Andalucia walking & self drive vacation, Spain

Environment

On this vacation your hotels are owned and run to the direct benefit of both their local communities and environments. In Mairena the hotel sources its food locally from small, independent producers. By staying in local hotels of this nature, and eating in local restaurants, you will be contributing to the purchase of local produce, and thereby helping to maintain the agricultural output which so defines the area.

We have selected the hotels, particularly in the Alpujarra and Cabo de Gata, based in no small part on their sustainable credentials. The majority of the energy for the hotel in Mairena is produced by solar power, while the water is mainly sourced from the property’s own well. In Cabo de Gata your hotel again has a very low impact on the environment. It also runs largely on solar power. Waste water is recycled and used for the toilets as well as for any watering of the garden that is required in this arid area. Given the potential for water shortage in these parts, the hotel does not have a swimming pool. The buildings have been constructed using only sustainable materials, for example they have used cork for insulation purposes. Low energy lighting is used throughout and can also be controlled centrally to ensure sustainable usage.

Community

We are passionate about helping our clients see a slice of the ‘real’ Spain, and this vacation has very much been designed with that in mind. We are extremely mindful that in visiting and enjoying authentic areas, our clients should both understand any issues facing their hosts and contribute positively to the destination with their visit.

The large majority of this vacation (other than the two nights in Granada) is spent amongst small rural communities, who have had to contend with emigration to the cities, unemployment and falling produce prices. When our owner was researching this trip, he was intrigued to find that the excellent local olive oil is still produced with a traditional press – one of only two remaining in Andalucia - which produces the oil in the same way used since Roman times. However, this pays so little that many of the farmers take payment in oil rather than wages. Visitors to the village help to sustain interest in such traditional practices and give them a chance to survive.

Mairena is the sort of place where everybody knows everybody else, and we make sure our clients are well informed and received during their stay. The local guides we employ on this vacation ensure that our clients get the best experience from their local knowledge, and consequently support local businesses. Similarly, in Cabo de Gata, we provide clients with detailed information on locally owned restaurants.