New holidays for 2017/2018
We’re excited about our new holidays for this coming season, and we hope you will be too.
We have an easy-going holiday on Spain’s Costa de la Luz (pictured above), where you can combine walking and sightseeing, plus three equally appealing holidays in the snow: enjoy cross-country skiing and winter walking on the quiet side of the mountain in eastern Switzerland, soak up the magic of winter from a high-quality spa hotel in southern Germany, or explore Lapland’s surreal landscapes on foot.
Gaze across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco
The
Costa de la Luz derives its name from the clarity of the light which illuminates the succession of sandy beaches sweeping down to Tarifa, mainland Europe’s most southerly point. However, it could equally be called the Coast of Encounters, as it is here that the Atlantic converges with the Mediterranean; Spanish and Moorish cultures fuse; and Europe and Africa come as close as they ever do to meeting.This is a region made for gentle walks combined with leisurely discovery. There's no shortage of interest here, from Roman ruins to migrating birds, and from Moorish towns to dolphins and whales.
Choose the quiet side of the mountain in Switzerland
If famous St Moritz is all about glitz and glamour, the village of
Sils, 10km further down the valley, near the border with Italy, is the complete antithesis. What it lacks in chic boutiques, it more than makes up for in its sense of history and old-world charm. What’s more, its setting between two frozen lakes is sublime, with excellent cross-country skiing and winter walking.
Enjoy the magic of winter in a secret corner of Germany
The
Berghotel Rehlegg in Bavaria’s Berchtesgaden National Park proves a point we’ve been making for years: a memorable snow holiday needn’t involve skiing. Footpaths meander alongside rivers and around fjord-like lakes, chair lifts whisk you to incredible viewpoints, and horse-drawn sleighs glide along tranquil forest trails. (That’s assuming you can tear yourselves away from the hotel’s panoramic indoor pool and indulgent spa facilities, of course.)
Go winter walking in Lapland
Think of Lapland and it’s probably activities such as dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and ice-fishing which first spring to mind. However, it’s also a great place to explore on foot, as our special
winter walking weeks in Ylläs will show, and you may spot wildlife such as ptarmigans and Siberian jays as you explore. Naturally, it goes without saying that if you’ve ever dreamed of gliding through the snow on a sled pulled by huskies, or scanning the night skies in search of the Northern Lights, there’ll be ample opportunity to do so during your free time.
Walking holidays for summer 2017
If you are looking to get away before the end of the year, we introduced several new walking holidays for summer 2017. Enjoy challenging but highly rewarding walks in Italy’s magical
Valle Maira; explore
Corsica, France’s 'mountain in the sea', or the
Côte d’Azur, whose colours and quality of light will impress you; strike out into the mountains of
Bavaria, where eagles soar high above; or imagine yourself as Tess of the d’Urbervilles as you amble through
Hardy’s Wessex.
Cycling holidays for summer 2017
For cyclists, we have two new holidays this year:
Mantova to Verona and
Catalonia’s ‘Cava Country’. The first is a journey through picturesque Italian countryside that culminates with a cycle ride into the very heart of Romeo and Juliet’s city, while the second promises plenty of opportunities for wine tasting and for savouring another thing for which Catalonia has a growing reputation: its cuisine.