The second part of our late-March sun break in Andalusia. We capped off the trip with a few days in a rental car exploring the white villages (pueblos blancas) of Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
Category Archives: Spain
Our trips in Spain
Andalusia in March: Part 1 – Málaga, Córdoba, Granada, and Ronda
The first part of our late-March sun break in Andalusia, built around southern Spain’s excellent public transit: a Córdoba stopover between trains, two days in Granada split between a Sierra Nevada foothill hike and the Alhambra, and a pivot to Ronda when Caminito del Rey was closed due to weather.
Andalusia in March: Planning a Spring Break
We needed a sun break in late March 2022 and decided to visit the Andalusia region of southern Spain. Our trip plan covered four areas, while maximizing use of the region’s excellent public transit. We started in Málaga, with a day of exploring in Cordoba, before heading to Granada. We capped off the trip with a few days in a rental car exploring the pueblos blancas of Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
Picos de Europa part 3: Cares Gorge, Jou de los Cabrones, and Ondón
For the final part of our trip to the Picos de Europa, we spent three days day hiking near Camarmeña and Poncebos. This included hikes to Cares Gorge, Bulnes and Jou de los Cabrones, and Ondón.
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Picos de Europa part 2: Lagos de Covadonga and Arenas de Cabrales
On our trip to the Picos de Europa, rain turned our planned day hike around the Lagos de Covadonga into a short walk. We augmented it with stops in historic Covadonga and at a queseria in Arenas de Cabrales.
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Picos de Europa part 1: Three-day hike to Vega de Urriellu and Collado Jermoso
The Central Massif of the Picos de Europa contains a mix of steep-sided canyons and ravines, green pastures, limestone peaks, and rocky, barren landscapes. To start our hiking in the Picos de Europa, we went for a three-day, two-night tour of the Central Massif. From Fuente Dé, we hiked to Refugio de Urriellu below the spectacular Naranjo de Bulnes, then to Refugio Collado Jermoso, and finally back to Fuente Dé. Despite encountering thunderstorms, rain, and snow, we loved the spectacular scenery.
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Picos de Europa Prelude: Bilbao and getting to Espinama
Bilbao made for a great stopover on the way to the Picos de Europa. We could recover from jet lag while wandering the riverside, exploring the Guggenheim Bilbao, and eating excellent food. Rental car pick up at the train station made it easy to head out toward the Picos the next day.
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Picos de Europa: Routes, Refugios, Maps & Getting Around
In June and July 2017, we spent a week hiking in Spain’s spectacular Picos de Europa. The jagged limestone peaks, verdant green pastures, delicious food, and a pleasant stop in Bilbao made for a fantastic trip.
Read below for our notes on planning a trip, getting around, and where to stay, or jump right into our description of the trip: