8 Day Gastronomic and Horseback Riding Holiday in Picos de Europa, Cantabria

In this horseback trip, you will go through the heart of Picos de Europa over three provinces, in places you would have never dreamt of witnessing firsthand with four-legged friends

Day 1: Welcome

• The meeting point will be at the Casa Reda Hotel where the group will have the accommodation for the two first nights.
• This day will be the welcoming, the introductions of Aravalle staff, and a briefing of the details of the horse trip during dinner at the hotel.
• Dinner will be served at 9 p.m. (lamb stew).
• Food and drinks included: Dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 2: Start of the Horseback Adventure (23.5 kilometers)

• At 9 a.m., you will have a typical breakfast of the area.
• At 10 a.m., the riders will be picked up at the hotel to travel to Aravalle that is just a three-kilometer drive away.
• In Aravalle, the horses will be tacked on and the staff will do the assignation of them and have a briefing about taming and the handling, then, the adventure will start.
• Beginning at 370 meters high on the ranch, cross villages like Armaño, Viñon, Colio, etc., places full of beauty, history, and tales that the guides will more than gladly explain to you.
• The lunch will be picnic style on a magical shepherd's cabin; the food will be homemade and typical. A short journey will take you to Cabañes, one of the natural entrances to the enchanting Picos de Europa National Park.
• After lunch, pass through Colio, where you will see the 18th-century gate that was the entrance of a cavalry school during the Spanish Independence War.
• Horses will sleep there and riders will be transferred to Casa Reda Hotel.
• At 9 p.m., dinner will be served at the hotel and you will be tasting new traditional dishes.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 3: Cabañes-Sotres (26 kilometers)

• At 9 a.m. have your breakfast and at 10 a.m.m the riders will be transferred to Cabañes, where the horses slept.
• Begin with a big ascent to Collado de Pelea and a down-way to a Bejes typical village in Picos, basing its main activities on raising livestock and producing Picon cheese (marvelous blue cheese cured in natural caves). There exists a touristic interesting holiday, San Carlos or Sagrado Corazon, that has been celebrated for years on the first Sunday of August. Consisting of a pilgrimage to Pico San Carlos, situated in the eastern mountain range of Picos de Europa.
• The next step will be the Wolves Valley, an awful beach with wolves and Cantabric capercaillies.
• Passing through Jito de Escarandi, the border between Cantabria and Asturias, you will get to Sotres and finish the day there (1050 meters), where riders and horses will rest till the next day in a wonderful hotel run by local people who will serve delicious local products.
• 9 p.m. will be dinnertime.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 4: Sotres - Fuente De along The Reconquest Way (23 kilometers)

• Have breakfast at 9 a.m. and at 10 a.m., enjoy a visit to the cheese factory and cave (this activity will be confirmed on the same day, depending on if they are available).
• This day, you will have an astonishing ride along the valley dividing the eastern and the central range of Picos de Europa. On each side of the way of Puertos de Áliva, enjoy the majesty of Picos.
• Arriving in La Raya, a border which divides again Cantabria and Asturias, there is a marvelous legend that explains how this border was made; don't forget to ask the guides to explain to you the tale!
• You will get close to the entrance of the Manforas Mines, the place wherein the old times, the mineral was carried slowly to the coast; thanks to this activity, today exists the famous Fuente De cable car.
• This way is part of the reconquest way that began in year 722 where Don Pelayo, defeated the moors at Covadonga's battle.
• Later, stop to have your picnic in this very special place. Everything will be ready to eat there, including a wonderful Paella, when you arrive.
• The journey will finish down through a beach forest arriving at Parador Nacional in Fuente De and you will sleep there.
• 9 p.m. will be dinnertime.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 5: Fuente De - Posada de Valdeón (20 kilometers)

• Breakfast will be at 8:30 a.m., with the option to go up at Fuente De's cable car station and enjoy the wonderful views from this top station at 1,800 meters; from there, you can see Deva's river spring.

Once you are on your horse, ascend until Alto de Valcabao, having on your right side Peña Remoña and changing provinces again, entering Leon.

• Arrive in Puerto de Pandetrave (1562 meters) where you will stop for lunch with splendid views to the central and oriental massifs of Picos, a beautiful barbacoa.
• After a good rest, continue the route getting to Valle de Valdeon, watching the Cares gorge, a river which divides central and occidental massifs of Picos.
• 9 p.m. will be dinnertime.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 6: Posada de Valdeón - Llánaves de La Reina (24 kilometers)

• At 9 a.m. have your breakfast and at 10 a.m. travel on horseback coming back to Puerto de Pandetrave. In this journey, go deep into the bear, roe deer, and red deer area. In the saddlebacks, you will have to carry the picnic lunch because the support car cannot go into the trails, which are also walked by shepherds. This incredible terrain, full of springs, green prairies, and surely, a bit of snow, will bring full joy for all the binomial horse riders.
• Crossing el Valle del Luriana and really close to Pico Coriscao (2235 meters), start the descent to the queen's lands, sleeping in the only hotel in the area and eating game meat for dinner.
• 9 p.m. will be dinnertime.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 7: Llánaves de La Reina - Cosgaya (15 kilometers)

