The Costa del stroll

Spain has long been one of the most popular tourist destinations for British holidaymakers – something borne out by the fact it is the most popular destination for Brits to buy a home abroad.

The primary factors that make Spain so popular with Britons are its year-round sun, great beaches, lively lifestyle and relative proximity to home.

However, Spain is not just about lying back on a beach and soaking up the sun while the sea laps at your feet – there is some great scenery to be taken in too, and one of the best ways of doing this is with a walking holiday.

A walking trip is an ideal way of relaxing and is great exercise too, meaning you will be looking even more sleek in your swimming costume on the beach.

Walking holiday specialist, Ramblers Holidays, has compiled a selection of some of the best hiking trips in Spain, which take in local wildlife, vineyards, monasteries, forests and canyons.

For example, a tour of La Rioja region takes hikers on an adventure down the River Ebro. La Rioja is of course best known for its wine, and the trek will take in some of its best vineyards, providing welcome respite from walking in the sun and more than a couple of glasses of red on the way.

The 11-day walk also visits the Burgoshome and the beautiful La Cartuja Monastery. If you get a taste for monastic life while you are there, you will be delighted with your nights' stay in converted monasteries in San Millan and de la Cogolla.

Or there is the Hidden Gems of Central Spain walk, which allows you to explore three of the country's UNESCO World Heritage sites, in Castile and Aragon.

The scenery is truly spectacular as you walk through Beteta in the Serranía mountain area of Cuenca to the medieval village of Albarracin. The route is surrounded by spell-binding gorges, lakes, reservoirs and woodland, making for a relaxing 11-day break.

Ultimately the essence of a walking holiday is the freedom it allows the holidaymaker, so these routes are far from exhaustive.

For more information on the above breaks, visit www.ramblersholidays.co.uk
XXX