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Few places on Earth encompass the cultural and natural density of Europe. The world’s second smallest continent, Europe is comprised of over 40 diverse countries, each with a rich historical legacy. Its terrain includes miles of coastline, numerous valleys feeding into major river arteries, like the Rhine and the Danube, and soaring mountain ranges, such as the Alps and Pyrenees.
In the summer of 2018 we traveled to Europe to seek authentic adventure by trekking in seven countries over a three month period. As we hiked, we focused on the cultural and natural significance of the places that we visited. With this in mind, we completed four different treks, totaling over 500 miles of hiking, while experiencing the best of Europe’s history and beauty:
- Camino Portugues (150 miles, 13 days) – Portugal and Spain
- GR53 (65 miles, 6 days) – France
- Lechweg (80 miles, 6 days) – Germany and Austria
- Swiss Alpine Pass Route (220 miles, 23 days) – Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Click on the map above to learn more about each of our treks (clicking on the upper right-hand corner will close the description).
Take a look at our summary video below. Due to copyright issues, it may not be viewable in some countries.
Read more about our journey below:
Introducing Our Next Journey – Trekking the Planet Europe!
This summer we will be traveling to Europe to seek authentic adventure by trekking in seven countries over a three month period. We are planning four different hikes, totaling over 500 miles, to experience the best of Europe’s history and beauty.
How to Plan a Three-Month Journey Across Europe
Sandy writes about creating our travel itinerary and the unique planning challenges associated with our new Europe adventure, starting in June.
Here’s How We Packed for Three Months in Europe with Just a Carry-On
Sandy details our packing and training strategy for this summer’s Trekking the Planet Europe journey.
Along Cobblestone Paths and Stone Bridges: Camino Portugues
We are currently in Tui, Spain, just across the border with Portugal. After 79.4 miles and six days of hiking the Camino Portugues, we are taking a rest day to relax and explore the city.
All Paths Lead to Santiago: Completing the Camino Portugues
The Camino de Santiago is not a distinct path with a designated starting point. Instead, it refers to the destination – the city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. How you walk there is up to you, as pilgrims historically began from their homes. But no matter where one begins, all paths lead to the Santiago…
How To Stay Connected with Family while Traveling Internationally
As with any international trip, staying connected while being on the road has had its own set of challenges. Whether it be hiking on the Camino Portugues in Portugal and Spain or with our more recent travels through Spain and Andorra, we have had to deal with the challenge of staying as connected as possible…
Trekking through Alsace’s Castles and Forest: France’s GR53
The Alsace region of Northeastern France has a rich history, with roots in both French and German culture. The area is dotted with Medieval castles and quaint villages. It is also home to the Northern Vosges Regional Park, a UNESCO Biosphere with lush forests. We spent six days hiking a little over 100 kilometers…
Following a River to its Austrian Alps Source: Lechweg
The Lech River flows 158 miles through the countries of Austria and Germany before it merges into the Danube River. It also forms the backdrop to one of Europe’s newest long-distance trails, called the Lechweg. We spent six days hiking the 125-kilometer (78-mile) path, from Fussen, Germany, to the source of the river, at the…
Follow Our Journey as We Cross Switzerland on Foot
Sandy provides an overview of our final trek in Europe – the Swiss Alpine Pass Route (230 miles, 23 days) through Switzerland.
Two Months of Trekking Europe: What Gear has Made the Grade
Two months into our Trekking Europe journey, Sandy writes about how our gear has held up to the goal of keeping our weight to a minimum, yet satisfying all of our hiking and traveling needs.
One Pass at a Time: Beginning the Swiss Alpine Pass Route
The 230-mile Swiss Alpine Pass Route hike, by far the most challenging of our Trekking Europe adventure, crosses numerous alpine passes, alternating between climbing up mountainsides and descending to valleys. Over the first six days of the trek, we crossed three passes. Each one was different, and we quickly learned to take the passes one…
Into the Heart of the Alps: Continuing the Swiss Alpine Pass Route
The Swiss Alps are comprised of some of the most iconic mountains in the world. After completing the first six days of our Swiss Alpine Pass Route trek, beginning from Liechtenstein, we were ready to hike among some of these giants during our next 10 day section into the heart of the Alps.
Auf Wiedersehen and Au Revoir: Completing the Swiss Alpine Pass Route
Beginning back on June 17, we took our first steps on our Trekking Europe adventure, as we left Porto, Portugal, on the Camino Portugues. Now, after completing that trek and two others in France and Germany / Austria, we had just five days left on our latest hike across Switzerland.
Twelve Hiking Discoveries Made While Trekking Europe
This summer, we trekked over 500 miles on four different long distance hikes in seven European countries. Even though we have now trekked over 3,000 miles in the past six years, I am always learning new things while hiking. So I wanted to share the twelve things I discovered this summer while on our Trekking…
Trekking Europe Summary Video
Earlier this year we undertook our latest journey: a Trekking Europe adventure. During our travels we hiked over 500 miles in seven countries. Take a look at our summary video.