Walking Holidays in Spain
Explore Spain on foot and discover a quiet, rustic side of the landscape, or even a new perspective on this diverse and spirited nation. Our walks have been chosen to take you into parts of Spain barely touched by tourism but rich in history.
Highlights
Walking in Spain
Self-guided walking holidays in Spain present the opportunity to journey through a rugged landscape characterised by deep valleys and rocky gorges.
Passing through traditional community-centred villages, with Spain’s famous ancient architecture – a melting pot of Catholic and Moorish influences. It’s here that you can end each day walking in Spain in the most perfect way possible, by enjoying Spain’s vibrant Mediterranean cuisine.
Explore
Our Spain Walking Holidays
Overview
Spain's Paths
Nature parks, canyons, craters, mountains and miles of beautiful coastline…hiking the network of trails running through Spain has a lot to offer those seeking to broaden their horizons. There’s miles of beautiful natural scenery to discover, and you could argue that there’s no better route to discovering the food, culture and traditions of rural Spain than by following rural paths at a walking pace.
As you explore the Spanish back-roads, the horizontal red and white markers of the GR (Sendero de Gran Recorrido) are a familiar sight, with shorter trails marked in green and white (Sendero Local), or yellow and white (Sendero de Pequeño Recorrido). Although these trails are quieter than most, the quality of way-marking is generally good, with new routes adapted from shepherds paths and old smugglers trails by the Federación Española de Alpinismo (Spanish Mountain Federation).
Key Information
When to Walk in Spain
Spring, early summer and autumn are typically the best time to visit. Here, you’ll long, bright days, with some of the most warm, stable weather conditions in Europe. Our hiking trails focus on the rural character of the places you visit, places that are by their nature ‘off the beaten track’, and as such we couldn’t characterise our trails we offer in Spain as being troubled by crowds of tourists.
Walks in the Cabo de Gata and Aragon are best appreciated outside of July and August, where the sun is full in force. A notable exception is the island of La Palma, which with temperate conditions all year round is arguably the nearest thing to ‘a walker’s paradise’.
How to Get to Spain
The easiest way to reach the start of your walk is usually by flying into one of Spain's major airports and continuing by train, bus or taxi to your starting point.
By Plane
Spain is well served by international flights, with major airports including Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville and Alicante. The Balearic Islands and Canary Islands also have direct flights from many European airports.
By Ferry
Ferry services operate between mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands.
By Rail
Rail travel from the UK is possible via the Eurostar and onward rail connections through France. For timetables and journey planning, see Renfe.
Travel Documents
Spain is part of the Schengen Area. Entry requirements vary by nationality, so we recommend checking the latest guidance before travelling.
Spain Client Reviews
4.9/5 based on 21 reviews
"My second trip with Celtic Trails. I did Hadrian’s wall last year and will definitely do another. The GPS app (Guibo) was essential. Made it so easy to navigate."
"Friendly, helpful and professional staff really makes Celtic Trails stand out from other companies. I had a wonderful trip and all of the details from maps to accommodations to transfers were well organized and flawless in every way. I especially appreciated the Guibo App which worked exceptionally well and kept me on track in a few places where the trail was not clearly marked - especially on the climb above Valldemossa where intersecting goat trails led me astray a few times. I also appreciated being able to choose between routes on several of the days -especially at Port Soller and Pollenca. I really enjoyed the accommodations at Hotel de Los Geranios in Port Soller, with the location right on the bay."
"Great service start to finish."
"Celtic Trails was very easy to deal with, and provided very good information on the track we walked. Overall, the accommodation was very comfortable and well situated for the walk each day."
"Very well organised & attentive to detail"
"Very helpful, quick responses and excellent value"
"Lovely long walk each day, often encountering no other people, with comfortable accommodations and good food (and wine) each night."
"One reason we chose this particular walk was that it was not point to point, but rather multiple options each day and staying in each hotel two-nights. This was a perfect trip from our perspective. A beautiful setting. All the hotels were very good."
"I would describe Celtic Trails as fabulous - varied walks, excellent organisation. This walk improved my fitness and was very relaxing."