As a result of the UNESCO biosphere designation, the Menorcan authorities are even more careful to ensure that its environment and the plants and animals it supports are protected and preserved for years to come. This gives rise to some unique and interesting ways in which tourism on the island is handled and some unique experiences for visitors to Menorca.

Tranquil beaches and quiet villages

One of the benefits of Menorca’s restrictions on development is the peace and tranquillity that you’ll find on the island. Rather than the blaring night clubs and raucous bars of many of the other Spanish coastal tourist resorts, Menorca has miles of unspoilt coast and many villages with quiet cobbled streets that are never troubled by traffic.

Cala Galdana, Menorca, Spain by Matth i

If you enjoy time on the beach, there’s plenty to attract you to the island and its stunning stretches of sand.

Flora and fauna

Aside from the beaches, there are plenty of attractions for naturalists in Menorca. Birdwatchers will be kept very busy with a range of rare and unusual birds including Raptors, Egyptian Vultures and Booted Eagles seen soaring in the skies above the island. Late April is thought to be the best time for birders to visit, with the island acting as a key staging point for birds migrating across the Mediterranean.

Minorcan countryside, Spain by Francisco Valverde

The islands heaths and wetlands are protected and monitored by park rangers at the Albufera des Grau Natural Park. The park has an environmental museum that opens to the public, offering a fascinating commentary on the work of the park to protect indigenous species of plants and the birds of prey that nest in the area.

The park has several well-marked paths that allow visitors to explore this unique wildlife habitat and gives the opportunity to see some of the plants and creatures native to the area.

Culture and craft

Menorca’s UNESCO recognition extends beyond the ecological and environmental to the culture of the island. With a unique language – Menorquin – which is part Spanish, part Catalan the islanders have something that is completely different to anywhere else in the Mediterranean. In addition to the language and culture, including the strong heritage of horsemanship and agrarian living, Menorca has a host of prehistoric sites indicating a culture dating back to the Bronze Age and maybe even earlier.

One way in which the Menorcans have maintained their culture is through the handicrafts that are still practiced across the island. In particular, handmade leather shoes are made in tiny workshops by craftsmen and women whose skills have been handed down from generation to generation. The Albarca shoes, which are particular to the area, can be found in little shops and boutiques across the island.

Islanders are also skilled jewellers and metal smiths, and artisan jewellers are attracted to the island for the Eurobijoux trade fair in Mahon in September. At the leading edge of the trends, jewellery and accessories seen at the fair are likely to be seen replicated across the world in the following seasons.

Conclusion

This delicate cultural and environmental climate deserves respect and those who will do so receive a warm welcome on the island. With plenty of villas available, you can take advantage of the peace and quiet to get a complete break from the rat race. If you want to stay at a beautiful Menorca villa during your stay visit this link.

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Rutland Water – Leicestershire / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by NotFromUtrecht

Rutland Water is a 4200 acre park set in some of the most beautiful countryside in the Midlands. It is a nature reserve and conservation area so there are plenty of interesting plants and animals to see whilst you are there. The park has 2 visitor centres and a range of nature trails and cycling routes of different lengths. The Rutland Circular route is one of the most popular as it offers an exciting glimpse of the half sunken Normanton Church. In total there are over 23 miles of cycle paths at the reservoir for you to enjoy.  When you fancy a change from cycling, Leicestershire has a number of attractions including the National Space Centre, Belvoir Castle and Foxton Locks.

Huguenot Canterbury / Photo under public domain created by SuzanneKn

The Viking Coast Trail is a 27 mile loop on the Isle of Thanet. Contrary to its name, Thanet is no longer an island but sits at the most easterly point in Kent. The route passes through a number of traditional Kentish villages and extremely pretty churches. You can do as much or as little of the route as you like. If you want to do something shorter then you could try the 9 mile stretch of the route that goes from Ramsgate to Reculver along the sea wall. Other local activities include a fun mini-golf course, a leisure centre and an enchanting shell grotto.

Chipping Campden – Cotswolds. This route from Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh is a lovely circular route of 30miles. This route can be challenging in part especially around Batsford Park and Kineton Hill but it is very scenic and extremely enjoyable. You will find yourself meandering through leafy woodland, secret valleys and historic villages on this route. It is worth mentioning though that a small section of this route runs along a busy road which would be unsuitable for child cyclists. Other points of interest include Broadway tower, Moreton Falconry Centre and the Cotswold Farm Park. All of which would be a fun break for tired legs!

