Stunning views: seven hiking tours in Europe that you should know about
Created: 05/24/2022, 12:11 p.m
The village of Vernazza, a popular tourist destination in the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
© Dmitry Rukhlenko/Imago
Do you like to go hiking, but don't know where to go yet?
Many exciting tours with breathtaking views await you in Europe.
The finest panoramic views: hiking is by far the most popular sport on holiday, according to a recent survey by the online travel portal weg.de.
If you don't just spend your days off comfortably on the beach, you often decide to go on an excursion on foot.
Breathtaking views over green landscapes, turquoise blue sea or impressive mountains inspire hikers all over the world.
According to the survey, 41 percent of Germans even find their most beautiful holiday moments with a breathtaking view of the great outdoors.
But don't just rely on the classics: Europe has many other impressive tours to offer - here you will find seven fantastic hikes that will amaze active holidaymakers.
Hiking in Mallorca: Turquoise sea as far as the eye can see
The Balearic Islands are a true paradise for hikers looking for breathtaking views of both land and sea.
A variety of signposted routes are available for beginners and experts to hike in Mallorca.
On the
route La Mola - Cala Sant Vicenç in the northwest of the island
Hikers orientate themselves on small cairns that show them the adventurous path.
With a length of over seven kilometers and an ascent of 420 meters in altitude, the tour is considered demanding.
But the sweaty ascent is rewarded with an impressive panoramic view of the Cap de Formentor, the Vall de Ternelles valley, the Cala Castell bay and the Punta Galera peninsula.
The famous Cap de Formentor - the northernmost point of the Balearic island - is then also worth a visit.
The more than 300 meter high cliff is characterized by bizarre rock formations and convinces with a unique panoramic view of the wide sea.
South Tyrol: panoramic mountain view on the Meraner Höhenweg
Imposing cliffs, sunny vineyards, fragrant orchards and delicious delicacies: South Tyrol is a true hiker's paradise.
With
a total of 20,000 kilometers of hiking trails
and more than 300 days of sunshine a year, the region attracts with numerous tours for every taste.
The Meraner Höhenweg is one of the most beautiful panoramic trails in South Tyrol.
If you are planning an extensive hiking holiday, you can complete the 80-kilometer tour in five to six days.
Sections of the route, such as the path from the Leiter Alm to Hochmut above the village of Tirol, are also ideal for day trips.
The lift takes you via Vellau to the Leiter Alm at 1,450 meters above sea level.
From there, hikers follow the Meraner Höhenweg to Hochmut for around 2.5 hours and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view over the Meraner valley basin.
On this tour, 150 meters in altitude have to be mastered over around four kilometers.
Madeira: Green hiking paradise in the Atlantic
Madeira impresses with steep coasts, deep valleys, imposing peaks and a diverse vegetation.
The island is home to over 700 different plant species and is therefore also called the green pearl of the Atlantic.
Due to the subtropical climate, the island attracts visitors all year round with mild, spring-like temperatures and warm temperatures of around 24 degrees in summer - ideal conditions for active vacationers.
Hikers will find their paradise, for example, in the impressive laurel forest, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.
The 22,000 hectare nature reserve in the northwest of the island
is home to numerous hiking trails to wild gorges and rock formations millions of years old
.
In particular, the paths of former water channels, the so-called levadas, are popular hiking trails and lead from the rocky coasts with panoramic views of the Atlantic right into the green heart of the island.
Hardly anyone knows these Spanish travel destinations - wrongly so
View photo gallery
Italy: Hiking with sea views in the Cinque Terre
Around 120 kilometers of hiking trails lead travelers through the Cinque Terre National Park on the Italian Riviera.
The coastal hiking trail from Monterosso to Riomaggiore is a real hiking highlight and connects the
five picturesque Cinque Terre villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore
.
The twelve-kilometer route runs mainly along the rugged rocky coast, through vineyards and olive groves and promises fantastic views of the sparkling sea and the small Italian villages.
The ancient paths of the Cinque Terre Crest Trail may be overcrowded in high season, but the tour is an absolute highlight for hikers along the Italian coast.
If you have tired legs or don't want to hike that long, you can get on the train in each of the five villages and thus skip a section and shorten the hiking tour.
also read
Couple spends retirement on cruise ships - because it's cheaper than living on land
9-Euro-Ticket: Cheap for summer holidays - but here the dream for travelers bursts
Tenerife: Ideal weather conditions for hikers on the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are known as a popular travel destination all year round due to their pleasant climate.
In addition to dream beaches and bathing holidays, travelers will also find impressive hiking opportunities on the seven islands.
Tenerife in particular offers ideal conditions for extensive hikes for every taste.
If you are looking for a very special adventure, choose one of the tours in the Teide National Park, around the more than
3,700 meter high Pico del Teide - the highest mountain in Spain
.
Impressive rock formations and a unique volcanic landscape with rich flora and fauna await hikers here.
The majority of the national park is over 2,000 meters above sea level, so active vacationers can expect significantly lower temperatures here than on the beaches of the island, which should be taken into account when choosing clothing.
Slovenia: Fairytale views around Lake Bled
The Balkan country shines with fairytale places, dreamy castles, clear lakes and imposing mountains.
On a hike around the bright blue Lake Bled, active vacationers can convince themselves of the
beauty of nature near the Triglav National Park
.
Surrounded by forests, there is a small island in the middle of the lake, on which there is a church.
The tour passes through the surrounding villages and some wooded sections.
Various vantage points on the hills around the lake can be reached via numerous paths.
Hikers can get to the Ojstrica vantage point from the village of Bled, for example, by climbing a forest path in around 20 minutes.
Once at the top, hikers are rewarded with a fantastic view of the Julian Alps and the fairytale island in the lake.
Early risers should not miss the sight of the lake at sunrise, because the lake shows itself in a very special light very early in the morning.
Germany: Mountain adventures in the Allgäu Alps
Germany also has a lot to offer hikers: hiking through green forests, with a view of idyllic lakes or to peaks at dizzy heights.
Mountain enthusiasts will find a real hiking highlight in the Allgäu Alps.
The
Heilbronner Höhenweg
offers breathtaking views of the
Allgäu mountain landscape and the surrounding peaks
.
The hiking trail leads at an altitude of around 2,600 meters over some of the highest mountains in the Allgäu Alps, making it the highest high-altitude hiking trail in Germany.
Impressive panoramas and extraordinary flora and fauna accompany hikers on the entire tour over rocky ridges and mountain peaks.
Good physical condition and a head for heights are absolutely essential on the partly steep sections in rocky terrain of the 18-kilometer tour.
