Of spain full of places that time forgot. Really beautiful round here. Its really quiet. We are tackling the great wall of china, one step at a time. And were tracking down a wild and secretive creature thats learned to steer well clear of humans. Were looking out at the bottom of the valley here. And thats where the wolves are most likely to get a good breakfast. Hello, and welcome to The Travel Show with me, christa larwood, coming this week from palencia in spain. Now, this country is one of the worlds biggest tourism destinations. Each year, over 60 Million People arrive on these shores. But they often head for the mediterranean coast and cities like barcelona or madrid. But here in rural spain, many struggling communities are pinning their hopes on becoming the next big holiday hotspot. Ive travelled fairly widely in spain, but on this trip im heading to a region in the north of the country that ive never heard of before. Its name is palencia. Only a handful of tourists come here, which is hard to believe, given the breathtaking scenery. And in the middle of this wild countryside, there are amazing, virtually untouched, Medieval Churches scattered everywhere. Nowhere else in europe has so many of these churches, and they give you a real sense that youve stepped back in time. This area may be beautiful, but for centuries its also been poor, and traditionally many people had no choice but to leave in search of work, in the hope of a better life. Now, some of the current generation are hoping that tourism will help bring new life to this region. Myjourney begins in the southern part of palencia. One of the medieval Pilgrimage Routes that led to Santiago De Compostela goes through this area. In other parts of spain, Camino De Santiago trails are packed with pilgrims. But here, i only see a few. This region of palencia is not very well known. Have you found that there are lots of tourists here, or has it been a break from the tourists . I didnt see any tourists. Its a little bit crazy, because im from germany and there are not places like this where its nothing. I continue myjourney along the trail of the camino do santiago. Its really beautiful around here. Its really quiet. Music. I think ive found all the people. Gracias. Just in case . I think ive just ordered a medieval roast. Who knows what might come out . This restaurant has been feeding hungry pilgrims for decades. Now offering medieval feasts, they are hoping to put the palencia section of the Camino De Santiago trail in the spotlight. There are no pilgrims here today but a local family is celebrating a birthday. And they are clearly getting into the medieval spirit. Thank you. Wheres. 7 what do i do for knife and fork . No . Ijust pick this up. It does taste really good though. Heading north, i reach the mountains of Northern Palencia. These villages are even further off the beaten track. Every village here seems to have a medieval church. There are over 250 injust a small area. The architectural style is called romanesque and dates back to the 11th century, and its rare to see so many of them so close together. Elsewhere in europe, these types of churches were often altered and modernised over the centuries. Here, they remain untouched. Wow, that is a key. Thats a key and a half, that. This place really properly is just hewn out of rock. In the 12th century, this area was very important because the centre of power of this area is very close here. And this is one of the most important place of the kingdom of castilla. After this 12th century, the centre of the power go away of this area. And not so rich in the fields, this area became to be a poor area. So when they had more money, in later centuries they would come in and tear down the old churches to rebuild them. Whereas because this is poor its been kept perfectly for us. Yeah, yeah. Many people around here have remained poor right up to this day. Over the centuries, most of the villages in Northern Palencia emptied as people migrated into the cities looking for work. I wanted to see one of these abandoned villages. Its in a precarious condition but im safe enough because im with an expert on historical buildings who knows this 17th century house very well. This is like a bedroom of a teenager or something. Thats michaeljackson. Donjohnson. Wow i will tell you what, this is like a time capsule of what was cool when this house was abandoned. Donjohnson because of the recent economic downturn in spain, Youth Unemployment in some areas runs at close to a0 . And as People Struggle to find jobs in the big cities, here in the countryside the situation is even bleaker. Ive seen All Around The World how tourism can help to preserve cultures. But theres also Something Special thats lost the moment the first Tourist Buses arrive. Hopefully the people of palencia get the Tourist Numbers they richly deserve. But also fight hard to protect the authenticity of their medieval culture, of which, as ive discovered, they are justly proud. Still to come on The Travel Show, we are snapping up Guilty Pleasures in new orleans. And im falling a little bit in love with a big dog that thinks its a wolf. The travel show, your essential guide, wherever you are headed. Hello, im Michelle Jana chan, your global guide, with top tips on the worlds best events in the coming months. Were starting in the us at the new orleans jazz and heritage