In mid-November, a friend and I are meeting in Santander (that is where we found the best deals on flights). However, we don't really want to stick around in Santander, because our plan was to spend a weekend in the mountains and get back to nature. Originally we wanted to go to the Pyrenees, but they seem difficult to get to from Santander. Is there a bus or train that would take us to the Pyrenees from Santander and how long would the ride be? Alternatively, I noticed that the Picos de Europa mountains are closer to Santander. Are these nice mountains for a weekend hiking around and spending time in a nice mountainous area? Also, what are the best towns to stay in (either in the Pyrenees or Picos de Europa?)
Thank you!
Spanish Mountains near Santander
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http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1125&bih=629&q=picos+de+europa+national+park&oq=Picos+de+Europ&gs_l=img.1.2.0l9j0i5.2550.5572.0.8946.14.14.0.0.0.0.415.1971.3j9j1j0j1.14.0...0.0...1ac.1.wjA-Ecs-vT0
We only drove through the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees, didn't hike. The Picos are more sustantial and dramatic than the western end of the Pyrenees and would also give you a chance to see this beautiful coastal area of Spain.However,we loved visiting the charming French Basque villages in the western Pyrenees if that interests you.
Will you be hiring a car? You will need one for the Picos.
Here is the transport website covering the area of the Picos
http://www.transportedecantabria.es/web/guest/home
You will see that services are not always more than once a day.
To get to the Pyrenees use the bus www.alsa.com
November is not a time of year to do hikes in the mountains unless you are fully prepared and experienced.
personally, i would suggest a nice drive along the coast to Orviedo then returning via Leon [best night's sleep ever in the Parador there] and Burgos [where we had our car broken into but it was 25 years ago so i've forgiven it now] or going the other way down to Logrono [rioja country] and up to Pamplona and San Sebastian.
you've not told us [i think] how long you have for this trip.
We only have Friday to Sunday, and we will not have a car, so we will be relying on buses, trains, etc. We probably won´t be doing much hiking due to the weather but would like to find a place where we can walk around and explore some nature.
in which case you need the website for public transport that ribeirascra has given you [which has an english button in top RH corner] and a good map.
The mountains are pretty good and were probably the last mountains in inhabited Europe to be explored. Good walking, a parador, very old churches of a style from AD 1000 when this area had arabic craftsmen, and a monestry with enough of the original cross to build a side board, two drinks cabinets and a set of matching chairs. You will probably need a car (we did). We went to Potes and then worked out way to the West up the river. Then came down, tracked round and went north to Santa Marina.
I think that if there's any way you can get to Fuente De, that would be the best base for a couple of days of hiking. There are beautiful hikes near Potes, but you would need a car to get to most of them. Unless you wanted to walk from Potes to Fuente De -- it's about 28 kms and can be done in a day. There is some road walking, but a lot of off-road beautiful trails with beautiful views, and it goes through nice little towns. The route is well marked.
From Fuente De, the hiking is well marked, mountainous, and spectacular. There are several circular hikes that are just great. There is a parador there that is very comfortable, though not beautiful, and also the Hotel Rebeco, which is sort of a non-descript but perfectly adequate place, and a campgrounds that has basic accommodation available for people without camping equipment.
But in the end, I think that without a car, it's going to be hard to squeeze out much hiking time.
The closest part of the Pyrenees would probably be the places near Huesca, but that's a good 475 kms away and not a feasible weekend trip.