Best Hikes in Europe

Once described as "one of the most dangerous hikes in the world," Malaga's El Camino del Rey is certainly not for the faint of heart.

The Transcaucasian Trail or TCT is a long-distance trail in the Caucasus that's still under development. The hope is that, once the mapping of the trail is finished, it will start in Georgia and end in Armenia and cover over 3,000 kilometers.

The Zillertal valley in Austria's Tyrol has over 1,400 kilometers of marked trails that go from easy day trips to strenuous steep walks on rugged terrain. From flowering meadows to towering glaciers to multi-day treks on the Main Alpine Ridge, you could hike here for weeks and never run out of trails to discover.

Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock sits 600 meters above the Norwegian fjords. It offers stunning panoramic views over the blue waters below and the snow-covered peaks in the distance – which explains why this is one of Norway's most visited natural spots.

Home to lunar-like landscapes found nowhere else on Earth, Iceland offers a unique experience avid hikers just can't miss. The landscape is stunning anywhere you go in the country, but the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the West Fjords offers some of the most famous hikes.

The park borders Germany's Saxon Switzerland National Park. Hikers can start their adventure on the Czech side, then cross over into Germany to continue on the trails there.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of Croatia's most popular tourist attractions. Home to stunning wildlife; cobalt blue lakes; and lush, vibrant forests, the park can get crowded in summer. For the best hiking, arrive in either fall or winter, which adds the beautiful reds and yellows of the season or the ethereal beauty of frozen lakes.

It might not be Everest, but the Matterhorn Base Camp hike still offers plenty of majestic views along the way. One of the highest mountains in the Alps, the Matterhorn offers the ultimate challenge for experienced multi-day hikers.

Set in the heart of the country, the High Tatras mountains are part of Slovakia's oldest national park. The area attracts hikers from all over Europe, who come here for its mix of alpine lakes and rugged mountaintops.

One of Crete's top attractions, this 16-kilometer trail gets you from an elevation of 1,230 meters down to the shores of the Libyan Sea. The trail zigzags along cliffside vistas and Byzantine ruins as you descend through slippery terrain.

With hundreds of kilometers available to explore, the Engelberg Valley offers endless hiking opportunities – from multiple-day hut-to-hut hikes to relaxed walking trails with equally stunning views.

The entire route from the Alpine resort town of Saalbach to Schmittenhöhe mountain runs for 17 kilometers and takes at least six hours to complete. Considered one of the most stunning high-altitude hikes in the Eastern Alps, it requires some steep walking and long-distance endurance – but the rewards are more than worth it.