Slow Holiday specialist Inntravel continues to seek out the lesser-taken path with four new self-guided walking holidays for 2018. Introduced this spring is a charming meander from manor house to manor house in Portugal’s verdant Minho region, stopping for wine tastings and visiting the country’s oldest town. Way. Also new are trips to La Maremma, to Germany’s Lake Constance, and to Andros, a walker’s paradise in the Cyclades.
Combining relaxed activity and unspoiled landscapes, Inntravel’s Walking 2018 programme offers over 100 tempting trails across Europe, from the snow-capped Alps to the island-peppered coastlines of Croatia, and from Spain’s sleepy sierras to the heather-clad moors and historic market towns of England. Breaks are for individuals rather than groups, and maps and meticulous self-guided route notes of walks, graded 1-3, ensure flexible and hassle-free walking. Hand-picked hotels and guesthouses, with luggage transfers where needed, complete the picture.
NEW WALKING TRIPS FOR 2018
Manor Houses of the Minho – Portugal
The historic Minho is Portugal’s greenest corner, with fertile meadows and verdant valleys. It isn’t just the landscapes that are green but the wine too, with the lightly sparkling vinho verde the region’s most famous product. On this self-guided trip from manor house to manor house, guests will stroll across valleys adorned with vineyards, follow the course of the Lima river and also visit Ponte de Lima, Portugal’s oldest town whose eponymous bridge celebrates its 650th birthday in 2018. The holiday ends with a fabulous stay at the home of a local Count, with whom you’ll enjoy wine from his own estate.
Price: from £758pp sharing, including 7 nights’ B&B, 5 dinners, 3 picnics, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 1 April to 14 July and 25 August to 31 October 2018.
The northernmost island of the Cyclades archipelago, it is hard to believe that Andros is just a short hop from Athens and the mainland. The pace of life here is different; it is simple, authentic and unspoiled. The island is also a walker’s paradise and guests will explore the hinterland along restored kalderimi (cobbled mule trails), past old olive presses and windmills. A real highlight is the authentically Greek town of Chora, with its proud seafaring heritage and even a Museum of Contemporary Art.
Price: from £720pp sharing, including 6 nights’ B&B, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 15 April to 30 June and 1 September to 15 October 2018.
Shores of Lake Constance – Germany
Dubbed the ‘German Riviera’, Lake Constance captures the eye with shorelines fringed with orchards and vineyards, and panoramas stretching towards the Alps. This holiday is perfect for those looking to relax, combining easy half-day strolls with plenty of time for visits, exploring the lovely gardens of this area, and using the efficient local boats, trains and buses to flit around. Staying at very comfortable hotels, highlights include the monastic island of Reichenau and floral Mainau.
Price: from £675pp sharing, including 6 nights’ B&B, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 28 April to 15 October 2018.
Etruscan Hills to the Sea – Tuscany, Italy
There’s a romance and wildness to La Maremma, a remote region of Tuscany that was once home to only migrant charcoal burners, wandering shepherds and butteri (cowboys tending the region’s oxen and horses). It is, therefore, an ideal place to explore on foot, descending from the Etruscan Hills to the sparkling Ligurian Sea. The week is full of gentle circuits through woodlands to hill-top villages and paths along the sea cliffs past Etruscan caverns gazing towards the Tuscan archipelago.
Price: £975pp sharing, including 7 nights’ B&B, 5 dinners, 4 picnics, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 31 March to 30 June and 1 September to 31 October 2018.
For further information on Inntravel call 01653 617000 or visit www.inntravel.co.uk.
