Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
following what was once Europe's highest road
(until it fell into disrepair and became a mountain
biker's adventure playground), followed by thrilling
descents down to Trevélez, the highest village in
Spain. Whichever route you choose, the scenery
is nearly always dominated by the snowy peak of
Mulhacén, Sierra Nevada's highest at 3497m.
Dinner at the farmhouse is usually simple, hearty
fare (soup, fish pie, pasta), but there are evening
trips to Alquería de Morayma - a local agriturismo
and restaurant on an organic farm, where you can
try local specialities such as thick stews and migas
(breadcrumbs with garlic and meat). You can also
visit some of the local fiestas (firecracker affairs)
or just spend the evening on the terrace, enjoying
the peace of the mountain wilderness and the fresh
alpine air.
evening meals served in a lounge/dining area.
Locanda della Valle Nuova is managed by
Giulia, whose mother helps run the kitchen and
whose father works the farm. They grow wheat,
fruit and vegetables, raise cattle, pigs and poultry,
and make their own bread and pasta, jams and
wine. Water is purified, heating is solar-powered
and there's a wood-fired stove fuelled by coppicing
from the farm woods. In autumn you can go on
truffle-hunting walks with Giulia's neighbour
Giovanni, though if you want to guarantee seeing
the king of truffles - the white truffle - go to the
National Fairs of the White Truffle in Acqualagna
and Sant'Angelo during the weekends of October
and the first weekend of November.
The renaissance town of Urbino (birthplace of
Raphael, and a World Heritage Site) is 12km away
over the rolling hills. Just a few kilometres from
the Locanda is Riserva Naturale Gola del Furlo,
home to wolves and golden eagles. Giulia has
leaflets of walks throughout the region, including
information on trips to the beaches and rocky
coastlines of Parco del Monte San Bartolo and
Conero.
Locanda della Valle Nuova
Need to know Cost of bike hire is additional.
For dates, itineraries, prices and reservations
see W www.puremountains.com; T +34 (0) 958
064 052. Take the train ( W www.renfe.es) or bus
( W www.alsa.es) to either Almería or Granada then a
local bus to Bérchules (2hr).
077 Stay in an aGrituriSmo in
le marche, italy
Italy is the home of agriturismi - rural homes that
provide accommodation for tourists, usually in the
form of a farmstay. Depending on whether they are
set up by farmers looking for extra income or as
a separate business opportunity, they range from
those that offer little more than a room at the back
of the farm to those more like a boutique hotel.
Locanda della Valle Nuova - on an organically run
farm in the Le Marche region of northwest Italy
- is somewhere in between.
Surrounded by ancient oaks, the 1920s farmhouse
has been converted into a well-insulated, modern
country house with six double rooms as well as
a self-catering apartment for two. There are all
the amenities you'd expect at a country hotel: an
outdoor swimming pool (with wonderful views
over rolling hills), en-suite rooms and five-course
Need to know There is no public transport to the
Locanda and the only practical way there is by
car. For directions (from Urbino, Rimini, Florence
and Rome), prices and reservations see W www.
vallenuova.it; T +39 (0) 722 330 303.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search