7 destinos turísticos HITTS
The HITTS project is a European Union initiative that connects territories in Spain, France and Portugal – 7 HITTS tourist destinations – to enhance the value of their immense heritage and face challenges such as depopulation and aging, through sustainable and ecological development.
Here is a fascinating journey through subway caves, magical lagoons, medieval castles and original festivals that scare demons. Real and authentic places, in their purest state, that seem to be taken from a novel or a legend. Do you dare to know them?
Úbeda and the neighborhood of San Lorenzo (Spain)
We finish the tour in the south of Spain, in Úbeda, a World Heritage City. At its heart is the neighborhood of San Lorenzo, a historical-artistic complex that revolves around the Renaissance church of the same name, currently being restored by the Huerta de San Antonio Foundation.
The church, built on the old Almohad wall, is today a living cultural space. The neighborhood retains its medieval fabric, with palaces, manor houses and views of the Guadalquivir valley, with
Añana Salt Valley (Spain)
In Alava, Basque Country, is located the Añana Salt Valley, an exceptional enclave in Europe, with a salt mine in use that is more than 7,500 years old. Here salt is still extracted with the same techniques used by the ancestors, in an environment that has been awarded the Europa Nostra prize for its conservation.
Next to these terraces and mills stands the medieval village of Salinas de Añana, with vestiges of walls and architecture that takes you back in time. History coexists in the salt valley with a very diverse natural landscape formed by rocky escarpments and dense forests of Scotch pines, beeches and oaks.
Lands of Liberty: Campo de Montiel and Campo de Calatrava (Spain)
In the province of Ciudad Real, the past comes alive in the so called
Lands of Liberty
which include the historical Campos de Montiel and Calatrava. Here took place the
But this HITTS tourist destination not only offers history: it also hosts natural areas such as the Lagunas de Ruidera, a place of crystal clear waters connected to each other, forming one of the most beautiful lake ecosystems in southern Europe.
Montalegre and its Friday the 13th party (Portugal)
In the north of Portugal, very close to Galicia, you will find Montalegre Montalegre, a high mountain village that is part of the Peneda-Gerês National Park. It is an environment of waterfalls, wild horses and howling Iberian wolves, where you can breathe pure air and centuries-old traditions are preserved.
But the most surprising thing about this place is its Friday the 13th celebration . Every time the calendar coincides, the town is transformed: witches, demons and magical creatures fill the streets in a pagan festival with parades, fireworks and a great popular queimada. A unique night to conjure fears and celebrate the supernatural around its medieval castle.
Wine tourism in the Médio Tejo (Portugal)
Further south, in the Portuguese region of the Médio Tejo the hills are covered with vineyards. It is a land of winemaking tradition, with historic wineries such as Quinta do Montalto or São João Batista, which offer wine tourism experiences and wines with their own identity.
But this area is not only known for its wine. Here you will find the Sanctuary of Fatima, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world, and the Convent of Christ in the town of Tomar, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. All framed by the limestone formations of the Natural Park of the Sierras de Aire and Candeeiros, perfect for hiking and caving.
Grands Causses Natural Park Route (France)
Further south, in the Portuguese region of the Médio Tejo the hills are covered with vineyards. It is a land of winemaking tradition, with historic wineries such as Quinta do Montalto or São João Batista, which offer wine tourism experiences and wines with their own identity.
But this area is not only known for its wine. The
Aven Armand and the City of Stones (France)
In the southeast of France, in the heart of the Cévennes National Park, hides a subway cathedral: the Aven Armand cave. cave of Aven Armand. Located 75 meters underground, this cave offers the largest concentration of stalagmites in the world. Its spectacular vault reaches 45 meters high and is dominated by the “Great Stalagmite”, a colossal 30-meter formation created drop by drop over centuries.
The descent into the cave is done by funicular, evoking the fascinating Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. The cave was discovered in 1897 by the local Louis Armand and opened to the public in 1927, after being studied by Alfred Martel, a pioneer of speleology.
Nearby, Martel also mapped the City of Stones then known as Montpellier the Old. It is another of the great attractions of the French region of Occitania and one of the 7 proposed HITTS tourist destinations. It consists of a natural labyrinth of rock formations reminiscent of a ruined city. It occupies 120 hectares and offers an amazing landscape between Mediterranean forests and meadows where more than 30 species of orchids flourish.
