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Europe has enough in the way of spectacular mountain scenery – and sublimely beautiful mountain trails – to keep you busy for more than half a lifetime. But while some of these trails are justifiably well known – think the Tour du Mont Blanc, the Walker’s Haute Route, Corsica’s GR20 – there are many that, despite being equally beautiful and rewarding, see far fewer hikers.
Some of these are in less-frequented areas such as the mountains of the Western Balkans; others lie in the heart of the Alps, but in places more familiar for winter sports. At their best, they come with epic views, wonderful mountain huts, and a superb array of wildflowers and wildlife. This is juxtaposed with Europe’s wealth of history and cultural heritage, not to mention plenty of delicious local cuisine. And what’s more, the majority are easily reached by train.
Each of the trails below can fill a number of days if completed in its entirety, but we’ve picked out some highlights where we can for those short on time. So grab your pack and lace up those hiking boots – here’s our pick of Europe’s finest unsung mountain trails.
Vallée des Belleville, France
Better known for its winter credentials – it’s part of Les 3 Vallées, the world’s largest ski area – the Vallée des Belleville is also outstanding for summer hikes.
This route runs from Les Menuires to the pretty village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, by way of a succession of excellent mountain huts – Refuge du Lac du Lou, Refuge Gittamelon and Refuge du Plan Lombardie. It forms part of the vaguely defined (and much longer) Tour de Tarentaise.
How to do it: The Vallée des Belleville is easily reached from the UK by train, via Paris, Chambéry – Challes-Les-Eaux, and Moûtiers Salins Brides-Les-Bains, a journey of around eight hours. Buses run up the valley from here. More information can be found here.
Piatra Craiului, Romania
Romania’s Carpathian mountains offer vast scope for hiking; however, in terms of sheer wow factor, nothing touches Piatra Craiului National Park. At the heart of the park is a dramatic limestone ridge – 25km (15 miles) long, falling in sheer cliffs and surrounded by lush forests.
While a full traverse of the ridge itself is technically difficult and very exposed, some of the surrounding trails are much more accessible. One of these is the Zărnești Gorge, its walls reaching 200m high, which leads to Curmătura Chalet, from where you can continue to other areas.
How to do it: The gateway to Piatra Craiului is Zărnești, easily reached by train from Brașov. Wizz Air operates direct flights from the UK to Brașov. More information can be found here.
Grand Tour des Combins, Switzerland/Italy
The Grand Tour des Combins is a spectacular circular route in Valais and the Aosta Valley, which makes for a very worthy alternative to the Tour du Mont Blanc.
The jaw-dropping scenery includes the Corbassière Glacier, the Mauvoisin Dam, the Great St Bernard Pass and the 4,309m Grand Combin – and comes with outstanding mountain huts, immaculately maintained trails, and a public transport network which should be the envy of the entire world.
How to do it: Book huts in advance – Cabane FXB Panossière and Cabane de Chanrion can get quite full. Access is easy by rail – just 10 hours from the UK via Paris, Geneva and Martigny. The nearest airport is Geneva. More information can be found here.
Peaks of the Balkans, Montenegro/Albania/Kosovo
The Peaks of the Balkans is a superb cross-border trail through the astonishingly rugged scenery of the Prokletije Mountains (also known as the Accursed Mountains), with accommodation and food provided by welcoming village guesthouses. The most popular stage is the Valbona Pass; however, the remote areas around Dobërdol (Albania) and Milishevc (Kosovo) are arguably the real show stealers.
How to do it: Cross-border permits are required for the Peaks of the Balkans – arrange these through local tour operator Zbulo for a small fee (you can also apply for them yourself, but it’s time-consuming). Ryanair flies from the UK to Podgorica and Tirana, from where there are buses to the trail. More information can be found here.
Alpe Adria Trail, Austria/Slovenia/Italy
The Alpe Adria Trail stretches from the foot of the Grossglockner – Austria’s highest mountain – to the sun-drenched shore of the Adriatic. It covers a huge range of landscapes – highlights include Hohe Tauern National Park and Nockberge Biosphere Reserve in Carinthia, the River Soča in Slovenia and Unesco-listed Cividale dei Friuli in Italy. Well-marked trails and plentiful accommodation in villages make this a surprisingly straightforward hike, despite its length.
How to do it: Accommodation across the entire trail can be booked through the Alpe Adria Trail Booking Centre. You can split the trail over two or three trips, with many points accessible by bus or train – Salzburg for the start, Trieste for the finish, and Ljubljana if you split it in the middle. More information can be found here or in in Bradt’s Alpe-Adria Trail guide.
Dachstein Rundwanderweg, Austria
The Dachstein is a huge limestone plateau, running along the southern edge of the Salzkammergut region with its more than 70 lakes (many of them excellent for swimming). This circular route takes in the airy slopes of the Gosaukamm, the glaciers around the 2,995m Hoher Dachstein and Hallstatt with its Unesco-listed salt mines.
How to do it: You need to book the Dachstein Gletscherbahn well in advance. London to Salzburg is just 11 hours by train – consider getting an Interrail Global Pass (four to seven days travel within one month) and turning it into a longer trip. Otherwise, there are direct flights from the UK to Salzburg. More information can be found here.
High Scardus Trail, North Macedonia/Kosovo/Albania
This is an epic cross-border trek through some of Europe’s most remote and least-known mountains – including a traverse of the breathtakingly beautiful Shar Mountains, and taking in Mt Korab (the highest peak in Albania and North Macedonia) as well as several national parks, and finishing beside Unesco-listed Lake Ohrid.
How to do it: Cross-border permits are required for the High Scardus Trail – apply through Zbulo for a small fee. Wizz Air flies from the UK to Skopje in North Macedonia. The best local tour operators offering trips on the High Scardus Trail are Shar Outdoors (North Macedonia), SuperXplorers (Kosovo) and Zbulo (Albania) – all were involved in developing the trail. More information can be found here.
Juliana Trail, Slovenia
This circuit of Slovenia’s Julian Alps avoids the iconic (and more difficult) Mt Triglav, and instead opts for easy paths in both popular and little-visited areas, including several parts of Triglav National Park.
It takes in Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, along with a whole slew of waterfalls, plenty of First World War heritage, offers views of Triglav and other giants, and goes through Slovenia’s best wine region.
How to do it: EasyJet flies direct from the UK to Ljubljana, from where there are buses and trains to Bled and other points on the trail. Slovenia’s most highly awarded restaurant, the Michelin three-starred Hiša Franko, lies on the trail. More information can be found here.
Velebit Trail, Croatia
Most people visit Croatia for its stunning coast and islands, myriad beaches and lashings of cultural heritage. But Croatia also has mountains and national parks in abundance. The Velebit Trail is Croatia’s top hiking route, following the spine of this mountain range parallel with the coast. Expect wildly rocky terrain as you cross two national parks and a Unesco Biosphere Reserve.
How to do it: Accommodation is provided by a mix of staffed huts and unmanned shelters – bring a sleeping bag, food for several days, and a camping stove. Carry plenty of water – springs are at least a day apart. Camping is prohibited in the national parks, and you must stick to marked paths. More information can be found here.
Durmitor National Park, Montenegro
Durmitor is Montenegro’s most popular hiking area, a Unesco World Heritage Site that includes the stupendously deep Tara Canyon.
This route makes use of a section of the Via Dinarica (a trail stretching over 1,200km across Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania) between Žabljak and Nedajno, by way of Crno jezero (Black Lake), Škrčko jezero and the Sušica Canyon. Loop back along other existing trails, with the option of climbing Bobotov kuk, the highest peak in Durmitor (medium-difficult, exposed sections).
How to do it: Ryanair offers direct flights from the UK to Podgorica, from where there are buses to Žabljak – the main gateway to Durmitor. More information can be found here.
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A trip to Europe's last undiscovered wilderness left me feeling 10 years younger
