Geological adventures
Geology is the colour of nature in all its shapes. From those that prefer hiking over former molten rock, or climb the highest mountains, to those that are tempted to dive to the coral reefs or raft down the roaring gorges, or those again that crawl down the deepest mines or caves, or those that collect the splendour of minerals and the imaginative fossils: The unexplored Earth provides a wealth of opportunities to escape the boring daily routine.
A dramatic and spectacular world tempts one, no matter what season or day, to explore the extra dimension of the geology adventure. Be it when admiring the landscape while travelling by train, car or airplane, or while admiring the wonders of nature when visiting exotic places, or again, when telling tales to the young ones about monsters, big as houses, now extinct. Even when exploring the urban landscape, geology can tell exciting stories of the connection between the natural heritage and the built heritage. Churches and monumental buildings are built with materials from quarries nearby, or from far away, and this can be used as an entrance to local history. Geology is all around us, and nature is still writing its own story.
Toursist on the volcano, Tenerife, Spain. Photo: P.Christmann
Geoparks
If you ask Europeans abut geological heritage, many will think of places such as Iceland, Mount Etna, the Giant's Causeway or the Alps. But there is more to geological heritage than these special, often exceptional outcrops. Across Europe there are examples of landscapes and rocks that provide key evidence of a particular moment in Earth history. This diversity of sites is also part of our geological heritage. Around Europe, Geoparks are established in order to let tourists explore these important parts of the puzzle that together make up Europe’s natural history.
Dualism in Geotourism
In recent years, the expression Geotourism has been used frequently in order to express these activities. However, this may be confused with the same phrase used by National Geographic. They define Geotourism as: “Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, and heritage—and the well-being of its residents.“ However, narrative stories about geology, landscape and the utilisation of natural resources match this definition of geotourism as well.
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