December long weekend plans in the mountains

We are already in the middle of the long weekend season, when many families make their plans to spend a few days relaxing. The long weekend of 12 October, All Saints' Day, All Saints' Day and the Immaculate Conception and Constitution holidays are all in just a month and a half, in the middle of autumn.

These are ideal days to spend in a rural house, surrounded by nature. The forests offer the best views of the whole year, the temperatures are ideal to go for a walk and when you come back, light the fireplace after your hike. Mountains and rural environments are in fashion. The pandemic has helped many to rediscover them: now more than ever we long for the pure air of the countryside, the slowness with which life seems to flow there or the freedom to stop time and contemplate the landscape. These are sensations that are not to be found in the city, but which we have at our fingertips.

Spain has a multitude of rural tourism destinations, and among the most outstanding are Asturias and Cantabria. Both regions offer everything you need to disconnect from the urban routine: nature, outdoor activities, charming villages and a wide range of activities to spend a few days, as you can stay in the countryside for a few days. in these accommodations at very affordable prices.

Do you want to know what you can do in Asturias and Cantabria? Here are some recommendations.

Cantabria, sea and mountains

Cantabria is one of the favourite destinations for a rural getaway. It is a mountainous region par excellence, with such emblematic places as the Picos de Europa, the Saja-Besaya Nature Reserve and the Liébana Valley, and with a special feature: the mountains are just a stone's throw from the coast.

The most famous mountainous area of Cantabria is the Picos de Europa, one of the most visited national parks in Spain, which it shares with Asturias and León. In the Cantabrian area of the Picos you will find peaks of over 2,600 metres in altitude, such as Peña Blanca (the roof of Cantabria) and Peña Vieja. In these mountains you can discover fascinating wildlife ranging from griffon vultures to chamois and brown bears, the emblem of the area.

We also recommend that you take a day to visit some of the villages nestling in the valleys, such as the Saja Valley. Fontibre, the village where the Ebro River (the largest in Spain) rises, or the beautiful village of Potes, in the Liébana Valley, are must-sees. Very close to this area is the Collados del Asón Nature Reserve, where you can do practically any kind of nature sport: hiking, climbing, caving or canoeing.

Asturias, much more than mountains

Asturias shares with Cantabria and León the Picos de Europa. In the Asturian part of this natural monument, be sure to visit the virgin of Covadonga, "La Santina", located in a cave at the foot of the ascent to the Covadonga lakes, a legendary pass on the Tour of Spain. The ascent to the lakes is dotted with spectacular viewpoints from which to contemplate the Asturian mountains. Within the National Park there is also the Cares route, a spectacular route through a gorge with gradients of around 2,000 metres between the bottom of the river and the peaks, and which has earned the nickname of Garganta Divina (Divine Gorge) for its beauty.

If your plan is to discover the villages, we recommend Taramundi, with its houses made of stone and slate, or Cangas de Onís, with its famous Roman bridge over the Sella.

This and much more, just a stone's throw from the big city on the upcoming bridges.