From Autumn Colour to Wine Walks: The Best European Hiking Holidays This September and October
After a blistering summer in Europe, September and October offer some of the finest conditions for walking vacations. With the crowds beginning to thin out and the countryside transforming into autumn's vibrant colours, this is the best time to put on your boots and explore some of the most scenic European trails.
Experience Solitude on Bulgaria's Rila Traverse
If a full-blown adventure is what your soul craves, try the seven-day Rila Traverse in Bulgaria, where hikers follow glacial lakes, rugged peaks, and calm forests. Sufficient navigation skills are required on this demanding route as you rely on your map and compass, especially when weather turns bad. Trails are quite well marked, but hikers need to know that under adverse conditions mountain rescue may be a necessity. The trek is very accessible to Sofia as the trails begin from Borovets, Malyovitsa, and Panichishte, all within one and half hours' travel. Autumn tends to bring much less traffic and often more variable weather, so good hikers will have their solitude well earned.
Wine and Walk in Portugal’s Duoro Valley
The northern Portuguese valley, which has Duro, brings a wonderfully fresh hiking and drinking experience. Man-made terraces stretching back 2,000 years ago have been built artistically to grow grapes and offer an incredible scenery of walking. Grapes are harvested in September, the best period to discover this valley. Pinhão train station, Quintas (wine estates)-where some offer trail maps for self-guided walks-is where you begin. The temperature is pleasant at around 22 °C in autumn for both hiking and otherwise enjoying the wines from the region
Easy Train Access to Fontainebleau Forest, France
Fontainebleau Forest is just 40 minutes away from Paris and can be considered as a paradise on earth for day-touring hikers. This second national forest in France has 1,000-plus kilometers of hiking routes most feature the famous Massif des Trois Pignons circuit. This takes about three to four hours to be completed over stony and sandy terrains; quite an escape from the busy city. Fontainebleau is also a bouldering place and September and October are the best months for climbing with good conditions, enhanced by beautiful autumn foliage.
Beginner-Friendly Trails in Poland and Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains that straddle the Polish-Slovak border promise an easy hike but still hold comfort in appreciable beauty. One good choice for beginners into mountain trekking is Lomnitz Peak, the second-highest in the High Tatras, reached by cable railway. Early autumn allows still weather and clear views with fewer tourists for enjoyment amid scenic surroundings.
Cooler Temperatures for Hiking the Pyrenees
The Pyrenees welcome you into the high September and October when autumn hiking begins, and the sweltering heat of summer wanes. This plentifully variable range presents dry foothills to cloud-shrouded valleys, giving you sufficient areas to stalk the right weather. Snow might pile up towards the end of October, but choosing the right trails will give most rewarding hiking experience. Towns such as Foix, Pau, and Lourdes provide a good basis for multiple-day adventures complete with options for wild camping or staying at one of the 1,500 mountain refuges available.
This autumn, cooler weather and beautiful scenery will tempt you into the hiking series in these selected prime spots across Europe. If you crave solitude, vino, or beginner-friendly trails, a suitable trek awaits your presence.
