Climb Every Mountain: Five Great European Hikes

So when the subject of hiking comes up, everyone thinks about Patagonia, the Himalayas and the American West, never Europe. But Europe isn’t all cathedrals, museums and restaurants. The continent is also filled with some of the world’s best hiking. In fact, I’m reminded of a time when I bet my French girlfriend that the continental US’s tallest peak (Mt. Whitney) was taller than France’s (Mt. Blanc). Guess who paid for dinner that night.

MONT BLANC

So why not start at the top? At 4,810 metres, Mont Blanc, or Monte Bianco to the Italians who share the mountain, is the highest mountain in the Alps. Make no mistake, reaching the peak is for mountaineers only, with the most popular routes being the Voie des Cristalliers starting from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, and La Voie des Trois Monts Route, starting from Chamonix. The climb is well worth it, providing clear-day views of the Jura, the Vosges and even the Black Forest. But the good news is that the base of Mont Blanc can be hiked on the 12-day Tour de Mont Blanc, allowing you to experience alpine meadows, barren passes, small hamlets, and gigantic glaciers, as you hike from hut to hut. If you’re looking for hotels to use as Mont Blanc homebases, there are Aosta Valley hotels on the Italian side and Chamonix hotels on the French side.

MATTERHORN

An even more challenging climb for you mountaineers is the Matterhorn, which was not even ascended until 1865.  Today mountain guides take thousands to the top every summer via the Hörnli route, but it’s a difficult climb. Lucky for you that like Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn can be experienced by hikers as well. The Tour of the Matterhorn takes about 10 days and is considered to be among the most beautiful in Europe. Ancient trails that have linked stunning Swiss and Italian valleys for centuries take you up peaks, into valleys and through the unique sights, sounds and flavors of the German speaking high Valais, the French speaking central Valais and the Italian speaking Val d’Aosta. Zermatt, Switzerland makes a great starting point, and most Zermatt hotels offer wonderful Matterhorn views.

MOUNT OLYMPUS

If you’d like to visit the home of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena and the rest of the Greek gods, there’s only one place to do it, and that’s Mount Olympus. With 52 different peaks, the highest being the 2,919 metre-high Mýtikas, there’s plenty to see. The climb is non-technical until the last 30 minutes, so you don’t have to be a mountain climber to enjoy the unique flora covering the mountain. The closest major city is Thessaloniki, and Thessaloniki hotels put you just 107 kilometres from the peak.

DOLOMITES

If you’d like to hike in a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, then there are the Dolomites in north-eastern Italy. Home to a national park and many smaller regional parks, the uniquely colored mountains have been pleasing hikers for centuries. The name comes from French mineralogist Deodat Gratet de Dolomieu who was the first to describe the dolomite rock that gives the region its light color. With winter skiing and summer hiking, the Dolomites attract visitors year-round. Adventure travelers have made it a popular place for base jumping, paragliding and hang gliding. Located mostly in the provinces of Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen and Trento, the best homebases for visiting are in Trento hotels and Belluno hotels.

EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

If you’d like a little history and culture with your hiking, then consider the trek across Spain known as the Way of St. James. Christians have been making this pilgrimage since the Middle Ages, and tens of thousands of pilgrims and backpackers still enjoy the natural beauty and charming villages found along the way. The end-point of the walk is the stunning Cathedral of Santiago de Compestela in northwestern Spain, where the bones of the Apostle Saint James (Santiago) are supposedly buried. You can start at any point on the way, traveling by foot, bicycle, horseback or even by donkey. But if you walk a minimum of 100 kilometres you’ll receive a certificate of accomplishment at the end. Though accommodation is provided in dormitories and monasteries along the way, after all that walking it might be nice to reacclimatize to civilization with a night in a Santiago de Compostela hotel.