Picos Family Adventure holiday

When should we go?
The Picos mountains are situated on the central north coast of Spain, “Green Spain”. The warmest & driest months are July-Sept (15° – 28°C).

You should still be prepared for occasionally cool conditions in the high park, and the chance of rain at any time.

How do we get there?
There are several options in addition to flying you have ferries to Santander & Bilbao, trains and driving are also options.

For train routes see the fantastic Man in Seat 61 website: www.seat61.com

The best flights are to Asturias (1hr from the Picos): Easyjet has direct flights from London Stansted or you can go via Madrid.

Alternatively Ryanair has direct flights to Santander (1.5hrs to the Picos) again from London Stansted.

Several airlines fly direct to Bilbao (2½hrs to the Picos). If you fly to Bilbao and want us to pick you up then extra transfer fees are likely to apply.

How active?
The walks, cycle rides and canoeing are reasonably strenuous but fine for active children and adults. We plan the excursions to allow for plenty of rests and snacks along the way.

There is also plenty of time to just enjoy the beach or relax in the quiet grounds of the comfortable hotel.

Walking in the Picos means rugged, steep limestone mountains. The paths we use are usually well worn and comfortable. In the high Picos there is often shingle.

Canyoning is expertly supervised and no experience is needed. Don wetsuit, harness and helmet (provided) and drop down into the stream and make your way back down to the bottom by negotiating the river bed.

Canoeing is in two person open canoes. All equipment, wet suits, life jackets, etc are provided. Before entering the water, we have a safety/instruction lesson from our local partners. We generally paddle the Deva River – short sections of rapid, some obstacles mid-river but generally wide.

Cycling for this holiday we take a steady ride along the coast from where you can see the high mountains. The ride is largely on wide trails with some paved sections and some single-track. You should be reasonably confident on a bike to enjoy the ride.

How comfortable?
Your stay in the Picos is divided between two charming, small hotels.

For the first five nights you are based at a very comfortable small hotel near the coast.

The next three nights are spent in a slightly larger hotel in a lovely setting with views up to the high Picos. This hotel has a swimming pool.

Accommodation is in twin/double en suite rooms. Where possible we place parents in rooms next to their children.

How independent?
This holiday is a guided small group with a guide and vehicle for each eight people. The maximum group size is 16, with two guides and two vehicles.

You will have plenty of options for spending time independently as well as together for the major activities.

Who is it for?
This holiday has been designed for families with children between about 9 and 14 years old.

How responsible?
Pura Aventura is passionate about the places it visits.
To help preserve the integrity of these destinations we:

• Work directly with local businesses and organisations to directly benefit local economies. We use small, locally owned hotels and restaurants.

• Work with local guides so that our holidays are more interesting for clients and more beneficial locally.

Pura Aventura actively supports the Spanish mountain conservation charity www.quebrantahuesos.org.