Five Hiking and Cycling Destinations for Adventure Travel

The days of holidays spent lounging on the beach are long gone. These days, we want more and wellness has migrated from the gym to the travel itinerary.

With more and more of us making wellness a top priority, 84% according to Phocuswright, it’s no surprise that this is mirrored in how we choose to travel. In recent surveys, more than 60% of travellers prioritised spa facilities and 54% wanted outdoor/immersion activities. It’s been shown that active travel can lower stress and improve physical fitness, so we’ve rounded up a selection of hiking and cycling destinations with added wellness-centric activities guaranteed to provide a mental and physical boost.

ANDORRA

For hiking and cycling, it doesn’t get much better than this tiny principality in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. One of Europe’s hidden gems in terms of active adventure breaks, you can book a guided tour that combines hiking, mountain biking and rafting (with white-water rafting available just across the border in Spain).

Top hiking highlights include the Vall del Madiu-Perafita-Claror, a UNESCO World Heritage site of glacial valleys and alpine lakes. Siscaro Reserve is also popular and offers the chance to spot native wildlife.

Pal Arinsal Bikepark in La Massana features extensive downhill and enduro circuits while The Iron Route combines moderate cycling with local heritage.

Overall, Andorra boasts more than 1,000 mountain and road cycling routes with extensive high-altitude hiking trails. And, once you’re done for the day, where better to recover than the Caldea Spa, which, at 18 floors and 6,000sq/m, is one of Europe’s largest spas.

AUSTRIAN ALPS

The Alps have a long history as a hiking destination, those same slopes that make for great skiing in winter transform in summer to provide a range of green, flowerstrewn gorges and peaks of varying difficulty.

In areas such as the Gastein Valley, East Tyrol and Kitzbühel, there are certified trail networks paired with dedicated wellness retreats offering a range of yoga styles. The combination promises plenty of strenuous exercise balanced with more gentle activities.

Lifestyle hotel Alpenhaus Gasteinertal is partnered with Yoga Days In Gastein, Europe’s largest yoga festival, and offers guided hikes alongside yoga, meditation, detox and gentle movement.

Or, MoaAlm Mountain Retreat stands at 1,800m within the Hohe Tauern National Park. As well as guided and solo hikes around the property, the in-house yoga studio has a large panoramic window with gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains. Start the day with a morning yoga session with the in-house yoga teacher or maybe join a calming afternoon restorative class. Dining here is communal and plant-based, so be ready for a break from carnivorous habits.

DOLOMITES, ITALY

If you want to get off the beaten track, cycling in the Dolomites promises jagged limestone peaks, alpine meadows and the opportunity to stay in a traditional rifugio (mountain hut), though these are generally not as rustic as they sound.

The upscale resort town, Cortina d’Amprezzo, is known as the Queen of the Dolomites offering iconic climbs such as the Passo Giau, at 2,236m, which connects the town with Colle Santa Lucia and is featured in the famous road cycling race, Giro d’Italia. The route features 29 hairpin bends and is considered one of the hardest climbs in Europe.

If your pedalling is not up to Giro standards, don’t worry, there’s also the 47km Dobbiaco which offers a gentle downhill slope following the Drava River through lush meadows.

Want to finish off a hard day’s cycling with a little relaxation? Head to spots such as the Linder Cycling Hotel, which has a rooftop pool, Finnish sauna, hot steam room and tailored recovery services. Or the ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI, which has secure bike storage and an extensive spa zone.

ICELAND

For serious walkers, Iceland’s Landmannalaugar & Laugavegur is often a bucket list option. World famous and stretching across 55km, you’ll trek through multi-coloured rhyolite peaks where silica- and iron-rich volcanic rock decks the slopes in shades of rust red, pink, purple and blue, made all the more startling for being surrounded by black lava fields.

The trek is considered moderately challenging with unbridged river crossings where you’ll need to wade through fast-flowing glacial waters. But, after four days on foot, it’s worth it when you reach Landmannalaugar and take the chance to soak in the natural geothermal hot spring found at the edge of the lava field.

For the less adventurous, the Reykjadalur Valley offers a much more accessible 3km (6km round trip) trek on which you’ll pass bubbling mud pools and steam vents. Along the way you will find wooden boardwalks where you can change and take a dip in the naturally warm, steaming river.

While Landmannalaugar is pretty much wilderness without any official accommodation, Laugavegur has plenty of hotels and restaurants where you can tuck into a warming bowl of Kjötsúpa (lamb soup) or Plokkfiskur (fish stew).

MADEIRA, PORTUGAL

The Portuguese island of Madeira is a popular year-round destination thanks to its mild climate and amazingly diverse landscapes. The island boasts a marked trail system so you can take advantage of official signs making navigation simple, while unique landscapes include the Laurisilva forest, an ancient, 20-million-year-old subtropical rainforest, that covers around 20% of the island and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

Madeira is also home to dramatic volcanic peaks such as Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo and there’s a challenging 9.4km, one-way trek between the two. Or for something less taxing, the coastal cliffs offer scenic walking or cyling, dramatic views and colourful rock formations.

Numerous tour companies offer guided treks, sometimes coupled with wellness retreats providing activities such as yoga or spa breaks. But, with the official trails, Madeira is also a very popular choice for self-guided tours.

There are plenty of options for places to stay on Madeira with the capital, Funchal, offering numerous hotels and organised group hikes with pick up and drop off, so no need for a car.

If you want to be a bit more adventurous, Santana in the northeast is great for access to the mountain peaks and the Caldeirão Verde trail. It also has some quaint, traditional houses.

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