Cotswolds Panorama Fields / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Saffron Blaze

Vicky works alongside Cotswold Country Cycles. She loves outdoor activities including cycling, horse-riding and walking.

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For those who might not know what is it, should be noted that it is a lake of glacial origin. In the Slovak High Tatras there are in a total of 87 glacial lakes, but the most famous one is certainly Štrbské Pleso. It is not the largest or deepest one, nor the highest situated, but it’s just typical.

It lies at the connected point of Furkotská and Mlynická valley at the altitude of 1346.6 metres above sea level. It covers an area of 19.76 hectares and its maximum depth reaches about 20 meters. The lake is almost half of the year covered by ice.

The lakes were created in the Pleistocene by the action of glaciers, which dug them into the valleys. Due to the remoteness and high altitude such lakes have very clean water and are often a home to quite specific types of plants and animals. Štrbské Pleso is home to a fish called European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). This salmon-like fish is still widespread in many countries, but currently it can be found on the Red List of Threatened Species. It has been found yet, that whitefish from Štrbské Pleso is genetically purest of its kind in the world. The lake is also home to several other species of fish, some of them (especially perch and roach) are unfortunately direct food competitors to whitefish. The management of High Tatras national park therefore prepared a program to capture these fish, to save a rare population of whitefish.

In terms of nature is the human presence on the shores of lake negligibly short, but more intense. The first mention of a lake comes from David Frölich in 1644. Later there came hunters, loggers and miners. A lake has almost ceased to exist in 1860. It was due to the residents of nearby Štrba town, who tried to drain the lake and use that “useless puddle” for new pastures! Fortunately, they didn’t do it well …

The same-name settlement of Štrbské Pleso was founded in 1872, when there was a hunting lodge built by Jozef Szentiványi. Other buildings were then built at the instigation of Hungarian Carpathian Association. At present, a town of Štrbské Pleso is a popular winter and summer resort with many hotels and restaurants, and also serves as a climatic spa centre. With its altitude it is also the highest situated resort in Slovakia. There are lots of opportunities for hiking and skiing, including ski lifts and cable cars to Solisko peak.

Despite its mountainous location, you can get to Štrbské Pleso by both road and rail. The main gate to Štrbské Pleso and High Tatras is the city of Poprad where is an international airport as well.

Whether you come to Štrbské Pleso for hiking or skiing, you will be surely surprised with its beauty and surrounding nature. There are lots of hiking trails leading from this place to several important peaks – Kriváň (2,495 m) or Rysy (2,503 m) or you can visit the great 10 metres high waterfall Skok (1,725 m), or another popular lake Popradské pleso (1,494 m).

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by jzollich

Geographically Orlické hory are divided into three parts: Deštenská highland, Mladkovská highland a Bukovohorská highland. Orlické hory was declared a protected landscape area in 1969 and includes 19 protected parts. There are several rivers flowing through the mountains such as Olešenka River, Divoká Orlice and Tichá Orlice. The mountains covers a total area of ​​204 km2 and it is a home to rare and protected species of plants and animals.

Orlické hory offers ideal conditions for hiking and biking. During the winter months it is ideal for skiing and cross-country skiing. Among the most popular ski resorts are Deštné v Orlických horách, Říčky v Orlických horách, Zdobnice or Čenkovice. Visitors will be pleased with numerous cultural and historical monuments, which include for example Opočno castle, the baroque castle of Rychnov nad Kněžnou, Doudleby nad Orlicí castle, or Častolovice castle, which is one of the most beautiful Renaissance castles in the Czech Republic. Among the most visited ruins are Potštejn and Litice, Žampach and Lanšperk. It is worth mentioning pilgrimage site of Homol with the Church of the Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, a Baroque staircase, and with two chapels founded in 1692 by Countess Tereza Eleonor of Ugarte.

Other tourist attractions in Orlické hory include several military fortifications that were built at the former Czech-German border in 1936-38 to defend against danger from fascist Germany.

During your holiday trip you get to know and admire the natural beauty of this area. Either you are sport lover or lover of history and sights, or just a tourist looking for comfort and relaxation, then Orlické hory in the Czech Republic are really suitable for you!

