Conquering the Heart of SpainVÍAS VERDES

Department of Forestry, etc. And ofcourse, there is the crucial role ofthe national Spanish railwaycompanies (Renfe, Adif and Feve)that have readily granted both theuse of many of their tracks andbuildings as well as their know-howto these ends. Full and swiftrehabilitation of the available tracksat times is thwarted by a series ofcomplexities. As some stretches andedifices are in private hands,expropriation and other legal issuescan be rather painstaking.Additionally, the tracks run acrossthe countryside and existing rightsof way, some of which are centuriesold, must be safeguarded at alltimes. And finally there are also thehuge costs of planning, demolitionand resurfacing, reconstruction oftunnels, bridges, underpasses andintersections, as well as appropriatesignage, to name just a few.Yet with ever increasing enthusiasm,towns and villages (generallygrouped in ad hoc associations) thatpride themselves on having apotential Greenway in their territory,are jumping on the bandwagon.With small-scale rural andagricultural activities in decay andkeenly aware of the natural andhistorical treasures that theseremoved areas hold, mayorsthroughout the country nowwelcome and effectively target thenew trend of active nature tourism.“Tourism is clearly heading in thedirection of more sustainableproducts with the added value ofterritory and nature,” states MónicaFigueroa matter-of-factly. Figueroa,who is the dynamic and committeddirector general of tourism for theregion of La Rioja, adds that whatenhances the value of the Greenwaysis the fact that they offer analternative to existing tourismproducts. They are enormously userfriendly,utilize and improve existingstructures while fully respecting theirnatural setting and, as Julio Verdú, incharge of the Vías Verdes in La Riojaexplains, they provide aneducational aspect through theircomprehensive signage whichincludes landscape evaluation,interpretation of the environment,ornithological and archaeologicalinformation, railway history, and ofcourse maps and directions. “Wewant the Vía Verdeto be more than asporting route,” he claims. Travelingthe tranquil Greenways not onlyallows us to enjoy a wealth of naturaland historical legacies at a slow pace,but it also allows us to interact withthe locals. Furthermore, theGreenways have been shown toincisively effect the social fabric ofadjacent villages through therehabilitation of monuments andnatural spaces, often in collaborationwith local handcrafters andworkshops, by providing jobs andencouraging local participation. Thefact is, throughout Spain, at thispoint, not only 64 Greenways with atotal length of 1,600 km (994 mi)have been made available to thegreater public, but a sizable numberof new ones are being programmedor are about to be implemented.Getting underwayThis article is not meant to be anaccurate guide to the Vías Verdes; forthat we refer you to their58 JANUARY-APRIL 2008 SPAIN GOURMETOUR