Walking and wine tasting holiday in Spain and Portugal

Environment

To help leave a lower carbon footprint we travel overland from Spain into Portugal using local bus providers and public transport where we can, including taking the train along the Duero valley between Pocinhos and Peso da Regua. We also take walking tours in Madrid and Porto so as to see the sights without the use of a vehicle.

The tap water is both safe to drink and clean in Spain and Portugal and we encourage clients to take a reusable water bottle to fill up, rather than generating plastic bottle waste.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

Community

As we travel through the Ribera de Deruro wine region we visit of variety of bodegas - local wine producers with shops selling their wine. This provides the group with an insight into different wine making techniques from the producers themselves and the opportunity to taste different wines of the region. Along the way we also try local food, including Spanish tapas and a visit to a small farmhouse for homemade cheese.

We visit and stay in small villages which are often away from the main tourist routes, this helps to provide income to more rural communities, keeping traditions going and spreads the economic benefits of our visit across the countries we journey through.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.