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Oulanka National Park lies near the Russian border and the Arctic Circle, in the regions of Kuusamo and Salla on the boundary of North Karelia and southern Lapland. In Russian Karelia it continues as the Paanajärvi National Park. The name Oulanka comes from old Laponian language and it is also a name of a river that flows through the area. So the National Park is formed by the Oulanka River, which flows into Lake Paanajärvi and then continues into the White Sea. Its tributaries are the rivers of Kitka, Savina, Aventa and Maaninka that are cutting into the rocks, and creating a canyon valley. At some places you can see massive rapids and waterfalls, such as Kiutaköngas, Taivalköngas or Jyrävä.

Nature in Oulanka National Park is absolutely unique, geographically it can be assigned to the southern Lapland. The vegetation is very diverse and varied, includes more than 500 plant species. The northern part of the park is rich of extensive marshes and peat bogs, and is not easily accessible, there are just a few routes. Tourists can get here only if the soil is frozen. However, you have to use snowmobiles or skis.

Oulanka National Park has been left in pristine conditions for more than 100 years. The result is a forest, where you cannot see any human action and nature has to solve all of the problems alone. Many species of plants and animals occur only in certain places, as they would have set their boundaries. Richer soils are covered with spruce or pine forests. High pine and mixed forests are mainly on the rocks. During a walk through the park you can collect strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or cloudberries.

Oulanka National Park is also very rich in animal species. You can find here over 30 species of mammals, such as wolf, lynx, numerous mustelidae as a polecat, weasel and ermine, as well as badgers, foxes and even Wolverine or brown bear. The traces of these large predators can come across quite often, but you have to be lucky to see some of them. Mostly because they are hidden deep in the woods outside of marked trails. There are also deer, elk and Siberian wild reindeer. The park has many rare species of nesting birds such as swallows, cuckoos, larks, kingfishers, Whooper Swan, robin, Siberian skylark, and many others. In the sky you can see large predators such as golden eagle and eagle owl. Rivers are full of salmon which expanded here by migration from the White Sea.

Hiking lovers should try the path Karhunkierros. Karhunkierros or “Bear’s Ring” is one of the oldest and best hiking trails in Finland, measuring an impressive 80 km. The trail leads to a large remote areas, hence you have to be properly prepared for this. The best time to visit Oulanka National Park is autumn when the surrounding countryside is playing with all colors. There is such a beautiful scenery!

Along the way you can see some natural huts that serve as a shelter for single overnight. All of them look almost the same and during the high season can be overcrowded. It is a good idea to bring your own tent with you. All routes are well-marked, therefore it is not necessary to have your map, sufficient is also the simple schedule that you can get at the information center. Much more important part of your outfit is insect repellent.

If walking is your real hobby, you can extend the trip by 22 km long stretch leading from Hautajärvi. From the town of Juuma you have the opportunity to go to “Little Bear’s ring” that is 12km long and leads to cascades Myllykoski and Jyrävänjäri. It is possible to make this circuit within five to six hours.

In the middle of the park it is established the Research base of the University of Oulu and the major information center for visitors.

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The first records of settlements in the island of Corsica comes from the times of ancient Greece, when the island was inhabited by Greeks, Etruscans and Carthaginians. The entire island of Corsica contains of a huge mountain massif, which dominates the hill of Monte Cinto, which is with his elevation of 2706 m the highest mountain on the island of Corsica. The administrative center is the city of Ajaccio. The biggest and most important port is Bastia.

Corsica is the pearl of the Mediterranean Sea. It offers a beautiful diverse nature. There you will find high mountains with lakes and meadows with streams and creeks, as well as beautiful white beaches and clear sea. Parts of the island are registered on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best known is the Gulf Port, where is the Gulf Girolata, Cape Porto, and Scandola Nature Reserve. These sites provide habitat for protected plants and animals such as gulls, cormorants and sea eagles. Gulf Port is therefore registered on UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983.

Among the most important monuments on the island of Corsica is a prehistoric menhirs and dolomens, mountain cascades, and the historic city of Bonifacio.

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Most of the landscape of the park and the Veluwe was created during the last Ice Age. The alternating sand dune areas and heathlands may have been caused by human utilization of the surrounding lands. The park forms one of the largest continuous nature reserves in the Netherlands.

The Hoge Veluwe National Park enjoys a wide variety of plants and animals and provides habitats to extremely rare Red List species. Together with the Kröller-Müller Museum, the Sculpture Garden and Country-residence/Museum Jachthuis Sint Hubertus, the Park forms a unique and (inter)nationally renowned combination of nature, art and architecture.

