Page 60 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter/Spring 2023

THE GREEN WAYS TO SEE SPAIN’S
Heritage Cities
BY ADAM BISBY
It’s been said that getting there is half the fun, but in Spain get- ting to many of the country’s World Heritage Cities is sustainable, too. In this drive toward a green living environ- ment, Spanish communities are even stepping up to play an integral role in the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, striking a chord for today’s eco-conscious tourists.
The AVE is a good way to discover them. As well as running mainly on electricity from renewable sources, Spain’s AVE high-speed rail net- work is uniquely supportive of visitors travelling with bicycles, which can be put to good (and sustainable) use in the following World Her- itage Cities, all of which have been judged by UNESCO to contain “cultural and natural heritage of outstanding value to humanity,” and all of which are served by sustainable high-speed rail.
TOLEDO
Like several of Spain’s World Heritage Cities, this former imperial cap- ital is a short high-speed train ride from a major city and international air hub (in this case Madrid-Barajas Airport). That said, nowhere else on Earth combines Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures quite like Toledo, where a Gothic cathedral, a 10th-century mosque and two syn- agogues stand side-by-side within the city’s ancient walls. Beautifully rendered in oils by Spanish master El Greco, Toledo is similarly
SAVOUR SPAIN
WITH THE PARADORES
DE TURISMO
Numbering nearly 100 across Spain, these hotel alternatives combine cultural and nature experiences with sustainable practices that safeguard the cultural heritage, environment and economies of their surroundings. spain.info/en/top/ paradores-turismo-accommodation-spain
60 DREAMSCAPES WINTER/SPRING 2023
CÓRDOBA
AVE HIGH-SPEED RAIL
ALCAZAR FORTRESS, SEGOVIA
ROMAN AQUEDUCT, SEGOVIA