Hello! My daughter and her boyfriend will be finishing their freshman year of college and have decided they want to take on a European hiking trip this summer after getting a travel voucher due to their flight from Germany being cancelled earlier this month. We've been to Europe several times, but it's always to the touristy spots on the well-beaten path. They want to spend 7-10 days hiking in the mountains. As her mom, I want to feel comfortable with the safety of the area, but I support their desire to go have an authentic backpacking experience.
We were thinking Austria or northern Italy, but I'm not sure if there is somewhere out there that would provide beautiful scenery with a lower cost. It should be somewhere that is reachable via public transportation as I'm not sure if a 19 and 20 yr old can rent a car. They are open to having a base with several day hikes for 5 days and then moving to another base for the rest of the trip, or just staying in the same spot for the entire time. We would love some suggestions to research this coming week as she is home on break! Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16190 posts
Either Austria or the Dolomites would be less expensive than Switzerland. Check out the Zillertal in Austria:
https://www.zillertal.at/en/tips/summer.html
And the Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi for the Dolomites.
There are hut-to-hut routes in both areas if they want to consider that.
Slovenia might be cheaper but the logistics of getting around are not as easy. The Austrian Zillertal and Val Gardena are both well-served by public transport.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10176 posts
Here is the link for Val de Gardena. https://www.valgardena.it/en/
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8938 posts
Have they looked at hiking part of the Camino Frances or the Portuguese Camino? Cheap and satisfies backpacking desires and great scenery.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16190 posts
Thanks, Bets! I was on a bus and could not find that link.
Posted by
Berlin, Germany
37 posts
The mountain huts and related infrastructure (trail systems, etc.) maintained by the German / Austrian Alpenverein provide a very traditional and unbelievably inexpensive experience especially for kids that age. You can immerse yourself in the hiking culture and go hut-to-hut for days and this can be an incredibly unique experience.
First step: They could join a branch of the German Alpenverein (DAV) to get great membership benefits (discounts on overnight accommodation, even travel / accident insurance). Or there is a branch of the Austrian Alpine Club based in the UK (google AACUK) where you can find everything you need in English.
I recommend a copy of the book Walking Austria's Alps: Hut to Hut by Jonathan Hurdle — all the info you’ll need is in one place. I found it back in 2008 when I too had a 7 to 10 day window to do some hiking and my trip into the Karwendel mountains was a life-changer.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
Best advice, don't plan to start hiking before July - or at least plan low altitude hikes. The best hiking is generally between mid July and early September unless an occasional snowstorm covers the trails. Even in summer, be ready for a sudden change of weather (at least carry warm and waterproof layers).
I was last in the Alps in mid September and planned some hikes. A good early season dump, however, covered/closed everything higher up. Fortunately, I had already looked at lower altitude options so I was still able to hike without losing time to finding alternatives.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
I would highly recommend the Dolomites for a first hut-to-hut hiking experience. They are less expensive than Switzerland or Austria and the scenery really can't be beat. One piece of advice is to join the Club Alpino Italiano - you get discounts in the refugios and they actually set aside beds for members. They will need to reserve ahead of time. Good hiking starts in July when the snow is usually gone but this varies seasonally. Most of the refugios are open the last week of June or the first week of July depending. If they chose this then they can easily take public transportation up to a starting point - there are may - and then plot our a route, making reservations. There are lots of FB pages dedicated to various routes there and guidebooks are easily found on Amazon. An easy place to get to, to start, would be the Alpe de Suisi / Seiser Alm. It's simple to get to the town of Ortisei, take the gondola up, and then go from there. Just spectacular scenery!
Posted by
Maryland
855 posts
Buy them Gillian Price's Trekking Guide to the Dolomites, which is, of course, available on Amazon as a kindle book. I used it a lot (in the summer). I am currently in the Dolomites for skiing. It is 18 Euro/pp for the Cortina Express bus from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Cortina d'Ampezzo. 10 Euro on the Cortina express to get to Corvara. From there almost all hotels/B&B's give out free bus passes to guests which will take you all over the South Tirol, and back to the train line in Bolzano. Bolzano to Verona to Venice. Bolzano is also the entry to the western Dolomites adjacent to Switzerland.
Note the section about getting about without a car.
The Zillertal region of Austria is also excellent from my experience.
Second Note: Communications. For the first time (for me) there is a shop window in Marco Polo Airport adjacent to the public transport ones labeled "SIMS for Tourists" Never leave your unlocked cell phone home!
Posted by
7642 posts
more than 30 years ago, I did, with my teen age children a wonderful two day hike up to the top of the Zugspitze from Garmisch, Germany. It was fantastic.
We stayed in a hut overnight and slept like a baby.
Posted by
Grand Rapids, MI
768 posts
If they want lower cost and great hikes and they are willing to camp, then Lauterbrunnen is it.
At www.campingjungfrau.swiss if you come in with a tent in your backpack ( 2 person tent, for example) you can camp in their field for about $15 a night. Don't even need a reservation. (They could also rent a trailer for about $100 a night with reservation.) There's also a kitchen there they can use. I know, I've done it several times with my teens. To see the dozen hikes that my kids loved and came back to as adults, go to www.lauterbrunnenhiking.wordpress.com
Switzerland is very safe. Murren (up above Lauterbrunnen) doesn't even have any police.