Walking Holidays In Europe

• Best trek for: Europe's most famous mountain trail
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Trek duration: 10 days
• Max. elevation: 2,584m
• Accommodation: Huts or camping
• Start/end point: Chamonix circular

A world-class trek through the heart of the Alps in three countries, the Tour de Mont Blanc, is a baptism for many hikers. Steeped in history, Mont Blanc has tempted mountaineers from across the globe to scale this dramatic massif and breath in its astounding vistas.

The trail circumnavigates Mont Blanc (4,810m), spanning France, Italy, and Switzerland. Expect enthralling views, delicious food and an authentic Alpine experience. And the hiking is more varied than you may expect: you’ll be tackling impressive peaks, following roaring rivers and strolling through gentle valleys, sometimes all within the same day.

Need to know

Yes, it’s super-popular – you may well hit logjams on narrow paths up passes, and booking well in advance is essential – but, well, those views of Western Europe’s loftiest peak from all angles…

It's not mandatory to hike the entire circuit. You can, for example, choose to trek the southern part of the trail over four days if time or cost is a factor.

Another consideration is the short season. Like any other Alps destination, the hiking season is dictated by the length of the winter. So June could still have snow on the higher passes, and it's also possible for snow storms in September.

• Distance: 220 km – or shorter segments

• Duration: 14 days

• Start/end point: Santiago do Cacém to Cabo de São Vicente

• Difficulty: Moderate

In Portugal I’d highly recommend the Rota Vicentina, which comprises twin trails running north from the western Algarve through the Alentejo: the inland Historical Way and – my pick – the 226.5km coastal Fishermen’s Trail, traversing ancient cork-oak woods, wildflower-spangled cliffs and charming fishing villages. Both are blessed with good accommodation en route.

• Distance: 50 miles (80 km)

• Duration: Eight days

• Start/end point: Neustift to Neder

• Difficulty: Strenuous

The Stubai High Trail is an Alpine horseshoe classic hopping between traditional mountain huts with different but equally appealing personalities. The weather was terrible when I hiked it – rain, snow, low cloud – yet it was still soul-soaring.

• Distance: 140 miles (225 km) – or shorter segments

• Duration: Two weeks

• Start/end point: Corinth to Kalamata

• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous

Bookended by beaches, this two-week north-south traverse of Greece’s most historical peninsula adds detours from the E4 to visit the most intriguing monasteries and villages – longer and quirkier than the better-known Menalon Trail.

• Distance: 270km extendable to 320km
• Duration: 16–20 days
• Start/end point: Kranjska Gora (Slovenia)
• Difficulty: Moderate to easy

The Juliana Trail in Slovenia is a circular route through the Julian Alps, a memorable loop of the country’s highest and most famous mountain, Triglav.

The route was designed to encourage visitors to explore a wider area and reduce visitor numbers on Triglav itself. Although it doesn’t climb Triglav, it includes some less well-known areas and iconic spots like Bled.

There’s also an optional loop through Goriška Brda, one of Slovenia’s premier wine regions.

From Kranjska Gora, the Juliana heads east along the Sava Dolinka, with views of the Martuljek group, to Mojstrana and (less conventionally) the lesser-visited industrial town of Jesenice.

Near Begunje it passes the hilltop church of Sv Peter, then swings through the beautiful town of Radovljica.

Turning west the trail continues to Bled, with its much-photographed lake and island monastery, over the rugged Pokljuka plateau to Stara Fužina. On the shores of Lake Bohinj, Stara Fužina is one of the most beautiful spots in the Julian Alps and the usual trailhead for Triglav climbs.

From Lake Bohinj it heads east again to Bohinjska Bistrica, then south over the Vrh Bače Pass to follow the narrow Bača Valley, again well off the radar of most itineraries. There's a fantastic viewpoint at Senica, above the confluence of the Idrijca and Soča rivers, before the trail descends to Most na Soči.

Following the emerald green River Soča north to Tolmin and Kobarid, the stage between Kobarid and Bovec is particularly beautiful.

From Bovec, the trail heads north along the valley of the River Koritnica, less travelled than the route east along the Soča, to Log pod Mangartom, with stunning views of Mangart and Jalovec towering above the head of the valley.

Climbing to the Predel Pass, the trail drops into Italy, with an overnight stop in Tarvisio.

