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The Picos are a beautiful part of Spain, lush and green with limestone peaks and very quiet. Apart from on the gorge walk we saw very few people when we were walking. The hotel owners describe the hotel as a one star hotel with five star views and the views certainly are fabulous but I wouldn’t describe the hotel as one star! More as simple, homely and friendly! The food at the hotel was very good. The hotel owners, Jim and Pilar, are very good chefs and spent a great deal of time each day to produce a really tasty 4 course dinner for us which was very welcome at the end of each day. We had a lovely group and a great guide and I would recommend this trip to anyone who likes walking in beautiful scenery.
The beautiful scenery and wildlife - vultures, eagles and chamois! Clear, starry skies at the hotel.
Alfonso was our guide and he was lovely - caring, thoughtful and fun.
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This was our second trip to the Picos de Europa as we enjoyed it so much last time in 2014. It didn’t disappoint.
The walking is moderate so those with basic fitness will have no problems, you don’t return to the hotel exhausted, there is sufficient time to relax with a drink or even wander into the town for a browse before the group dinner.
The food in the hotel is really good and the owners, Jim and Pilar are hands on, cooking the food and helping with transportation and are a delight to chat with.
The walks are designed to be different and the views will blow you away. To see vultures riding the thermals so close is a real treat that when the odd eagle appears it is easy to be blase. We had a full group and 25% had experienced this trip before, which is testimony to how good it is.
Alfonso was our leader, who was a stand in as the regular leader was away on a break. it is fair to say he was great. His knowledge of the area and the wildlife was astounding and his English was exemplary. His love of the outdoors and enthusiasm for nature endeared him to the group immediately.
Be sensible and be prepared for adverse weather. We had a couple of rainy days and it can get a bit chilly when you are high in the mountains. All obvious and common sense really. Hair driers are available to borrow, and don't forget your plug adaptor.
These mountains are not well known outside Spain but are well worth a visit. Verdant valleys of trees and meadows give way to dramatic and soaring limestone peaks. There are lots of walks and the views are always worth the effort. Our days were topped off with fabulous dinners created by Jim and his team at the hotel – four courses each night! The hotel was welcoming and quiet but only a few minutes’ walk from the town. There was an amazing view from the bar patio of the distant mountains which I never tired of looking at.
There were several - the views from the top of whichever peak or climb we were doing plus sitting in a meadow or on rocks for lunch and loving the scenery.
He was great, friendly and informative. Nachos also took a lot of care to make sure we stopped regularly to have water and rest as the weather was hot. His philosophy of never rushing also helped to make the holiday very chilled.
A definitely must- see/do trip! Each day you see the most incredible and breath taking views!
Overall it is one of my favourite holidays, thanks to the wonderful tour leader we had, Nacho, and also to the Hotel staff, Jim and Pilar, for giving such a comfortable welcoming experience whilst staying in the hotel……they are extremely kind and warm-hearted people who went the extra mile always to cater for vegetarian meals and providing a comforting atmosphere.
Nacho would look after us so exceptionally well that everyday went as nicely as it possibly could and on the days I wasn’t as prepared as much as I could be, he always accommodated everything I would have needed and more…..I could not have asked for a better person to lead our group on this trip or a better hotel, as for me it was all perfect!
Everyday was an inspirational day! I was speechless with all the views we were able to experience whilst eating our lunch and everyday I was in beautiful surroundings!
Fantastic!
Just do this trip and you will see and feel like you are in another world....that's how it was for me!
A very well organized trip and very good value for money.
The scenery was breathtaking
Our group leader was very professional and friendly
Do make sure you understand the level you signed for in the case of a hiking trip.
This was a lovely trip! The ‘Picos De Europa’ area in northern Spain is vast but little known and there are very few tourists compared with elsewhere in Spain. It is surprisingly ‘Alpine’ in feel, with beautiful with high, pointed mountains, interspersed with some lovely, flowery meadows. Goats, wild horses and light-brown cows with big bells wander around everywhere. We very much enjoyed walking in this area, with our friendly, competent leader, Nacho. The lovely, family-run hotel is simple but comfortable and very friendly – nothing is too much trouble. The home-cooked food – a choice of three main courses daily – is surprisingly good and the lunch ‘rolls’ were MASSIVE with lots of filling! Any fairly fit walker would love this trip and I would highly recommend it.
The panoramic views from the very top of the highest mountains (considerably higher than any in the U.K!)
Nacho was quiet but had a real sense of humour and was a good leader. He had a thorough knowledge of the area. He walks everywhere with a big, black brolly to prevent the sun from getting to him, which seemed a good idea considering the VERY high temperatures we had for the first couple of days!
