The Road North: From Cocktail Shakers to Mountain Boots

The Road North: From Cocktail Shakers to Mountain Boots

Hi, I’m Shumi.

If you told my younger self doing forced marches during military service in Hungary that I would eventually spend my days hiking through the misty valleys of Northern Spain, I would have laughed you right out of the room.

Back then, life was moving fast in entirely different directions. After finishing my studies, military service, and picking up a commercial diving license, I discovered the world of hospitality. I trained as a cocktail bartender, quickly caught the nightlife bug, and spent years working in family hospitality before stepping behind the bar at one of the busiest, most famous cocktail lounges in Budapest.

Hospitality suited me. I loved the energy, the pulse of the room, and most of all, the endless stream of people from all walks of life. But Budapest began to feel small, and I wanted to see how the rest of the world poured a drink.

The Southern Sun & The Next Chapter

London gave me a global education in high-volume hospitality, but life has a funny way of shifting your priorities overnight. When I became a father, the reality of raising kids in a frantic, crowded metropolis made the choice obvious: we needed space, fresh air, and sunshine.

We headed south to Spain.

For years, Southern Spain was home. I stepped right back into my element, managing a high-end cocktail bar in Puerto Banús. It was vibrant, sun-drenched, and intensely busy. But hospitality is a whirlwind—you blink, and thirty years have quietly passed by.

Eventually, the relentless party rhythm began to lose its charm, the southern coast grew increasingly crowded, and property prices shot through the roof. It became clear that we were ready for another chapter. We didn’t want to leave Spain, but we wanted a version of Spain that felt authentic, quiet, and rooted.

Finding the Other Spain

Most people imagine Spain through a single postcard: blistering sun, crowded Mediterranean beaches, and cold sangria served by the bucket.

When we crossed into Green Northern Spain—Asturias, Galicia, and Cantabria—we realized just how much of the country that postcard leaves out.

Here, Spain is ancient stone villages, dense oak forests, dramatic Atlantic cliffs, and the quiet ritual of natural cider poured from shoulder height. The landscape triggered something deep in me that hadn't seen the light of day since my military days: the pure, simple joy of putting on a pair of boots, packing a daypack, and just walking.

Out here, a good day isn’t spent recovering by a pool. It’s spent navigating mountain passes in the Picos de Europa, walking secluded stretches of coastal trails, and ending up in a village tavern where the food comes straight from the harbor or the orchard next door.

What Atlas Spain Is About

I built Atlas Spain for travelers who want active rest—the kind where your legs are pleasantly tired at the end of the day, your mind is quiet, and you’ve seen corners of this country that tour buses never touch.

I’m not a boardroom travel agency, and I’m definitely done serving overpriced mojitos under neon lights. I’m just an explorer who fell hard for the greenest corner of the Iberian Peninsula and wants to show you the paths, flavors, and hidden valleys worth traveling for.