WALK THROUGH THE REMOTE AND CULTURALLY RICH PATHS OF THE ITALIAN ALPS

NEW YORK, NY (01/2014) On Foot Holidays, a specialist in self-guided walking tours that stands out for its unique and carefully designed routes through remote areas of Europe, offers a seven-night journey to the Italian Alps’ dramatic rocky mountain chain, the Dolomites. You can take this tour anytime during July, August or September. Once you choose your set off date, On Foot 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 town to town so you can enjoy a hands-free excursion.

The Dolomites (from remote South Tyrol to sophisticated Cortina) is of medium- hard difficulty to walk with three to six hours of walking per day. Combining the most attractive areas of this World Natural Heritage site, the tour will take you not only to explore the highly distinctive mountain landscapes, but also to experience the rich Tyrolean culture.

The Dolomites, famous for their dramatic vertical and pale-colored peaks, are among the most attractive mountain landscapes in the world. Route designer and ten-year walking expert of the area, On Foot’s Isabelle Basso, ensures the journey is full of unforgettable landscapes and experiences.

Stroll through the dreaming meadows of the South Tyrol, spend a night in an isolated mountain refuge, tour the distinguished Tre Cime Circuit and enjoy the picturesque scenery the Lake at Misurina offers. The tour ends in worldwide known gourmet destination, Cortina, where you’ll be delighted by exceptional dining. Throughout the whole trip you will experience the gastronomic richness of this region; enjoy fresh milk from mountain herds and Italian wine from Veneto. From dumplings to pasta in a week, your palate will be exposed to both German-Alpine and Italian-Alpine cooking.

Rates for seven nights per person sharing are from $1,400 for the early July holidays and include accommodation, breakfast daily, six evening meals, detailed itinerary and supporting material and luggage transfers. 

For more information, and questions regarding customized variations of the trip and low/high season prices, contact On Foot Holidays at +44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk

FROM LAKE CONSTANCE TO THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ALPS, EXPLORE AUSTRIA LIKE NEVER BEFORE

New York, NY (1/2014) On Foot Holidays, the tour operator that creates off the beaten path walking tours throughout Europe, offers a seven-night journey to explore Austria. You will be able to choose your set-off date, while On Foot staff takes care of the rest of the planning, arranging your stay in authentic and traditional family-run hotels and transferring your luggage by van from village to village.  From Lake Constance to Damüls, you will enjoy a hands-free walk through magnificent areas of the Bregenzerwald, including Bregenz, Lingenau, Schwarzenberg, Bezau, Schönenbach, and Mellau.

Austria (Lake Constance and the foothills of the Alps) is of medium difficulty to walk, with four to five and a half hours of walking per day.  With your partner, friends, or even solo, adventure your way through the meticulously designed On Foot trails. Put together by a “Route Advisor”, in this case local architect Peter Münch, the route ensures to be rich in design and culture as you pass through landscapes of meadows, woods and charming villages. On Foot staff will also provide you comprehensible maps, walking directions and detailed itineraries.

This tour is described by previous On Foot clients as “a real walking gem”.  Be amazed by magnificent over 6000 ft peaks and enjoy the most spectacular views. Also, if you are lucky enough, you might get a glimpse of white fresh snow on the very top of the mountains, an amazing contrast to the surrounding vibrant green pastures. To enable exploration of remote valleys without arduous climbs, and also to reach the top of Damüls bowl, cable cars are available and included in the tour package.

Rates for seven nights per person sharing are from $1,246 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, six traditional and hearty evening meals made of locally produced food, detailed itinerary and supporting material and luggage transfers.  To ensure good weather conditions for walking, the tour is only available from June to September.

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

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