The 20 most spectacular hiking trails in Europe

Whether you are a great sportsman or not, going on a hike for a few hours or several days is always an enriching experience. It allows you to disconnect from your daily life, by being closer to nature. Some trails offer breathtaking landscapes.

Do you want a really special hiking experience? Discover the 20 most beautiful hiking trails to explore in Europe. There's a selection aimed at beginners as well as one for the most adept trekkers.

Known for being one of the toughest hikes in Europe, the Caminito del Rey ('King's Little Path') has been rehabilitated with safety rails, making it less dangerous than before. This Andalusian path is located in the natural park of Los Ardales (Malaga) and offers magnificent viewpoints. If you have vertigo, however, this hike is not recommended for you, as it includes a suspension bridge at the top of the gorge, at a dizzying height, and a section with a glass floor.

True works of art of nature, these rocks are sandstone formations that have very particular shapes and are worth seeing if you travel to the Czech Republic. The hiking trail that crosses them extends over a distance of 6 kilometers and is considered easy. It will leave you with your eyes wide open!

Straddling the borders of Slovakia and Poland, the High Tatras are a mountain range classified as a "biosphere reserve" by Unesco. Several hiking circuits can be taken through the High Tatras, but all promise you the discovery of spectacular landscapes, composed of waterfalls, forests, and lakes.

In northern Italy, the Dolomites are a set of 20 peaks culminating at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, famous for their verticality. There are several routes between its walls and peaks, to choose from depending on your level of hiking.

This hike is for seasoned walkers. In the Bernese Alps, the Schwarzhorn is a mountain that culminates at more than 2,900 meters above sea level. The paths that lead to its summit are quite steep, you will need good shoes to venture there, and discover the breathtaking landscapes they hold.

The West Highland Way is a Scottish road linking Milngavie, near Glasgow, to Fort William in the Highlands. With a distance of 154 km, this hike takes 6 to 8 days. The bravest will discover incredible landscapes, over rolling plains and wild panoramas.

Another long-distance hike: the Tour du Mont Blanc. A 155 km route through the Alps, passing through passes and the borders between France, Italy, and Switzerland. According to the hiking pros, the Tour du Mont Blanc is not the most technical trail but requires good physical preparation. Count between 7 and 10 days to complete the challenge.

In Asturias, in northern Spain, this hiking trail through the Picos de Europa reaches the villages of Poncebos and Posada de Valdeón. By car, the two villages are almost 100 km apart, but following the Cares river in the cliffs, you will only have to walk 12 km to go. The spectacular scenery is worth the return trip.

Often considered the most beautiful in Europe, this hike will take you through five magnificent little villages built in coves and cliffs on the Mediterranean coast of Italy. The Cinque Terre Natural Park is made up of several trails, each with different distances and difficulties. It's up to you to choose the paths you want to take.

A hiking trail in summer and a ski slope in winter, the Kungsleden is a great hiking route that crosses the Vindelfjällens nature reserve in northern Sweden. Also called the Royal Way, this hike crosses Swedish Lapland for 440 km, divided into several trails.

The GR20 (Grande Randonnée 20) is a difficult level hike that crosses Corsica from north to south, via its regional natural park. It is divided into two parts (north and south) and 16 stages over a total of 180 km in distance. This hike is reasonably done in 15 days, but some break records: a runner covered it in just 30 hours and 25 minutes in June 2021!

The Teide Volcano National Park is located on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. Its various hiking trails offer spectacular panoramas with abundant vegetation in certain parts, but also rocky landscapes straight out of a science fiction film.

A historical pilgrimage, the road to Santiago de Compostela is a spiritual journey, but also a superb hike between France and Spain. This is divided into several routes, the historical and the modern. In Spain, the "Camino Francés" is the most popular path and the one most used by hikers. It begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, crosses the Pyrenees, the North of Spain, and ends in Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle.

It is in the north of Greece, in the mountain range of Pindus where the loop of Zagori is located. Its route starts and ends in Tsepelovo, and offers you a hike in the heart of grandiose landscapes, between gorges and Greek mountains. With a distance of 62 km, the trek is done in about 5 days of walking.

This is one of Iceland's must-do treks. In the midst of breathtaking wild, desert and volcanic landscapes, the Laugavegur gives hikers the impression of finding themselves on another planet. With a distance of 55 km, the trail starts in Landmannalaugar and ends in Thórsmörk. Due to the country's weather conditions, this hike can only be done between June and September.

There are sumptuous hiking trails in the Piatra Craiului massif and the Bucegi Mountains, in the heart of the Carpathians. By taking them, you will cross the most beautiful natural parks in Romania. Your trip can be completed in about 7 days.

The crossing of the Rondane, in the east of Norway, will make you discover exceptional fauna and flora. Hikers can, for example, come across herds of reindeer, if they are lucky. There are several routes in the natural park of Rondane, through its plains and mountains. It's up to you to choose your path depending on the difficulty of the trails.

This 135-kilometer trail follows Hadrian's Wall, a stone fortification built in Roman times, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour takes place in the middle of the British countryside and the historical remains of the United Kingdom. It is undoubtedly the easiest hike in the country, but also one of its richest, culturally.

The ascent of Mount Olympus is a mythical hike, which is achieved in two to three days of walking. The highest and legendary point of Greece, it is also a national park endowed with incredible fauna and flora. Its summit is 2,917 m above sea level and can only be reached between May and October; the wind there is too strong in winter.

Treks to reach Mount Triglav (2,864 m above sea level) usually take three days. This ascent requires a very good physical level, and a helmet, and is strongly discouraged for people who suffer from vertigo. There are different routes in the natural park that will take you through meadows, lakes, and rocky landscapes.