A walking holiday is the best way to get off-the-beaten path, in a different part of the world! Imagine, the feeling of the earth under your feet, the sun on your skin and the prospect of fabulous gastronomy at the end of your day. Leading you on the path is an expert guide that knows all the local wildflowers and history and has pre-selected the best place for a fabulous picnic lunch! It's a shared experience with like-minded companions walking alongside you on the trail, with stories of their own to tell. Everyone is looking healthy, happy and relaxed. There’s a sense of achievement, and of daily adventure, even if it is just an encounter with an olive picker or a refreshing dip at a deserted beach at the end of a long, spectacular descent. A walking holiday can be just that, a walk... alongside rivers, across fields, on the beach. But the one thing walking holidays typically have in common, is that they take place in the countryside, in remote locations away from the crowds, in some of the most breathtaking locations in the world!


While all this should be enough to inspire you to consider a walking holiday, let's explore some of the side-benefits that this style of vacation offers!

BEING ACTIVE - You've likely heard the experts talk about the benefits of being active - cardiovascular fitness, stronger bones, increased muscle strength, flexibility and coordination, lowered risk of disease and even reduced stress and anxiety. Imagine, climbing to the top of a hill or across a meadow and being rewarded for your efforts with a magnificent view! You'll likely find it much easier to exercise while enjoying some fabulous scenery! Do this for a week and imagine how good you feel after your vacation... and best of all, this type of holiday is suitable for all ages and fitness levels! While many holidays involve hours sitting in a car, coach or train, walking holidays ensure that you exercise as you explore the world!


WELL-BEING - Walking offers you a calming, meditative form of travel, providing you with free-thinking time to ponder the meaning and beauty of life! It's the fresh air that fills your lungs, that feeling of connection with nature, the changing landscapes, the wide open spaces, the time to reflect and to just be in the moment. As you slowly and leisurely take in nature’s beauty, you will be left with a feeling of accomplishment when at the end of your walk, you arrive at your destination.


INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS - Walking puts you in the centre of that picture, allowing you the time to notice details of the trees, houses, fields, towns and castles. As you journey through the countryside, you will experience real encounters, with real people. You will meet the locals, farmers, shopkeepers, and guest house owners. Walking enables you to wander through fields, rugged countryside, quaint villages, forests and vineyards... to places that most travellers don't even know about, let alone, ever enjoy!


NATURE & WILDLIFE - Nature is endlessly fascinating and when you go walking, you get a chance to get up close and personal with Mother Nature. You have the opportunity to observe all kinds of new and fascinating plants and landscapes. Wherever you walk, you’re likely to encounter some fantastic nature and wildlife. There are waterfalls, rivers, spectacular rock formations, flowers, grasslands, trees and pretty much every type of natural landscape you can imagine.


ECO-FRIENDLY & AFFORDABLE - Walking is an eco-friendly mode of transportation. Trails are much narrower than highways or roads, leaving a much smaller ecological footprint. By using your two feet instead of hiring a car or catching a coach or train to take you places, makes for a very affordable means of transportation!


FOOD & DRINK - Food and drink are often some of the main ingredients for any holiday. Whether it’s a three course meal served with the finest wine or a traditional dish washed down with local spirits. Walking holidays allow you to enjoy without feeling guilty about indulging! Go ahead and try that succulent dish or have that extra glass of wine – you've earned it. Some walking holidays include visits to some of the world’s greatest vineyards, and with the option for a wine tasting at the end of the day, it's well worth the effort to get there on foot.


A walking break of any kind can be completely rejuvenating to your body and mind! And while sampling some of the best wines and foods in the world is great, it is the amazing scenery and the people you meet that will make the experience of a walking holiday, truly unforgettable.