Is there anything more sublime than sitting outside on a balmy night, sipping a cold glass of something local with nothing around you except the sounds of the countryside and a dark sky bright with stars?

You might be in the sticks but there’s little chance you’ll be bored. Rural accommodations can be the launch pad for a whole host of active adventures, from hiking and biking to horse riding and wild swimming. And there’s plenty of culture in the countryside too, with local markets in tucked-away towns your new go-to for groceries. You might even find yourself in your host’s farmhouse kitchen learning her Nonna’s recipe for perfect pasta.

Read on in our rural accommodation travel guide for more details.

Stay in a rural accommodation if…

• …You’re travelling with your family. Busy roads be-gone, rural accommodations offer safe, open space and a whole host of exciting activities for children to be as wild and free as they choose. Many come stocked with games and books for rainy days too.…
• You’re of an active bent. Enjoy hiking or mountain biking from your doorstep, wild swimming at the bottom of your garden or horse-riding at the farm next door. …
• You like to be where everyone else isn’t. Your local market might be just that – local – and you may well not see another person, let alone a tourist, for hours. And you’ll be supporting tiny local businesses reliant on the few tourists they encounter. …

Rural accommodation practicalities

Given the rural, often off-the-beaten-track nature of their locations, most rural accommodations in Europe will require car hire to reach them – and will be able to help you arrange this – although it is always worth asking the owners whether they are able to help with transfers and local lifts instead. Some will be happy to run you down to the local shop or to an activity if you arrange it with them first. Other accommodations may also have bikes available to hire for more local exploration.

While some places to stay, like our eco-lodges in Devon or cottages in the Loire are fantastically family-friendly, providing all kinds of toys and activities as well as extra beds and cots on request. Other properties, for example our mountain retreat in Crete, are adults-only so you’ll need to double check before you book.

While the standard varies from the rustic to the luxurious, with all our rural accommodations you can expect clean and comfortable rooms and private bathrooms (if you’re not renting out the whole house). Some will have air-conditioning although many older buildings will rely on their traditional stone construction to keep cool. A swimming pool – and certainly a private one – isn’t a given, but where there is no pool you might find that you’re not too far from a quiet beach, or that there’s a river perfect for wild swimming at the bottom of your garden.

Many of our rural accommodations are working to ensure their facilities are as available to as many people as possible for example ensuring specially-adapted rooms, reserved parking, and catering for a wide range of food allergies. However, those based in renovated old buildings will face challenges constrained by the building’s original, often uneven architecture, making step-free access difficult. Feel free to expand on your requirements when you make an enquiry and your local hosts will be able to provide detailed information specific to your needs.

Rural accommodation activities

Local hosts bring your holiday to life, enhancing your away-from-it-all peace and quiet with as many (or as few) things to do as you’d like. You can choose to be left alone – that’s fine too – but your hosts will be on hand to point out the best hiking routes, cook you mouth-watering dinners or take you on a guided tour of the night sky, transforming your stay into an unforgettable holiday packed with fulfilling, personalised experiences.

Walking
Rural accommodations and walking go hand in hand – or in step – with almost all offering trails of some description right from the doorstep.

Cycling
An excellent way to cover longer distances car-free if you’re staying out in the sticks, many rural accommodations offer bike hire – or can advise on the best place to pick some up. Where you pedal is up to you.

Stargazing
Say so long to light pollution and enjoy the full beauty of the night sky.

Responsible tourism

Tourism can be a powerful force in rural areas where employment opportunities for young people are few and far between. It’s a story that is played out in the countryside across Europe; less people take up traditional livings and instead leave for more lucrative work in bigger towns and cities. The result – a declining rural economy, depopulation and a loss of traditional culture and ways of life. The mayor of a mountain village in Piedmont, Italy recently made headlines by offering $10,000 to newcomers to come live there in a desperate bid to keep its school and selection of small shops open, another further north is offering a bonus to residents who have babies – as well as offering abandoned property for $1 (you’ll have to refurbish your house within two years) and recovering agricultural land for would-be farmers. Rural tourism offers employment opportunities not only in accommodations but in the wider community – supporting local farmers and producers, encouraging entrepreneurship and helping small businesses (language schools, activity providers and tourist guides, shops, cafes and restaurants – the list is endless) to thrive.

And with many popular resorts – for example Barcelona in Spain – becoming unpleasantly overcrowded, going rural can also make for a much pleasanter holiday experience. You’ll also be spreading the benefits of tourism more widely. It’s worth remembering that tourism in many rural areas is very seasonal, with the summer months receiving the lion’s share of visitors. Consider travelling in the spring, autumn or even during the winter months and you’ll not only enjoy a peaceful escape with barely another tourist in sight, but you’ll be supporting local businesses and producers at times when income is a little tougher to come by. And with log stoves, home-cooked food, friendly hosts (and often discounted rates) there’s something oh-so-cosy about an off-season escape.

Text taken from: https://www.responsibletravel.com