Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
machine that runs off solar energy. The aim is to
show how easy it is to have a greener lifestyle,
particularly by incorporating solar and wind
power in everyday use.
Children are looked after in a supervised play
school, allowing you to stroll around the outdoor
centre, learn how to cultivate plants and herbs,
or try fresh smoothies and infusions at the juice
bar. But if that sounds too much like hard work
for a sleepy Sunday, you could just chill out with
a massage at the natural therapy centre or sit
with a drink looking out over the valley, knowing
that the kids are in safe hands.
096 Take The Train To
VizzaVona, CorsiCa
If you want to enjoy Corsica's spectacular
mountain scenery without embarking on multi-
day treks up from the coast or the gruelling
sixteen-stage hiking route of the GR20, then a
good option is to take the train into the heart of
the island's massif.
The railway connects the ports of Calvi and
Bastia with Ajaccio in the west and stops
off halfway at Vizzavona, high up in the
mountainous interior. Vizzavona is also a rest
point midway along the GR20, so the handful of
gîtes d'étapes (hikers' hostels) and restaurants
near the station can get crowded with walkers in
summer. Just ten minutes' drive from the village,
though, is Hotel Monte D'Oro, a classy, family-
run hotel that oozes antiquity without being
ostentatious. Sepia pictures hang on the walls
and the ivy-clad restaurant serves food from the
owner's farm with a range of Corsican wines.
The hotel, as the name suggests, is at the foot
of the Monte D'Oro mountain, which you can
walk up from Vizzavona in about five hours
to enjoy wonderful views of the island. From
the hotel, you can also explore forests of beech
and laricio pine, or swim by the waterfalls at
Cascade des Anglais.
Need to know Casita Verde is only open to the
public on Sundays (2-6pm). Entrance is free
(donations accepted) but visits are by telephone
appointment only: T +34 (0) 971 187 353. For
directions and details of Casita Verde's work see
W www.casitaverde.com.
098 Go on a Green ibiza Tour
Ibiza can surprise you: although it's best
known as a clubbing capital, it also has many
quiet coves and beaches where the locals go,
particularly in the northeast, as well as lots of
unspoilt areas in the interior where you can see
a variety of wildlife.
During the summer solstice Green Ibiza Tours
runs a guided walking tour to some of the
island's hidden gems, organized by volunteers
from Casita Verde (see above). You'll go on
natural history walks inland, visit Las Salinas
nature reserve where you can see storks, herons
and flamingos, and explore some of the island's
most remote coves. The base for the week is the
Campsiteat Camping La Playa near Es Canar
on the east coast, where you'll start the day
with yoga, pilates or tai chi in the shade of the
forest by the sea.
Need to know W www.monte-oro.com; T +33 (0)
495 472 106. Trains run from Ajaccio or Bastia
to Vizzavona, where the owner can collect. There
is also a gîte d'étape adjacent to the hotel, which
costs # 17 per person per night: T +33 (0) 495
452 527. For train and bus connections in Corsica
see W www.corsicabus.org.
097 Chill ouT in ibiza
If you're stuck for something to do with the
family on a Sunday, spend a few hours at Casita
Verde, Ibiza's ecology and education centre.
Based at a farm a few kilometres northwest of
San José, the centre has some unusual features
- a house part-made with bottles, a toilet that
looks like a giant sugar cube and a washing
Need to know Tours begin in Ibiza Town from where
you'll be taken to Camping La Playa. For further
details see W www.greenibizatours.com; T +34 (0)
971 187 353. For general info on shops, cafés, green
places to stay and low-impact activities in Ibiza and
Formentera see W www.greenheart-guide.com.
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