Breakaway Adventures Features Eco-Friendly Walking and Cycling Tours Worldwide in 2009

More than 120 tours in 28+ countries detailed in color brochure available at www.breakaway-adventures.com

Travelers looking for an eco-friendly way to see and enjoy the world in 2009 can find more than 120 options offered by Breakaway Adventures, a U.S.-based tour company specializing in cycling and walking tours throughout the globe.

New for 2009, Breakaway Adventures has added cycling tours in the Puglia region of Italy, the Swiss Lakes Region, Austria and the Czech Republic and walking tours in South America and Bermuda to its impressive and varied tour options.
Each of the tours, offered in more than 28 countries around the globe, are detailed in Breakaway Adventures’ newly published 52-page 2009 color brochure, available for download by visiting www.breakaway-adventures.com.

Highlights include the tour company’s expansion into Argentina with a new guided hotel to hotel walking tour amid the hanging glaciers of Los Glaciares National Park. Also new is an eight-night cycling tour ideal for families that explores the Swiss Lakes region with a backdrop of alpine views and a new walking tour, the Châteaux of the Loire Walk, exploring France’s wine country and the splendor of some of the finest Renaissance châteaux in the Loire. In addition, Breakaway Adventures will begin offering independent multi-sport walking and cycling tours, including a seven-night package in the Lot region of Southern France.

Since most of the tours go to places where cars cannot travel, Breakaway Adventures is offering an eco-friendly way to see different parts of the world.
"Walking and cycling trips by nature conserve energy, as you are traveling under your own power,” said Carol Keskitalo, co-owner of Breakaway Adventures. “We also use small country inns – usually family owned – that promote regional cuisine, thus promoting the sustainability of both local produce and local businesses. During the summer, many of the hotels in our program are part of farming communities that have lived off the land for centuries. So the food consumed is often fresh home-grown produce that requires little or no transportation as chefs rely on traditional family recipes passed down through generations."

Also, 2009 is an especially good time to travel to Europe, she said, since the dollar is the strongest it has been in seven years.
All independent and guided tours include pick up and drop off at airport/train station (outlined in the tour descriptions on the website), breakfast each day, most dinners (see tour details) and fully researched route notes and maps. Also included are the services of the on-site representative who moves luggage from inn to inn and is available on call for special assistance, including pick up of wine purchases.

“Helping to conserve natural and cultural assets and injecting often much-needed cash into local economies is hugely important to many of the rural villages in our program,” added Keskitalo. “We're proud of our record: we don't take too many people; we encourage our customers to protect the countryside and, where possible, we work with hotels with an eco-policy. “

All hotels are researched and inspected on-site by Breakaway Adventures and are mostly three- and four-star, many featuring swimming pools and fine food made with fresh, local produce.

Video clips of the walking tours, cycling tours and accommodations can be seen at www.headwater.com. For more detailed itineraries, routes and information, call (800) 567-6286 or visit wwww.breakaway-adventures.com.

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