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There are few better ways to explore a new place than by doing so on foot. Whether you’re in a city or somewhere more rural, walking around gives you access to all sorts of hidden corners that you’d never get to see from the road or by train. So, in conjunction with revealing the world’s best cities for walking, we’ve given our list of Europe’s greatest hiking trails a big old refresh for 2026.
There are 11 different treks on the newly updated list, two of which you’ll find here in the UK. And, after an immense trail running from Slovenia to Albania and Iceland’s spectacular Hornstrandir Peninsula, Time Out’s third best hike in Europe is the magnificent Wales Coast Path.
As the name suggests, the path takes you along the entire coast of coastline of Wales (and through three of Time Out’s top British seaside towns). When it launched in 2012, the trail was the first walking route in the world the follow a country’s entire shoreline. More than a decade later, the only other officially designated path to do so is England’s King Charles III Coastal Path, which only formally launched last month.
Time Out contributor and seasoned explorer John Bills said: ‘The highlights are seemingly endless, from epic beaches like Borth to the dramatic cliffs of Pembrokeshire, the picturesque villages of Anglesey, or the bustling culture and creativity of the south. The Wales Coast Path is Wales at its best, although visitors should expect temperamental weather and uneven terrain, so pack and plan accordingly.’
If you were to tackle the 1,400km Wales Coastal Path in one go from Chester down to Chepstow, it would take you somewhere between six to eight weeks. Of course, that’s a massive, exhausting undertaking and most walkers choose to walk specific sections of the path in isolation instead.
The path is split into eight more manageable chunks, which are each between 100km to 300km long and take roughly a week or two to complete. There’s the North Wales Coast and Dee Estuary; the Isle of Anglesey; the Llŷn Peninsula and Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park; Ceredigion; the Pembrokeshire Coast Path; Carmarthenshire; the Gower and Swansea Bay and the South Wales Coast and Severn Estuary.
But there are no rules, really. You can choose a 3km flat stretch for an easy afternoon stroll or a 20km segment for a more challenging day-long trek – the Wales Coastal Path is your oyster.
See Time Out’s full list of Europe’s best hiking trails here.
ICYMI: Two of Europe’s best beaches are in the UK – here‘s how to visit them.
Plus: This nature paradise will be the most popular UK travel destination for Brits this summer.
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