Montaña de Riaño, where everything awaits

Montaña de Riaño offers an ecotourism adventure through the wild world, contributing to the conservation of the biodiversity of the numerous protected natural areas within the territory. It is characterised by being surrounded by imposing mountains, green valleys, extensive forests – among them beech forests, which have been declared World Heritage -, as well as rivers and glacial lakes. It is also home to intertwined, unique protected natural areas of great scenic beauty and rich biodiversity, offering a unique setting for authentic ecotourism experiences.

An area rich in customs and traditions, a summer destination for transhumant shepherds and a place to enjoy the authentic flavours. Its history of mining and ethnographic resources come together to generate great interest for all visitors and tourists eager to discover the area they are visiting. An area packed with nature and landscapes where photography lovers will find endless and timeless possibilities to capture images that are worthy of a prize at the most famous photography competitions.

Hiking, cycling, horse riding, its impressive mountains and landscapes, as well as its wildlife, complete the catalogue of ecotourism experiences that will bring us face-to-face with nature.

Montaña de Riaño is a territory with extensive environmental values that are reflected in the high percentage of protected areas, a significant geological and geomorphological heritage, archaeological and historical remains such as its many forts, Roman roads and livestock trails that, together with the architecture, tradition and gastronomy, make Montaña de Riaño a truly unique area to visit.

Protected areas:

• Montaña de Riaño and Mampodre Regional Park
• Picos de Europa National Park
• Los Argüellos Biosphere Reserve
• Natura 2000 network (SACs, SPAs and SCIs)

The Montaña de Riaño and Mampodre Regional Park is an area where the beauty of the landscapes come to form a usual part of the habitats of the large mammals that inhabit the Cantabrian Mountains. The clear skies, significant botanical diversity of the area, its numerous endemic and restricted species, geological interest, diversity of breeding birds, varied entomological richness, hunting tradition and famous stretches for trout fishing make Montaña de Riaño a unique territory, where the representativeness of its ecosystems or the unique nature of its flora and fauna deserve preferential conservation.

On the other hand, the Picos de Europa are the largest limestone formation in Atlantic Europe. It is an abrupt territory with steep slopes, and is home to chamois, roe deer, wolves and more than 100 bird species. But the Leonese part of the Picos de Europa National Park is much more than landscape, as it boasts centuries of history and culture, and its people have adapted their lives to the conservation of nature over time.

The Los Argüellos Biosphere Reserve has spectacular geological and geomorphological values, as well as great diversity. Historically, the population has known how to take advantage of the resources wisely, contributing to maintaining, conserving and creating unique landscapes of great natural and ecological value.

Commitment to sustainable tourism

Montaña de Riaño’s commitment to sustainable tourism can be seen in the different protection figures throughout the area, which leads to an increased project as a nature tourism destination, strongly committed to the use of sustainable tourism models.

• The destination and a selection of companies are accredited with the “Soy Ecoturista” (I am an Ecotourist) brand
• Involving the population to achieve their engagement with sustainable tourism and the promotion of the local economy
• Consolidate ecotourism products to attract high-quality visitors

Location

León, Castilla y León

Further information

• Montaña de Riaño is a fundamental corridor for connecting brown bear populations, making it an excellent observation destination. But Montaña de Riaño is not only a biological corridor for bears. It is also home to the large mammals of the Cantabrian Mountains, making it one of the best destinations for wildlife observation in the world.
• Its skies are almost free of pollution and its rich botanical diversity, numerous endemic and restricted species, geological interest and diversity of breeding birds make Montaña de Riaño a place where you can enjoy multiple experiences while immersed in nature.
• Guided tours, gastronomic experiences and museum spaces complete the ecotourism offering in this unique area.