Ecotourism
Sustainable tourism has been certified to ensure that travellers enjoy natural and historical environments while protecting their biodiversity and legacy. Likewise, the economic benefits they generate come back in the form of local wellbeing. Which of these three destinations would you choose?
URDAIBAI (BASQUE COUNTRY): Biosphere Reserve of the Cantabrian Sea
Surfers all around the world know that the best left-hander is in Mundaka. But we can also find the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Rock in Urdaibai, where the famous TV series Game of Thrones was filmed, as well as the cliffs of mount Ogoño or the bird observatory of the Urdaibai Bird Center in the marshes of Gautegiz-Arteaga.
Nearby, in Kortezubi, we can find the enchanted forest of Oma, which was used by artist Agustín Ibarrola as inspiration in his magical tree paintings, as well as the cave of Santimamiñe. This is the region with the highest concentration of Michelin stars in the world: order fish in Bermeo, meat in Gernika and enjoy the best "pintxo" bars.
SLOVENIA: the first country in the world classified as a 'Green Destination'
This green paradise combines the Mediterranean beaches of the Adriatic Sea with the mountains and glacial lakes of the Julian Alps. Its capital, Ljubljana, with 250,000 inhabitants, has been declared the 2016 Green European Capital.
The country boasts three landmarks that have been declared as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO: the Karst region in Skocjan, with the largest underground canyon in the world; Idrija, one of the oldest mercury mines in Europe, and the Ljubljana swamp, with the remains of palafitte culture.
DOMINICA: a small paradise in the Caribbean
Jack Sparrow had a hard time searching for treasures in the beaches of this small paradise crammed full of plants. The cliffs on its coast form bays with beaches of volcanic origin.
The Morne Trois Pitons National Park was officially classified in 1995 as a World Heritage Site and the second largest thermal water lake in the world can be found inside.
Dominica is a paradise for scuba divers, trekkers and lovers of organic food. It is also working on becoming a carbon-free country before 2020.
