Great groups made our Austria and Portugal trips
I’ve just returned from Europe where I’d been since late August. There we led four tours in total and today I’d like to share with you about the first two, hiking in the Austrian alps and then walking the Portuguese Camino north from Porto with the waves of the Atlantic Ocean breaking beside us.
It’s was a good fall to be traveling in Europe.
The trips were good for many reasons but foremost in my mind is how great the groups were. Nice people from all over the US who nearly immediately formed cohesive, inclusive groups that were so much fun to be with.
In Austria we hiked, each day tackling a different part of the Montafon Valley near the Swiss border. It had snowed in the alps just a few days before we arrived, even though it was August, but the sun came out to greet us and provide wonderful weather. And the mountains were in all their glory, from stony peaks above to the sound of cow bells all around. Plus, we ate extremely well, which is something we perhaps don’t normally expect in Austria.
Then in Portugal, we spent two nights in the wonderful city of Porto before heading up the coast on foot. We followed the beaches north into Spain and then walked beside the Minho River for another two days. The waves on the beaches were crashing in, the weather was again perfect, and the food was wonderful as we took advantage of the bounty of seafood along the coast.
In between these trips I walked some more, together with a good friend. We started in Portugal, north of Porto, and walked a different Camino route, straight into Santiago de Compostela. In total, I hiked and walked over 250 miles in September.
Life is good!
And now for some news about future trips:
Oaxaca, Mexico:
A great trip for those looking to practice their Spanish as we immerse ourselves in the art, culture and cuisine of the area. There are only a few spots left on this trip. More information is here
Austria:
We’ll take two trips to Austria in 2024, both in September. The first will be to hike in the Zillertal region, southeast of Innsbruck. More information is here. The second will be in Western Austria where a very talented art instructor will join us to teach painting in the mountains. She’s from Colorado, so she knows mountains well. More information on this workshop for artists is here
Spanish Camino:
We will also be back in Spain to walk our favorite portion of the Spanish Camino, starting in Pamplona. It’s a lovely part of Spain and a great place to walk (and eat). More information is here
Brittany, France:
The trip is full and we have 10+ on the waiting list. We will very likely offer the same trip again in April 2024. Stay tuned for more information.
