March 27, 2006

Italy and Spain - Explored in Small Group Adventure Travel

Every since I was a kid, growing up in Austria, I have had a fascination with the Mediterranean countries. First and foremost with 2 specific countries: Italy and Spain, these two historic and diverse Southern European beauties.

It's been a while since I have been in Spain: in October of 2004 I travelled to Barcelona, Sitges, Tarragona, Valencia, the Costa Blanca and Ibiza. In April of 2004 my husband and I met my brother and sister-in-law in Andalucia and we had a chance to explore places such as Malaga, Ronda, Marbella, Gibraltar and a number of the "pueblos blancos" (white villages) in southern Andalucia. In 2002 I went to Andalucia for the first time and also had a chance to visit the Alhambra in Granada and went on a day trip to Tangier, Morocco. That's in addition to two earlier trips, about 20 years ago, where I explored Madrid, Barcelona and the Costa Brava. So I have seen a few places in Spain and definitely consider it one of my favourite destinations. One of these days I would love to explore the Northern Coast of Spain, near the Picos de Europa Region, and I also dream of having more time to explore the Costa Brava again, maybe on a mountain bike the next time....

Barcelona - La Pedrera

Growing up in Austria, I made a few trips to Italy during my early years, mostly to places like Venice, Udine and Trieste. In the late 80s I camped my way through the Ligurian Coast and saw places like Genoa, Imperia, San Remo, Lago di Garda and Lago di Iseo, but that was a long time ago. In 1995 I spent some time in Milan, Turin (Torino) and Lugano. And more recently, during my November 2004 trip to Austria I went on a one-day exploration of Cividale in Northern Italy.

Italy, particularly the south, is on my to-do list, since I haven't really had a chance yet to explore this country in any big way. But believe me, I've seen a great number of travel shows about Italy. Just recently I caught a wonderful show on the Spanish-Italian TV channel in Toronto (Telelatino) that featured helicopter shots of the south of Italy - Naples, the Amalfi coastline, Capri, Calabria, etc. Breathtaking, that's the only way to describe it.

Gibraltar - a British outpost on Spanish territory

So when a travel addict like me needs to get a fix, I check out different venues to see if there are any travel presentations going on where I might be able to satisfy my virtual travel cravings. So this past Thursday I went to the G.A.P Store in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood to attend a travel presentation about Spain and Italy to get me started on my far-away dreams. The G.A.P Store is great since it features a whole bunch of useful and educational seminars - just recently I got educated on how to select the right travel gear, and a few weeks ago I attended their "Brazil Adventures" - another place I have to go to one day....

Gerry Da Costa manages the G.A.P Store and is one of those people who has had the chance to travel the world. He also used to live in Spain for 3 years, so he has become a real expert on this country. He started off by explaining the Spanish flag to the crowd, that the two towers on the flag refer to a legend where Hercules split the mountains and created Ceuta (a Spanish outpost on the North African Coast) and Gibraltar (British territory on the Spanish side).

Gerry talks to us about Spain and Italy

He went on to explain that Spain consists of 17 autonomous regions, all of which are very different. 4 major regional languages are spoken in Spain: Castellano (standard Spanish), Catalan (in Catalonia, the region surrounding Barcelona), Euskera (the language of the Basque region) and Gallego, spoken in Galicia, which is strongly influenced by Portuguese. The architecture and gastronomy in these various areas are quite distinct, providing for a diverse travel experience.

Next Gerry explained that G.A.P offers a huge range of small group adventures all throughout the world, including a variety of special tours for Spain and Italy. The formats can vary, from pure sightseeing tours to hiking/walking tours to more active hiking / biking& rafting tours. Accommodation is always in locally owned hotels to make sure that the money stays in the local economy. He showed us a few pictures of some of the accommodations, all of them very clean, comfortable and centrally located.

Gerry introduced us to G.A.P's Catalonia Walking Adventure, which is an 8-day active adventure that starts with arrival in Barcelona, where the first day is spent exploring the unique architecture by Spain's most famous architect: José Antonio Gaudi. Of course, Barcelona offers much more, the famous downtown Barri Gotic, the Olympic Park, and Park Guell (also built by Gaudi). The Sagrada Familia cathedral, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, is a must see destination. Gaudi, interestingly enough, passed away almost anonymously in 1928, after having been hit by a street car, an unfortunate end for an eccentric genius.

