{"id":420671,"date":"2025-09-13T08:52:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T08:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/420671\/"},"modified":"2025-09-13T08:52:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T08:52:19","slug":"ten-of-europes-best-autumn-walks-with-bear-watching-prosecco-and-a-fiery-forest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/420671\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten of Europe’s best autumn walks, with bear watching, Prosecco and a fiery forest"},"content":{"rendered":"

This season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is a fine time to get out hiking across Europe<\/a>. The weather is regularly bright and sunny in most places, but free of summer\u2019s scorching temperatures. Nature puts on a vibrant show of colour from September, and accommodation is more affordable outside the peak weeks of the school holidays<\/a> or Christmas. Forest light shows in Scotland, fungi foraging in Sweden, and Italy\u2019s Prosecco Hills are among our pick of the walking trails for experiencing autumn at its best\u2026<\/p>\n

Forest magicFaskally loch & woods, Scotland\u202f<\/p>\n

Perthshire \u2013 the dramatic divide between the Lowlands and Highlands \u2013 has exceptionally tall and old specimens of trees filling its expansive forests.<\/p>\n

Autumn, then, is glorious countywide. But Pitlochry\u2019s Faskally Woods<\/a> stand out, as a stroll here is illuminated during October evenings, with the installations of the \u201cEnchanted Forest\u201d spectacularly lighting up trees and loch shores on a 1.8km woodsy circuit (\u00a327.50\/\u00a315).<\/p>\n

A longer 5km loop from Pitlochry<\/a> brushes the woods and also passes the fish ladder that enables the annual migration of Atlantic salmon over Pitlochry dam. The fish swim upstream through a series of 34 tiered pools linked by tunnels. It is estimated that around 250,000 salmon have used the ladder since it was built in 1952. <\/p>\n

Cosily refurbished Victorian B&B Craigatin House<\/a> is one of Pitlochry\u2019s best, and only 1.5km south-east of the woods. B&B from \u00a3171. The Caledonian Sleeper <\/a>stops down the road, too.<\/p>\n

In Stevenson\u2019s footstepsFrance<\/p>\n

\u202f<\/p>\n

\"ManThe Cevennes National Park in France (Photo: PurpleImages\/Getty)<\/p>\n

It was in September 1878 that writer Robert Louis Stevenson began his jaunt through France\u2019s wild C\u00e9vennes mountains <\/a>\u2013 his stubborn donkey Modestine in tow. It inspired one of his first works, Travels with a Donkey in the C\u00e9vennes.<\/p>\n

That, together with the dazzling reds and golds of changing foliage and temperatures being more bearable than summer, makes this an opportune time to try the Stevenson Trail that traces the route he took. <\/p>\n

Start in Le-Puy-en-Velay<\/a>, the capital of the Haute-Loire in central France, to begin the complete route of 272km (allow about a fortnight if you plan to do the full thing). There are 13 stages, with villages or towns to overnight in at the end of each; consider breaking the trail at the former commune of Chasserad\u00e8s (in the Loz\u00e8re department) after six days of walking, or 124km, if you require a shorter break. <\/p>\n

Refurbished in 2024, turn-of-the-20th-century Hotel La Regina<\/a> is in Le Puy at the Stevenson Trail start point, doubles including breakfast around \u00a392. A couple of options en route include Ch\u00e8vre & Chou<\/a> in the commune of Le Monastier sur Gazeille (doubles from around \u00a372 with breakfast) and the lakeside Appart\u2019H\u00f4tel Les Lofts du Grand Lac de Loz\u00e8re<\/a> around 35 minutes\u2019 walk from the market town of Langogne (studios from \u00a385 with breakfast). Lyon is around two hours\u2019 drive north of Le Puy, with several flight routes from the UK, as well as fast trains from Paris (three hours).<\/p>\n

Sparkling sceneProsecco Hills, Italy\u202f\"ConeglianoThe prosecco hills near Conegliano Veneto (Photo: GitoTrevisan\/Getty\/)<\/p>\n

Toast the terrain that gave the planet prosecco with a roam through the terraced vineyards of this winsome wine-growing area as the September grape harvest begins.<\/p>\n

With DOCG status \u2013 the highest-quality Italian wine designation \u2013 the steep, fertile hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene<\/a> districts north of Venice are ribboned with walking trails and dotted by sleepy, winemaking settlements. This can all be traversed via the 51km five-stage Prosecco Hills Trail<\/a> that threads through the area. Pick this up in the town of Vidor and follow it in three to five days of walking to Vittorio Veneto. <\/p>\n

