Sustainable Getaways for Self-Caterers – News from the Green Holiday Home Pearls

In the quiet hinterland, directly on the coast with a picturesque sea view, on the slopes of majestic mountains or in the middle of a nature reserve. There are many wonderful places for a getaway with your own four walls. This newsletter presents some holiday home gems that have great potential to become your favourite home away from home.

The landlords were asked what make their holiday homes unique and memorable excursions, restaurants, or cultural recommendations. From Croatia to the Alps to the north of Spain, we have collected the best travel tips.

Korcula: Water, beach and charming villages

One of the first things on the to-do list at Eco Aparthotel, The Dreamers Club, is to enjoy the picturesque surroundings and tranquillity. With 1,000m2 of gardens and terraces, this property on the Croatian Adriatic coast is the perfect choice for relaxing.

Whether in a hammock, in a massage gazebo, in the treehouse (built in a 100-year-old tree!), at the lounge bar or on a sun lounger with panoramic sea views. The restored, traditional style farmhouse with six separate accommodation units is located in Lumbarda, a small fishing town on the island of Korcula. Even in the high-season summer months, you won’t be surrounded by crowds.

The sea is the main attraction all year round. Numerous small islands of the Korcula archipelago form long shoals and offer ideal conditions for water sports – excursions in a rented small fishing boat, stand-up paddleboarding as well as kayaking on the turquoise waters. Some of the islands are full of rabbits and deer. Also, for small children, the nearby pebble beach Prvi Zal and other bays near Lumbarda such as Bacva Bay or Pupnat Bay are highly recommended.

However, if you don’t feel like a day at the beach, there are many alternatives. For example, a visit to the beautiful old town of Korcula, which is only six kilometres away. This charming town is also called little Dubrovnik. The lounge bar and restaurant Aterina in the old city of Korcula is the most lovely place to watch the sunset and drink the best eco-wine in town. Wine lovers and hiking fans also like to climb the vineyard of Lumbarda. Lumbarda is famous for its local white wine called Grk. It is made from the grape of the same name, which is not grown anywhere else in Croatia.

Guests at The Dreamers Club have the choice of being wholly self-catering or starting the day off being served with an organic breakfast. The bar also serves regional tapas, wine and other drinks daily. Making holidays taste extra special!

Alpine charm and extra class – Stylish accommodation in Sölden

The LENI Mountain Chalet near Sölden is also an extraordinary place. The retreat with its swimming pond is located on the Leiterberg high above the village – a unique private chalet with four bedrooms, an eat-in kitchen with a cooking island, an open fireplace and a personal concierge.

The hosts are Sandra and Marco Arnold. They love to fascinate and inspire their guests with their enthusiasm for the surrounding nature. Not just the chalet, but also the seven LENI MOUNTAIN Apartments, located just above Sölden, offer a retreat away from everyday life with plenty of space and a modern ambience. Here you can fully relax. As a special service for all guests, there is a café, a new wellness area with a sauna and steam bath and a breakfast service.

Close by are the flats and chalets of The Peak Sölden, from which you have a fantastic view of the Alpine landscape and Sölden. Furnished in an extraordinary alpine style, the flats with their different sizes offer a cosy starting point for many types of activities.

The Stuibenfall in Umhausen, the highest waterfall in Tyrol, the lakes, such as the Piburger See, and the 250 three-thousand-metre mountains are among the top excursion destinations in the Ötztal during summer. High altitude tours, hut and alpine hut tours, theme trails, lake hikes, mountain trail and alpine tours – individually or with a mountain guide – everything is possible here.

Ronald Kneisel from The Peak Sölden recommends a wonderful wellness day in the modern and architecturally impressive thermal resort Aqua Dome Tirol Therme Längenfeld. In addition, Area47, one of the largest outdoor leisure parks in Europe, is also located in the Ötztal. On a total area of 9.5 hectares, about 40 sports are offered on land, water, and air. Adrenalin junkies will undoubtedly get their money’s worth in the Ötztal!

Northern Spain: Holiday at the Siruana Ice Fountain

We continue our journey from the Alps towards northern Spain. Here, at the foot of the Pyrenees near the Gulf of Roses, lies the holiday home Pou De Glac – Eco tourism. Sport, relaxation and adventure await you in the vastness of the northern Spanish region around Siruana. But before you head out into the surrounding countryside, you first need to explore the exceptional accommodation.

The Pou de Glaç – Eco-Tourism is a collection of buildings with two self-sufficient holiday homes, a loft and a standard room with a large barbecue kitchen. The focal point of the historic site is the former ice fountain – an igloo-like building used to store ice. Its high dome offers plenty of space for exhibitions, yoga retreats, or other activities. The grounds also include a natural park with its stream, meadow, olive grove, along with pomegranate and almond trees.

Even if it is secluded and relaxing by the stream and the small waterfall nearby – excursions into the surrounding area are worthwhile. You can swim, windsurf or sail on the nearby beaches of the Gulf of Roses. But the hinterland of the Gulf of Roses is also worth seeing. The marsh and nature reserve are home to many water birds and is ideal for hiking.

Strollers, café and culture fans will love the small towns situated just beyond the Pou de Glaç: In the cosy town of Figueras, the birthplace of Salvador Dalí, the Teatr-Museu Dalí is undoubtedly the most crucial attraction. The historic town of Besalú is famous for its medieval castle dating back to the 14th century, and Empuriabrava is home to Europe’s largest marina with more than 5,000 berths. So, there is plenty to discover.