The best European walking holidays to take this spring
By Lauren Taylor, Press Association
From Italy and Spain to the islands of Greece and Ireland, head to these dramatic coastlines and rugged mountain areas.
It will soon be the season of longer days and more sunshine – a great time to lace up the hiking boots and take to the trails.
Europe has some epic hiking possibilities for big views, challenging altitudes and more gentle lakeside strolls. These holidays take in some of the best.
1. Dolomites and Lake Garda
Among HF Holidays’ new walking holidays for 2026 is a seven-night guided walking trip in Northern Italy’s UNESCO-listed Adamello Brenta Natural Park. There’s a choice of two different walks each day – with an expert guide – so depending on your mood and energy levels, you can choose from lakeside strolls along turquoise waters and olive groves, to more challenging mountain hikes, appreciating the rugged limestone peaks.
Accommodation is the small, family-run Hotel Regina Elena in the village of Caderzone Terme – a central spot to explore from. The scenic route takes in the famous Five Lakes, the Nardis Waterfalls, and the Genova Valley as well as a day trip to the western shore of Lake Garda.
Book: €1703.55 pp on a half board basis, with wine at evening meals, including flights, baggage, transfers and a choice of two guided walks per day on walking days (hfholidays.co.uk, 020 3974 8865)
2. Lefkas and Meganisi
Head to the Greek Islands of Lefkas and Meganisi for raw beauty, olive groves, waterfalls, quiet mountain trails and villages, where cobbled streets lead to stone houses and local tavernas. The views on this Sunvil walking holiday are jaw dropping but the islands aren’t overrun with tourists. Lefkas is famous for its dramatic white cliffs and Meganisi has hidden beaches, clear waters and an authentic laidback charm.
May is a perfect time to hike in Greece, before the temperatures soar in the summer. Choose from easy strolls to moderately challenging hikes, the trails will take you off-road and beyond the guidebook.
Book: Departs May 24, 2026, €1688.58 pp (two sharing), including return flights to Preveza, 20kg pp hold luggage allowance, accommodation with breakfast, and transfers (Sunvil.co.uk/ 020 8758 4758).
3. Sierra Nevada, Spain
Spain’s largest mountain range, Sierra Nevada in Andalusia, offers huge diversity to explore. This three-day weekend trip from Ramble Worldwide is new for 2026, and is based in the picturesque town of Lanjarón.
With fresh spring water and tranquil squares, it’s an excellent location for walking through the natural beauty of the national park – taking in the rugged landscape, deep gorges, pretty white-washed villages and epic vistas.
An expert local guide will take an average group size of 10-12 on challenging hikes, including a stretch of the GR7, the famous long-distance hiking trail that’s part of the E4 European walking route.
Book: Hiking in the Sierra Nevada Weekend Adventure (Grade 6), three nights from €548.27, departures in May, includes three-star hotel (B&B basis) and local taxes, local transport and expert local guide.
4. Slovenia
This eight-day walking holiday by Explore in Triglav National Park is full of natural wonders, big vistas and traditional farming villages. It takes in the Julian Alps, Lake Bohinj – Slovenia’s largest glacial lake – and Savica Waterfall in the walls of the Komarca Gorge.
Stay at The Art Kristal Hotel, a family-run property on Lake Bohinj, with mountain and countryside views. The hikes are graded ‘leisurely’ or ‘moderate’ with four to seven hours of walking on five of the days, with a tour leader, so a good level of fitness is needed.
Book: Explore, 8 days from €2067.53 (excludes flights). Visit explore.co.uk/holidays/walking-in-slovenia.
5. Connemara National Park and Aran Islands, County Galway
Follow new trails at Connemara National Park and on the west coast of Ireland. The country’s second-oldest national park has been undergoing a major expansion and upgrade project, which aims to increase in size by more than 12 per cent and double the network of walking trails.
This six-day Walkers’ Britain and Europe trip starts in Galway City – home to lively pubs and traditional Irish music – before heading to the rugged beauty of Ireland’s remote Aran Islands to walk to the ancient Black Fort, and stand at the edge of Dun Aonghasa, a prehistoric stone fortress thought to be 3,000 years old. Walkers will then head back to the mainland to hike Connemara’s Western Way and embark on an old pilgrim trail through the Maumturk Mountain, before visiting Leenane, a village on Ireland’s only fjord.
The dramatic backdrop of the Galway coast featured in the Oscar-winning film, The Banshees Of Inisherin.
Book: Exploring the Aran Islands and Connemara with Walkers’ Britain and Europe, departs April-October, from €1140.31 pp.
