We just spent the weekend in the mountanous area (Picos de Europa) on the Cantabria- Asturias border in northern Spain. Due to good weather, the sharply rising mountains provided a beautiful grey/white background to the green valleys between Potes and Fuente De.
We stayed at the Hostal "Picos de Europa" in Potes (previously recommended by Eddie on this board). Since the "low season" room rates are effect until the end of June, a large 3 bed (twin size) room with bath was only 8560 pesetas ($45). We did look at a 3 bed room with bath available at "Pension" Maria Eugenia but it was quite small & dusty., sorely in need of a facelift.
There is a lot of lodging available in this region of Cantabria,including a Parador in Fuente De (where a cable car lifts you up into the mountains).
An excellent, reasonably priced restaurant in Potes is Asador El Balcon, located on a hillside just above the tourist information center. In the town center Bar/restaurant Casa Cayo is good & bustling in the evening.
Just outside the town is the historic monastery of Santo Toribio of Liebana.

Driving from Potes to Fuente De (20 km) at the entrance to the town of Los Llanos we found another good restaurant, Meson los Molinos. It is a rustic lodge with stuffed Jabali's on display. The local specialities of cocido lebaniego (with chick peas) and cocido montañes (with beans similar to the asturian fabada) are very good here.

The temperature at 12 noon in Fuente De varied from 18 degrees C at the bottom station of the cable car to 5 degrees C at the mountain top station. There are many paths for hiking, some of which pass pockets of snow. Many individual hikers, some mountain scalers, and a large tour group were to be seen. There were plenty of opportunities for great photos.
If one is not pressed for time while traveling thru northern Spain, at least a day or two trip into this area is recommended.

JDR: You're killing me! That is one of the most picturesque regions of Spain (and the world for that matter). Thanks for the detailed recommendations.

I am happy to know someone got some benefit from my experience in that area. The owner of Hostal Picos de Europa is very helpful. He also arranges hiking, four-wheeling and whitewater canoeing tours. How did you like the Chasm of the Rio Deva driving down from Unquera?

I trust that you tried the Cocido Lebaniega. It's about the same as Fabada Asturiana but with Garbanzos instead of Faba beans. And, of course, the local aguardiente, Orujo de Liebana.

The Monastery of Santo Toribio is where the largest known fragment of the Cross of Christ (Vera Cruz) is guarded. It's worth a stop to hear the story from one of the Monks.

We took the teleferico up to the top at Fuente Dé last September - the wife didn't care for it, she gets vertigo from heights. The Picos de Europa area is one of the coolest places you can find in Spain during the hot summer.

[ 06-21-2001: Message edited by: Eddie ]