If you are on holiday and want to escape from overcrowded destinations, Spain has rural areas where you can enjoy sustainable and intimate tourism with nature. There are countless options: eco-friendly hotels, sustainable houses that use renewable energies, CETS natural spaces, etc. An example of ecotourism is ecovillages: villages that live sustainably with nature from the resources it offers. During your visit, you will be able to internalise the local philosophy of life, and put into practice ways to reduce your environmental footprint as well as values based on caring for others and nature.
Tanquián, Lugo
In a natural paradise as special as the Ribeira Sacra, you will find Tanquián. Once one of the deserted villages in Galicia, it has been given a new lease of life by becoming an ecovillage dedicated primarily to the sustainable cultivation of ecological products. It currently falls under the small town of Ferreira de Pantón, located almost half an hour from Ourense. Given the proximity to this city, you can easily decide where to stay. If you visit, maybe try its delicious juices and jams?
Valdepiélagos, Madrid
The houses of this village in Madrid was built with ecological materials and, today, each one has a vegetable garden and solar panels on its roofs. A village that is committed to the circular economy and renewable energies. And it is located just one hour from the Spanish capital.
Los Portales, Seville
In the Los Portales, the villagers can give you tips to be more self-sufficient. They grow their own vegetables and medicinal herbs. They also produce bread, olive oil and cheese from the milk they get from their herd of goats. They even built their own windmill to generate wind power!And where is this charming ecovillage located? In Castilblanco de los Arroyos, approximately fifty minutes from the popular Andalusian city of Seville.
Matavenero, Leon
In a valley in the town of Torre del Bierzo, on top of the mountain, live the villagers of Matavenero. An ecovillage that works with renewable energies and that offers a camping area and a small hostel. Walking through Matavenero is a delight for the senses thanks to its views of the Montes de León, the guitars that play in the square, and the aromas of the vegetable gardens and the freshly baked bread from one of the houses in the village.
Molino de Guadalmesí, Cadiz
The eco-village of Molino de Guadalmesí is only half an hour away from the tourist coastal town of Tarifa, so you can choose from many accommodation options. But, if you are looking for a getaway in the middle of nature, this ecovillage usually offers accommodation and a programme of activities where you feel like one of its villagers. It follows organic farming practices and dedicates its efforts to rebuilding ecosystems, and increasing biodiversity. If you want to help them by participating in their project, you can volunteer and take courses in the village itself!
Spain has many rural areas where the villages are becoming empty due to rural flight (when people migrate from the town to the city). That is why eco-friendly tourism offers the opportunity to revive these areas through nature sports, ecovillages, sustainable hostels or any activity that invites tourists to respect and enjoy the natural surroundings.
