I suspect The Torygraph is missing some part of the plan behind this, as part of a very long term strategy this maybe practical.
The European Commission on Monday unveiled a “single European transport area” aimed at enforcing “a profound shift in transport patterns for passengers” by 2050.
The plan also envisages an end to cheap holiday flights from Britain to southern Europe with a target that over 50 per cent of all journeys above 186 miles should be by rail.
Top of the EU’s list to cut climate change emissions is a target of “zero” for the number of petrol and diesel-driven cars and lorries in the EU’s future cities.
I believe this is the future and so as an example do Brittany Ferries. They have just opened a new sea route from Bilbao to Portsmouth due to substantially increased demand for sea crossings to Spain. Their new generation of ships makes travelling this way a pleasure.
As passenger cars become more economical it makes financial sense for families to drive to Spain by car. A mini cruise and no car hire costs, good roads relatively uncongested and toll free.
Cheap airlines have made air travel a truly awful experience, hidden costs, hassle and delays.
As a family of 4 it is already cheaper to drive to spain than it is to fly for summer holidays
Might that stimulate demand for more Northern parts of Spain? Asturias, Cantabria, Catalonia. All lovely parts of Spain with great weather in the summer.
Northern Spain is very easy to access by road/ferry, IMO it’s also much prettier than the overbuilt southern Costas. If air fares rise as predicted then the North should benefit as will the South of France, Northern Italy again.
Northern Spain is lovely, rugged, green etc. The well heeled Spaniards tradiionally went there for their holidays & probebly still do. The only issue is the short summer. Outside July/August, you need luck on your side.
Northern Spain is lovely, rugged, green etc. The well heeled Spaniards tradiionally went there for their holidays & probebly still do. The only issue is the short summer. Outside July/August, you need luck on your side.
The weather along the Barcelona, tarragona, etc, coast has fantastic weather from May to end of October, and even earlier than May most of the time, and june, july, august, september is also unbearable heat, so the months prior or after those is just perfect summer weather, so the summers are no way near as short as 2 months! I love that area of Spain, beautiful beaches, not half as cluttered as south of Spain.
I imagine in somewhere like Galicia the summer is a short as only 2 months but certainly not along the north east of Spain.
Jonas. To me North of Spain is Pais Basque (San Sebastian),Cantabria, Asturias & Galicia. A visit to Santilla del mar ( Cantabria ) is a must while staying at the Parador
Jonas. To me North of Spain is Pais Basque (San Sebastian),Cantabria, Asturias & Galicia. A visit to Santilla del mar ( Cantabria ) is a must while staying at the Parador
Sorry, it is just that Mark mentioned Catalonia on his post so I assumed you were including that area. The summer is definetely shorter in the north of spain, but Catalonia is within not far reach and the summers are scorching hot.
I have done the Portsmouth to Bilbao a few times and even the Plymouth to Bilbao and then driven down to Catalonia which is around a 5 to 6 hour drive depending which part of Catalonia you want to visit, and I must say it’s well worth it, still quite green also and not as desert looking as some parts of Spain can be in the summer. Great golf courses and rivers also. To be honest, I can’t understand why the Brits all head south of Spain, don’t know what their missing!
Jonas. To me North of Spain is Pais Basque (San Sebastian),Cantabria, Asturias & Galicia. A visit to Santilla del mar ( Cantabria ) is a must while staying at the Parador
Sorry, it is just that Mark mentioned Catalonia on his post so I assumed you were including that area. The summer is definetely shorter in the north of spain, but Catalonia is within not far reach and the summers are scorching hot.
I have done the Portsmouth to Bilbao a few times and even the Plymouth to Bilbao and then driven down to Catalonia which is around a 5 to 6 hour drive depending which part of Catalonia you want to visit, and I must say it’s well worth it, still quite green also and not as desert looking as some parts of Spain can be in the summer. Great golf courses and rivers also. To be honest, I can’t understand why the Brits all head south of Spain, don’t know what their missing!