Parque Guell, by Gaudi

The tour continues to the historic town of Olot, an authentic Spanish village with interesting museums. From there participants take the train to the remote Vall de Nuria to spend two days hiking and relaxing, in a location deep inside the Pyrenees close to the French border. A train trip from Nuria via Ripoll to Barcelona is the last part of the tour, providing another opportunity to explore the Catalonian capital.

The next tour Gerry discussed is an 8-day active adventure called Catalonia by Bike. which also covers Barcelona, Olot and Ripoll. In addition, participants cycle into Gerona on the BiciCarril (Catalonia's famous bike trail). Gerona is an ancient walled city that dates back to Roman times. For two centuries it was controlled by the Moors, then it came under Jewish control for almost 6 centuries. It was besieged 21 times and earned itself the nickname "immortal" since it survived five attacks in the 19th century. The architectural heritage of Gerona is astounding and dates all the way back to Roman times.

Biking continues towards St. Feliu de Guixoles on the coast, a typical Mediterranean town right in the heart of the Costa Brava. The surrounding coastline features stunning cliffs, coves and bays with fine sand beaches. Watersports, hiking and biking are all popular pastimes in the area. The town itself offers a variety of cultural, architectural and historic points of interest, including a monastery, built in 1723 by the Benedictine Order. After St. Feliu the tour concludes with a bus trip back to Barcelona.

The mountain scenery near Olot

A notch up in activity level is the 15-day active adventure called Spain Hike, Bike & Raft. As with the other two Catalonian tours, the tour begins in Barcelona and continues by bus to Llavorsi, a centre for outdoor activites. Options on this tour include mountain biking, hiking, canyoning, bungee jumping, horseback riding or parachuting.

The next stop on the tour is Andorra La Vella, the capital city of the world's smallest nation Andorra. Some free time is built in for optional outdoor activities or for visiting a spa. Two days are then spent in the Vall de Nuria, a favourite destination of nature lovers. From the historic town of Olot the tour continues to the Garrotxa National Park which is located in an impressive volanic landscape, featuring dense oak forests, narrow and wide valleys. The travel group has the opportunity to hike two volcanoes, from where they get an awesome view of the local scenery. The tour continues to the historic city of Gerona, to St. Feliu de Guixoles and back to Barcelona.

The next Spanish adventure is called the "Great Moorish Experience", which is a 15 day tour that focusses on history, architecture and sightseeing. Moorish rule over Spain lasted for more than 700 years, from 711 A.D. to 1492 A.D., when the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabel, finally expelled the Moors from their last strongholds and forced the remaining Moors to convert to Catholicism. Mudejar art is famous for its beauty and was created by converted Moors.

Madrid

The tour begins in Madrid, Spain's exciting capital city. On the first day no activities are planned, which allows participants to explore places such as the Museo del Prado or the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (holding paintings from Titian to Picasso). The royal palace - the Palacio Real, the Real Jardin Botanico and the Escorial, a magnificent palace constructed by Felipe II, are all favourite places to explore in Madrid. Nightlife is centered around the Plaza del Dos de Mayo.

The next two days are spent in Seville, one of the most colourful and interesting cities in Spain. Seville is a center of Moorish history and culture, and home to the world's largest gothic cathedral. At 76 m of height, the adjoining tower, La Giralda, offers great views of the city and originally was a Moorish minaret, constructed in the late 12th century. The Christian bell tower was later added in 1568.

La Giralda - Seville's famous bell tower

After Seville the tour continues to the Costa de la Luz ("Coast of Light") which offers a nice break from city sightseeing. The coast is located on the western side of Andalucia, and the town of Tarifa is one of the most popular spots for windsurfing. Day trips to Gibraltar or a visit of Tangier in Morocco are popular outings from this location. Sperm whales migrate through the Strait of Gibraltar from April to June, and Orcas visit the area in July and August.

Next on the agenda of the Great Moorish Experience is Ronda, which is most well-known for its 100 m deep gorge that separates the town into two sections. The Puente Nuevo was constructed in 1751 and is the most photographed site in Ronda. Ronda is also known as the birthplace of bullfighting and features one of the oldest bullfighting rings in the country. The House of the Moorish King and the Arab Baths are also famous sights in Ronda.

