10 best walking holidays

10 best walking holidays walking holidays in France walking in Spain

By Mark Hodson and David Wickers, Sunday Times Travel writers

What are the world’s best walking holidays in the UK, Europe and beyond? If you want to stretch your legs and enjoy some superb countryside, charming hotels and great restaurants, follow our guide.

Gentle gradients

France has an amazing network of official long distance footpaths, or grandes randonnees, covering some 20,000 miles through hugely varied terrain and even very different climate zones. One of the most convenient for Channel hopping Brits is one that follows the slow meanders of the Seine, passing magnificent abbeys, royal hunting forests, sleepy riverside communities and – crucial since you’ll be working off lots of calories – great places to eat. More details on the Seine Valley Secrets walk and more walking breaks in France.

Cultural themes

If you relish the physical pleasures of walking but at the same time want to tap a reach seam of culture along the way, consider an itinerary designed by, and led by, experts in their respective fields. Take a cultural walking tour and you can choose a theme to suit your interests, from archaeological sites to vineyards, wild flowers to monasteries, and acquire fresh knowledge as well as fresh air.

Independent journeys

You can enjoy an independent walking holiday in some of the most remote corners of Europe yet still travel secure in the knowledge that someone has been before and done all the preliminary legwork. They will provide first hand, step by step crib sheets and not only will have chosen the hotels for you to stay along the way but arranged for a local taxi company to transport your bags from place to place. Find details of hotel-to-hotel walking or see the full choice of walking holidays in Europe and three- and four-night short breaks.

Walking solo

Whether you are travelling on your own through choice or circumstance, you can still walk in company. The most convivial of walking holidays, with a broad choice of destinations, can be enjoyed by going with a tour operator who specialises in arranging holidays for singles who share the same interests as you. We recommend Solo’s Holidays.

Cultural tours of Britain

There is no shortage of wonderful walking routes on our own shores. You could join a small-group cultural tour of Britain led by a renowned expert in the field of art, music or architecture. You could join a tour of the Great Houses of England, attend a classical music festival or follow in the footsteps of Turner or Dickens.

Italian masterpiece

Although the natives may not believe you, there’s more to walking in Italy than the nightly passegiata. Unlike Britain, where the land is privately owned and walkers have limited access, in Italy it belongs to everyone. One of my favorite regions is Tuscany where you can follow the so called ‘white roads’ which link magnificent medieval hill towns. Find more details and prices.

City walks

Don’t neglect cities when planning where to go for a walking holiday. There’s a good chance that there’s an interesting walking guide, written in English, to most of the cities packaged as short breaks for UK travellers. The best not only describe step by step routes that that link the key sites and attractions but often recommend places to eat and drink. See our selection of the best city breaks.

Mediterranean coast

I would heartily recommend two very different footpaths that stick to the Mediterranean coast. The first, along the northernmost Costa Brava, links tiny coves, medieval hilltop towns and fishing villages, with plenty of opportunities for cooling swims and lazy lunches along the way. Find great walking holidays in the Costa Brava. The other is the Ligurian Riviera of Italy, following the ancient path high above the sea through woods, terraced vineyards and olive groves and the villages of the so-called Cinque Terre, for centuries accessible only to those coming on foot or by boat.

Wight ways

Criss-crossed as it is by more than 500 miles of well-maintained and signposted footpaths, the Isle of Wight is ideal for a year round walking holiday. Winding through field and forest, along rivers and round the coast, these footpaths give access to every corner of the Island, over half of which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. More details from Wight including its Green Getaways holidays.

Hotel walking

Pick your base carefully, for location as well as creature comforts to greet you at the end of a day on the trail, and you can enjoy a variety of different walks. Stay in the safari-style canvas ‘lodges’ belonging to Pentre Mawr Country House in North Wales, for example, and you are within reach of both the Clywdian Hills and Snowdonia National Park. Since dogs are welcome, you can also treat your pooch to some remarkable walkies.

You may also be interested in this great selection of archaeological tours which includes everything from a private tour of Stonehenge to an exciting visit to Jordan or the ruins of Pompeii.