festival, orjazz fest, begins april 28, which, in spite of its name will be a hub of blues, r b, gospel, folk, latin, rock, rap, country and bluegrass. This year therell be a cuban theme with a conga los hoyos dance parade. Food on offer will include creole, cajun and this year also cuban cooking, so you wont be going hungry for crawfish pie or fillet gumbo. Meanwhile, in samoa, the five island swim held may 10 13 is a series of open water swims over four days covering a total of 27 kilometres. Its a challenge, no doubt, but even in the heat of competition, dont forget to spot tropical fish among the coral reefs in this polynesian paradise. Between april 28th and may 7th, south korea will be celebrating the birth of the bhudda with an extravagant festival of light, the lotus lantern festival. Theyll be colourful handmade lantern exhibitions, folk music performances, and parades of dancers, floats and dragons. In italy, the Northern City of ravenna hosts a summer Music Festival in venues including gilded byzantine basilicas, to cloisters, piazzas, to pine forests. Its a celebration of art, Classical Music and opera but also dance, drama and jazz. The festival runs from may 25 to july 11. In china, the hard as nails Great Wall Marathon takes place on may 20. Its one of the most challenging Long Distance runs, Drawing Thousands of competitors who choose between the full length course, a half marathon, or an 8. 5 kilometre fun run. Starting a few hours from beijing in the heart of the mountains, the route involves steep climbs and descents, Smooth Flagstones to rough surfaces, and over 5000 steps. Last year, the fastest speed was three hours, 30 minutes, the time to beat. Back in the us, it will be Man Against Machine from may 26 28, when The Iron HorseBicycle Classic takes place in the colorado town of durango. The event dates back to the late i880s when two brothers raced against each other. The elder was a brakeman on a Steam Powered locomotive who challenged his younger brother to race the train from durango to silverton. These days, the train takes a shorter route. Thousands take part, trying to beat the train before it pulls into its final destination. There are other events around the classic, including mountain biking, bmx races, dual slaloms and team trail rides. At the end of april, yachts from All Over The World will be arriving in the caribbean for antigua sailing week. From April 29th There will be five days of Competitive Racing off the south coast of the island. If youre not on a boat, the next best place to be is Shirley Heights lookout, with its sweeping ocean views. And try to get here early. Some events have already started, including the antigua classic yacht regatta, when the Caribbean Sea is dotted with elegant Vintage Yachts and tall ships. Finally, in morocco, the mawazine festival, rhythms of the world, runs from may 12 20 in the capital, rabat. The beats include ragada, Musique Gnawa and hassani songs, and therell be more than 100 shows from local moroccan, african and international artists. Thats My Global Guide this month. Let me know whats happening in the place where you live, or where you love. We are on e mail and across social media. Until next time, happy travelling. Ive come to the mountains in palencia here in Northern Spain to search for an elusive animal, the iberian wolf. For centuries, these animals have bred both fear and fascination in humans, and here in palencia they are now flourishing like nowhere else in europe. So ive tracked down the man who is leading wolf safaris, much to the amazement of many of the locals, who have always been taught to fear these legendary predators. But in an ironic twist, the wolves could now help lead the way to the economic salvation thats much needed in this very poor region of spain. Tino garcia is the Pioneer Of Wolf Tours in palencia. Along with his wife, rosa, hes restored a once derelict home and now welcomes visitors who want to catch a glimpse of the local wolves. Even though many of his neighbours were sceptical his business would succeed. If youre not a fan of very early starts, then wolf watching is definitely not for you. Good morning, christa. Que tal . Im tired, thats what i am. Living in such close proximity to humans, these wolves have learned to survive by keeping a low profile. So dont expect to hear any hollywood style howling coming from up in the hills. Is this safe . All right, my lifes in your hands, tino. Its kind of amazing, driving in the dark. You look out and its alljust shades of grey. Its amazing how quickly your eyes become accustomed to not having headlights. We have to be really, really quiet from now on, because these wolves are very used to living with humans who shoot them. So the minute they hear the sound of a human, a car door or a voice, they run for the hills. The iberian wolf was almost hunted to extinction in the 1970s. But as the failing economy forced people to move away from the villages, the Wolf Population started to climb. But wolves are still hunted today. The culling season only finished two weeks ago, so the wolves are more cautious than ever. But that only increases the sense of adventure when you set out on a trip like this. Knowing your guide will have to use all of his skills and training to spot what youve come to see. Its like looking for a needle in a haystack. Tino was just telling me that were looking out in the