Picos de Europa National Park

National Park ·🇪🇸 Spain

Area 660 km²

Time zone Europe/Madrid

Official website parquenacionalpicoseuropa.es

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Explore Picos de Europa National Park

Picos de Europa National Park Essentials

Spanning Asturias, Cantabria, and Castile and León, the Picos de Europa National Park features dramatic limestone massifs and the highest peak in the Cantabrian Mountains, Torre Cerredo. The park contains the iconic Naranjo de Bulnes peak and the historical Covadonga sanctuary, which includes a cliffside cave and a neo-Romanesque basilica. High-altitude highlights include glacial lakes and the unique Cabaña Verónica mountain refuge, providing a remote base for exploring the central massif.

9 places

Picos de Europa Peaks & Passes

Established in 1918 as Spain's first national park, the Picos de Europa encompasses three distinct limestone massifs: the Macizo Central (Urrieles), Macizo Occidental (Cornión), and Macizo Oriental (Ándara). This list features prominent summits like Torre Cerredo, the highest point at 2,648 meters, and the iconic limestone monolith of Picu Urriellu. These peaks are characterized by dramatic vertical drops, glacial lakes, and high-altitude mountain passes connecting the provinces of Asturias, Cantabria, and León.

20 places

Notable Catholic Churches

This collection highlights significant religious sites within the Picos de Europa National Park, centered on the historic Covadonga complex. It includes the Neo-Romanesque Basílica de Santa María la Real and the Santa Cueva, a cave sanctuary housing the Virgin of Covadonga and the tomb of King Pelayo. The list also features smaller, high-altitude structures like the Ermita de El Buen Pastor, built for local shepherds, and traditional stone parish churches that have served mountain communities for centuries.

5 places

Mountain Huts and Shelters

This collection spans the three massifs of the Picos de Europa: the Cornión, the Urrielles, and the Ándara. It includes fully-serviced alpine refuges like Cabaña Verónica—constructed from a repurposed aircraft carrier dome—and remote stone 'invernales' used historically by shepherds. These sites provide essential logistics for high-altitude trekking routes like the Anillo de Picos, offering varying levels of service from staffed kitchens and bunks to basic emergency protection in remote karst terrain.

27 places