Home > Our Journeys > The Green Awakening
The Green Awakening
RURAL ASTURIAS – LAND OF MIST
2027 DEPARTURES:
- – 16 – 24 May
- – 17 – 25 October
A landscape of water, forest and rural life where the senses begin to
wake up again.
The Green Awakening, Asturias does not reveal itself through one dramatic moment. It gathers slowly around you: mist suspended above a valley, running water beside a path, wet stone, pasture, forest and small villages where the rhythm of the day still feels connected to land and weather. The Green Awakening is built around this gradual return to sensation.
The Green Awakening journey begins in nature. Forest and mountain landscapes create the first shift away from routine, with manageable walks that allow the group to observe rather than perform. The emphasis is not distance or difficulty, but attention – to changing light, moisture in the air, plant life, birds, water and the ordinary details that disappear when travel becomes hurried.
Local encounters bring the landscape closer through the people who know it intimately. A nature-based experience centred on plants and herbal knowledge explores the relationship between people and the land, while other encounters introduce rural food traditions through local producers, cider, cheese, farming, baking or craftsmanship. The intention is always conversation and exchange rather than performance.
Midway through the journey, the rhythm changes deliberately. Two nights in a monastery or contemplative setting create a pause between the inland landscape and the coast. This is not a religious retreat, but a period of simplicity, reduced stimulation and quiet. Morning Śamatha and evening contemplation become especially natural here.
The final part of the journey moves toward the Asturian coast. After forest and stillness, the horizon opens. Food, villages and the sea bring the experience outward again, without losing the slower attention cultivated during the previous days.
The Green Awakening is not about becoming someone new. It is about feeling awake to what is already there: weather, appetite, movement, conversation, silence and the deep physical pleasure of being surrounded by life.
What’s Included
Every Be Local journey is designed so that, once you arrive at the designated meeting point, the essential elements of the experience are taken care of.
8 nights in carefully selected accommodation, chosen for character, sense of place and connection to the destination.
All transportation during the journey, from the official meeting point on Day 1 until the designated departure point on Day 9.
A dedicated Be Local Journey Host, accompanying the group throughout the experience.
Five hosted meals, including a welcome dinner, farewell dinner and three carefully selected meals along the way.
3–4 signature Local Encounters, depending on the journey, hosted by local people, artisans, producers, conservationists or community initiatives.
Guided nature walks and slow outdoor experiences, designed to be accessible rather than physically demanding.
Morning and evening contemplative practices, including meditation, quiet reflection and moments of stillness.
All scheduled activities and experiences described in the journey programme.
A contribution to a local environmental or community initiative connected to the destination.
Pre-departure support, including practical information and assistance with planning arrival and onward travel.
Not Included
Flights or other transportation to the official starting point of the journey.
Onward transportation after the journey officially ends.
Meals not specifically mentioned as included.
Personal expenses.
Travel insurance.
Optional activities undertaken during free time.
We intentionally leave space in every journey. Not every meal, afternoon or moment is programmed, because freedom, spontaneity and rest are part of the experience too.
Related Journal Experiences
A Community Built Around Meaningful Travel
Be Local exists because of the people who open their landscapes, knowledge and communities to us.
Become a Journey Host
We look for people with local knowledge, warmth, curiosity, organisational confidence and an ability to make others feel genuinely welcome.
Partner With Us
We look for people with local knowledge, warmth, curiosity, organisational confidence and an ability to make others feel genuinely welcome.
Start your journey
Choosing a Be Local journey starts with a conversation. Tell us where, when, and what you’re looking for.
start the conversationOur commitments in practice
Responsible travel shapes how we design every Be Local journey — from our maximum group size of eight travellers to the businesses we work with and our €50 Impact Contribution per guest.