A MESSAGE FROM ANNE
Welcome, travelers!
Come discover Spain with Puente! On Puente biking and walking trips, slow down and watch how all five senses kick in. Get close to Spain, off the main road, away from the crowds.
Puente started to share an insider's view of a different Spain, a Spain many conventional tourists do not see. I love learning and have been walking and biking in Spain for more than twenty years, so I've seen a lot and and learned a lot. Some of my Spanish friends (walkers and bikers all) ask me for ideas for their next vacation, a habit from the many years I've arranged most of our joint trips.
Creating active trips for people outside Spain was just the next logical step, thus Puente was born.
And there's more. Originally from Iowa, after twenty years living in Spain my outlook is, shall we say, bi- cultural? An outlook that will enrich your trip to Spain, and give you insights that non-residents do not have.
Although Spain's coasts and cultural sights are world-famous, compared to other European countries Spain is a relatively unknown active travel destination, except for a few classics. Some places on this site may not sound as familiar as the big-name destinations, but that doesn't mean the lesser-known Spanish places aren't great: they're just relatively undiscovered. And that is an advantage for many travelers, especially the adventurous and those who are curious about the world.
Last but not least is the question of travel itself in today's uncertain world. Is travel still worthwhile? Yes, maybe more than ever. Perhaps the overall risk factor has increased for travelers. More precautions may need to be taken than in the past. But at the same time, travel is the best way to promote peace and understanding between people from different cultures and different world views.
Getting away from our homes and really discovering a new place is an amazing experience. The distance view of home is just as amazing. And interacting with locals will almost always teach us that we have more things in common than we can possibly imagine. That helps eliminate our fear about people who are "not like us", and helps create understanding.
And in today's uncertain world, we need that understanding more than ever. Summarized: we need to build bridges.
Thank you for visiting Puente's website. I hope to see you on one of our trips soon!
Anne Pinder / Puente owner and trip leader
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