Mar 30 2008
Travel
Flims
Flims is a ski resort in south-east Switzerland about 80 miles from Zurich. Not as well-known as some it is, nevertheless, a very attractive location benefitting from spectactular scenery. Take a look at the Flims gallery.
The scene below was taken from our balcony at dawn and gives an indication of what can be expected. Outdoor activities abound here and you can choose from para-gliding, mountain-biking, hiking and ballooning in the summer or, of course, winter sports when the snow arrives.
Balloons at Dawn
Of course, if you would rather not be up and about at that time of day, a September afternoon stroll is very pleasant.
Track down from Bargis
Then this footpath is a good steady hike downhill all the way. An inexpensive bus ride to the top can be had from the bus station in the centre of Flims. Incidentally, most accommodation in Flims can provide visitors with a pass giving free travel on a number of local routes, just ask at reception.
If you don’t feel even this strenuous then take a cable car up to the top, have a coffee, and take the cable car back down again! Daily passes are available quite reasonably and, when you get to the top it’s like standing on the roof of the world.
Bargis this way!
The route continues on behind us and down a cliff-hugging footpath taking us gradually down to Bargis so the super-fit can complete a circular route but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Mas Nou
Mas Nou is about 100Km east of Barcelona and a few kilometres inland from Platja d’Aro on the Costa Brava. Inspired by nearby Pals, a mediaeval town well worth visiting, it is well located for visiting places of interest in Catalonia. Depending on your particular interests, Girona is nearby and is the nearest airport with regular Ryanair flights. About 90 minutes drive to the North will bring you into the ancient Greek/Roman town of Empuries where well-preserved mosaics can be seen.
Where we stayed
Mas Nou is ideally placed for walking, cycling and general sightseeing. Take a look in the Masnou gallery for some ideas. For the more adventurous the Vall de Nuria, a ski resort and former monastic retreat, is within about 90 minutes drive as is the volcanic region around Ripoll and Olot. Both offer excellent walks with plenty of opportunity to sample the local cuisine.
For those of you interested in visiting I have enclosed some snaps of the accommodation in the gallery too. Placa Major is a pleasant private square for residents. Take a look at Peratallada, which is near Pals, and has a pleasantly rustic ambience with an abundance of traditional restaurants and rural accommodation.
The apartments are built in the middle of a golf course so you can literally walk out the door and within a few minutes be on the fairway.
Golf Mas Nou
You can get a feel for the size of the place if you compare the picture above with the earlier aerial view taken from the other side. You can just see the Placa Major clock tower rising above the apartments in the centre right of the picture above.
I hope to have encouraged you to visit and, if so, we can help through this site as we have access to some excellent accommodation at reasonable prices. It’s more suited to the independent traveller as flying to a nearby airport (Girona or Barcelona) and collecting a hire car enables you to get the best from your stay.
The Lakes
Recently, the Lake District was added to the wide range of locations we can visit. A few minutes walk from Bowness Bay we stopped in a winter wonderland. You need the right clothes for this as it was pretty damn cold but really beautiful with snow on the hills and the Lake District in winter is pleasantly free of tourists and traffic. The site itself resembles a lakeland village and is well accomodated as is usual for all of our Hapimag locations. So, what’s Hapimag? A Swiss company that has properties all over the World. Call us to find out how you can get holidays for life and an investment that doesn’t plummet even in recession!
The photo gallery is a work in progress although there are a few scenes, in the meantime here’s a couple of views…
