Why Northern Portugal Should Be Your Top Travel Destination post-Covid-19
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
Dear Traveler,
We hope everything is well with you, your family and friends.
Portugal Green Walks was created in 2011 with one simple goal: to offer our guests the best Northern Portugal.
Committed to offering a high level of service, and based on our own experiences and local knowledge, we have always carefully designed our tours in a way that respects the way of life the local populations and provides you with an intense and authentic experience. We strongly believe that responsible/sustainable adventure travel is a great form of wealth redistribution and it is making a huge difference to the lives of many people scattered across these small rural communities in Portugal.
Over the last few months, the Coronavirus pandemic and the containment measures imposed by health authorities have forced us to postpone our vacation plans but fortunately, now that there are several viable vaccines available, we can start to think about travel in 2021. More than ever before, we need to make peace with life in the open air, to resume the habit of hiking and, above all, to refresh our state of mind!
YOUR SAFETY MATTERS
Once the vaccination programmes have had the desired effect, rest assured that we will continue to ensure that our experiences comply with the relevant hygiene and careful cleaning requirements for the prevention and control of this virus or other possible infections. Having already obtained the Clean & Safe certification from the Portuguese authorities, Portugal Green Walks is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience to all our clients.
WHAT CAN WE OFFER YOU?
1) Unspoiled areas and Natural Parks
Our self-guided hiking programs take place in areas of low population density which are dotted with rural villages that have preserved their roots and traditions. Places of preserved beauty, inhabited by a wide diversity of flora and fauna, where man and nature live in perfect harmony.
Most days you will have the mountains and valleys all to yourselves, with clean air to breathe and plenty of vitamin D to absorb, no matter which of these wonderful natural landscapes you choose:
- The Peneda-Gerês National Park in the far north-west of Portugal, beneath the border with Spain, one of our UNESCO World Biosphere reserves
- The vibrantly green Alto Minho landscape is one of the world’s Top 100 Sustainable Destinations (ITB Earth Awards 2019)
- The Douro Valley and wine region with its magnificent manmade terraces, carved from the hillsides over centuries, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001
- The Côa Valley, the most important outdoor Paleolithic rock art site in the world with engravings dating back 25,000 years and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998
2) The Portuguese Camino de Santiago
No matter what kind of person you are: secular, spiritual, or religious, the Camino de Santiago is without doubt an adventure of a lifetime. I can guarantee this will be an experience like no other, a journey of insight and transformation and here are some reasons why I think you should do it!
… to get to know yourself better
… to improve your decision-making skills
… to recuperate emotionally
… to test your limits
… to reset your life and go back to basics
… to redefine what freedom is
… to connect with nature
… because you can!
3) Well-being: Time for you and the environment
If you are considering an escape into nature with a view to combining relaxation with adventure, our self-guided walking programs are made for you. The unhurried peacefulness and tranquility of walking in rural areas and in the interior of Portugal is the most balanced way of relating to nature, giving you ample opportunities to awaken your senses as you pause along your route to gaze at magnificent views, watch nature and locals in action, breathe in the pure clean air and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin as you listen to the sounds of the countryside.
4) Responsible tourism
This is all about investing in a better way of doing things. It’s about being conscious of who gets our money, and what they’re going to do with it.
Wherever possible we use locally-owned services such as restaurants, drivers, local producers and family owned hotels / country houses. By making a difference to the people you meet while on your adventures with us, we strongly believe that we are helping to make better places for people to live in, which in turn provides better places for people to visit.
5) More flexibility
After booking your programme, you have the option to request a new date change up to 30 days before the date of travel.
All of this without additional costs.
If you feel inspired by our suggestions and are confident that Portugal is a safe destination that is properly prepared for a return to travel, get in touch.
We’ll be waiting for you.