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Vikos Gorge is 20 km long and 400 m wide but at some places it is only a few meters wide. Its walls are high in some places over 1000 meters. Due to its size, the Vikos Gorge ranked the world’s deepest canyons and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Onno Zweers

Part of the Vikos Gorge is covered by the National Park Vikos-Aoos, which was founded in 1973. Except of canyon, there is also Tymfi mountain, river Aoos and several villages. The main part of the gorge stretches from village of Vikos to the village of Monodendri. The river Voidomatis flows through the canyon which constitutes the breathtaking scenery. Along the gap there are several view-points, offering breathtaking views. In the local unspoilt countryside there are many species of plants and animals such as bears, deer and foxes, which are protected by park.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Onno Zweers

The area around the Vikos Gorge is ideal for many sports. Among others, climbing, mountain biking and of course hiking, which is the most popular. It is better to hike with a guide as it is very easy to get lost here. There are ongoing organized excursions, including a tour through the Zagori picturesque villages and famous stone bridge.

You can get to the Vikos Gorge e.g. by public bus transportation service. The journey from Athens to Zagori takes about 7 hours.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by 29cm

Triglav National Park is located on the northwest edge of Slovenia, near the border with Italy and is easily accessible from all directions. It is a paradise for nature lovers, who can enjoy intact alpine world here full of rare plants and animals. Therefore, there applies stricter rules than in other protected areas of lower status. The park area is covered with alpine karst, from the steep cliffs you can see falling great and powerful waterfalls and in the deep valleys are hidden glacial lakes. The largest lake Bohinj, which have tectonic-glacial origin, is situated at an altitude of 523 meters above sea level. With an area of ​​3,18 square kilometres and a depth of 45 meters it is the largest natural freshwater area in Slovenia. But they are also other minor lakes such as Kriška Lakes, Black Lake and Krn Lake (Krnsko jezero).

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Grant Bishop

The first a proposal to protect the area around Triglav was submitted in 1908, and in 1981 the region was declared a national park. It now occupies an area of 838.07 square kilometres wich is about 3% of the total area of ​​Slovenia. There are springs of two major Balkan rivers – the Sava and Soča. Soča rises at an altitude of 1050 m and flows into the Adriatic Sea. In contrast, Sava river is formed by the confluence of the Sava Dolnika and Sava Bohinjka streams, and flows into the Danube before Belgrade and then into the Black Sea.

The heart of Triglav National Park is formed by the dominant mountain Triglav, which, after recognition of an independent Slovenia became a kind of a national symbol, as is depicted on the flag, as well as the national emblem. Today it is a popular destination for climbers, adventurers and lovers of adrenaline. Its steep and clouds shrouded cliffs seemed to be insurmountable for a long time. Triglav’s north wall is with its width of 3 km and height of 1 km even the largest wall of the Eastern Alps. On top of Triglav over the north wall climbed the German-Austrian expedition for the first time in 1906, after which the route is now called the “German way”. Otherwise, it is possible to climb to the summit by following more than twenty other routes. A relatively simple and therefore most often used is that one from the southern side of Bohinj Lake.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by chripell

If you want to know Triglav National Park a little more it is good to stay here for at least a week, otherwise you can miss many of its attractions and beauty. Park crosses over 7000 km of marked and maintained paths, where you encounter many inns and lodges for tourists providing quality and adequate facilities. Triglav National Park offers excellent conditions for hiking, recreational, as well as mountaineering. Prepare yourself, however, that the biggest attractions such as waterfalls are charged. It is not allowed to camp or bivouac in the park.

The best starting point for tours is the town of Bohinj, Kranjska Gora, Bovec and Kobarid. The largest information center of the park is located in the town of Bled. For hiking trips along the most beautiful valleys such as Vrata, Kot and Krma are the best starting points in the villages Dovje and Mojstrana. Just beyond the north edge of Triglav National Park you can find a mountain valley Planica, which is a place of famous Championships in the ski flying.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by 29cm

In the valley Vrata, which leads to the northern wall is a memorial dedicated to the local partisans from the World War II. Other attractions in the valley, but this time with the natural character is a waterfall Paričnik, falling in two stages – one from a height of 52 meters and the second from a height of 16 meters. The largest waterfall in the park is Zapotok waterfall (Zapotoški slap) measuring 73 meters, third largest then is the Savica waterfall with the height of 50 meters.

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