Finally it turns east, following an old narrow gauge railway line, now a cycling and walking trail, back to Kranjska Gora in Slovenia.

Need to know

Almost all stages are accessible by public transport – one of the main principles behind the trail – so it’s easy to pick off sections as day walks.

The hiking season is May to October (expect snow on the mountains until June).

• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Duration: Three weeks+, or shorter segments
• Accommodation: Guesthouses & mountain huts
• Start/end point: Razdrto (Slovenia) / Valbone Valley (Albania)

Newly waymarked – and with sibling Green and Blue Trails on the way – this epic ‘mega trail’ through the Dinaric Alps links northern Albania with Slovenia via Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. Don’t expect polish; do expect rewarding and sometimes remote trekking.

The trail isn’t generally sold as a commercial thru-hike, but trekking specialists will organise self-guided or guided treks along different segments of the trail.

The Via Dinarica is actually three separate trails, with the main, so-called White Trail, following the spine of the Dinaric Alps as closely as possible. The Blue and Green trails follow lower routes and are less complete.

The White Trail, described here, through Bosnia and Hezegovina is the most developed so far, stretching a more modest 333km and taking around two weeks to complete.

Starting from Prisika on the Croatian border, the trail leads past Lake Buško with a fair amount of road walking. It passes through an area riddled with limestone caves, many that can be visited as detours.

After crossing Mt Vran, the trail leads through the beautiful landscape of Blidinje Nature Park and over Mt Čvrsnica, with its distinctive rock-eye known as Hajdučka vrata.

Next up, the trail crosses Prenj, a fabulous mountain area bristling with limestone peaks that requires at least two days.

Passing beside Lake Boračko, it follows the edge of the Rakitnica Canyon to reach the Ljuta Valley, then skirts the southern slopes of Mt Treskavica.

The final part of the White Trail in Bosnia is a two-stage hike across the beautiful landscape of Sutjeska National Park. Including Maglić, the highest mountain in Bosnia that can be climbed as a detour, the park features primeval forests, lush pastures and rocky peaks.

After some awe-inspiring views from the border ridge, the route drops down to Lake Trnovačko, set amongst the epic sprawl of mountains that is Montenegro.

Need to know

The hiking season for the White Trail through Bosnia and Herzegovina is June to October.

Bosnia and some parts of Croatia near the Bosnian border have areas with landmines. The trails on the Via Dinarica are perfectly safe, but it’s something you need to be aware of. Under no circumstances should you wander into areas where there are warning signs.

• Distance: 75 miles (120 km)

• Duration: Seven to ten days

• Start/end point: Lago di Braies to Belluno

• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous

This moderately challenging hut-to-hut Dolomite traverse is as close to Patagonia’s Torres del Paine as you’ll get this side of the Atlantic. But with better pasta and more WWI history.

The trail commences in Lago di Braies in the north and finishes in Belluno in the south. As you progress along the route, you traverse a UNESCO World Heritage landscape renowned for its awe-inspiring mountain peaks, panoramic vistas, and diverse flora and fauna.

The crown jewel of the journey is the Cinque Torri - a spectacular rock formation offering some of the most breathtaking views in the Dolomites. Accommodation along the Alta Via 1 varies, from mountain huts known as "rifugios" that provide food and shelter to campgrounds for those who prefer to sleep under the stars.

• Distance: 9.5 miles (15 km)

• Duration: One day

• Start/end point: Schynige Platte to First

• Difficulty: Moderate

Europe’s (the world’s?) finest one-day hike starts special, with a cogwheel railway from Wildeswil to the Botanic Garden at Schynige Platte, and continues along a ridge affording views north across Lake Brienz and south to the Eiger and Schreckhorn.

• Best trek for: A surreal landscape experience
• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
• Trek duration: Four days
• Max. elevation: 1,059m
• Accommodation: Huts or camping
• Start/end point: Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork

Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice, and nowhere is this more accurate than the Laugavegur Trail. This otherworldly hike begins in Landmannalaugar, a geothermal haven globally known for its bubbling hot springs and colourful rhyolite mountains.

Continuing en route brings you an array of natural wonders, from impressive glaciers to vast lava fields, and the 55km journey ends in Thorsmork, a mesmerising valley named after the Norse deity of thunder, Thor.

