Picos de Europa is a young karstic formation in the heart of Cordillera Cantabrica, a chain of
mountains west of the Pirenee which divides the north coast of Spain from the rest of Spain.
The natural park of Picos de Europa is a protected area of about 15 by 20 km and inside you can
find some of the highest mountains of Spain. The name Picos de Europa comes from the old
sea-travel epochs. The first sight of Europe for ships coming back from America along the north
route was the mountains in Picos de Europa.
cultural barrier between the north and the south of
Spain. North of Cordillera Cantabrica the weather is
wetter with more abundant precipitations and a milder
atlantic climate. This part of Spain constitutes the
green Spain with large grass fields and old forests.
Historically, the Cordillera Cantabrica was a barrier
between the north coast the rest of Spain.
The park is the home for some species like the brown bear, the iberian wolf, and the "rebeco".
In summer, Picos de Europa welcomes thousands of tourits from all over the world which
come to the area atracted by its natural beauty. There are many routes with different levels of
difficulty. The most popular by far is the well know "Ruta del Cares", a 12 km path which runs
along the river "Cares" at the bottom of a magnificient canyon. The "Ruta del Cares" is an easy
one and is normally the firts one choosen for those visiting the area for the first time.
