Planning a trip to the Picos mountains in northern Spain come July. Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry booked with 7 full days to tour the area. I'm minded to roughly follow the Ride mag 6 day tour but I need some advice on the best places to stay. Any recommendations on places to stay in the Picos? Cheers
Luxury or budget? Did Picos last year and we used hotels with twin rooms. Cost about £25 a night each. Bike security was a major consideration, in towns we only used places with off street parking or garage. Our trip was based, very loosely on the ride mag route that goes to Santiago de la Wotsit, though we cut the Western end off and spent a couple of days, based in the same place, exploring the mountains instead. If you want details let me know.
Been a few years since I went to the Picos as we got a bit bored of it as it is quite a small area but the Picos de Europa in Potes is ok. There are a couple of places at Rianno as well which is a nice scenic village with a nice road up to it. The Hotel Valentin at Aquiler de Campoo is good too if you want to venture just outside the Picos. They have underground parking and the town has loads of bars and restaurants. Some of the roads have pretty poor surfaces so don't assume just because it looks wiggly on the map that it will be a good ride. I wouldn't get too hung up on security. Big bikes are not really a target for the Spanish as there is no market for them out there, they all ride trailies or 600's mostly with barely a local superbike in sight. I must have been to the Picos 7 or 8 trips and on my 11th year in the Pyrenees and never once has anyone shown any interest in nicking anything.
Beautiful area, you'll have a great time. Too long ago for my memory to recall places to stay unfortunately, but the Paradores are a type of hotel found all over Spain that are lovely places to stay if the budget stretches: Paradores Spain - Spanish Paradors - Parador hotels - Spanish hotels We were poorer when we did the same trip, so went budget. We did the same ferry trip back, but road over through France, over the Pyrenees and via Barcelona and up to the Picos. Lovely trip.
Hotel Picos de Europa in Las Arenas de Cabrales. Big rooms, ridiculously cheap. Nice restaurants in town. Off street parking. We go here nearly every year, because you get off the Santander boat at about 1830 and it's an easy 70 miles from the port. It is still a good place to stay even if you start from Bilbao. Hotel Palacio de Meras in Tineo. Nice town, restaurants are sparse but the hotel restaurant is good. Off street parking 100 metres away (dedicated, gated level in a multi-story beneath a a small shopping centre). Great roads SW of the town. Slightly off track, but Pousada San Bartolomeu in Braganca, north east Portugal is very good as well. The roads round there are more open and flowing than those in the Picos. We stayed at all three during a week tour from Santander. Caseria La Infiesta is a B&B in the hills near Campo de Caso, east of Oviedo. They only have four rooms and don't speak a word of English. Google translate to the rescue! Authentic Asturian cuisine and the owner has a great wine cellar. If your return ferry is a morning departure, stay the night before in Portugalette, just up river from the ferry port. Gran Hotel Puente Colgante is very nice and has underground parking. All these are available on Bookings.com. Don't leave bookings too late; the hotels on the camino santiago pilgrimage routes are busy in the summer and get booked up early.
Razz did you ride from Braganca to Chaves ? That road is epic as is the road from Puebla de sanabria to Braganca which is a nice oldy worldy town. We had biblical amounts of rain last visit to Portugal so ended up riding North into Spain staying in Lugo which is a nice place too.
The best place we found was the Hostal La Cuna del Sella in Oseja de Sajambre, road in and out is pretty spectacular with quite a few routes you can take using it as a base. The village it's in is fairly 'hick' but has a couple of restaurants and bars. Not the sort of place if you want shopping a clubs... but that's not what we go for. Your needs and wants may vary though. The hostel is clean, modern and better than quite a few hotels we stayed in. No dorms, just en-suite rooms. Not sure why they've called it a hostel TBH, maybe something lost in translation? Another good find was the Hotel Villa de Luarca in the coastal town of Luarca. Not in the Picos but if you're doing the Ride route it's ideal. Park your bike in the courtyard and walk down to the harbour to eat and drink in the evening. Another place we stayed for a few days was Hotel La Branina in Villablino. Again not in the Picos but a good location to explore the mountain roads nearby. We spent three nights there. Hotel was pretty average but was comfortable with a garage underneath. Villablino has plenty of places to eat and drink.
Some graet recommendations! Here's another easy to get to place when you arrive (even better from Santander): Hotel Don Paco (Llanes, Spain) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor We tend to see how the weather is looking and plan Hotels the previous night to dodge the rain. On the last two occasions the Picos were rained out so we went south and down to Portugal, always great roads. With Bookings.com it can be easy to cancel and book to suit route changes. How did we ever manage before wifi?
Los Lagos is a must 43.229642, -4.754046. Mind the coaches.. Also, if you're on the Multi try the road from this point 43.229642, -4.754046 south. You pass through the Picos and the views are stunning. There are a variety of roads you can take from it to have a look around. It's gravel, I went over in a Disco with no issues. Passed an old Renault 18 coming the other way! You can then go onto the Potes area. There are lots of other side roads with Posadas and similar small hotels. The food is heaven sent. Have a look also at Fuente de and take a trip up on the cable car (better still take the road up on yur bike). The beaches all along the coast around Llanes are fantastic and similar to Cornwall.
Thanks to all who have passed on their wisdom. Plenty to think about and research. Last years tour to Germany was full on with big miles most days so looking to cut back a bit this year, having more days off the bike to have a look round. Are there any recommendations for picturesque towns/ villages worth spending a day or so looking round?
+1 for Riano. Great roads to and from it. It's a 1 night stop, small place. Get up early, cream it round the lake then go back for breakfast.
Agreed with comments on security - never lost one there yet. I stayed at El Molina de Roperia at Matallana de Torio a couple of years ago, which is close to Leon and just off the south of the Picos. Lovely people, good food, plain, but pretty cheap. Riano is a good spot, but I've never found a decent hotel there. As far as tourist stuff, coast is nice, with beaches; if you're interested, I suppose the Altamira caves are best known and there's a nice church by Potes, but it's mainly the scenery. You could visit Cangas de Onis for the roman bridge to see the kids jumping off. There's a couple of decent restaurants there and a Parador.