Need to know

Personally, when walking I love to see a tree or two – something Iceland is famously short of. What it does have is an austere, ethereal, often stark and otherworldly beauty epitomised on this short but dramatic trek.

The trail is accessible from June to early September. Conveniently, there are daily bus services from Reykjavik (which takes around four hours) to the trailhead locations of Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork.

The huts offer sleeping accommodation, kitchens and showers but must be booked beforehand. Laugavegur is one of Europe's most popular hikes, attracting around 10,000 visitors in its short season. I’d recommend avoiding the peak summer holiday period if you can, it’ll certainly make the trip more enjoyable.

• Distance: 593 miles (955 km) – or shorter segments

• Duration: Seven to eight weeks

• Start/end point: Hendaye to Banyuls-sur-Mer

• Difficulty: Challenging

The GR11, shadowing the Pyrenees from Atlantic to Mediterranean on the Spanish side of the range, is higher, rougher and wilder. But the French GR10 would be my pick: though busier, it’s also better endowed with accommodation and transport, and truly spectacular. Plan your hike for the transhumance season when livestock is herded to summer pastures, accompanied in places by great festivities.

• Best trek for: The world-famous pilgrimage walk
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Trek duration: 30 to 40 days (or shorter segments)
• Max. elevation: 1,522m
• Accommodation: Camping, hostels, hotels
• Start/end point: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago De Compostela

Embarking on a pilgrimage is a unique trekking cultural and spiritual experience which brings people together from all over the world. At the heart of the modern pilgrimage lies Camino de Santiago, which is actually several different routes leading to Santiago de Compostela.

The Camino Frances is the most popular route, spanning almost 500 miles (780 Km) from Saint Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago in Spain. It takes around four to five weeks to complete in full, but most people do it in shorter segments.

Need to know

For most Camino hikers, blisters are their biggest challenge. It's not just the trail's length but also the concrete roads along the way that contribute to this issue. I've often seen novice hikers making the mistake of not changing out of their hiking boots when walking on hard surfaces, leading to friction on the feet.

My top advice is to carry trainers (sneakers), and before starting each day, apply Vaseline to your feet, especially between the toes. I've tried and tested this method as an effective way to avoid blisters on long distance trails.

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance: 111 miles (179 km)
• Duration: seven to nine days
• Start and end point: Tralee, County Kerry

The Dingle Way is a 179 km long-distance walking route completing a circuit of the Dingle Peninsula. Starting in Tralee, the route winds its way through the countryside, passing by ancient sites and traversing rugged cliffs to ascend 2,300 metres.

Highlights of the trail include the Gallarus Oratory, a well-preserved Christian church dating back to around the 11th century, and the ancient Leacanabuaile stone fort. As well as having panoramic views of the ocean and of the Blasket Islands, the trail also has views of the Conor Pass, one of the highest roads in Ireland. Along the way, hikers will also be able to enjoy the local culture and hospitality of the towns and villages they pass through, such as Camp, Lispole and Annascaul.

The Dingle Way is considered a moderate to challenging walk, with some steep inclines and rocky terrain in places best suited for experienced hikers.

Open all year round, the best time to complete the circuit is during the summer months when the weather is generally mild and dry with the peak season being June to September, so it's recommended to book accommodation in advance during these months.

The Tirol’s flagship long-distance trail is the Adlerweg (Eagle’s Way), a challenging 300km trek between St Anton and St Johann; variant routes allow less-experienced trekkers to bypass the more technical sections.

• Distance: Approx. 105 km
• Duration: Seven days
• Start/end: Bourg-Saint-Pierre
• Difficulty: Strenuous

The Tour des Combins is a seven-day, 105 km circuit in the mesmerising Swiss and Italian Alps. It's a superb, one-week alternative to the vastly more popular Tour de Mont Blanc, with plenty of epic views, and fewer people on the trail.

Starting and finishing in the Swiss village of Bourg-Saint-Pierre, the trek circumnavigates the majestic Grand Combin massif, presenting breathtaking views of some of the highest peaks in the Alps, passing close to the vast Corbassière Glacier, spending a couple of stages in Italy, and crossing the Great St Bernard Pass (famous for everyone’s favourite shaggy mountain dog).