Self-guided walking holidays in an unspoilt Europe

We travelled via Corfu to Zagoria in Northern Greece so that we could visit the Vikos Gorge. I had first seen this stunning area on a television programme and then found a lonely planet account of a walk there. The account was exactly what we wanted to do and luckily the small print told us that it was organised through ‘On foot holidays.’ We were pleased to find that ‘on foot’ still ran a trip that covered the majority of what we wanted. ‘On foot’ were brilliant with the planning and we soon found ourselves staying in Kapesovo in a fantastic guest house where we treated so pleasantly whilst also being able to sample amazing cooking. We did a circuit walk from Kapesovo to take a look down into the breathtaking Vikos Gorge-we did wonder how we would ever climb in or out of this dramatic place. We left Kapesovo and walked the ‘on foot’ route to Monodendri seeing our first of many wandering tortoise. Again the walk was amazing and the route was easy to follow. There was more stunningly spectacular scenery to absorb along the way as well isolated small churches and shrines to appreciate. The night spent in Monodendri was enjoyable and gave us our first visit to a beautiful monastery. The next day gave us our descent into the gorge and it was not as difficult as one would have imagined. Our walk here was everything we had hoped for and more-it was a truly memorable experience. However it was in the gorge that we had our first thunderstorm but nothing could dampen our spirits and it was fairly short lived. We had hoped to see a brown bear but only managed to see evidence that they were not too far away! The climb out of the gorge was also a lot less of a challenge than we’d thought. Our stay now was in Papingo and what a wonderful place this was to stay and we were so glad that we’d booked an extra night here. We abandoned our walk to Dragon Lake as advised by our hotel owner due to the intense heat and lack of shade. Instead we followed an ‘on foot’ alternative shorter walk that didn’t disappoint. Then a further day here was spent walking along the banks of the Voidomatis River. This brought the part of our holiday organised by ‘on foot’ to an end. We travelled on to Meteora.

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It is fantastic ! Overall, it is a self-guided walk that I was given sufficient information to walk through all the ways to Pyrenean foothills. Besides, with the Motion X-GPS, I won't feel disoriented even though there is no one around for guidance. The people are friendlier mainly because the route we had chosen is less touristy and , hence, less crowded and had better services.

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We are a family of six who enjoy hiking and relished the opportunity to walk through a national border and down to the Med. We had several days of exploring, chatting and laughing without the distractions of mobile phones and the evening accommodation and food was comfortable and delicious. We discovered we walked part of the Camino - only 2,840 Kms to Santiago!

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We enjoyed seeing the Karst landscape and all its variations on foot. The scenery changes from rolling hills, vineyards, small villages, meadows, limestone flats and mountain tops made the walk each day visually wonderful together with just the right amount of physical challenge for both a 30 year old and 60 year old walking together. The accommodation choices and their hosts and food were also a highlight of the trip. The tour also allowed for visits to castles, churches, caves and Lippizaner horses if you wanted so allowed for variety and covered both my daughter's interests (wildlife, hiking) and mine (castles, churches).

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My husband and I had a week on the island of Andros in July. Our first hiking holiday in Greece. Travelling from Athens airport on the coach to the ferry, taxi from the ferry to our accommodation was seamless. Andros is a wonderful location for lovers of walking. It is a beautiful island with a cooling sea breeze, well marked tracks and interesting views across the island or towards the sea. Handy to take a swimming costume as some of the walks include a beach. The accommodation was very comfortable, delicious breakfasts (the omelette was outstanding), friendly staff. Much recommended.

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We arranged a seven night tour of the Tale of Two Rivers walk with On Foot Holidays in August. Very good communication from On Foot prior to the walk, and the walking directions as well as the other information in the Walker’s pack were very detailed and helpful. The walk itself was splendid; gorgeous scenery of south Devon, from the wooded Teign valley to the more stark hills of Dartmoor and the rolling hills and pastures of the South Hams. We all thoroughly enjoyed the walks, which were fairly tough but not strenuous. Accommodation was also good, with cozy rooms and hearty pub fare for dinner each night. Overall a wonderful experience.

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We can only describe the scenery in the Dolomites as other-worldly. The towns are picturesque, the accommodations were better than anticipated, and the people were most friendly. Out of a 16 day vacation in Italy, our 6 days in the Dolomites were the highlight by far. OnFoot planned a wonderful trek for us and were so prompt and thorough with information and communication. We are already planning next year's hiking adventure!

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seven days of self guided hiking with accomodation and luggage transfers pre-arranged

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It was a 3 day walk in Provence

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We did a walking holiday in Dorset. It was called In the Footsteps of Thomas Hardy. We were blessed with beautiful weather. It was a wonderful experience walking through fields of barley and wheat, through farms with sheep and cows. We crossed styles and went through gates. Because of pre existing right of way since medieval times, we were free to wander through private fields and farms. The little English villages like Cerne Abbas and Evershot were delightful.

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Everything about our holiday was first rate. The accommodations were outstanding, the variety of hikes were ideal and the communication from the operator was also outstanding.

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It was my 70th birthday treat to walk from Varzi to Camogli along the Ligurian Apennines. We were a party of 4 with ages ranging from 2 in their 30s to my wife and I in our 60s. It was a perfect way for me to celebrate my birthday and to spend time with my family. The walk was self guided and offered sufficient challenge for people considering themselves to be reasonably fit. We moved on each day so that we had 5 different hotels

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Our group of four hikers (age 65 - 16) enjoyed our 6 day hike through Slovenia, ending in Trieste, Italy. The track led us through open pastures, forested areas, along hillsides, past vineyards and through small villages. Accommodation arranged was different each night and well chosen. The special meal in Goce was memorable along with the tour of the 750 year old wine cellar. The tracks and instructions provided kept us from getting lost. Fantastic scenery. Being towards the end of July, the weather did get quite hot 26 - 30+ C, but we averaged 5 hours each day with breaks. Slovenia is a very clean country.

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From Australia, we arranged a six day Dartmoor hiking trip with On Foot Holidays. The communications beforehand were clear and responses were prompt. The walking instructions and maps were detailed and accurate, the accomodation and baggage handling excellent, including provision for a vegan and the weather (not guaranteed by On Foot Holidays) was ideal. On the last day of our walk, one of the team slipped and broke her wrist. Returning to the accomodation, the innkeeper spent half a day ferrying us to various hospitals, On Foot was prompt in their response and support and whilst not an ideal end to the hike, it allowed us to feel confident in taking on a more challenging walk in the future.

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We spent a week walking in beautiful Slovenia. The route organised by On Foot Holidays offers something different each day with walks through forests and vineyards. Walking through small villages and talking to those we met was a highlight. Much of the walk was shaded which was a welcome relief in the hot weather in June. The organisation of the walk was spot on and the accommodation and food were superb. We enjoyed a great meal at Goce- highly recommend this. Most days we walked for about 5 hours and started as early as was possible. The experience was very memorable and I highly recommend On Foot Holidays.

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This was a self-guided walking holiday in the Pindos Mountain region including Vikos Gorge and Dragon Lake

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great combination of hut and hotel with wonderful hosts at each lodging site. The itinerary was perfect and the bookings were all in place and waiting for us.

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We had a wonderful 5 night hike from La Brigue to Menton by the sea. It was challenging but not too difficult. The route notes made sense. The views were spectacular and we had some great food along the way.

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Walking holiday in the Apennines. Incredibly well oraised by On Foot Holidays. Every day was a new adventure and we had so many wonderful experiences, never to be forgotten.

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A challenging hiking holiday through the Basque country of Spain onto the Atlantic Coast. Great villages, people, views AND wine!

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