We're introducing southern Italy's newest hiking trail, the fascinating island of Shikoku in Japan and Valencia's eco-friendly future
Dear kopral,
From getting the low-down on Valencia's carbon-neutral commitments to drinking in the spellbinding landscapes of Shikoku, Japan, there's plenty of fabulous content to explore this week.
The Spanish city of Valencia, home to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences complex, is the perfect destination for anyone who wants to travel with a green conscience. It already claims the highest water efficiency in Europe and audits the carbon footprint of tourism activity. We spoke to Emiliano García from Valencia City Hall to learn all about Valencia's plans for an eco-friendly future.
For travellers interested in more rural pleasures, make for Italy, where the Cammino BasilianoⓇ has emerged as southern Italy's newest hiking trail. Covering nearly 1400 kilometres in the sun-drenched region of Calabria, expect stonking landscapes, centuries-old culture and superlative spiritual sights.
Further afield, but still a walker's delight, Japan's Shikoku Island is blessed with lush valleys, plunging waterfalls and densely wooded mountains. Add to that show-stopping Kengo Kuma architecture, a quaint sightseeing monorail and knotted suspension bridges, and you'll begin to appreciate Shikoku's charms. Here's how to spend 7 days in Shikoku Japan.
Have fun,
Helen
Senior Editor, Rough Guides
The Cammino Basiliano® runs north–south for nearly 1400 kilometres (1390 to be exact) across Calabria in southern Italy. This gorgeous region, occupying the "toe" of Italy's boot, is famed for its dramatic landscapes. Sure enough, the trail laces its way through rugged mountains, traditional villages, plunging valleys and along a spellbinding coastline. It follows in the footsteps of the Basilian monks, a Greco-Italian order that followed the teachings of St Basil.
Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands, is a spiritual place. It is here that you'll find the country's most famous pilgrimage route – the 88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku – which wraps around the edge of the island. Atmospheric temples and shrines aside, Shikoku is blessed with supreme natural beauty, with plunging canyons, tumbling waterfalls and wooded mountains laced with hiking trails. Add to that some rich cultural experiences and steamy onsen (hot springs), and you'll see why a Shikoku itinerary is unmissable. Here's how to spend 7 days in Shikoku Japan.
From ancient plazas, to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences complex to 20 kilometres of Blue Flag beaches, Valencia boasts bags of charm and variety. It's also gloriously green, with two million square metres of gardens, 150 kilometres of cycle paths and 40 ciclocalles (cycle-priority streets). As part of our 'tell us your story' initiative, we spoke to Emiliano García, Tourism Councillor for Valencia City Hall, to discover more about the city's remarkable carbon-neutral commitment - surely a big tick if you're looking to travel with a clear conscience.
You are receiving this email because you signed up and opted in to receive newsletter emails from Rough Guides at www.roughguides.com. If you no longer wish to hear from us, you can unsubscribe below.
For any feedback - just reply to this email, we'd love to hear from you!
Rough Guides® is a trademark owned by Apa Group with its headquarters at London (WC2) Office, 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR, United Kingdom
No comments:
Post a Comment