• In the morning at 9 a.m., have breakfast then you will take a little walk at 10 a.m. to the paddock where the horses are. In your last ride, go up to Puerto de San Glorio, a protected bear's area.
• Arriving at Collado Llesba and entering Cantabria one more time, take breathtaking pictures at the bear's monument with astonishing views in front of Picos de Europa.
• Continue through Prao Cubo to end the trip at Cosgaya Village and have a Cocido Lebaniego in the well known Hotel Restaurante El Oso to conclude the week.
• After lunch, riders will be driven to Potes where your accommodation is arranged.
• At night, attend the farewell dinner at a restaurant in Potes.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, red wine, and mineral water

Day 8: The End of the Adventure in Picos de Europa

• Have your breakfast between 8 to 10 a.m.
• You need to leave the rooms in Posada La Antigua by 12 noon; what you want to visit in Potes is up to you.
• Food and drinks included: Breakfast

Important Details

• It is important to respect the timetable to keep the daily plan
• Special diets should be asked at the time of reservation of the trip
• Accommodation will be in double rooms and you have to pay extra for a single room
• Underaged riders will need legal parental authorization
• Asking for a different menu or drinks in the restaurants will be paid apart
• Aravalle Centro Ecuestre is responsible for the correct handling of luggage but every customer must control, check, leave, and take it daily from the assigned places.
• Being a several-day horseback trip, it may partially or completely change due to terrain conditions, weather, or any other unexpected conditions which could be considered hazardous for the riders, the guides are responsible to prevent accidents, to guarantee the safety of the group.

During this holiday, lunches and dinners are all typical dishes of the area, including desserts. Also, in this program, drinks that are included are water, red wine, coffee, and tea.

Day 1

• Dinner: Salad, potatoes, roast lamb and stew, homemade desserts

Day 2

• Breakfast
• Lunch: Peppers stuffed with meat and bechamel, empanada de bonito and vegetables, local cheeses and sausage, fried milk
• Dinner: Salad, potatoes, breaded steak stuffed with ham and cheese, homemade desserts

Day 3

• Breakfast
• Lunch: Picón cheese, cider sausage, serrano ham, beef jerky, gypsy arm stuffed with picón cheese and ham, potato omelet, Quesada
• Dinner: Cabrales salad, corn cakes with hash, kid, homemade desserts

Day 4

• Breakfast
• Lunch: Paella, chorizo ​​and cheese food. Dessert, dumplings stuffed with picón cheese and quince.
• Dinner: To be confirmed at the Hotel Parador Nacional de Fuente De (1 month before)

Day 5

• breakfast
• Lunch: Grilled meat of the area, gypsy arm stuffed with cream
• Dinner: Salad, assorted croquettes, Valdeón cheese, sausage, and veal chop

Day 6

• Breakfast
• Lunch: Assorted stuffed cakes
• Dinner: Leon´s black pudding, salad, beef jerky, and stewed game meat, custard dessert, and homemade flan

Day 7

• Breakfast
• Lunch: Salad, borono with apple and cooked lebaniego
• Dinner: Rabas dinner, salad, sausage board and cheese, entrecôte

Day 8

• Breakfast

Here are some ideas of places you can arrange at additional costs:

• In Potes you will find buildings like Torre del Infantado from the 15th century; Barrio del Sol, La Solana, and the old town are very worthy to visit.
• At just 2 kilometers, there is Monasterio de Santo Toribio, a place where the biggest piece of Christ's Cross is kept, converting this area in a Cristian holy land like Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela, Roma, and Caravaca de la Cruz. Despite beeing less known than Camino de Santiago, it is also made a pilgrim way to get the jubilee, this is another beautiful horse trip to do in the north of Spain, from the coast to Picos de Europa, but this will be for your next adventure.

• Daily horseback rides
• English tack and saddles
• Equipped horse
• Saddlebags for everyday needs
• Specialized guides and support team
• Transfers during the horse trip as shown in the program
• 7 nights accommodation
• Daily typical breakfast, traditional lunch, and dinners
• Drinks during the journey (red wine and mineral water)
• Rainproof poncho
• Support car to transfer luggage
• Special needs on food at the time of reservation

• Airfare
• Roundtrip airport transfers
• Fuente De's cable car ticket
• Travel insurance (All riders participating in this trip should have an accident and cancellation insurance)
• Internet and phone calls
• Laundry services
• Other drinks apart from what are shown on the program
• Itinerary change decided by customers
• Menu change decided by customers

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 20 days before arrival.