Trekking in Spain - Picos de Europa

Spectacular scenery and a leader who knew his way round all of it, and really looked after his client hikers. Shame that Cares Gorge was closed after wildfires. Explore sorted out a transport issue quickly and effectively.

I was hesitant signing in to this venture, since at 71 years of age, it was my first trip traveling solo, my first trip with explorer, as well as my first trip on a multiday trekking trip. I had a great time, the accommodation, the food and the landscape exceeded my expectations. I am already looking into my next adventure with explorer.

Our tour leader had excellent local knowledge and gave us many insights into the local way of life. I visited during a heatwave when several wild fires developed on the hillsides. The tour leader adjusted the itinerary so that we were able to complete all planned activities, despite trail closures which occurred later in the week. The group were very friendly with a wide range of ages, most were travelling alone. I was nervous about going on holiday alone but from the moment I stepped off the plane at Bilbao airport I felt welcomed and part of the group.

The days hiking plan was explained well on the evening before by our excellent guide. He provided an interesting and at times challenging itinerary that was flexible as dictated by ability, weather and individual/group wishes. The accommodation and food was as explained in the Explore information. A well managed family hotel with plenty of wholesome local food.

This was a fabulous trip. The hotel was comfortable, the food was delicious, the staff were very friendly and our guide Juan was amazing.

The whole trip was very well lead by Juan Jo who has managed this walk for over 30 years. As he manages the hotel and restaurant as well the experience was seamless: he was always on hand to provide advice and his detailed instructions for each day were clear. Options were discussed with us on a rainy day and our opinions requested. Exceptional leader with warmth and a real pride in this lovely area. An excellent sense of anticipation of what the group might want. Brilliantly supported by his wife Sonya and his son-in-law chef. Great food too.

Excellent walking trip in beautiful mountains with experienced local guide.

Everything was exceptional, one adjustment I would recommend is to add more free time on Wednesday. The morning walk through an area without a clear path and bushes with ticks could have been avoided. The second part of the day was lovely so perhaps more time by the river or the pool would be nice. I wanted to see the city too and in the end missed the pool time.

An absolutely excellent trip.

Superb trip! The best hiking holiday I have ever done. The location is beautiful with stunning scenery everywhere. The transfer from Bilbao airport to Sotres is 3 hours. We drove for 2 hours, then had a break at a services and then carried on up into the mountains for the last hour. Our guide Juan was fantastic. We stayed in his family run hotel in Sotres, which was just perfect. He and his family looked after us so well. The hikes are well planned and organised with packed lunches each day. Juan's guiding was excellent, he was so knowledgeable about the area and the walks never felt rushed, he looked after us all very well. The hikes are challenging, you definitely need to be confident on very rocky and uneven ground. Also some of the climbs and descents are very steep, so good shoes and poles are required. The food at the hotel was excellent. Juan's son in law is the chef and the dishes he created were fantastic. All dietary needs catered for with no problems. We spent 1 night in Potes at another hotel which was also very nice. It had a pool which was very welcome after that days hike!! I can highly recommend this trip if you like challenging climbs.

Juanjo was an amazing guide, funny and caring. The staff at both hotels were brilliant and helpful and my dietary requirements of no red meat were met generally very well with the feasts that we were provided. The walks had beautiful scenery and Juanjo guided us well, allowing people to walk at different paces. However, if you do not have experience on loose terrain or think you may struggle, you should think carefully as some of the downhills were very technical and loose with some injuries picked up in the group.

This is the second time I've been on this trip. This time I brought my wife, Nicki, along. Nicki simply said 'i can see why you enjoyed it so much' JuanJo is a fantastic host, trip leader, so knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. How anyone could not have a great time in his presence I simply fail to see. And that's from someone who ended up in Potes health centre getting a wound stitched up !! All part of the adventure!! Ha ! We already have a return trip to Sotres in mind...... Which, I think says it all.

