One of our favourite moments of the day was early morning before any of our fellow campers were up. The three of us would watch the sun work its way down a nearby mountain, hitting the valley just as we devoured the remains of our breakfast. It was a fantastic way to start the day before heading off to explore what the Swiss Alps had to offer.
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Imagine staying in a 13th-century monastery where Cisterian monks lived for hundreds of years? That’s exactly what a small group of us did when we discovered the Aragon region in northeasterly Spain. We explored Huesca in the foothills of the Pyrenees and the Teruel region provided us with distinct Mudéjar architecture and gothic-style buildings. But in Nuévalos, part of the Zaragoza province, we got to experience the Monasterio de Piedra, its exquisite gardens and spectacular birds of prey display.
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Evolène, with its mountain peaks, is ideal for hikers. Located in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps, there are more than 250 kilometres of paths, 100 kilometres of cycle trails and spectacular alpine scenery including the magnificent Dent Blanche. For the more adventurous, there’s always Via Ferrata!
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The sun-kissed Valais region in the Swiss Alps is ripe for exploration what with its lush countryside, snow-capped mountains and magnificent alpine lakes. It truly is a hikers paradise with more than 8,000 kilometres of marked trails. Our trek to the strikingly beautiful Lac Bleu of Arolla took us through the forest, which is home to red squirrels, marmosets and chamois (goat-like antelope) while offering the most breathtaking scenery.
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Once regarded as the “shame of Italy”, Matera is not a destination we’re going to forget in a hurry. Situated in the Basilicata region in southern Italy, the labyrinth of cave-dwelling communes (the Sassi), breathtaking ravine and rock churches make it a truly memorable place to visit. Remarkably, the honeycomb of caves was inhabited by hundreds of families right up to the 1950’s when the inhabitants were moved by law into modern buildings on the plateau above. Today, Matera is no longer seen as the shame of Italy but a fascinating reminder of times gone by. Hardly surprising it was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 for being the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ was also filmed in Matera.
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One of the highlights from my recent trip to Lake Maggiore with Bookings For You was the mountain hike. Organised by the Golfo Gabella Lake Resort, our route took us from Campagnano up towards Lago Delio. We might have made the distance had we not been distracted by the magnificent scenery and the sensational local produce. You’ll get a taste of it from this post which features the routes we took and that delicious feast, with perhaps a few too many photos.
Campagnano itself is easily recognisable thanks to the San Rocco Church. We stopped here for a time to take in the spectacular views across Lake Maggiore towards Cannobio. Having travelled to Lake Maggiore with some of my fellow travel bloggers, half of us trekked for cheese with the remainder taking a ferry to Cannobio. Do have a look at Sarah from Extraordinary Chaos’ photo tour of Cannobio, it looks and sounds stunning!
The latter part of the journey took us along a road for a few minutes before we veered off and took a different path. You could go either way but ours was probably prettier and provided the perfect opportunity for some of the group to sing “the hills are alive” as everyone should when in that situation. Luckily the theatrical singer of the group drowned out my dulcet tones!
Where we stopped to try out the local produce was even more stunning than I imagined it would be. Tall trees, blue skies and sunshine with 80’s classics coming from the cabin. When we walked in the smell was unreal and the cold water on arrival was warmly welcomed – for the first time ever, I forgot to take water on a trek and I was so thirsty! Having checked out the large cheeses and meats, we took time out to cool down and catch our breath while taking in this truly beautiful spot. While doing so taking in the glorious empty B&B opposite which was rumoured to be for sale.
Having enjoyed the most superb feast, we headed back down this time taking a different route. We took some seriously impressive stone steps downward, passing a derelict house (no roof this time) along the way and more of those views. The latter part of this route was pretty steep but only short and led us to a very special village.
The cobbled village of Musignano is one of those places that captures your heart from the moment you arrive. It was charming on its own but what made it unforgettable were all the wooden people dotted around. The attention to detail was something else! If you want to read more about the village and see more of the wooden people, do check out this post by Like Love Do.
We had the best time exploring the mountains, savouring the delicious local produce and discovering the unique village of Musignano. The Lake Maggiore region has so much to offer it really does. Have a read of this post to get a feel for what else you can do there with or without the kids.
Additional inspiration is below:
10 Things To Do Near Lake Maggiore With Kids
15 Things To Do In Lake Maggiore With Kids
Things To Do In Lake Maggiore For Outdoor Loving Families
Things To Do In Lake Maggiore with Kids Of All Ages From Tots To Teens
The cable cars in Laveno Mombello – Funivie del Lago Maggiore
Having had an unforgettable time in Cantabria and Asturias, with a press trip to the remarkable Aragon in-between, we’ve relished the time we’ve spent in Northern Spain. Ripe for discovery and exploration, each region we’ve visited is beautifully unspoilt offering something different with landscapes so spectacular they’ve taken our breath away. We’re craving another road trip but where to next? Here are a few things we’ve loved about our travels in Northern Spain and where we’re thinking of heading.
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If you’re a regular visitor here, you’ll know we’ve spent a fair amount of time in Northern Spain. In fact, over the last couple of years, we’ve taken road trips around Cantabria and Asturias, not to mention exploring the Huesca, Zaragoza and Teruel provinces. In a stark contrast to its southern counterpart, Northern Spain remains largely untouched by tourism. I’m sure I could write a list of many things to do in Northern Spain but for now, let’s stick with seven. If you’ve not been before, here’s just a taste of what you can expect.
One of the things we love about travelling is discovering places that are largely untouched by tourism. Driving around Asturias for two weeks, and Cantabria a few months prior to that, we explored many beautiful villages and towns. You might think this kind of trip isn’t suitable for kids but six-year-old POD relishes being an adventurer whether she’s collecting water from a spring, exploring a mountaintop or wild swimming with the locals.
The Doves approach to holidays is very much based on discovery, exploration and adventure with authenticity at the heart. Often our favourite destinations are largely unspoiled by tourism, offer breathtaking scenery in spades and provide the best outdoor playground for our seven-year-old daughter. The kind of properties we love are full of character, rustic and often unique with a story to tell. Of course, having a great time is a key ingredient for our family holidays too.
