Where to go in Europe?!

My answer to your question is biased because I wouldn’t go just for hiking so there would have to be more.

1. Slovenia (Velika Planina/Logar Valley/Jezersko): Slovenia has just never excited me so I have never been. So I cant be fair. Getting to Slovenia generally isn’t easy so that’s a negative. Other than the hiking there is Ljubljana but that’s about it.
   
2. Greece (Zagori/Pindos NP): Don’t know the region at all, so no comment. I would check the access in and out.
   
3. Slovakia (High Tatras): Beautiful area. But you really need to rent a car to get around. I could be pretty okay with it but only because I know some interesting towns for other than just hiking.
   
4. France (Chamonix): Out of my budget.
   
5. Albania (Valbone river valley) Including the hike to Theth gets a 10 out of 10 from me. Especially if you throw in the Koman Lake Ferry. A bit cooler due to the elevation. https://youtube.com/shorts/AmMcvx_wl5I?si=097bulVbKECtWER- AND https://youtube.com/shorts/0mFYf2-iaXE?si=zisDggqFSNsiNOa2 AND https://youtube.com/shorts/Ah0ciH1n0Y4?si=oE_IQgJBNiustGEb
6. Montenegro (in and around the Tara River Canyon). Yes, I would do the hike to the bottom and the zip lines over and maybe rafting would be refreshing in August. But at least the elevation would be a bit cooler. https://youtube.com/shorts/8WkgyQHtGtA?si=BQRxV8gtjhNbqZFC AND https://youtube.com/shorts/CDeWHztZVW0?si=qNsxjOtIzpjiCN-a
   

If number 5 or 6 interest you, I have some contacts on the subject.

We don't travel to Europe to hike, but we have enjoyed scenic places in Europe. All the countries you listed are great, but. you might consider going farther north in August.

Consider:
1) Great Britain. Hike Hadrian's wall from coast to coast. Also, the Lake District is very scenic as well as Cornwall at the SW tip of England.
2) Ireland. The west coast of Ireland is amazing and very scenic. The Cliffs of Moher and Dingle Peninsula are great.
3) Portugal, the Douro River Valley

Great Britan especially good if you have a Fly Rod

We like day hikes, riding bikes, fly fishing and beautiful scenery. We like quieter areas

I would pick
5) Sweden
6) Norway.

Hi, Katie, I think what most folks below are trying to tell you is that in August it will get very hot in a lot of Europe. That's definitely something to think about when you're planning your travels, especially as the places you have listed are all more to the south of Europe, especially Greece.

I agree that Scandinavia is very beautiful and has some wonderful hikes available (and also Iceland), but that area is one of the most expensive places in Europe, so there is that to think about. Northern Germany would also be a good possibility. The Harz Mountains area is lovely with some wonderful hikes or the Black Forest. North Rhine-Westphalia is known for its biking, and the countryside is really lovely. As mentioned below, the UK and Scotland, especially, would be a wonderful place to go. You can hike galore all over the place and see some incredible scenery there, and it definitely would be cooler.

If you're definitely set on one of the four you listed, I would take Greece off the list because it would be the hottest place there.

Mardee, most of the folks are above. And I am from South Texas where 105F wasnt uncommon, I never thought that it might be too hot in mountains of Slovakia or Slovenia or Albania in August ... possible I guess. Depends o what is "too hot".

Where are you coming from?
I do hiking trips—there is still plenty of opportunity for cultural immersion, after all, one does not hike all day and night! However, five days is what it is— I’d go to the place that will give me the most time on the ground. Scope out your flight options and post back for feedback, good luck!

Edinburgh or Glasgow, Scotland. Two great larger cities near lochs and moors for hiking - fly fishing is probably pretty decent too, although I have no experience. Even just within Edinburgh there is Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat hikes. Edinburgh will be busy with the festivals and accommodation may be hard to find on a tight budget, so Glasgow comes to mind. You could hire a day tour company for walks/hikes in the Cairngorms or Trossachs

https://www.google.com/search?q=cairngorms+national+park&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

https://www.google.com/search?q=trossachs+national+park&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

To add more info. I was awarded a Mediterranean cruise from work in and out of Athens. After the cruise we would like to plan a week somewhere in Europe at the beginning of August. For our oversea trips we normally plan 2-3 weeks so this short trip is out of the norm for us but I can’t complain! I am wanting to go somewhere that has direct flights from Athens and isn’t too far away from the airport. With limited time I want to make the most of it and not spend hours driving (unless it’s a pretty drive with stops along the way). I want to save Norway, Iceland and Ireland for when we can do a 2-3 week trip.

Direct flights from Athens opens it up a lot—you can search for all direct flights from there and see options.
If the heat is not an issue for you, there are flights to Ioannina. Not sure how much that would eat into your overall travel time.

To see direct flights from Athens, you can go to skyscanner and choose Athens to ”Explore Everywhere” on the date you want to depart and select ” Direct Flights.”.

I’d start figuring out what the flight options are since Athens is a constraint.

Do you have to return to Athens for your flight home?

Staying in Greece seems the obvious choice to me unless you can get decent non-stop flights to one of your other choices.

