If you plan a getaway to any of the beautiful villages in Spain, you will be guaranteed peace of mind and disconnection, will enjoy small unknown cultural treasures, incredible landscapes, traditional cuisine, the friendliness of their people... But you will also be helping to create employment opportunities to residents, to sell local products and to fight against depopulation and tourist concentration.
What rural accommodation or active tourism company to choose
Whenever you choose accommodation, make sure that it has an official badge that guarantees its commitment to protecting the environment. One of the most recognised seals is Ceres Ecotour, as it is based on the European Ecolabel ECEAT ecological quality system. In Spain, you will find around 50 accommodations (hotels, country house lodges, campsites and hostels) with this certification. You can stay in centuries-old renovated mansions, rural hotels with their own ecological farm, or accommodation located among small fruit plantations.
Another option is to choose one of the accommodations, restaurants or guided activities endorsed by the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism or by the Ecotourism Association in Spain. Some examples of what you will be able to do: A botanical walk and a workshop on the production of natural oils in the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche, the flysch route by boat through the Basque Country, flying over the volcanic area of La Garrotxa in a balloon, being a beekeeper for a day in the Redes Natural Park...
Which village should I choose?
Given that you have so many villages to choose from, why don't you opt for one of the 100+ villages in the association The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain, which has received the award for “Best tourist product in Spain”. You will be pleased to know that they have all been selected based on criteria such as having a population of less than 15,000 inhabitants or focusing on the conservation of façades and the care for green areas.
On its website, you will find routes in each municipality as well as information about their centuries-old heritage, most typical dishes and festivals.
“Best Tourism Villages”: commitment to sustainability
If you want to make the right choice with a totally responsible option, you can travel to one of these villages chosen by the World Tourism Organisation as an example of rural tourism that preserves local traditions and protects biodiversity.For example, you can discover Morella (Castellón), a beautiful walled town where you will be surprised by its medieval castle, where you will think that time has stopped. Another option is Lekunberri (Navarre), where you can stroll around its old quarter with the typical Basque farmhouses, visit the Plazaola greenway and delve into the Mendukilo cave.
There are several other Spanish villages that are also known as “Best Tourism Villages”: Alquézar (Huesca), Rupit (Barcelona), Guadalupe and Baños de Montemayor (Cáceres), Cantavieja (Teruel), Oñati (Gipuzkoa) and Sigüenza (Guadalajara).
Shepherd or miner for a day
Experiencing what an area's traditional trades were like is not only fun, but also expresses your appreciation for the work of many generations. There are countless plans to choose from.For example, in Galicia you can join the shellfish gatherers in areas such as Cambados, put on the typical wellies and work with them on the beach collecting cockles, razor shells...
In the villages of the Alpujarra (Granada), you can learn to weave a typical jarapa. In Asturias, Navarre and Euskadi, you will find a multitude of country house lodges where you can stay with the owners and learn about the life of a shepherd dog or work in a vegetable garden.If you want to discover a mining town, you can go to the Hiendelaencina silver mines (Guadalajara), at Almaden Mining Park (Ciudad Real) and its impressive 700-metre deep underground mine, which you can visit, the Museum of Mining and Industry of Asturias or the Rio Tinto Mining Park, (Huelva), with landscapes that have been said to look like Mars on Earth.
Teleworking: an opportunity to rehabilitate rural spaces
While on holiday, have you every felt “so comfortable that I want to stay here forever”? If you want to be a digital nomad, are willing to live in other parts of the world and are looking for the tranquility of the countryside, Spain can also be your place.
The National Network of Welcoming Towns is made up of excellent teleworking locations. On its website, you will find information about each municipality such as the number of inhabitants, whether it has 4G coverage, work spaces, available accommodation...
Villages that help fight the climate crisis, ecovillages and other initiatives
The environmental organisation Greenpeace has chosen the 10 Spanish villages that hardly emit greenhouse gases and that contain natural ecosystems acting as carbon sinks.And other Spanish villages have been rewarded for their sustainable initiatives, such as Almócita ( Almeria) and their idea of a town-ecomuseum with events like the Night of the Oil Lamps (ancient music in the streets) and Becerril de Campos (Palencia) and its old Romanesque church converted into a cultural centre to discover the stars.
More plans that will surely interest you? Climb onto the idyllic lumber train that will take you to a beautiful village in Mallorca, Sóller, crossing the mountain range of Tramuntana, or spending a few days at its splendid towns on the coastline, Noja (Cantabria) or Baiona (Galicia).And if are looking for a change of life and a total retreat from the big cities, you can always check which destinations are part of the Iberian Network of Ecovillages.
