If you love holidays and you love walking then you’re going to love these five walking holiday ideas for Europe.
I’m new to the world of walking holidays. I’ve always loved hiking but it wasn’t until I spent a weekend walking along The Sandstone Trail in Cheshire that I realised what a fabulous holiday it can be. I came home feeling exhausted but refreshed and invigorated in a way that a ‘flop n drop’ beach holiday could never do. I’m now on the hunt for more walking holiday ideas and I’ve put together five of my favourites that I’m putting on my walking holiday bucket list. Let’s start with a few tips for walking holidays…
Tips for long walking holidays
If you’re planning a walking holiday, here are my 10 tips to make it as enjoyable as possible.
- Break in your walking boots with plenty of hikes before your trip!
- If you feel overwhelmed with the planning and booking, use a company such as Orbis Ways to help. You may need to pre-book accommodation and meals and it’s always good to have an expert provide the route.
- Train as much as possible beforehand and don’t forget strength training as well as cardio and hiking. I tend to do HIT classes, spin classes and full body strength classes using Peloton.
- Pack as little as possible – I tend to wear the same clothes daily and wash my underwear and base layers overnight.
- You can never drink too much water.
- Make sure you’re carrying the weight of your backpack on your hips as well as your shoulders.
- Get to know what foods fuel your body best. You’ll want to be eating high energy foods but some will work better than others for you and your body. I like to snack on eggs and bananas but porridge doesn’t agree with me at all.
- Always carry a power bank for your devices. Always.
- Use moleskin plasters to prevent blisters. I wrap my ankles in them before a long hike, even if I don’t have any niggles from my boots. They’re comfy and prevent blisters.
- Don’t forget sun protection, even for cloudy days. Dehydration and sunburn will quickly ruin your walk so stay hydrated, wear a hat and always wear SPF.
1. Camino de Santiago, Spain
Best for: The ultimate bucket list hike
One of the most famous walks in all of Europe is the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This is an iconic, 500 mile pilgrimage across northern Spain, from the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela. The route is rich in history, culture, and spirituality, with picturesque towns and vibrant pilgrim camaraderie.
There are various routes available but most people will take 4-6 weeks to hike the entire distance. If that’s not an option then you can hike smaller sections of it to get a feel for this incredible walk.
2. Tour du Mont Blanc, France/Italy/Switzerland
Best for: The best views
In my opinion, this is Europe’s most spectacular long-distance trail as you circumnavigate Mont Blanc. This 105 mile hike takes you through three countries with stunning Alpine views, quaint mountain villages, glaciers, and lush valleys. If you’re looking for dramatic scenery and diverse landscapes then this is the hike for you. It is a difficult hike with steep sections.
Most people will hike this in 7-10 days so you could realistically make it into an enjoyable 2 week holiday.
3. West Highland Way, Scotland
Best for: If you’re UK based and don’t want to fly or get a ferry
Scotland’s most famous hike is the West Highland Way and takes you all the way from Milngavie to Fort William. It’s a 96 mile hike and takes most people around one week to complete.
You’ll pass stunning Scottish scenery including lochs, moors, and rugged mountains as well as iconic sites like Loch Lomond and Rannoch Moor, ending at the base of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak.
4. Cinque Terre Coastal Trail, Italy
Best for: A one-day hike
While this might not be a long hike, it is incredibly beautiful so it had to make the list!
This 7.5 mile hike takes you from Monterosso to Riomaggiore and is known as being one of Italy’s most beautiful coastal walks. With incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea and pastel-coloured villages clinging to the cliffs, you can easily do this in a day and then get on with the rest of your relaxing holiday.
5. Kerry Way, Ireland
Best for: Charming villages along the way
We’re back to the British Isles for the fifth incredible walking holiday.
This 133 mile loop takes you all around the Iveragh Peninsula and usually takes about 10 days. The scenery is beautiful and quintessentially Irish with green rolling hills, dramatic coastal cliffs, ancient stone circles, and charming villages like Killarney.
You may have heard of the Ring of Kerry as a popular walk in Ireland but the Kerry Way is a less crowded option so this would be my preference.