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.
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.