The famous Puente Nuevo of Ronda, Spain

Cordoba is the next stop on the trip: one of the centers of Moorish culture and a place where Moors, Jews and Christians live peacefully until the Reconquista. During the Moorish era, science, arts, architecture and philosophy flourished. Cordoba is home to the Mezquita, the third-largest mosque in the world, and interestingly enough, it is not oriented towards Mecca, but rather towards Damascus. When Cordoba was reconquered in 1236 the mosque was converted into a Christian Cathedral. The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) was built inside the mosque in the 13th century and in 1523 King Charles V and the Catholic Church decided to build a Christian cathedral inside the original mosque, a project that took more than 230 years and introduced Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture.

Three days are then spent in Granada, one of the most important cities of the Moorish empire. Granada is most well-known for its great Moorish castle, the Alhambra, which is divided into three sectiosn: the Alcazaba, the Palacio Nazaries and the Generalife. The Alcazaba dates all the way back to the 11th century and offers stunning views towards the city of Granada and the surrounding snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. The Palacio Nazaries features the famous Patio de los Leones and the Generalife was the summer palace of the sultans.

The famous Alhambra Moorish Castle in Granada

One day is spent in Valencia, after Madrid and Barcelona the third-largest city in Spain. This is where the most Spanish of foods had its origin: paella. Valencia is surrounded by fertile plains that are at the heart of Spain's agriculture. Two days are allocated towards exploring Barcelona before the tour heads back to Madrid.

Gerry then introduced us to G.A.P's fifth tour in Spain: it is a 15-day active adventure called "The Pilgrim's Way" which follows the ancient pilgrimage route of the Camino de Santiago for 260 km from Leon to Santiago de Compostela. The tour begins in Leon, a city that dates back to 68 AD when a Roman Legion was headquartered here to fight back the advancing Cantabrian and Asturian highlanders. Leon is located in a fertile plain and today has a population of more than 120,000. The Cathedral, the Collegiate Church of San Isidoro and the Convent of San Marcos are major sights in Leon.

The first 4 walking days cover Astorga, Rabanal del Camino, Ponferrada, and Villafranca del Bierzo. Rabanal del Camino features massive stone houses and used to be a bastion of the Ponferrada Templars who protected those travelling to Bierzo. After a 30 km trek the next day, pilgrims reach the village of Ponferrada, which, at roughly 60,000 inhabitants, is the last great city before arriving in Santiago de Compostela. Villafranca del Bierzo originally was a stop for travelling merchants and by the 12th century half the population consisted of foreigners. Villafranca del Bierzo features the Santiago cathedral as well as a Roman temple with a beautiful doorway and facade.

The cathedral in Santiago de Compostela

The pilgrim's way continues to the famous mountain pass O Cebreiro where you enter Galician territory. The scenery includes temples and picturesque rural villages. From here two days are spent trekking to Sarria along mountain trails at an altitude between 800 and 1300 m. Sarria is a small mediaval town with a population of about 12,000 people. It features the cathedral of Santa Marina and a beautiful old section of the city.

Days 9 to 11 are spent hiking from Sarria via Portomarin to Palas de Rey. Portomarin is located on the shores of the Miño River and its population is roughly 12,000. One of the most important sights is the cathedral / fortress San Nicolas, which was constructed in the 12th century. Palas de Rey has about 5000 inhabitants and used to be a meeting point for pilgrims to regroup prior to starting the last leg of the trip to Santiago de Compostela. The church of San Tirso and the castles of Pambre and Felpos are the main sights in this town.

The next 3 days are spent trekking from Arzua to the final destination: Santiago de Compostela. Arzua features the ruins of the old Convent of Magdalena, constructed in the 14th century, historically used as accommodation for poor pilgrims traveling towards Santiago de Compostela. The final destination on this pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela, has attracted pilgrims from all over the world for many centuries. The official end point of the pilgrimage is the stunning cathedral on the magnificent Praza do Obradoiro. This is where St. James the Apostle is supposed to be buried. A city tour is included and introduces the travellers to the historical and religious significance of this city of 90,000 people.

