 15 June

Departures
January 02, 2013 - July 15, 2013
Dates of the trip Price
Triple room: 135 €/person
Double room: 145 €/person
Single room: 240 €/person
July 16, 2013 - August 31, 2013
Dates of the trip Price
Triple room: 165 €/person
Double room: 175 €/person
Single room: 270 €/person
September 01, 2013 - December 31, 2013
Dates of the trip Price
Triple room: 135 €/person
Double room: 145 €/person
Single room: 240 €/person