Top 10 Amazing Hikes in Europe

Top 10 Amazing Hikes in Europe If you’re looking for a beautiful trek for your next European vacation, this list aims to please. Welcome to MojoTravels and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Amazing Hikes in Europe. For this list, we’re looking at some of the most incredible hiking trails in Europe, considering a wide variety of difficulty levels, and including both multi-day journeys and quicker day hikes. There are many other amazing trails we couldn't include, so check back soon for more lists! #10: The Slovenian Mountain Trail Slovenia This beautiful country’s hiking extravaganza traverses much of its territory, spanning hundreds of miles. The idea behind this trail was conceived by professor and mountaineer Ivan Šumlja in the 20th century; his idea was to connect Slovenia’s various mountain ranges with footpaths. The modern trail begins in Maribor and goes through various mountainous areas like Pohorje, the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Karawanks. The full hike takes about a month to complete, but shorter portions of it can be taken on for day trips. #9: West Highland Way Scotland If you’re looking for a long but manageable hike at an intermediate level, this one might be just perfect. At around a hundred miles long, the West Highland Way takes up to a week to complete, and is considered to be Scotland’s most popular long distance hiking trail; thousands of people complete the entire trail each year. The landscapes you’ll cross are gorgeous, and there may be no better way to actually see the famed Highlands up close and personal. As with any longer hike, there are also options to only do a portion of the distance if you don’t have a full week to dedicate to it. #8: Lauterbrunnen Valley Switzerland The tiny village of Lauterbrunnen, located in a glacial valley in Switzerland, is so whimsical it almost doesn’t look real. From there, you can take an easy day hike to Murren, which only takes a few hours. There is a tram to ascend into the mountains, but the walk only takes about an hour and a half and you’ll have jaw dropping views of the surrounding Alps (and multiple waterfalls!) the entire way. After that, you can continue on for that relatively easy and beautiful walk to Murren, which is only an additional hour away. #7: Fairy Pools Isle of Skye Back to Scotland, aye! Another easy but rewarding hike takes you to the magical fairy pools in the Isle of Skye. One of the shortest hikes on our list, it only takes about a half hour or less from the parking lot, so it’s extremely family friendly and accessible to even the most beginner hikers. The best part is that when you arrive at the pools, you can even go for a dip if you’re not afraid of the chilly waters! Even though this trail is easy, the path is not always accessible to those with mobility issues. #6: Camino de Santiago Spain Known as the Way of Saint James in English, this very long network of routes in Europe, culminating in northwestern Spain, started off as pilgrimage paths but has since become an enormously popular hiking trail. The end point for religious trekkers is the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia where the remains of Saint James the Great are said to rest. The Camino Frances, which, naturally, begins in France, is one of the most popular routes, and is a section deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Camino is marked by scallop shell symbols, which has been an emblem of the pilgrimage for centuries. #5: GR20 Corsica The island of Corsica is not large, so the famed north-south GR20 hiking trail spans almost the entire length of it. This expert level mountainous trail is over 100 miles in length and takes about two weeks to complete, although the record was set by French winemaker and hiking enthusiast François D'Haene for having done it in only 31 hours or so. For those looking for a shorter trek, the hike is easily separated in two by the midpoint of Vizzavona so you can chose to do only the northern or southern part of the trail. Writer Paddy Dillon deemed it "one of the top trails in the world" and we’d have to agree! #4: Pulpit Rock Norway It can be tricky to find good mid range hikes, but this one in Norway is certainly not to be missed. The staggeringly majestic Pulpit Rock is one of the country’s most iconic sites, and to reach it, you need to complete a moderately difficult 4 hour round trip trek. It can definitely be busy, so if you want to avoid doing it with the rest of the tourists it can be a good idea to start hiking before dawn in an effort to arrive at your destination just as the sun is rising over the fjord. #3: Laugavegur Iceland The rugged beauty of Iceland is no longer a secret, with it becoming a popular tourist destination in recent years. But this route, also known as the Hot Springs Trail, is long enough that it keeps most travellers at bay. Hikers usually complete the trail in two to four days, and during that time they’re guaranteed to see some truly breathtaking sights in Iceland’s backcountry. And if you want to extend your adventure even more, it’s easy to pair this with the Fimmvörðuháls route which would add another couple of days to the trip. #2: Sentiero Azzurro Italy It’s very likely that you’ve heard of Cinque Terre as one of the must-visit spots in Italy but what you may not know is that it’s actually renowned for its hiking. Cinque Terre translates to “five lands”, and is so named for the 5 villages that for years have been connected by foot paths. It’s common for visitors to hike from village to village, though because of certain environmental factors, portions of the trail are often closed, so it’s best to check ahead of time. The views from the Sentiero Azzuro (or, Blue Path) are unmatched though, and the coastal villages are true national gems. #1: Tour du Mont Blanc France, Italy and Switzerland We decided to save the most epic for last. This hiking route spans three countries and is a circuit 105 miles long. Located in the Western Alps, those who complete the entire route pass through France, Italy and Switzerland, in a trek that typically lasts eleven days. The path varies in difficulty, but it’s safe to say that this is not an easy journey to make for beginner hikers. There’s a mountain marathon that takes place here every year and the person who takes first place somehow manages to do the entire route in 24 hours. Epic!