We were lucky with almost all dry weather but it can change fast so I would advise anyone to take good waterproofs and plenty of sunscreen, plus a sun-hat too! A walking pole (or two) is very helpful on this kind of terrain. The gin and tonics in the hotel were very large, quite cheap and delicious....!
Having never heard of the Picos, but liking the pictures, I was pleasantly surprised at the grandeur of the mountains. A stunning location, you won’t go hungry nor will you be disappointed.
The last day of the trip, being rewarded with a fabulous scramble to the last summit of the trip and by far the best views. We stood looking into the distance where the clouds were, and stood above the cloudline marvelling at the spectacle greeting us.
Nacho is an interesting guide whose sense of humour seemed to grow as the week went on. He was kind, gentle and seemed to know how to treat everyone from very early on, understanding of people's needs, especially when you are unwell. He's fantastic at topiary creations (!) and has many uses for an umbrella. Knowledge of fauna was excellent, flora not so, my only E.B.I. of the week.
If it's going to be warm, bring some rehydration/electrolyte powders/tablets. Nacho, i'm sure, has shares in Aquarius and mineral salts!! Be prepared for mud on one of the days.
I was surprised how green “Green Spain” is. On landing I thought it looked more like Austria, and this resemblance persisted. It had been rainy before we went and the woodland paths were quite muddy. There are brown cows with cow bells (very docile) and a lot of goats (very friendly).
Our week was hot and humid so on the last day we set off at 8am instead of the normal 9am.
The area is very peaceful, but there are few way-marked trails so it was useful to have a guide.
On the free day we chose to go to the coast. The beach at Poo (yes it is called Poo) is stunning – lovely soft golden sand and restaurants overlooking the beach. We were less impressed with Llanes – it is OK and the icecreams from the van the group are picked up at are superb (and huge! – save room for one) but given how nice the beach at Poo is we would probably spend more time there if it is a nice day.
The hotel has a nice garden to sit out in with stunning views of the mountains (sometimes hidden in mist, sometimes clear against blue sky). The hotel staff are very organised. The bar is a nice place to hang out after walks or before dinner.
The food is very tasty. There is a small appetiser, a soup, a main and a pudding. Our only thought to improve this would be more vegetables with some of the main courses (e.g. the pork is the best ever – it is so tender – but it was served up with just one carrot along with Dauphinoise potatoes). Cutting out the appetisers would save a lot of work serving and washing up for what is a small thing. The beef curry bomb was very popular with the group – highly recommended! The prawn curry was a bit too fancy with a couple of whole prawns and my husband would have preferred a proper big bowl of prawn curry and rice rather than have to mess about dissecting his dinner. The hake with little clams on the last day was excellent. Every meal was very tasty and well cooked.
The peaks and views have to be the highlight for me, and being above the clouds is always lovely.
Nacho was kind and gentle, and I enjoyed his sense of humour. He was very patient and made sure everyone had a good time. He was a good coach when it came to learning some basic scrambling on the last day, and all the tougher bits were optional.
Pack insect repellent and Anthisan, or similar. Some of our group got bitten by horseflies because of the humidity. You might want to take an umbrella to use as a sunshade - our guide Nacho used one most days. Nacho recommended "Aquarius" - a rehydration drink I had not heard of before. it is very refreshing.
Everything about this trip went beyond my expectations. Our thoughtful and knowledgeable guide Nacho was a delight! The other members of my group (there were 15 of us) were lots of fun and we felt like family by the last day. The scenery was spectacular and the hikes were challenging but not over the top. I cannot say enough positive things about this trip except it was rather hot and humid while we were there and ceiling fans in the rooms would have been a welcome addition. The hotel overall was comfortable, convenient location and the meals were incredible! Don’t hesitate to book this trip if you want to see Spain off the beaten path.
Communion with the cows! Listening to those cowbells was so incredibly peaceful and centering.
Nacho was fabulous. I have a knee problem so was not able to make the more challenging ascents and he was very thoughtful and never made me feel uneasy or embarrassed. Exodus is very lucky to have him.
If you go in the summer, it is pretty hot and there is no air conditioning in the hotel. Be prepared to sweat a bit at night.
The walks were lovely and the scenery very varied. The hotel is comfortable and serves great food : ) you’ll never go hungry. V well organised and the tour guide was great.
Seeing the amazing views of all the mountains and looking down on clouds!
Excellent, really organised. All the walks were at a good pace. Couldn't have done more - really nice.
Possibly only to bring poles for extra stability when walking. The hotel provide an excellent lunch with lots of snacks so no need to bring any extra snacks.
