Walking the Picos de Europa

Walking the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain

Spectacular scenery. Excellent guide. Good accommodation with lovely view from dining room. Great food.

I have just returned from an August trip walking in the Picos de Europa; I feel as if I have been on the top of the world! I very rarely give anything more than four stars but this trip really was five star from beginning to end. I had several reservations whether I could manage the ascents, as coming from the Chilterns I am used to a few hills, not steep mountains. But our guide, Alvaro, was outstanding, and really sensitive to the needs of the whole group - and I made it to the top every time! Sometimes he led from the front and sometimes, where appropriate, he let the faster walkers go at their own pace and ran between the front and the back of the group to make sure we were all ok and felt supported...and all this whilst carrying up to 10 litres of water in case we ran out. His passion and enthusiasm for the area were infectious and it really is a spectacular area to walk in. The food at the hotel was excellent, especially the evening meal which was a four course affair, beautifully served and with a good range of choice for the mains. The hotel owners Jim and Pilar and their staff are all very friendly. We were blessed with great weather which certainly helped and my fellow walkers were a great bunch. As always with Exodus, single travellers should have no reservations about coming on their own.

great family run hotel, with lovely staff. good local guide

This was my first experience of Exodus and was supposed to be with a friend who had to cancel through health issues. I found the group all good company and being a lone traveler was not an issue. The hotel, while small and simple, was comfortable and the hospitality outstanding. No opportunity to cater for every need was missed and the quality of food and service was exceptional. The weather was unseasonable and there were frequent storms but the knowledge and concern of the leader ensured every day was productive, enjoyable and safe as he assessed the likely weather in changeable circumstances and adapted the plan accordingly so not one day was wasted.

A wonderful week walking in the stunning Picos.

Lovely week walking in the Picos with our great guide Luis.Very friendly family run hotel.Great food.

A wonderful, wonderful holiday. The scenery is stunning and the walks allowed us to explore a variety of locations within the national park. The hotel is in a great location for access to the peaks.

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.

A trip planned for 2020 finally came about. The location, trail routes, accommodation, group leader (Silvia), hotel staff (Jim and Pilar) and other hotel support staff were just amazing. I did not think I could manage my usual level 3 hikes post Covid (caught this a couple of months before) and managed to participate 3 out of 5 hiking days. My favourite trek was Cares Gorge - views were stunning, do not forget to look back (shodows cast by the mountains along the gorge by the morning sun). During our free day I went to Llanes, a lovely seaside village/town, and a nearby beach with a few members of the group. We had a great day out.