Self-Guided Walks in the Best of Spain's Mountain Environments

Costa Blanca Mountains - Winter Sun in Spain's Mediterranean Oasis

With cheap flights into Alicante, and famed for the sunniest weather on all of Spain's Mediterranean coastline, the Costa Blanca offers some wonderful walking in autumn, winter and spring. Follow ancient paths among almond, lemon and orange groves through surprisingly lush valleys and hike rocky trails used by bandits in days long past among the ridges and peaks with sweeping views of the blue Mediterranean. Aromatic herbs abound and some of Spain's most popular beaches are just a short drive away!...for more details and an itinerary description...

Castilan Adventure - Villages, Valleys and Alpine Zone of the Sierra de Gredos

Just 2 hours west of Madrid, Castile's Sierra de Gredos are the country's best kept secret. These are the highest and wildest mountains in Central Spain, with numerous peaks in the glacially-sculpted Central Massif over 2300m, culminating in Almanzor (2592m), one of Spain's most prestigious ascents. This is superb walking terrain, in a magnificent environment that few overseas visitors have yet experienced, where ibex, multicoloured lizards and soaring birds of prey jostle for the walker's attention with spectacular views, myriad lichens, wildflowers and butterflies...for more details and an itinerary description...

Foothills of the Pyrenees - Barcelona, Romanesque Churches and Volcanic Trails of La Garrotxa

Catalonia has a fascinating historical and cultural heritage resulting from its strategic location on the Mediterranean coast, at the eastern end of the Pyrenees - the huge natural barrier separating Iberia from the rest of Europe. For the walker, the Catalan Pyrenees and their foothills offer some of Spain's finest terrain, with villages showcasing a variety of traditional architecture and a well-developed network of paths thanks to the region's long tradition of hill walking. After an optional one or more nights in Catalonia's vibrant capital of Barcelona, you will travel to the famed volcanic and limestone hills of La Garrotxa for 6 days of walks in enchanting landscapes... for more details and an itinerary description...

The Last Kingdom of the Moors - Granada and the White Villages of Las Alpujarras

Granada was the last of the Moorish kingdoms in Spain to fall to the Christians in their relentless re- conquest of the lands that had first been invaded almost 800 years earlier. In 1490, the victorious Christian monarchs Isabel and Ferdinand agreed to let the last Moorish king, Boabdil, live in the Alpujarras, south-east of Granada, on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Spain's highest mountains. Previously settled by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians, the sheltered valleys of the Alpujarras, with their proximity to the Mediterranean, offer a benign microclimate with year-round sun and abundant water and truly excellent walking... for more details and an itinerary description...