Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

MEMBERS

Remote Spanish village opens Europe’s longest zip wire

A hillside village in one of Spain’s forgotten corners is hoping to transform itself into a tourist destination with the opening of what it claims to be the longest zip wire ride in Europe.

Published: 13 August 2019 12:51 CEST

Remote Spanish village opens Europe’s longest zip wire

Photos: tirolinafuentespalda.com

Fuentespalda, in the inland southern province of Teruel, Aragon, one of the most sparsely populated areas of Spain wants to change its fortunes and become a buzzword for adrenalin seeking adventurers.

The ride promises thrill seekers the buzz of flying through the air for almost 2km (well, 1,980meter to be exact) in a harness 800 meters above sea level providing a birds eye view of the Gúdar mountain range.

The ride starts from a hillside chapel, the San Miguel Hermita, and drops over a gradient of 150meters meaning gravity should gently ensure your swift travel along the length of the cable.

Thrillseekers reach speeds of over 80km/h for the journey that takes around one-and-a-half minutes to complete and costs €25.

And what’s more, the ride has been designed to be suitable for those with disabilities.

“Anyone with any disability can use it – as long as they're able to lie down,” confrmed Carmen Agud, the mayor of Fuentespalda, at the opening in early August.

The ride will only be operational in good weather as it is considered too dangerous when the wind speed reaches 40km/h.

Spain already boasts the start of the a zip wire that not only crosses an international border but also takes you back in time – as the Limitzero Zip Line based in Sanlúcar de Guadiana takes you across the river from Spain to Portugal.

For more information and to book your slot on the Tirolina Fuentespalda go to the website HERE

READ MORE:

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Five signs you've settled into life in Switzerland

No lint: Following laundry room rules is a sign of integration in Switzerland. Photo by Sara Chai from Pexels

Much has been said about Switzerland’s quirkiness, but when you think about it, this country’s idiosyncrasies are not more or less weird than any other nation’s — except for the fact that they are expressed in at least three languages which, admittedly, can complicate matters a bit.

However, once you master the intricacies and nuances of Swiss life, you will feel like you belong here.

This is when you know you’ve “made it”.

You speak one of the national languages, even if badly

It irritates the Swiss to no end when a foreigner, and particularly an English-speaking foreigner, doesn’t make an effort to learn the language of a region in which he or she lives, insisting instead that everyone communicates to them in their language.

So speaking the local language will go a long way to being accepted and making you feel settled in your new home.

You get a Swiss watch and live by it

Punctuality is a virtue here, while tardiness is a definite no-no.

If you want to ingratiate yourself to the Swiss, be on time. Being even a minute late may cause you to miss your bus, but also fail in the cultural integration.

‘The pleasure of punctuality’: Why are the Swiss so obsessed with being on time?

Using an excuse like “my train was late” may be valid in other countries, but not in Switzerland.

The only exception to this rule is if a herd of cows or goats blocks your path, causing you to be late.

A close-up of a Rolex watch in Switzerland.

Owning a Rolex is a sure sign you’re rich enough to live in Switzerland. Photo by Adam Bignell on Unsplash

You sort and recycle your trash

The Swiss are meticulous when it comes to waste disposal and, not surprisingly, they have strict regulations on how to throw away trash in an environmentally correct manner.

Throwing away all your waste in a trash bag without separating it first — for instance, mixing PET bottles with tin cans or paper — is an offence in Switzerland which can result in heavy fines, the amount of which is determined by each individual commune.

In fact, the more assiduous residents separate every possible waste item — not just paper, cardboard, batteries and bottles (sorted by colour), but also coffee capsules, yogurt containers, scrap iron and steel, organic waste, carpets, and electronics.

In fact, with their well-organised communal dumpsters or recycling bins in neighbourhoods, the Swiss have taken the mundane act of throwing out one’s garbage to a whole new level of efficiency.

So one of the best ways to fit in is to be as trash-oriented as the Swiss.

READ MORE: Eight ways you might be annoying your neighbours (and not realising it) in Switzerland

You trim your hedges with a ruler

How your garden looks says a lot about you.

If it’s unkempt and overgrown with weeds, you are clearly a foreigner (though likely not German or Austrian).

But if your grass is cut neatly and your hedges trimmed with military-like precision (except on Sundays), and some of your bushes and shrubs are shaped like poodles, you will definitely fit in.

You follow the laundry room rules

If you live in an apartment building, chances are there is a communal laundry room in the basement that is shared by all the residents.

As everything else in Switzerland, these facilities are regulated by a …laundry list of “dos” and “don’ts” that you’d well to commit to memory and adhere to meticulously.

These rules relate to everything from adhering to the assigned time slot to removing lint from the dryer.

Following each rule to the letter, and not trying to wash your laundry in someone else’s time slot, is a sign of successful integration.

Voilà, the five signs you are “at home” in Switzerland.

READ MORE: French-speaking Switzerland: Seven life hacks that will make you feel like a local

SHOW COMMENTS

Url copied to clipboard!