Is a walking holiday in Europe in winter even possible?
Of course it is, and here are four, week-long winter walks to choose from – accommodation, selected meals and baggage transfers all included
Save 10 per cent offer
Yes, a beautiful, week-long walking holiday in Europe during winter IS possible, and European walk operator, On Foot Holidays, has four, self-guided walking adventures in southern Spain and on Spanish islands where the winter months are decidedly warmer than in the rest of Europe.
Perfect for Australians seeking an immersive, ‘slow travel’, European sojourn during our summer holidays, the four Spanish, inn-to-inn hikes are available right through the northern winter and come complete with boutique accommodation, selected meals, daily baggage transfers to the next inn and directions all included. Just carry a day pack.
In the sunny Alicante region of southern Spain is On Foot Holiday’s seven-night Marina Alta hike which takes walkers through charming villages, fruitful valleys and rugged hills and on to the Mediterranean coast. Available from October to April except the peak days of Christmas./New Year.
Also in sun-blessed southern Spain are the pristine mountains, clifftop villages, Roman ruins and lush river valleys of Andalucia where On Foot Holidays offers a spectacular seven-night, self-guided walking tour ideal in winter. Available from September to mid-December and February to May.
On the Spanish resort island of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean, On Foot Holidays has an eight-night, self-guided, inn-to-inn walk through the island’s dramatic peaks and valleys and charming stone villages. Available September to mid-November and mid-February to June.
And in the Spanish-owned Canary Islands, west of Morocco, On Foot Holidays has a seven-night, hotel-to-hotel walk on the remote, volcanic and mountainous island of La Gomera, which boasts a magical mix of lush, subtropical scenery, sleepy villages, a laidback ambience and an ‘eternal spring’ climate which makes it ideal for hiking during the European winter. Available October to mid-May, except Christmas/New Year.
Each of the week-long walks includes hotel accommodation along the route each night, selected meals including daily breakfasts, transfers, maps, directions and all luggage transfers between hotels along the way – meaning walkers simply carry a day pack each day. Prices are from £1265 per person, twin-share (about A$2576 depending on exchange rates) for the Marina Alta hike, £1060 per person, twin-share (about A$2158) for the Andalucia walk, £1450 per person, twin-share (about A$2952) for the Mallorca hike, and £1130 per person, twin-share (about A$2301) for the La Gomera walk.
* On Foot Holidays offers a 10 per cent saving when two of its hikes are booked at the same time for the one European holiday (discount applies to the cheaper holiday only). Conditions apply. A discount of £40 per room is also offered for walkers opting to use a digital walking guide on their phones without printed materials.
On Foot Holidays offers 39 self-guided walking tours in 11 countries across Europe. Walkers select their departure dates and all routes are designed by locals and tested by staff from On Foot Holidays. Visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk
