UK searches for “walking holiday” have risen 60% year on year as travellers increasingly seek slower trips that combine outdoor activity with local experiences. In destinations facing overcrowding, walking can also spread visitors beyond the busiest sites and bring spending to smaller communities.
Walking Can Spread Tourism Beyond Hotspots
“Overtourism isn’t just about numbers, it’s about concentration,” said Annie Antonatou, a Greek-based walking holiday specialist. She argues that routes across villages, trails and smaller islands can reduce pressure on major attractions while directing more visitors to family-run guesthouses, ferries, bakeries and tavernas.
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Veriano Verde, a guide for Exodus Adventure Travels who grew up near the Amalfi Coast, said walking also allows visitors to experience communities beyond the main tourist routes.
Amalfi Coast Offers Alternative To Day-Trip Crowds
The Path of the Gods is one of Verde’s recommended routes, combining coastal views with villages, local farms and encounters with residents. In Amalfi, he suggests visiting nearby Atrani rather than limiting a trip to the Piazza del Duomo.
Spring and autumn are the preferred seasons, while winter offers fewer visitors. A seven-day guided walking holiday with Exodus Adventure Travels starts at £1,469 (€1,715) per person, excluding flights.
Santorini And The Cyclades Beyond The Caldera
Annie Antonatou recommends combining the popular Santorini caldera with walks on Naxos, Sifnos, Milos, Andros and Tinos. Routes include the Fira to Oia coastal trail and Mount Zas on Naxos, the highest point in the Cyclades.
She said walking trips allow visitors to spend more time with local communities, experience regional food and see traditional agriculture rather than moving quickly between major landmarks.
The preferred periods are late March to early June and September to November. A week-long self-guided Santorini and Naxos trip through No Footprint and Responsible Travel starts at £550 (€642) per person, excluding flights.
Algarve Trails Focus On The Southwest Coast
The Algarve’s Fishermen’s Trail provides access to quieter parts of Portugal’s southwest coast. The 78km route from Porto Covo to Odeceixe forms part of the 450km Rota Vicentina network.
Ricardo Estêvão of Vincentina Travel said walkers often remember encounters with fishermen, café owners and family-run restaurants as much as the landscape.
The strongest periods are March to June and September to November, with summer avoided to reduce pressure on local communities. A seven-day self-guided trip starts at £420 (€490) per person, excluding flights.
Croatia Combines Historic Sites And Coastal Trails
Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast offers routes linking Dubrovnik, Mljet and the Pelješac Peninsula. Visitors can walk through the historic town of Ston and its vineyards, explore Mljet National Park and hike Mount Srđ above Dubrovnik.
September and October coincide with the grape harvest in Konavle and Pelješac. Travellers visiting Dubrovnik’s city walls can also reduce crowding by going before 9 am or after 4 pm.
A seven-day self-guided walking holiday through Responsible Travel starts at £844 (€985) per person, excluding flights.
Walking Expands The Tourism Season
Walking holidays can help destinations spread visitor activity beyond major landmarks and peak summer periods. For travellers, the format offers access to smaller communities, local businesses and landscapes that are often missed on conventional sightseeing trips.
For destinations facing concentrated tourism demand, it can provide another way to distribute visitors and spending across a wider area.
