Spain Travel Guide

Even after many trips to the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Asturias, and Cantabria, it still feels impossible to describe a country that is so vast and diverse in terms of geography and culture.

Of all the places we’ve visited, Picos de Europa National Park in Northern Spain has captivated us the most. This protected area in Asturias, Cantabria, and León comprises the awe-inspiring Picos de Europa Mountains, a limestone mountain range dissected by gorges.

Picture-perfect Mallorca, the seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is famous for its pine-fringed beaches and mountain villages.

In spring and fall, we recommend hiking in the Tramuntana Mountains and following this Mallorca road trip.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the rugged Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa.
This winter sun destination attracts all types. But, we can assure you that these islands offer superb hiking and tremendous scenery. Tenerife boasts the highest mountain in Spain, El Teide (3715 m), and some of the most striking landscapes in the world (e.g. Anaga Rural Park and Teide National Park).

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Playa de las Teresitas, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

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Picos de Europa National Park

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Visit Picos de Europa National Park

If there’s one place in Spain you must visit in this lifetime, it’s Picos de Europa National Park.

Picos de Europa National Park stretches across three regions in Northern Spain: Asturias, Cantabria, and León (Castile and León).

This mountainous and rural area is defined by lunar alpine landscapes, deep verdant gorges, and mixed leafy forests.

We toured the park along this Picos de Europa road trip and experienced nonstop magical scenery. To date, it was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken.

Some of the highlights of our trip included exploring the medieval town of Potes, hiking the Ruta del Cares gorge trail, staying the night in Refugio Jou de los Carbones, hiking from El Cable to Fuente Dé, visiting the Covadonga Sanctuary, and driving up to the Covadonga Lakes early in the morning.
Read Where to Stay in Picos de Europa to find out where to base yourself in and around the national park.