Companies adhered to 'I am an ecotourist'.
Minimize your impact on the environment
The destination Onís ‘Ecotourism in Picos de Europa‘ in its commitment to sustainable development and the conservation of its cultural and natural values, has joined the Association of Ecotourism in Spain.
For us, ecotourism is a way of traveling, getting to know natural areas in a responsible way, respecting their balance and their people, minimizing environmental impacts, and enjoying the experiences and services offered by companies committed to the conservation of nature and culture.
Companies certified in the 'Soy Ecoturista' Club
So far 10 companies have been certified and offer ecotourism experiences and services that meet a series of environmental and social requirements that guarantee travelers their contribution to biodiversity conservation and local development in the Picos de Europa National Park.
Hotel Apartamentos Peña Santa
This lodge has adapted over the years to boost the sustainability of its activities. Its current practices include offering local gastronomic products at breakfast and the cafeteria, using dispenser gels in the rooms to dispense with single-use miniatures, having messages to reuse towels, switching to LED lighting throughout the hotel, and providing information on ecotourism options to its guests in the territory, among others.
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Interview
Vega de Ario Shelter
Pure ecotourism lodging located at an altitude of 1,630 meters on the western slope of the Picos de Europa.
Fourteen years ago Ignacio decided to break away from his “conventional” life to accept the job of being the caretaker of this high mountain refuge and dedicate himself to ecotourism. The refuge is a building that dates back to 1958, when mountaineering began to be a popular recreational activity that needed places to take refuge in the mountains.
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Interview
Felix Lopez (Monaña Guide)
Félix has been passionate about the mountains since he was born. Originally from Onís, like his grandparents. Encouraged by his family, he decided to set up this guiding company to make his passion his profession, guiding his clients through Onís-Picos de Europa through the eyes of a great professional and firm believer in the transforming power of ecotourism. The experiences that Felix offers are focused on interpreting cultural and natural values of the territory.
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Interview
Vega de Ario Cheese Factory
Artisan and family company that produces the most iconic and traditional cheese of Asturias: Gamonéu cheese.
The cheese-making tradition comes to Rosa, its owner, through her husband, Toño, whose family were shepherds for several generations. More than 30 years ago, Toño decided to try making cheese in the valley with his own livestock. What began in a very modest way, taking his cheeses to Cangas de Onís in baskets to sell at the autumn market, has evolved into what is today the Vega de Ario Cheese Factory with guided tours and even an online store that takes his cheeses to any corner of the world.
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Interview
El Pedrayu Apartments
Carolina is Venezuelan by origin, but she arrived in Spain when she was 15 years old and she and her family settled in Avín where A decided to dedicate herself with passion and good humor to the hotel business. Apartamentos El Pedrayu is a project that started as an idea to diversify the family economy of Carolina’s husband’s cattle tradition. Today they are a perfect lodging option for people looking for unique places in the middle of nature.
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Interview
PRONATURA -Mountain Guide
Fernando Abarquero, mountain guide, offers through the company ProNatura impressive activities from the purely tourist point of view and enjoyment of nature, while coherent and responsible from many others.
The care and respect for Nature and Protected Natural Spaces is always the main basis of its activity. We know that we are simply sporadic guests of this Nature, which sometimes shows us its most beautiful side, while we know and respect its other times fragile side and its delicate balance.
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Interview
Hotel El Rexacu
Rebeca Eguizabal, manager of the Hotel Rural El Rexacu www.elrexacu.com, an old mansion with stables renovated into an authentic rural hotel with 15 rooms in a unique setting immersed in nature and rural life in the village of Bobia de arriba.
Casa de la Montaña Lodge and Mountain Guides
Fernando Ruíz Lavid, is the director of Casa de la Montaña www.casadelamontana.com, a tourist lodge and mountain activity center located in Avín. After a very hard start 37 years ago and inspired by the enigmatic Maison de la Montagne in Chamonix (French Alps), Fernando began to materialize what is today Casa de la Montaña, in a typical Asturian mansion from 1615.
It also offers ecotourism activities in Onis throughout the year; snowshoeing, hiking trails, orienteering raids with compass and map, photography and traditional Asturian games.
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Interview
Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture
Conservationist organization created in 1995 as a tool to solve the disappearance of the bearded vulture throughout Europe.
Its Asturian headquarters has a permanent exhibition that can be visited on its own or with a guide. It offers a guided activity in which the whole process of captive breeding is explained in the same feeder and its observation is planned with binoculars and telescopes.
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Interview
Podcasts Radio Viajera
Lodging, cheese dairies and mountain guides committed to sustainability
