September is an excellent month for hiking thanks to its clear weather, good visibility and comfortable temperatures. But with thousands of miles of hiking trails in Europe, it might be difficult to pick the right adventure for your next trip. A travel writer has shared a list of her favourite hikes around the continent. In her blog, the Dutch hiker Antonette Spaan ranks her favourite European routes based on personal experience.
The top of the list included Iceland’s Landmannalaugar – a region in the Icelandic highlands which is only accessible in the summer and with a 4WD car or by bus from the capital city of Reykjavík. Nicknamed “Rainbow Mountains”, Landmannalaugar is famous for its striking colorful rhyolite mountains as well as its natural hot springs. At the campsite, there is a hot spring where visitors can relax and bathe after a hike.
The writer said: “My favorite trail here is the first section of the famous Laugavegur hike, from Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker, the first mountain hut on this hike. You take a full day there and back (24 km return, approx. 6-8 hours) but the walk is really worth it.”
Next one on the list is the Lost Valley Hike in Glencoe, Scotland. The Lost Valley lives up to its name, as it is not visible from the road or the nearby car park. After more than an hour of climbing and scrambling, you arrive in the valley, which suddenly opens up before you. From there, it is possible to continue further into the valley, although there are no marked trails beyond this point. The round trip is approximately 4.5 kilometres and typically takes 2–3 hours.
Spaan said: “In my opinion Scotland is one of the most rugged and beautiful hiking destinations in Europe. My favourite hike in Scotland is the Lost Valley Hike. This relatively unknown hike in the Glencoe area will take you half a day and a lot of sweat, but once you reach the end of the hike it is well worth the effort.”
The writer continued: “One of the best hikes in Italy that should not be missed on this list of the best places to hike in Europe is the Tre Chime / Drei Phrase hike in the Dolomites. This famous rock formation is one of the most beautiful in the world for me and you can make all kinds of hikes here. I myself combined the hike at the Drei Zinnen with a Klettersteig (Via Ferrata), but you can also easily walk around the Drei Zinnen. You should also have lunch at the Drei Zinnen Hütte, it can be quite busy but the pasta is excellent! If you want to do the walk around the Drei Zinnen, the distance is around 11 kilometers.”
Apart from colder destinations, Spaan highlighted Ruta de los Volcanos in the Spanish Canary Islands, a popular destination for British travellers. She wrote: “This day hiking trip on the island of La Palma is an ultimate beautiful hike along countless volcanoes and offers you fabulous views of the entire islands and various other Canary Islands in the distance when the weather is nice.”
The route begins at Refugio El Pilar, reachable by taxi, and finishes in Los Canarios. While not technically difficult, it is a challenging hike due to potentially harsh weather along the Cumbre Vieja ridge. The trail is around 18 kilometres and takes roughly 6 hours, so it’s best attempted in good conditions.
Below is Spaan’s full list:
