Home > Holidays > Walking > Coastal walks

Coastal Walks

Walking along sandy cliff-top paths with the sea glittering beneath you, lingering over a lunch of fresh seafood, admiring views of bay after bay, pausing en route to swim or to soak up the warm sunshine, exploring the little fishing villages that line the coast and watching the day's catch being brought in…the joys of a coast walk are many, and not surprisingly our coastal routes – from easy walks in southern Spain to more demanding walks in Liguria – have a wide appeal.

Our most popular coastal walk is our Along the Catalan Coast holiday (grade 1). What makes it so popular is the gentle walking – this is perfect if you are looking for short days – combined with a high standard of accommodation. The hotels are all 3- or 4-star establishments and, unusually for a relatively well-known coastal region such as this, all but one are family-run. Most are located very close to the beach, and those that are not have a swimming pool. Add to this the delicious regional cuisine, renowned throughout Spain, and the wonderfully benign Mediterranean climate, and you have all the ingredients for a perfect holiday. The Along the Ligurian Coast walk (grade 2) also combines these ingredients – luxurious hotels (in Monterosso, where we feature a 3-star hotel, there is the option of upgrading to a superbly located 4-star hotel), mouth-watering seafood, plentiful sunshine – but with its daily ascents and descents appeals to those looking for slightly more demanding walking.

There is no shortage of sunshine in Andalucia either, where we offer a relaxed grade 1-2 walk. The Coast of Almería walk is perhaps our most intriguing coastal walk in that the landscapes are so completely different to those of any other region featured in our programme. In fact, the bare hills and lush oases of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, large parts of which are only accessible on foot, are more reminiscent of North Africa than of Europe. The birdlife here is rich and varied, and the clear, warm waters are excellent for swimming or even snorkelling – you pass numerous inviting coves as you walk, perfect for a break.

We offer a third gentle coastal walk, the Granite Coast of Brittany, which explores Brittany's rugged Côte du Granit Rose, characterised by craggy bays, calm, wooded estuaries and bustling fishing villages. Besides the scenery, part of the region's allure is its distinct Celtic culture. This walk is perfect if you are looking for gentle walking but plenty of it – days are easy but relatively full. With several daily crossings between southern England and Brittany, it is also a great choice if you prefer to travel self-drive.

As some of their names suggest, our walks in Tuscany, Algarve, Amalfi and Crete offer a mix of coastal and inland walking, making for a more varied holiday with magnificent views from the slopes above the sea. What makes the From the Tuscan Hills to the Sea walk (grade 1-2) special is that, after three days of walking across the hills and plain (an area of Tuscany that is very little-known), you cross one of just three narrow strips of land connecting the Argentario Peninsula to the mainland and then spend the rest of the holiday exploring this oleander and thyme-clad promontory and the idyllic island of Giglio which lies beyond it. Our Secret Algarve walk (grade 2) also explores a quiet corner seemingly far removed from the popular image of this well-known region, ending at the high-quality pousada in Sagres. The Amalfi Coast and Crete may be better known, but the scenery revealed on the grade 2 Amalfi Coast & Villages and grade 3 Crete's Coast & Mountains walks is dramatically beautiful – on the Amalfi Coast, for example, lush mountains plunge into the sea and colourful villages clamber up the slopes. It is hard to beat walking here through citrus groves high above the sea, the heady scent of lemons filling the air. A beautiful walk is along the 'path of the gods' linking Bomerano and Positano – the views along the coast stretch as far as the island of Capri.

Vistas to rival these can be enjoyed on the Collioure to Cadaqués walk (grade 2), which links these two characterful fishing villages. In fact, the views are one of the outstanding features of this walk, complementing wonderful routes across rugged headlands and above sandy bays. It is also intriguing to note the differences in Catalan culture either side of the Franco-Spanish border.

The choice may be wide, but the key to all is relaxation – whether you choose to explore the hills of the Amalfi Coast or to stroll along Brittany's rugged coastline, you will return home fully refreshed.

< To the top of this page

< Walking Index