Best hiking routes in Spain

With approximately 75 million tourists visiting every year, Spain is the third most popular
country in the world for tourism. The country is rich in culture and beauty, with 45 UNESCO
World Heritage Sites and almost endless museums and historic sights to see. Its climate is
warm and receives plenty of sunshine, particularly in southern regions, and the country is
home to hundreds of golden beaches.
For those who are more inclined to go exploring on their holiday rather than lounging on the
beach, Spain also boasts incredible landscapes with rolling hills and rugged mountains. It
has endless hiking routes to explore, but let’s take a look at three of the best to help you
narrow down your next trip.

1. Mulhacén, Sierra Nevada

At 3,479 metres above sea level, Mulhacén is Spain’s highest mountain that offers incredible
views of the rugged Sierra Nevada mountain range and allows you to see all the way to the
Mediterranean Sea on a clear day. Despite its height, it’s a relatively easy climb in the
summer months as long as you opt for the route on the southern face of the mountain.
Those who are experienced mountaineers can tackle the route on the northern face which is
much more challenging. Keep in mind that Mulhacén is covered in snow for much of the
year, so this is the perfect hike for holidays in the Granada region between June and
September.

2. Caminito del Rey Trail, Malaga

The Caminito del Rey Trail is an incredible 8km-long aerial path that was once deemed the
world’s most dangerous footpath. It was built against Desfiladero de Los Gaitanes, a 400-
metre-high gorge carved into the landscape by the river Guadalhorce.
Today, the path is restored and made safe with barriers along the entire route so you can
enjoy incredible views from 100 metres up without worrying about your footing. The route
goes one way only, north to south, with a shuttle bus available to take you back to the start
once finished. You’ll spot lots of highland birds along the way, including vultures and eagles,
and other native wildlife such as wild boar and ibex.

3. Camí de Ronda, Costa Brava

One of the best ways to take in the Costa Brava shoreline is the Camí de Ronda trail. There
are a couple of different routes to choose from. The first is the Linear Trail which takes two
days and is 43km long. It runs from Sant Feliu de Guíxols to Begur and passes through a
series of beautiful coves, beaches and cliff paths. The Looped Trail is significantly more
challenging at 140km long. It begins and ends at the city of Girona and can be walked in
eight days. In addition to gorgeous coastal views, the Looped Trail offers incredible mountain
scenery and forests, as well as visits to medieval villages and beautiful chapels.
These might be three of Spain’s best hiking routes, but with trails and paths snaking all over
the country you’re bound to discover beautiful walks no matter where your next Spanish
adventure is set to take place.

Have you been to any of the above hikes? I have made the Camino del Ray trail and it was fantastic. The other ones are dream hikes and I would love to go. Especially since I soon will be based in Spain for work it feels like a great weekend activity.

/ Pernilla that looking forward to some nature moments