Most major UK airports have flights to Venice Treviso. From the airport, catch a bus to Treviso then change for bus 110 or 131 to Vidor. In Vidor, Agriturismo Colvidor<\/a> immediately sets the scene for your adventure: a farmhouse with views out on to the vineyards. Doubles from \u00a377.<\/p>\n

Figs and pigsSierra de Aracena, Spain\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

Everything conspires to make the Sierra de Aracena<\/a> an alluring outdoors autumn break. This western end of the Sierra Morena mountain range is rural Andalucia<\/a> at its most authentic, and ablaze with woodland on the turn. But there are also groves of just-ripening fig trees in September and October, plus a festival championing the region\u2019s prize food product, ib\u00e9rico ham, in the main town of Aracena (24-26 October).<\/p>\n

A five-night, four-day self-guided walking holiday with Macs Adventure,<\/a> including posada (country inn) accommodation, excluding flights, starts at \u00a3455pp. You will take in lush rolling landscapes around the idyllic town of Al\u00e1jar<\/a> and Almonaster la Real<\/a>\u2019s 10th-century hilltop mosque over 24km of trails.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

For those who prefer to travel independently, Posada San Marcos<\/a> in Al\u00e1jar is a six-bedroom country house with a pool and pretty gardens. Doubles from \u00a3117 B&B, with a two-night minimum stay. The closest airport is Seville, around 90 minutes\u2019 drive from Al\u00e1jar. Several airlines offer direct flights from UK airports.<\/p>\n

Poetic exileDante\u2019s Way, Italy<\/p>\n

\u202f<\/p>\n

\"Dante'sThe view on Dante\u2019s Way in Emilia Romagna<\/p>\n

The picturesque Dante\u2019s Walk that loop<\/a> through the farmland of fabled foodie regions Tuscany, Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy is themed around the route revered verse-maker Dante Alighieri took after being exiled from Florence.<\/p>\n

Literary pilgrimage lovers can appreciate such sights as Dante\u2019s tomb at the start point of Ravenna \u2013 a city best known for its Byzantine mosaics \u2013 and the Dante House Museum<\/a> at the finish in Florence.<\/p>\n

However, stages four and five of the walk \u2013 a pastoral 33km between the medieval village of Brisighella<\/a> and the town of Marradi \u2013 are of note for their gastronomic bounty.<\/p>\n

Brisighella produces some of Italy\u2019s finest olive oil \u2013 its olive harvest taking place throughout November \u2013 while Marradi celebrates its chestnut harvest with a fair showcasing chestnut-based dishes every Sunday during October.<\/p>\n

Fly into Florence (served by several airlines) and catch one of the regular trains (90 minutes) to Brisighella from Florence\u2019s San Marco Vecchio.<\/p>\n

Albergo-Ristorante La Rocca<\/a> is a 15-room hotel-cum-restaurant in Brisighella, doubles around \u00a390<\/p>\n

Alpine autumnBergeSeen Trail, Austria\"\"The Austrian Alps in Autumn (Photo: Bela Torok\/Getty)<\/p>\n

The BergeSeen Trail<\/a> provides perhaps the most bewitching displays of Alpine scenery in Austria, circling through the Salzkammergut<\/a>, the Austrian lake district east of Salzburg.<\/p>\n

To catch the Alps in exemplary autumn colours, plump for stage two of this 350km trek. The 21km stretch, doable in a weekend, begins at Windlegern (an area of Alpine pasture). You will wander beneath the precipices of the Hell Mountains, passing mountain lakes Hinterer and Vorderer Langbathsee, framed in flaming beech, ash, maple and sycamore trees, before arriving at Attersee, the region\u2019s largest lake. From Salzburg, Windlegern is a one hour 15-minute drive.<\/p>\n

Hotel Fottinger<\/a> sits on Attersee lakeshore near the end of stage two. B&B starts at \u00a3163. About 3km south-east of Windlegern is The Hochsteinalm<\/a>, a traditional countryside hostel with rustically furnished doubles from \u00a3135.\u202f<\/p>\n

Mushroom mania \u00a0Tiveden National Park, Sweden\u202f<\/p>\n

Tucked between two of Sweden\u2019s (and Europe\u2019s) largest lakes, V\u00e4nern and V\u00e4ttern<\/a>, and halfway between Stockholm and Gothenburg, the craggy, thickly forested wilderness of Tiveden National Park<\/a> flares up in fine, fiery hues over the coming months. Tiveden is also renowned for its excellent chanterelle-foraging around now.<\/p>\n

The final 12km stage of the 280km Bergslagsleden trail<\/a> ends here, after passing through the swathes of the park\u2019s old-growth forest where chanterelles are abundant, and there are 10 other trails (2-10km) to try.<\/p>\n

