Looking for a winter walking holiday?

Yes, the European summer is fading, and the autumn hiking season is well under way, but now might be just the moment to look ahead to the cooler months.
Spain is the reliable option at this time of year. On Foot Holidays has a selection of routes here, where you’ll find gently warm temperatures, fabulous landscapes and quiet trails. And not a snow-mobile in sight!

Sunny Alicante might not be your first thought for a walking holiday, but do take a look at our route in the quiet hills beyond the coast. Marina Alta has charming villages, geological features that make for varied hiking, and a fine seaside town to complete your walk.  Available October to April, except Christmas and New Year.

Closer to Africa than Europe, La Gomera in the Canary Islands is best visited in winter, when the island welcomes more hikers than sunseekers. The fabulous volcanic landscape is a rewarding challenge, and the villages are delightfully undeveloped.  Available October to mid-May, except Christmas and New Year.

White villages (pueblos blancos) scatter the hills of the Grazalema National Park in Andalucia, surrounded by dramatic limestone landscapes that are a paradise for birdwatchers. Walk over the wild hillsides and lush river valleys to the Moorish cliff-top bastion of Ronda.  Available September to mid-December and February to May.

Another island – Mallorca – completes our winter quartet. After a couple of nights in the historic capital, Palma, head into the mountains of the northwest, well away from the coastal resorts, where you’ll find dramatic paths high above the coast, drifts of almond blossom in spring, and some lovely hotels.  Available September to mid-November, and mid-February to June.

See all our routes in Spain here

Use our search facility to find walking holidays for any month of the year

NEW! Walk through green Cantabrian hills to the Picos de Europa

The spectacular skyline of the Picos de Europa region of northern Spain has held a special draw for centuries, signalling to sailors that they were nearly home, and now beckoning hikers from around the world. Our new route here maintains this sense of anticipation, starting in the green foothills to the east and journeying westwards to the higher wilderness.

First you’ll become acquainted with the quiet farm tracks scattered across the valleys of Polaciones and Liébana. Vultures and eagles soar overhead whilst Cantabrian brown bears and Iberian wolves keep their distance in the undisturbed hills away from your path. Stop at tiny villages to stay in wayside inns and small hotels where you can enjoy a glass of orujo (the local firewater) with your hosts and sample the hearty Lebaniego stew.

After the bustling little town of Potes, follow the final section of the Camino Lebaniego pilgrimage route to the monastery of Santo Toribio. The modest buildings here belie its status as one of the most important pilgrim sites in Europe, with attendant hermitages perched on vantage points in the surrounding hills.

Now the landscape becomes more rugged, and the trail brings you to the massive cliffs at Espinama and Fuente Dé. Below the soaring peaks you have a choice of routes, but if the weather is good you should scale the cliffs by cable-car and experience a different world of bare rock and alpine pastures. The best views are yet to come on a glorious descent across the wooded hillsides back to your celebratory dinner and the end of your great Cantabrian traverse.

This route has been created especially for On Foot Holidays by Aznar Fernandez de Pinedo, designer of several of our Spanish hikes. He says: “When creating this route I wanted to avoid the popular trails in the mountains that have become overcrowded. My route visits totally off-the-beaten-track valleys and towns that no other tour operators have considered.

“It is a great ‘Crossing of Green Spain’ to reach the magnificent Picos. It skips the uneven paths at high elevation where the weather is unpredictable, and instead goes along scenic trails that are easier underfoot, but all the time through extremely beautiful scenery.”

‘Foothills of the Picos de Europa’ is now open for bookings in September and early October 2025, and for spring/early summer or autumn 2026. See our webpage for all the details, or call us to speak to Harriet or Simon, who have both walked the route and will be happy to tell you about its unique character.

Find more holidays in Spain here

Find more mountain walks here

We’ve always considered that a good meal at the end of the day is crucial to making a walking holiday into a great walking holiday. It’s so much more than just fuel – it’s an experience in itself, and a celebration of what you’ve achieved during the day.

We and our hedonistic walkers spend a lot of time hunting out the best places to eat, only occasionally encountering a dud along the way…  The search is much easier in places known for their fabulous food, and we can now recommend Catalonia to you with added authority, as it is officially World Region of Gastronomy 2025. This recognition brings into focus the wonderful local produce and cooking of the northeast corner of Spain – see more here.

While hiking our Catalonia: El Priorat route there are lots of typical Catalan dishes to look out for, all making the most of the first-class ingredients produced in these landscapes. You’ll find lots of pork, and also plenty of grilled vegetables, garlic and ground nuts. Botifarra is a pork sausage that appears in many different varieties, and typical sauces include picada, a basic combination of almond, bread and liquid that can be flavoured with garlic, saffron or parsley. You might finish your meal with crema catalana, a sweet custard that is also found in pastries.

And, of course, in the Priorat region there’s a multitude of excellent wines to pair with the freshest seasonal cuisine. Make time for a wine tasting at Clos Figueras, our accommodation in Gratallops, followed by an excellent meal in their Slate Wine Bar, or add a bespoke wine tour with our local contact, Joanna.

The Wine Fair (Fira de Vi) in the town of Falset, your final destination, is a fun way to find out more about local wines – take a look at what’s on if you already have a booking to be there in early May 2025 (some events require advance booking). Falset is also planning a new Food & Wine Inspiration Centre, which we hope walkers will be able to visit next year!

If you’d like to push the boat out a little bit one evening, you could consider the Michelin-starred restaurant Quatre Molins in Cornudella where you’ll find influences from French and Asian cuisines as well as the best local ingredients.

Whatever gastronomic delights you discover in Catalonia, you’re sure to come away enthused by the wonderful flavours of this very special part of Spain.

Find more about On Foot’s route in Catalonia here

See more walking routes in Spain