Practice Nature for the Senses and join sustainable tourism
With the nature and biodiversity as protagonists , the public hotel company Paradores inaugurates the program Nature for the Senses , whose mission is to praise a responsible and respectful tourism that generates social, environmental and economic benefits in the environments in which the Paradores are found. Thus, this is a unique opportunity to reconnect with nature, enjoy the days without haste and discover the life of the people as it was before, including the biodiversity that we enjoy today, which is largely the product of the care of the communities that for centuries lived respecting their respective territories.
This new program seeks become a force for dynamization of rural societies in which its establishments have a presence, supporting the small businesses and local producers and thus generating opportunities for development and employment. The initiative also has the support of managers of natural and cultural resources , who contribute their knowledge to value the nature, history and culture of the natural areas that surround them. Thus, Paradores goes one step further in its commitment to work towards more sustainable tourism , emphasizing the importance of biodiversity and the key role of farmers, herders and other professionals who are guardians of it.
Outreach is an essential part of the program , which is achieved thanks to the dialogue established between visitors and local communities, with those ways of life that have been an example of sustainability throughout the centuries as a backdrop.
The experiences included in the programme, created in collaboration with the Global Nature Foundation , are very varied, but have elements in common. From their proximity, since none is more than an hour from the Parador, to the fact that they are easy to do on foot, or that they are activities that can be carried out throughout the year.
The first parador to implement the program Nature for the Senses , which will soon be available in more stores in the network, is in Asturias . Its about Cangas de Onis Parador , the old Monastery of San Pedro de Villanueva , located at the gates of the Picos de Europa. With eight different experiences, the program is very inspiring and offers visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the reality of the inhabitants of the area.
From discovering the autochthonous flora thanks to the monastic apothecary of the former monastery of San Pedro de Villanueva , until you have an authentic grazing experience with the xalda breed sheep –native to Asturias–, and witness how border collie dogs are able to handle cattle , or look closely one of the most emblematic species of Asturias, the bearded vulture . The gourmet experience takes place hand in hand with the shepherds of the Picos de Europa National Park , since visitors have the privilege of being able to spend a day with them in the sheepfolds and cabins and try their exquisite cheeses and other delicacies.
The spectacular landscapes of Asturias also have a place in the experiences proposed by the Parador de Cangas de Onís, and the program includes a visit to the Jurassic coast , discover how time seems to have stopped in the Ponga Natural Park , challenge the vertigo in the Los Beyos gorge and take some forest baths to reconnect with nature . Finally, the program gives a well-deserved role to the cultural and natural heritage of the immediate surroundings of the Parador de Cangas de Onís.
Forest bathing, necessary to reconnect
On the other hand, one of the most significant steps in Paradores' path towards placing sustainability at the center of its management is that they have completely eliminated single-use plastics from their rooms. Likewise, all the electricity they use is from renewable sources and the food that fills their kitchens with color is local.
All these efforts and changes have a common goal: to raise the flag of sustainability and make it easier for Parador clients to get to know and enjoy the life of the towns as it has always been, engaging them with local communities and with a way of life that perfectly exemplifies sustainability. Without a doubt, a compelling reason to pay them a visit.