NEW DESTINATION

The Spanish Pyrenees

Walking Week with WalkWise International  Ltd

 Dates:              Saturday 26^th  August– Saturday 2^nd September 2006 (7 nights)

Place:              Hotel Ciria 3 Star, Benasque in the heart of the Pyrenees

Price:              £649 from London and £739 from Manchester

                        There is a single person supplement of £25.00 per night**

(**These singles are sole occupancy of a double room as a single)

Included:         7 nights accommodation, 6 evening meals, 5 picnic lunches,

                        5 guided walks led by professional guides with two walks each day,

                        a harder and easier option to suit your needs.

                        Flights, Airport Transfers, Co-ordinator.

Not Included:  Local transport.  Approx £ 15 per person per day payable locally

Slots:               up to 46 (10 singles, 11 twins, 5 double/twins, 1 four bedded)  

Overview:
With excellent feedback from WalkWise’s 2005 Austrian, Swiss and Italian Walking Holidays WalkWise have responded to your requests for another NEW walking destination, and the Pyrenees are certain to be a resounding success.  We will be staying at the Hotel Ciria in the picturesque and historical village of Benasque , with its cobbled old quarter and thick walled stone houses.  At an altitude of 1100m, Benasque lies in the Central Pyrenees and contains some of the best walking in the entire range.  It is drier than the French side too!  

Impressive Walking:
There is some seriously impressive walking to be encountered in this region, the highest of all Pyrenean mountains. This was written in 1862 ‘The main charms of the place are its scenery, delicious climate and the many beautiful excursions which one can take’.  Walkers today will be no less impressed, for you will enjoy this perfect location on the edge of the Parque Natural Posets-Maladeta.  Rugged mountains, impressive valleys, abundant crystal clear tarns and attractive villages coupled with unrivalled vistas and an unsurpassed itinerary make your holiday one to remember.  There are three massifs surrounding Benasque; the Maladeta-a majestic mountain, the Posets-with its reputation of the finest panorama in the Pyrenees and the bastion of the Esera valley the Frontier ridge-that divides Spain and France .  Not only will we be exploring around these fantastic massifs but our itinerary also incorporates two neighbouring regions providing a guilt-edged opportunity for all to excel.  

Remember with two walks to choose from every day, you can either take it easy, walking 7-9 miles with around 1500ft of ascent, or push yourself a little, doing 10-13 miles with around 3000ft ascent (most hard walks require a good head for heights).  

The Hotel:
The ‘Ciria’ is a fine 3 star hotel situated centrally to Benasque and in close proximity to its shops, restaurants, bars and tourist information centre. The hotel’s traditional construction is typical of the old Aragonese architecture of this area with its magnificent wood and stone materials used locally from the valley of Benasque . It is run by the  Ciria family whose commitment is to personalise your stay and ensure you have a memorable holiday.  They are particularly proud of their kitchen and their produce is often local and their recipes handed down through generations of the family.   All bedrooms have available; en-suite bathroom, TV, direct dial telephone and ASDL wife internet.  In the evenings having wined and dined you could stay at the hotel and avail of the summer terrace or take a stroll down to the tumbling river or around the town.

NB: Travel Insurance is mandoratory for this holiday.  WalkWise can supply this for £30.

*This air holiday package is ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. The package is operated by WalkWise International Ltd, ATOL 6208, for whom Spice UK Ltd is an authorised retail agent.

Useful Websites:  

 The Hotel Ciria 3* www.hotelciria.com  for English translation click on British flag

Benasque www.benasque.com not in English but useful street maps etc.  

WalkWise www.walkwise.co.uk

To go on this holiday you must be a member or guest of Spice UK Ltd  www.spiceuk.com