Europe’s Most Unforgettable Long-Distance Walking Journeys 

The adventure vacation has always been a popular prospect, ever since the earliest days of commercialized trips up Mt. Everest. The problem is that everyone assumes such adventures are high-octane, adrenaline-pumping events that generate a lifetime of memories and a lifetime of muscular pain for the low cost of a lifetime’s wages. This simply isn’t true.

Adventures can take many forms – and one of the more popular forms they have taken in recent years is that of the long-distance walking getaway. Put simply, travelers are somewhat sick of rushing from landmark to landmark, experience to experience; we want more from our vacations. And we don’t need skis to get it. 

From mountain trails to historic pilgrimage routes, walking adventures are an immersive and meaningful way to explore Europe. And the following three journeys are the best ones to consider, offering unforgettable scenery, cultural discoveries and a sense of achievement that can’t be replicated by traditional sightseeing.

The Camino de Santiago, Spain

First, let’s visit one of Europe’s most iconic networks of walking routes: the Camino de Santiago. This is an historic pilgrimage that attracts hundreds of thousands of walkers each year, not just as part of a religious sabbatical but as an astonishing opportunity to explore Western Europe’s rural landscapes on foot.

Of the many different options you have for Camino holidays, the Camino Francés remains one of the most popular. It’s roughly six weeks in length, taking you across the Pyrenees and through Northern Spain by way of ancient towns, rolling countrysides and the best views you’ve ever seen – not to mention the centuries of pilgrimage tradition that suffuse the road to Santiago de Compostela. 

Tour du Mont Blanc, France, Italy & Switzerland

Widely regarded as one of Europe’s premier long-distance hikes, the Tour du Mont Blanc is also one of the most gruelling. It’s a mountainous trip, to say the least; one which circles Western Europe’s highest mountain and takes you through three countries in the process. 

On this figurative mission of a walk – as opposed to the near-literal mission that is the Camino de Santiago -you can expect to take in Alpine meadows, mountain refuges, stunning glacier lakes and dramatic viewpoints a-many. Altogether, these make for a firm favorite amongst walking adventurists with the boots to prove it.

The West Highland Way, Scotland

The United Kingdom is a mini wonderland of all its own, as far as walking adventures are concerned. Its rich terrain plays host to myriad long-distance adventures, the best of which is arguably the West Highland Way. This 96-mile mountain route stretches through the Scottish Highlands, offering rugged landscapes, tranquil lochs and the opportunity to sample the best eau de vie this green Earth has to offer. The Highlands are unique, too, in that their trails are unusually well-maintained – albeit no less difficult to traverse…

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