Skiing in Lebanon, climbing in Tunis: Med tourism site goes online

DUBAI: Nature, sports and adventure lovers are a click away from the best destinations across the Middle East and North Africa, thanks to a newly-launched, EU-funded website, Mediterraneanadventures.org, created to jumpstart tourism in the region.
The website suggests activities such as skiing in Lebanon’s Keserwan mountainous area and crossing a biosphere at below sea level in Jordan’s Karak, in addition to canoeing and diving in Torre Guaceto in Puglia, southern Italy.
The platform was created in collaboration with the Puglia and Sardinia regional governments in Italy and Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia.
It is divided into eight sections ranging from water sports and skiing to climbing and horseback adventures, and from long nature walks and underground explorations to biking and birdwatching.
The Catalonia region offers climbing up to 3,000 meters in the Pyrenees, exploration of hidden bays in the nature of the Costa Brava, the nature of the Ebro delta, and then 6,400 km dedicated to nature bike trails and forest trails along old railways that are no longer used.
According to Mediterraneanadventures.org, many adventures are also on offer in Puglia, which is described as brilliant for outdoor experiences with two national parks, 18 regional parks, 16 nature reserves and three protected marine areas to explore and enjoy, from Salento to Gargano, while also exploring its food through 188 educational restaurants and discovering the land of olive oil.
With its mountains also reaching 3,000 meters above sea level, Lebanon is described as “the place where you can ski and swim in the same day” and has many ski resorts in addition to the 225 km of coastline, with many nature reserve beaches such as Tyre Nature Park.
There are also walking and biking routes through the country’s historic heritage, discovering the Roman Hemperean peoples to the Phoenicians, the Ottomans to the French.
“Silent desert and scorching sea,” is what defines the adventures that can be enjoyed in Tunisia, from hiking or climbing in the Atlas Mountains and forests that then lead to the sea across 1,300 km of coastline.