From Stockholm, the drive to Tiveden takes around three hours 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

Tivedstorp Hostel<\/a> is a \u201chostel village\u201d \u2013 a scattering of traditional-looking cabins in the heart of Tiveden forest. Double cabin from \u00a347. <\/p>\n

Bearing all \u00a0Alutaguse, National Park, Estonia\u202f\"defaultAlutaguse National Park Estonia (Photo: Provided)<\/p>\n

A nation with well over 50 per cent forest cover should deliver stunning autumnal scenes \u2013 and Estonia willingly obliges.<\/p>\n

The inky forests and primordial bogs of Alutaguse National Park<\/a> offer a habitat for the Siberian flying squirrel, and one of the continent\u2019s main brown bear populations.<\/p>\n

Besides smouldering seasonal shades, autumn is also the best time for bear-watching, as the animals fatten themselves pre-hibernation on the plentiful berries.<\/p>\n

The 5km Poruni Trail<\/a> is the best for exploring the park\u2019s native ancient forest, and you can climb the Lisaku viewing tower for far-ranging vistas across russet-tinged treetops.<\/p>\n

From Tallinn<\/a>, it\u2019s around two hours\u2019 drive to Kauksi, on the shores of Lake Peipus, where you\u2019ll find the main park information centre. From here, you can be within the park in a further 15 minutes\u2019 drive.<\/p>\n

From Kauksi, it\u2019s 16km north-east on the E264 to Lisaku or 39km along the lakeshore to Vasknarva and then north on the J\u00f5hvi road for the turn-off to the Poruni Trail (16km further along). <\/p>\n

You can book several, simple, bear-watching hides across the national park for the night, including one in Veneoja, 29km south-west of J\u00f5hvi; \u00a3117 for a four-person cabin.<\/p>\n

Riviera ramble \u00a0Albania\u202f\"FamilyHiking in Albania (Photo: Natalia Kurzova\/Everste\/Getty)<\/p>\n

After the searing summer heat, fresher weather returns to accentuate the brilliant greens in the Albanian Riviera, a melange of mountains and sandy seaboard in the south-west of the country.<\/p>\n

A guided hike, commencing in the Llogara National Park <\/a>with its pine-cloaked massif and finishing with a walk between fetching seaside villages, starts at \u00a3929pp excluding flights with Much Better Adventures<\/a>. During 44km of hiking over seven days, the turquoise Ionian Sea is almost always visible. <\/p>\n

The hiking holiday sets off from the capital Tirana.\u202fTreat yourself to an extra night in beachside Geo & Art Boutique Hotel<\/a> in Himar\u00eb, where the excursion ends. Sea-view doubles including breakfast from \u00a3117.\u202f<\/p>\n

Livestock round-upH\u00f3lar, Iceland\u202f\"GroupIcelandic Horses in pasture (Photo: Kotangens\/Getty)<\/p>\n

September is the best month to experience Iceland\u2019s<\/a> rural soul. As the clement weather draws to a close, r\u00e9ttir, the ceremonial gathering of sheep from mountainous locales down into wintertime corrals, takes place. This is followed by a round-up for horses in late September and early October.<\/p>\n

A hiking holiday to northern Iceland, the chief farming area, is almost certain to get you a gander at this centuries-old tradition. Base yourself in the community of H\u00f3lar<\/a>, huddled below striking ribbed mountains.<\/p>\n

A hiking highlight is the rocky, forested 5km ascent to Gvendersk\u00e1l viewpoint and the altar stone of Bishop Gu\u00f0mundur the Good, a figure in several medieval Icelandic sagas.<\/p>\n

From Reykjav\u00edk it\u2019s a four hours and 30 minutes\u2019 drive north to H\u00f3lar. You can pick up a map of local hiking trails at the tourist centre in H\u00f3lar University<\/a>. Simple one-bedroom self-catering apartments and cottages sleeping two people in H\u00f3lar start at \u00a3114.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is a fine time to get out hiking across Europe. The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420672,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5174],"tags":[53569,30642,2000,299,5510,5187,58732,36686,17978,69464,812,183,24358],"class_list":{"0":"post-420671","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-eu","8":"tag-austria-travel","9":"tag-autumn","10":"tag-eu","11":"tag-europe","12":"tag-europe-travel","13":"tag-european","14":"tag-france-travel","15":"tag-italy-travel","16":"tag-iweekend","17":"tag-scotland-travel","18":"tag-sweden","19":"tag-travel","20":"tag-uk-travel"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115196142995026200","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420671"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420671\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}