The experience was excellent in every way. Juan Jo welcomed us as guests into his family Inn. He took great care in his explanations and was very conscientious of each hikers individual need and limitations. The tone set was one of welcoming to exploration, with individuals being able to proceed at the pace and extent that was appropriate for them. Each of the hikes was spectacular. The evening meals were of the highest quality. For someone who is looking for a challenging and yet non-competitive trekking experience, I couldn't recommend it more highly.

I am a novice hiker. While some of the walking was a little more challenging than I had anticipated – there are steep hills – I may have been put off if I had known that first: that would have been a shame because I thoroughly enjoyed it and can happily recommend it. The trip was well organised, could flex to the changes in the weather, has led by a friendly pro who knew his stuff and kept us motivated and safe. The generous, home-cooked meals were delicious, and the accommodation, though basic, was comfortable. Overall, it was a wonderful introduction to hiking, to this beautiful part of Spain, and to the warm and welcoming group I was lucky to join.

Absolutely amazing holiday in a part of Spain I'd never even heard of before. Stunning and varied scenery. Juan Jo, our guide, was brilliant - friendly, patient, unbelievably knowledgeable and super interesting. It was great to have a local guide who has lived in the area for decades and is so knowledgeable about the mountains and mountain sports. Juan Jo's family run the hotel which made it extra special. You do need to be fairly fit for this holiday and I was happy to get away with just a couple of blisters. We had a fun group and I really enjoyed meeting meeting everyone. I'm very tempted to book another Picos holiday later this summer!

I found the treks tough in the unusually high June temperatures but the views more than compensated Our tour guide and host is 2nd to none taking great care of all in the group Accommodation spotless Food substantial This family run hotel works like clockwork A great week

Juan Ho was an amazing host and guide passionate and knowledgeable about the region I couldn't speak highly enough about him and his and his family.

Juanjo was an excellent guide, safe and knowledgeable.He explained the walks, we walked at our own pace and transport was readily available for our return. The scenery was amazing.

This was a great week in the Picos de Europa. The lovely family-run hotel, located in the beautiful village of Sotres is a perfect base to explore the mountains. Thank you to our wonderful guide, Juan Jose, for looking after us so well and for sharing his incredible local knowledge and passion of the area.

This was a great trip with a superb leader. The Picos are beautiful and the walks planned to enable us to see different aspects. Some of the walks were quite challenging especially the climb to Vega de Urriello Refuge on the second day. The hotel, which is run by the guide’s family, was a relaxing friendly place. The food was good and plentiful. I would definitely recommend this trip.

A great way to see this part of Spain. Juan José and his family were excellent hosts. The food was spectacular and as a vegetarian they catered to my dietary needs very well. The hikes were excellent and challenging at times. I would rate two of them as a 4 out of 5 in terms of difficulty, the rest I would class as 3 out of 5. You would need a good level of fitness for this trip and experience hiking.

This was a great holiday staying at the Casa Cipriano in Sotres with hosts Juan and Sonia and their beautiful family. They were the perfect hosts, and though in the Explore description describes the hotel as basic, we found if very efficiently ran, immaculately clean and the perfect place to stay in every way. The food was fabulous, and if anything over generous! Juan, our host and leader, was very organised and informative. He took care of every detail and clearly loved his job and where he lived and was passionate to share this with us. Sonia, his wife, ran the casa and helped with the tour by driving us at times and just being attentive and a lovely lady. The tour was a wonderful mix of mountain terrain, meadows, wildlife, beautiful views, cheese tasting and Northern Spanish culture and heritage. At times quite challenging ascents, which were described as suitable for beginners but some might find a struggle. Our group were quite fit but day 2 tested us a bit! I don’t think I would change this itinerary, but maybe the need for a good level of fitness/ capacity to manage steep ascent on very uneven terrain/rocks might help future travellers to assess their capability to manage this. I would highly recommend this trip. The tour leader was outstanding, and for me the trip offered the right mix of challenge, great new experiences and beautiful scenery.