bottom of the valley here, because thats where the deer tend to come, and thats where the wolves are most likely to get a good breakfast. For tino, its important to stay at a distance, so the wolves arent disturbed. Thats it. Sorry. Thats quite all right. Now that we dont have to be quiet, time to take a break and have some fun. 0k. Its quite magical to have the whole mountainside to ourselves. Wolf watchers are helping to bring money and jobs to the area. But for the few remaining shepherds, living alongside a rising Wolf Population is more challenging than ever. To help them, they have something thats a real match for the iberian wolf, the spanish mastiff. Oh, my goodness can i take him home, please . So what are these dogs used for and why are they so special . So 30 sheep in one night . Did that make you really hate wolves . Shepherds can be compensated when any of their livestock is killed by wolves. But its a slow and bureaucratic process that doesnt always pay out. Tino has got to know wolves individually, after watching the same packs for many years. But there is one wolf who is very special to him. Sadly, this isnt the best time of year to see wolves. Spring heralds the start of the mating season, and they like to keep their Courtship Rituals pretty private. Tino likes to bring people later in the year when the cubs have grown up. They cry, they faint. As the day wears on, im beginning to lose hope. If im going to see a wolf, im going to have to get creative. This is a local breed called the wolf dog. Genetically, its partly domesticated dog, but its mostly iberian wolf. You are quite wolfie, arent you . Hello. Tino says he wouldnt be able to tell the difference between this dog and a wild wolf. Thats why the dog is wearing a bright yellow collar, so that locals dont mistake him for a wolf and shoot him. These dogs were bred to protect cattle from wild wolves. They look like and think like the enemy. And the Puppies Beg Forfood from adults, just like wild wolf cubs do. Meeting a wolf dog has given me a little glimpse of a wolfs character, and who knows, maybe i will be back someday and be lucky enough to see the real thing, in the hills here in palencia. I think this is definitely the closest im ever going to come to a wolf. Well, thats all weve got time for in this weeks travel show but coming up next week Ade Heads To Ghana as the country prepares to mark the 60th Anniversary of becoming an independent nation. Well, as the countrys in party mode, im going to have a poke around and see what you can expect from ghana if you travel here. So dojoin us then if you can. In the meantime, dont forget you can catch up with us while we are out having adventures on the road in real time by following us online and on social media. Details are on the screen. But for now, from me, christa larwood, and the rest of the travel team here in palencia, its goodbye. s summer is around the corner. It is not. Mother nature is reminding us. Is not. Mother nature is reminding us. A bit of a shock, cold air surging from the arctic. It wont last long, though. At the moment, the weather is very quiet across the uk. Scattered cloud across the south. The cloud you can see above my head, that is cold fronts. The leading edge of the arctic air. Way to the north of our neighbourhood. 1000 miles or so, to the north of our neighbourhood. 1000 miles orso, it to the north of our neighbourhood. 1000 miles or so, it is relatively mild. Temperatures 13 or 1a degrees. A great day for the london marathon. Sunshine there across wales into england. Northern ireland clouding of the second half of the afternoon. Cloud are increasing across the west. Aberdeen is looking good. Only three degrees there. Lets watch closely, this weather front. Three degrees there. Lets watch closely, this weatherfront. It moves into scotland. Everything to the north of that line, that is cold air. It will be cold enough for some snow across the scottish hills. To the south, that is the rain and the cold front, it is relatively mild, 8 degrees. Only slow moving, doing that and that at the same time, moving in that direction. To the north, sunny skies but also wintry showers. To the south, cloudy conditions and spots of rain. Monday not cold in the south. It will be in the north. The values, only 6 degrees. Monday introduced it, you can see the cold air moving to the south. It will reach northern part of spain by the time we get to wednesday. On tuesday, sunny spells. Nice and chilly across the south. Wintry showers across west, north and east. Hailstones, understones, but temperatures dont get desperately low even though it is arctic air. The sun is so powerful. It warms up the air. It will feel chilly in the wind and the shade. You might get some hailstones in the wintry showers, so wrapped up. This is bbc news. The headlines at two. Labour says it still supports the renewal of britains Trident Nuclear deterrent after Leaderjeremy Corbyn wouldnt say whether it would be in the partys election manifesto. The conservative manifesto is to include a Cap On Energy Bills for millions of households. A man has been killed by thieves who stole his car from outside his house in manchester. I think the main thing for people to realise is this couldve happened to absolutely anybody. You hear a noise downstairs, you go and see what it is. French voters go to the polls in the most unpredictable election