The legendary Pajares Pass

The essence of the high mountains, this route involves a strenuous climb that ascends the slopes of the Cantabrian Mountains through landscapes of deep green and rugged peaks. The road winds its way up impossible gradients and hairpin bends, offering dizzying views over the Huerna valley and the railway tracks that appear and disappear through tunnels, creating one of the most beautiful railway scenes in Europe. Upon reaching the 1,378-metre summit of the pass and descending towards La Pola de Gordón, the Asturian landscape of mist and meadows gives way to the starkness of the limestone rocks of León. It is a journey to be enjoyed with all five senses, culminating in a route that is, above all, a rite of passage for any traveller wishing to feel the pulse of the mountains in their purest form.