After introducing us to G.A.P's Spanish tours, Gerry presented to us their two Italian tours, starting with the "Amalfi Coast" tour, an 8-day active adventure. The Costa Amalfitana is one of the most scenic stretches of coastline anywhere on this planet and this trip starts out with an arrival in Agerolo. The entire travel group stays at the Agriturismo Sant Alfonso, a former monastery dating back to the 16th century. The monastery features beautiful gardens, terraces and staircases that lead you out into lemon tree groves and grape vines. Dining is al fresco, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The stunning Amalfi coastline

The town of Ravello, made famous by Wagner, is next on the menu. Travellers can visit the many galleries and churches, or simply relax in an outdoor cafe on the main square. The next day a bus tour whisks the travellers to Punta Campanella, the starting point of a walking route that hugs the coastline and offers stunning views of the sea, the local villages and the island of Capri. Day 4 is spent exploring the famous ruins of Pompeii, victim of a volanic explosion in 79 A.D. A guided tour provides further background information about this unique location and after that travellers are able to explore the site on their own.

Day 5 is dedicated to the "Walk of the Gods", probably the most famous walk in the region. The trail climbs high above the coastal towns of Positano and Praiano. These ancient trails were once the only road connecting these two villages. The next day is dedicated to exploring the Grotto Di’smeraldo, a maritime cave of unbelievable colour. Afterwards some time is allocated for shopping in Amalfi. Day 7 is a free day which allows visitors to explore the gorgeous islands of Capri or Ischia. Alternatively you can rent a scooter and embark on your own discoveries. Departure is on day 8 from Agerola.

The last trip that Gerry introduced to us is called "Italy Hike, Bike and Raft" and it is a 15 day active adventure trip. The trip starts in Florence where the arrival day is allocated towards individual explorations. Florence, the capital of Tuscany, was founded in the first century B.C. and is the birthplace of the Italian language and the Italian Renaissance. Culture lovers delight in visiting the famous Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery, the Medici Chapels, the medieval Ponte Vecchio or many of the other sights Florence has to offer. There is just so much to see and do in Florence.

Florence's famous Duomo

Days 2 to 4 are spent in the picturesque small Tuscan town of Lucca. From here a train excursion takes the visitors to the spectacular Cinque Terre area in Liguria where one day will be spent hiking. Lucca is a well-known classic medieval city that is surrounded by Renaissance walls. Its silk trade and olive production made it one of the most prosperous cities in Tuscany. Vineyards surround the area and the relatively unknown area of the valley of Sericho is just north of Lucca, offering fabulous hiking opportunities.

The next 3 days are spent visiting Pisa, home of the famous Leaning Tower. This is followed by a bike tour through picturesque vineyards and olive groves. Activitities on the second day are optional and hiking and biking are available. The evening is spent tasting a delicious home-cooked meal. Massa Maritima is a medieval mining town, located at the top of a 380 m mountain. The Old City (Citta Vecchia) features Romanesque architecture and the Piazza Garibaldi and the Duomo, dating to the 13th century are the main attractions. This is a favourite destination for biking or hiking enthusiasts.

Days 8 to 10 are spent in and around Cortona, a medieval hill town with winding streets, wine shops and boutiques. On the second day a bike tour visits a vineyard, and on day 10 the day is free with optional activities such a a visit to the historic city of Siena or some more hiking and biking. Ortona itself is perched on a mountain and has many precipitous staircases, offering magnificent views towards the Lago Trasimeno.

Historic Cortona

The next 3 days are spent close to Norcia and include Italy's best white water rafting adventure on the River Nera. Norcia is located in a remote Umbrian valley and features a heavy defensive wall. The Piazza San Benedetto is at the heart of the city which is also the birthplace of Saint Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine order and the first Christian monk. The entire region is a culinary centre and known for its delicacies: salami, cold cuts, truffles, fresh river trout and fine chocolates. On day 12 there is an organized hike and the group is able to determine its length.

On day 14 a train whisks the travellers to Rome, the Eternal City. Everyone has a chance to see the city and its historic sights, to savour its famous cuisine and to partake of its nightlife. Departure takes place on Day 15 from Rome.

As I said, Spain and Italy remain among my favourite destinations, and who knows, maybe a small group adventure tour will be the way to explore them on one of my next trips. It is certainly a great choice for people who enjoy not having to organize every little detail by themselves and who like to travel safely with a comprehensive, diverse itinerary for 8 to 15 days.

Related Articles:
More advice from the G.A.P store: how to select the proper travel gear
A presentation on "Brazil Adventures" at the G.A.P Store

G.A.P Adventures is Canada's largest adventure travel company and a leader in socially and environmentally sensitive travel. G.A.P is also the sponsor of the grand prize for our first story contest: an exciting adventure cruise on the Amazon on the historic and unique Explorer expedition cruise ship. Visit our contest page to find out more about our first travel story contest.