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Inntravel Guide to 'Border-Hopping' Walks

Border regions tend to be quite fascinating, a unique and intriguing blend of cultures. Take the Basque Country for example, which has its own language, cuisine and distinct customs, which bind people on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border. By exploring a frontier region on foot, criss-crossing from one country to the other, you can gain a real insight into the culture either side of the border as well as discovering some magnificent scenery.

Our original walking holiday, which remains as popular as ever since its launch in 1986, is one such walk. The Grand Cerdagne route explores the sunny Cerdagne plateau, high in the Mediterranean Pyrenees. Though nominally the walk takes you from Spain into France with another sortie from France into Spain mid-way along the route, this is in fact Catalonia, a dynamic and individual nation in which the red and yellow Catalan flag flies proudly. Suitable for fit walkers looking for full days of walking, the holiday is a rewarding discovery of this part of the eastern Pyrenees. The two most fulfilling (though also the most challenging) walks are those that lead to and from Nuria, one of Catalonia's holiest sites. On the first of these, you ascend steadily through the Eyne Valley, a protected area famed for its wild flowers (for the best displays, travel in late June or early July), then steeply over the pass into Spain. The following day, you ascend from Nuria to another pass and walk along the broad, high 'frontier' ridge back into France. Needless to say, the views on both days are spectacular, with superb panoramas of the Pyrenean chain. Other highlights include the walk through the wild scenery and mountain tarns around Bouillouses (2,000 metres) and the detour that you can make into the Spanish enclave of Llivia, which boasts Europe's oldest pharmacy. But one of the main pleasures of this holiday is to discover what binds the Catalans on both sides of the border.

We also have another, less demanding 'border-hopping' walk in Catalonia. As its name suggests, the Collioure to Cadaqués walk links these two colourful fishing villages, which were both the inspiration to numerous artists throughout the 20th century. Enjoy the comfort of four 3-star hotels, the wonderfully benign Mediterranean climate, the freshest fish and seafood, and the region's delicious wines – sparkling cavas and the sweet Banyuls wines. As you head south along the rugged coast either side of the Franco-Spanish border, you pass small, rocky coves, craggy headlands and rugged cliffs, and can discover for yourself the enchantment that this delightful area has held for so many painters. The real highlight is the walk from Port de la Selva to Cadaqués, which leads through the beautiful Cap de Creus Natural Park, the rugged promontory that forms Spain's easternmost point. Another walk that you should not miss on your day at Port de Selva is the route up to the monastery of San Pere de Rodes, from where you can marvel at the astonishing views back along the coast to the French border.

At the other extreme of the Franco-Spanish border, you can explore the western part of the Pyrenean chain on our Pyrenees to Atlantic walk. This part of the chain surprises with its greenness, with lush valleys sheltering beneath the rugged mountains. Following inviting footpaths close to and along the border, you discover the unique landscape and culture of the Basque Country, passing through idyllic whitewashed villages where the Basque language is spoken and traditions still hold firm. What makes this region so special is its variety, its timeless quality, the wide open spaces, the superb views and the warmth of the people. Two of the most memorable routes are those on days two and five. Day two's walk leads up to Mount Artzamendi, from where, on a clear day, you can admire views of the Atlantic ahead and the peaks of the High Pyrenees behind. On the fifth day, you take the mountain railway to the summit of La Rhune (900 metres) and wind down into Spain, crossing back into France at the Ibardin Pass. (This walk has the added attraction that you can look forward to being treated to first-rate cuisine at the welcoming Hotel Biriatou at the end of the day!) Having criss-crossed the border throughout the week, you end the holiday in Spain with a night in the atmospheric port of Hondarribia.

For gentle walking, choose the Karst & Slovenian Riviera walk. As well as revealing an enchanting corner of rural Slovenia where time seems to have stood still and geological wonders are scattered across the limestone landscape, it takes you across the secret, panoramic hills that form the border with Italy, before crossing back into Slovenia once more to finish with two nights on the country's tiny sliver of coast.

This is not our only Slovenian walk to cross over the Italian border: as its name suggests, our Hidden Italy & Slovenia walk starts in Italy, in the enchanting medieval town of Cividale del Friuli. Although the timeless allure of the Soca Valley makes for fantastic walking during the latter part of your holiday, your first walk to Mount Matajur on the border has to be one of the holiday's real highlights – the panorama of the Julian Alps that greets you from the summit is inspirational.

Our final 'border-hopping' walk discovers very different scenery – that of the Jura Alps. The Lake Geneva to Lake Neuchâtel walk begins in the hamlet of La Cure, where the Hotel Arbez straddles the Franco-Swiss border, with a choice of rooms in either country! From here, the route follows the border on the French side through a landscape of forest, meadow and broad ridge. On your last day, you cross into Switzerland for a final night at the elegant Grand Hotel in Les Rasses. With its superb vistas across the plain to Mont Blanc (views that you enjoy throughout the holiday), this is a fitting place to end your discovery of this beautiful frontier land.

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