PRIORAT: PRESTIGIOUS WINES AND RICH HISTORY WITH ON FOOT HOLIDAYS

NEW YORK, NY (03/14) As Christianity spread across Europe, so did monasteries, and with them came vineyards. On Foot Holidays, specialist in self-guided walking and hiking tours in seldom seen areas of Europe, offers a tour through hills and XII century monasteries in the region that is home to Spain’s most elite wines.

Priorat, Spain (Along monastery trails to the holy mountain) – With four and a half to six hours of walking per day, this route is considered of medium-hard difficulty. Through mountains and valleys from the historic center of Montblanc to the heart of Priorat, you will visit two important, beautifully-sited monasteries:  Poblet (a Cistercian monastery founded in 1151) and Escaladei, a Carthusian monastery, where for seven centuries the monks cultivated vineyards. Nights will be spent in charming, sleepy towns and villages at typical inns and houses, where you will get closer to the Catalan culture.

You will arrive at Poblet via the medieval town of Prades, and later climb Monsant– the “Holy Mountain” – from which you will descend to Escaladei. With remote bathing pools and Neolithic rock art along the route, this tour is rich in natural water features and ancient symbols. Wine lovers will be delighted, when reaching the final destination, to stroll through the major vineyards of Priorat.  Recognized among sommeliers, this hidden wine gem is the land of a perfect 100 wine score as rated by Robert Parker, renowned American wine critic. Priorat is also one of the only two regions in Spain to qualify as DOCa, which is the highest qualification level for a wine region.

Rates for seven nights per person sharing are from $1,120 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, five evening meals, two lunches, detailed itinerary and supporting material, and luggage transfers between hotels.

For more information and questions on dates available contact On Foot Holidays at (011)44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk

EXPLORE MALLORCA WITH ON FOOT'S NEWEST ROUTE

NEW YORK, NY (02/14) Self-guided walking tours specialist, On Foot Holidays, offers a new route for travelers to discover the Spanish, little-known, wild and remote Mediterranean Island, Mallorca. Starting in the capital of Palma, the scenic eight-night trail will guide you through a range of different landscapes, including lofty peaks and deep valleys, all this, perfectly complemented with wonderful local cuisine.

Mallorca: Palma and the Serra de Tramuntana (Where the mountains meet the Mediterranean) – is a medium/ hard route with five to nine miles of walking per day. On Foot’s route designer, avid hiker and historic aficionada, Jesca Scott, has created a path rich in both history and landscapes.  Stroll through Palma’s labyrinthine streets, palace courtyards, art museums and the elaborate Gothic cathedral before heading for the hills. The Serra de Tramuntana range, running down the west coast of Mallorca, is a World Heritage Site because of the extraordinary techniques used to develop agriculture on its steep slopes over the centuries.  Other highlights of this trip include the impressive Finca Galatzo (an historic estate house) in the first few footsteps, the chance to learn how to cook Mallorcan paella at a family-run hotel en-route, and magnificent 360-degree views of mountains and sea from the ‘Archduke’s trail’, and the picturesque Alaro Circuit, complete with ruined castle and hilltop Es Verger restaurant for your final triumphant meal.

On Foot Holidays will create a detailed itinerary and arrange your stay in typical inns and boutique hotels. While walking with your partner, friends or solo, On Foot’s staff will transfer your luggage from village to village so you can enjoy a hands-free excursion.

This trip is available anytime from March to June and from September to December. Rates for seven nights per person sharing are from $1,384 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, one evening meal, detailed itinerary and supporting material and luggage transfers. 

For more information, and questions regarding customized variations of the trip, contact On Foot Holidays at (011)44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk

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Note to editors: On Foot Holidays features predominantly linear, self-guided walking holidays in France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia and the UK’s south-west. Each walk has been designed by a ‘Route Adviser’ – a person who lives locally and has painstakingly developed an itinerary through varied countryside, packing in as much culture as possible en route and seeking out the most welcoming small hotels, farmhouses and village rooms. The emphasis is very much on good food and wine after a day’s walking. On Foot Holidays is a member of AITO (the Association of Independent Tour Operators).

ON FOOT’S WALKING TOUR OF SPAIN’S INCOMPARABLE CATALONIA: TONIC FOR BODY AND SOU

NEW YORK, NY (12/2013) On Foot Holidays, specialist in self-guided, designed walking and hiking tours through the hidden scenic byways of Europe, announces a walking tour of Spain’s historic Catalonia. The tour takes in the volcanic zone of La Garrotxa and the precipitous cliffs of the Cabrerès. Stays are in the medieval towns of Besalu, Santa Pau, Rupit, Joanetes and Olot.  Rates for the seven-night tour start at US$1316 and include seven bed and breakfasts, five evening meals, five picnics, and luggage transfers between hotels. Level: medium to hard with 4 1/2 to 6 hours of walking/hiking a day.

Catalonia is the picturesque region of Spain that encompasses the northeastern provinces of Girona, Tarragona, Lleida and Barcelona. Stefano Buonamici, writing for The New York Times, described it as, “….a Catalonia outside Barcelona, one tourists rarely see — a rural countryside, created in part by those volcanoes, with dramatic cliffs, verdant fields and untrammeled medieval villages.”

Hikers will savor Catalonia’s fabled hospitality and scrumptious Catalan cooking. The town of Girona, for example, features El Celler de Can Roca, one of the top-ranked restaurants in the world, while little Olot boasts Les Cols, a two-starred Michelin restaurant (reservations are a must). Hikers will also be ensconced for two nights in a Vogue-featured farmhouse. “What is more uplifting than walking through lands that have been untouched by time?” says On Foot’s Director Simon Scutt. “Throw in culture, fine food and accommodations full of character, and our walks are a perfect tonic for body and soul.”

The walk begins in the beautifully-preserved medieval town of Besalú, staying in a stylish hotel next to the old bridge. From here it’s through the heart of La Garrotxa Natural Park with its numerous (now extinct) volcanoes. Winding up through the beech woods and rolling pastures of the cliff-girt plateau of El Cabrerès, the views are over the Catalonian hills, the towering heights of Mount Puigsacalm and the often snow-capped Pyrénées.  The final stay is in a converted farmhouse in the rural calm of La Vall d'en Bas.

On Foot’s Catalonia tour was designed by wildlife and walking guide Mike Lockwood, who has lived in Catalonia for 25 years. Fluent in Catalan and Spanish, Lockwood authored the “Sunflower” walking guide to the area and designed much of the network of historical paths that this tour follows. Recently, he handed over the baton to Richard Calvin, a keen walker and sculptor in stainless steel, whose wife Sara looks after hotel liaison and runs her own villa rental company.

This trip can be combined with a visit to Barcelona.

Contact: On Foot Holidays at 011 44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk