Walking Holidays in Spain
Surprisingly, Spain is Europe's second most mountainous country
after Switzerland. Not surprisingly this makes Spain a superb
destination for activity holidays and sees a growing number of
walkers visiting the country every year. Traditionally it is the
coastal resorts that have experienced the influx of tourists but as
many travellers become more discerning in their desire for something
different we are seeing a growing number of visitors coming to Spain
to enjoy walking holidays and experience what the guide books refer
to as "discovering the real Spain".
As Western Europe's second
largest country with a varied landscape ranging from the wet, green
regions of Cantabria and Galicia along the Atlantic north coast to
the desert landscape of Almeria in the east there are endless
possibilities for the walking enthusiast.
The Pyrenees mountains which separate Spain from France are the most
well known region for hiking whilst the lesser known Picos de Europa running parallel to the north coast in Cantabria and Asturias are
becoming better known. The south is well known for mass beach
tourism yet some stunning walks are possible just a short distance
inland from the tourist centres such as in the Alpujarras and Sierra
Nevada mountains near Granada, the Serranía de Ronda above Marbella
and the Axarquia region inland from Nerja on the eastern extreme of
the Costa del Sol.
Bear in mind that given the physical size of Spain it is important
to research the expected climate before embarking on a walking
holiday. The north tends to be very wet with fairly constant
temperature all year round. The principle tourist
destinations in the south of the country and on the Balearic and
Canary islands experience hot summers and mild winters which make
them attractive locations all year round.
In this section we provide information on walking holidays in Spain
and where appropriate we suggest small businesses which specialise
in particular regions. We receive no commission from these companies
so rest assured that we are providing genuine recommendations to
people considering such activity holidays. We also welcome emails
from other small companies which offer specialised activity holidays
in Spain.
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