You are now making perfect sense. The direct flights to Slovenia (2:05, $150 and up) is twice a week I think. Same days as the direct flight to Podgorica, Montenegro; but Podgorica (1:50, $150) I know how to get you up to the Tara River Canyon with some pretty interesting and beautiful sights along the way. Later I will add the videos below (i am in a wine bar now).

The nonstop to Tirana, Albania is every day and shorter flight time than the one to Podgorica (1:25, $60 and up). The Albanian Alps are magnificent and the journey to Valbona is one you will never forget.

August August temps
Valbona 72F
Zabljak (Tara River Canyon) 77F

I have been using the direct flight map on Athens airport website 😊. That’s how I came up with my first initial 4 options. I can fly back home from anywhere so that is not an issues. I wouldn’t mind staying in Greece but also don’t want to be limited on hiking if it’s too hot. I am from central North Carolina and it gets very hot and humid here in the summer so I am “use” to it but doesn’t mean I enjoy it!

The Albania Valbona to Theth trail loop with ferry ride was the first thing I discovered when looking for places to go. It’s 100 % something we would normally do and love but then I talked my self out of it with all the traveling it takes with our limited time. Also wasn’t sure about spending extra nights in Theth and Valbona and not having luggage as it seems most leave it in Shkoder. However I can be convinced otherwise!

I'm going to second the Harz Mountains area of Germany. It's on my list, so I can't add specifics. Another one on my list is the Wachau Valley, probably best seen via rental car from Vienna. One I have been to and highly recommend is the Mosel Valley. Rent a car from Frankfurt Airport, which has lots of options for getting home (including direct flights to Charlotte and RDU). Drive along the Rhine (RS has an audio guide for this, not GPS-linked, as far as I could tell, but still interesting), cross over at or before Koblenz and then along the Mosel. This area is well covered by RS guide and this site/forum. The Mosel Valley offers hiking, biking and beautiful scenery along well maintained roads. I don't know about fly fishing, but a quick google suggests Kyllburg is a good place for it. Also, castles galore all along the way. Five days is perfect for this area.
Whatever you choose, have a great trip!

So, you depart Athens at 08:40 and thanks to the time change you arrive at 08:55.

Then the driver i found for you takes you to Theth. About 2 5 hours. There are some facinating stops along the way so you arrive about 16:00. Relax at the resort.

Next morning you head out on your walk to Valbona (day 2). You reach Valbona that night. You stay at the lodge.

The next morning (day 3) a driver takes you up river to another hotel on the river. You go hiking and exploring and swimming in the most beautiful world.

Following day (day 4) is the Ferry up river then a transfer towards Tirana through and stopping in Kosovo.

Day 5 depart Tirana for Athens.

Your luggage, your driver had it.

Now, given more time and thought maybe a few changes.

The Moseley Valley is a good idea too ... and there is a KFC in Bitburg.

PLAN B puts you in the Hotel Sokoline for a night after landing and seeing the Ostrog Monastery. Then 3 nights in the Motel Tara MB on the edge of the deepest canyon in Europe. 2 days of hiking tge canyon ... maybe with a guide, and one day rafting and zip lining over tge canyon before heading back to the airport.

Mardee, most of the folks are above.

😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 Yes, indeed they are, Mr. E. I must have been standing on my head when I keyed that in.

My dear sweet, brilliant friend, the only way we see eye to eye is inverted

Mr. E can you send the info on getting to the Tara River Canyon and the driver info for Theth/Valbona? Thanks!

I will send you a PM

One comment about the high Tatras, a great base for that, where you won’t need a car, is Zakopane, Poland, two hours or so south of Krakow by bus, close to the Slovakian border.

The world is full of great places for hiking, its the logistics that get "interesting". Zakopane is a great example. I dont know if any trails begin in the city (?). So you probably gotta get to the national park down on the border. Same issue if you were stayin in Slovakia. Then you gotta figure out how to get home again. Lots of resources for all of this on the internet. Just requires some homework and some pricing out to see if it works for you.

Here is another top vote getter from me: https://www.sateless-suitcase.com/2019/06/day-hikes-in-montenegro/ then scroll down to The Bay of Kotor from above. I mean this aint too shabby, right? https://www.sateless-suitcase.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Hiking-tips-Montenegro_7.jpg I never was a hard-core hiker and now, well, age takes its toll. But with Kotor at the bottom and my favorite prosciutto curing house at the top, what could go wrong. I would get a ride to the top (I sent you that contact) then hike down. Why? Cause I am an old'er fart. Then dive in the bay ... or maybe take a boat out to the caves and swim there.

The problem here is the same as Slovenia in that the day of the week that your cruise ends has to line up with the day of the week for the flight to Podgorica. That would be Tuesday or Saturday evening.

OR!!

You fly into Dubrovnik cause there are morning non-stop fights every day and then you fly home out of Podgorica (no back tracking). Or you do that in reverse if it lines up better.

From or to Dubrovnik - Kotor is a 3-hour drive with some great stops along the way.

Okay, logistically Albania works a bit better and man for that ferry ride upriver and the hotel on the banks of the river and ….. hard to decide.

I will be in Montenegro in June. I already bought those tickets. Then I have plans to go to Odesa in July but after you bringing up so many good memories Albania is becoming hard to say no to. Maybe Odesa waits until Fall?