No skis required! Winter sports areas to visit out of season Back to News

The spotlight falls on northern Italy this year, as the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics arrive in Milan and the mountain resorts of the Dolomites. The slopes glisten with snow, and the villages buzz with news of sporting endeavours.

Of course the peaks look completely fabulous in their winter clothes, but they’re just as beautiful in their summer attire!  Do you fancy walking through pastures dotted with wildflowers and gentle cattle? How about a night in the cosy camaraderie of a mountain refuge, enjoying dumplings with goulash and swapping tales from the trails with fellow hikers? Here’s some inspiration for your alpine adventure.

Our summer route in the Dolomites could be just the thing – but don’t leave it too late to book, as it will be extra popular this year and the season is short. Hike from San Candido through mountain peaks and alpine meadows to Cortina, which hosts some Olympic events.

Kranjska Gora, at the start of our Slovenian Highlands route, is a popular winter sports venue, but switches to hosting walkers after the snow melts. Our walk is graded Medium, getting you into the heart of the mountains with modest effort!

The mountains of Arcadia in the central Peloponnese are popular for winter breaks, with snow-shoeing, skiing and snowmobiling on the menu. In the warmer months, our walkers on the Menalon Trail enjoy the same great views and stay in some lovely stone-built villages.

The Picos de Europa and Cantabrian hills of northern Spain are busy with sporting activity in winter, but On Foot hikers can use the cable car at Fuente Dé to get up into the peaks with no skis needed! Just relish the gentle walk down from the rocky slopes into a lush green valley.

Skirt round the slopes of Mt Tahtali on your way to the coast in Lycia – this is an unconventional winter sports area, with ‘wild’ skiing and a mountain-top bungee catapult for the brave!  We suggest you keep your feet on the ground…

And for a surprising link to the Olympics – the little town of Much Wenlock, just a few miles from the start of our Welsh Borders walk, was host to a forerunner of the modern Olympics. The first competition in 1850 included athletics and traditional country sports – and a race on penny-farthing bicycles!  Baron Pierre de Coubertin visited the games in 1890, and was inspired to create the International Olympic Committee and the Games as we know them now.

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