If you are tired of noisy cities, crowded beaches and tourist routes, you can try ecotourism – it involves relaxing in nature, away from the hustle and bustle. In this case, the conditions can be as comfortable (for example, when you stay in a house on a farm with all the amenities),
and as close to wild nature as possible. Another important part of ecotourism is to strive to minimize harm to the environment. Therefore, owners of such hotels and farms usually choose environmentally friendly materials when constructing buildings and use electricity from alternative sources. We have collected five places in different European countries where you can enjoy a relaxing holiday without harming nature.
Tree Hotel, Sweden
Tree Hotel is located in the middle of a forest near the Swedish village of Harads. Its visitors can check into rooms in the form of a flying saucer, a bird’s nest, a mirror cube or other unusual shapes. Although the rooms are located in trees, they look modern, and you don’t have to worry about safety: the rooms are securely fixed on pine trees 4-6 meters above the ground. In addition, all rooms have Wi-Fi, heated floors and dry closets: the hotel’s creators emphasize that one of the main components of its concept is to have minimal impact on the environment. Room sizes vary from 15 to 75 square meters and can accommodate both two people and large families with several children.
For an additional fee, guests can go fishing, biking or kayaking, and use the sauna.
Hotel night: from 34,396 rubles per person per night.
Eco-hotel Whitepod, Switzerland
Another unusual hotel is located in the Swiss Alps. Guests are accommodated in “pods” – small houses in the form of spheres consisting of triangles. This form was chosen because of its environmental friendliness: it allows you to use less metal without compromising the sustainability of such houses. In addition, the hotel uses special devices to help wisely use water and electricity. One “under” is one room, each of which, in addition to the bedroom, has a bathroom and everything you need. The hotel owners offer a variety of different activities depending on the time of year – however, for a fee. For example, in winter you can ski or ride a dog sled, and in summer you can walk in the mountains, ride bicycles or go paragliding. In bad weather, you can stay at the hotel and try one of five types of massage, including Ayurvedic and therapeutic.
Hotel night: from 23,471 rubles per person per night.
Eco-farm Ashness, UK
The farm is located in the north of England in the middle of the picturesque Borrowdale valley – not far from a lake and a village with a market. The owners offer a choice of one of five rooms in the old village house, depending on the number of guests – each of them has all the amenities, including a shower and central heating. The farm mainly raises sheep, but there are also chickens – the eggs they lay are cooked for breakfast. Guests can look after the animals, feed them and simply enjoy a relaxing holiday away from the city in the middle of English nature.
Hotel night: from 4,200 rubles per person per night.
Eco-farm Tenuta San Carlo, Italy
Situated along the Mediterranean coast, the Tenuta San Carlo farm stretches through beaches, marshes, fields and forests. Tourists can stay in a house on a farm, help feed the animals and pick vegetables for dinner with their own hands. Guests are offered to treat themselves to, for example, fresh Tuscan tomatoes (in pasta, pizza or just like that),
mushrooms collected in the forest (in risotto or lasagne),
as well as olive oil from olives grown here. The farm owners note that they strive to do everything in maximum harmony with the environment. “Our approach to food is simple: eat what you grow, keep animals free rather than captive, and listen to nature,” they say.
Hotel night: from 4,800 rubles per person per night.
Camping Munda Ecoturismo, Portugal
If you want to experience a piece of Asia in Europe, you can go to Portugal and visit a Mongolian-style campsite. Instead of tents, there are traditional Mongolian yurts, which can accommodate from one to four people. Each of them is equipped with its own kitchen, shower and toilet, and on the campsite there is a sauna and an eco-pool with a natural water purification system. The local garden has olive and fruit trees, and the vegetable garden offers fresh vegetables and herbs. The owners of the campsite offer cycling and hiking in the mountains, or simply enjoying the peace and tranquility of Portuguese nature.
Hotel night: from 3,500 rubles per person per night.
Text author: Yana Kasatkina
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