Picos de Europa and the limestone world above Cangas de Onis
Published on 09/24/2026 at 03:58 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Picos de Europa rises above Cangas de Onis as a landscape of pale limestone, deep gorges and high mountain pastures. The protected area began in 1918 as Montaña de Covadonga National Park, the first national park in Spain.
Limestone peaks shaped by ice and water
Picos de Europa occupies part of the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain. Its protected territory extends across Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León, with Cangas de Onis on the Asturian side.
The range is formed mainly from limestone deposited in an ancient marine environment. Folding, uplift, rivers and Quaternary glaciation produced the cliffs, hollows, ridges and valleys visible across the mountains. the limestone landscape includes karst formations shaped by water.
The park is divided into the Western, Central and Eastern massifs. The Western massif, known as Cornión, lies between the Sella and Cares rivers and is the massif reached from Cangas de Onis.
From Montaña de Covadonga to a national park
On 22 July 1918, Alfonso XIII established Montaña de Covadonga National Park around the western part of the range. The protected area was expanded and renamed Picos de Europa National Park in 1995. the 1918 designation is part of the park’s formal history.
The park’s identity combines mountain geology with long-established pastoral life. Cattle and sheep graze in upland pastures, while local cheeses are associated with the limestone caves and valleys of Asturias and Cantabria.
Cangas de Onis has a direct historical connection with the protected landscape. The municipality contributes 7,119 hectares to the park, and the road towards the Lakes of Covadonga reaches the western massif through the Asturian mountains.
The western massif above Cangas de Onis
The Lakes of Covadonga form a high mountain landscape of water, pasture and exposed rock. Lake Enol and Lake Ercina lie within the western massif, near the Sanctuary of Covadonga and the mountain routes leading into Cornión.
Rock dominates the higher terrain. Limestone walls rise above narrow valleys, while caves, sinkholes and underground channels mark the karst. The Cares and Sella rivers define important lines through the western sector, with the Cares gorge forming one of the best-known landscapes in the range.
Across the park, Torre de Cerredo reaches 2,648 m (8,688 ft), the highest summit in Picos de Europa. Naranjo de Bulnes, also called Picu Urriellu, rises to 2,519 m (8,264 ft) in the Central massif and has a major place in Spanish mountaineering.
The result is a compact mountain range with sharp visual changes between valley settlements, Atlantic woodland, open pasture and bare limestone. From Cangas de Onis, the landscape can be read as a sequence of rivers, forested slopes, glacial basins and high peaks.
Visiting Picos de Europa: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Picos de Europa lies in northern Spain across Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León. Cangas de Onis is a gateway to the Western or Cornión massif.
- The Asturian approach passes through Covadonga towards the Lakes of Covadonga. Mountain roads, steep gradients and exposed limestone terrain define the route beyond the town.
- Higher routes involve uneven rock, ascents and changing mountain conditions. Conditions on the mountain change with the seasons; the local cable-car operators and alpine clubs provide information.
- The official language is Spanish and the currency is the euro.
Searching for Picos de Europa on social platforms
These links open searches for Picos de Europa on each platform.Frequently asked questions about Picos de Europa
Where is Picos de Europa?
Picos de Europa is in northern Spain, within the Cantabrian Mountains. The protected area spans Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León, with Cangas de Onis beside the western massif.
What can travellers expect on a visit?
The landscape includes limestone peaks, river gorges, woodland, upland pasture and the Lakes of Covadonga. Mountain roads and paths lead from Cangas de Onis towards the western sector.
What makes Picos de Europa distinctive?
Its identity comes from the close combination of pale limestone, glacial landforms, deep river valleys and pastoral mountain culture. The protected story began in 1918 under Alfonso XIII.
