Many travellers associate walking holidays in coastal and Mediterranean Europe with spring and summer, but selected routes remain available well beyond peak season. The four itineraries below extend the walking season into autumn and winter: some are ideal for an October or November departure, while others remain open right through January and February.
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When: Year-round, including January and February Duration: 9 days / 8 nights Distance: 139 km From: €685 per person
The Algarve has a reputation built almost entirely on its southern coast: golf resorts, packed beaches, package holidays. The Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail runs along the western coast instead, through the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, and it has almost nothing in common with that image.
Here, the Atlantic is genuinely wild. The path crosses sand dunes, clifftop tracks and stretches of Mediterranean scrubland, passing lighthouses and rocky coves where storks nest in the cliffs. Villages are small and unhurried. The local iced coffee is one of those small pleasures that stays with you.
Outside the summer months, the western coast takes on a quieter character. The route finishes at Cabo de São Vicente, the south-westernmost point of continental Europe. It is a good place to end a walk.
What to expect: Stages of 14 to 22 km, level 2 difficulty, on well-marked trails. Some sections on sandy terrain require more energy than the distance alone suggests. The trip is graded level 2 and is suitable for walkers with a reasonable level of fitness; some daily stages are long.
See the full Rota Vicentina itinerary and calculate your price
When: January to May, September to December Duration: 8 days / 7 nights Distance: 53 km From: €823 per person
Malta is one of those destinations people rarely think of for walking, which is precisely what makes it interesting. The Malta and Gozo Coastal Trail is designed specifically for the off-season: it runs September to May, avoiding the summer months when the heat would make coastal walking genuinely uncomfortable.
From mid-October to mid-May, the islands are green and lush. Fields fill with fennel, clover, myrtle and wild iris. The paths along the limestone cliffs are quiet. The light, especially in winter, has a quality that is hard to describe and easy to photograph.
The itinerary explores Malta and Gozo on foot, crossing dramatic clifftop paths, historic villages and some of the most striking coastline in the Mediterranean. The UNESCO World Heritage megalithic temples at Hagar Qim, built between 3600 and 3200 BC, sit directly on the route. Comino, the small car-free island between Malta and Gozo, features among the walking options on day 7.
What to expect: 53 km over 6 walking days, level 2 difficulty. Stages range from 6.5 to 12.5 km, easy to moderate. Some short sections involve slippery terrain and steep ascents. Luggage transfer, transfers as described in the programme, medical and luggage insurance, and 24-hour support are all included.
See the full Malta and Gozo itinerary and calculate your price
When: March to July, September to November Duration: 8 days / 7 nights Distance: 76 km From: €671 per person
South of the Amalfi Coast, the Cilento has a character entirely of its own. The Cilento Coastal Walk runs through a national park and a stretch of southern Italy still far less familiar to international travellers.
The route runs from Sapri to the medieval hilltop village of Pisciotta, crossing fishing villages, olive groves and coves with water that turns a particular shade of turquoise in autumn light. The ancient Greek temples at Paestum, among the best-preserved in the world, are close enough for a visit on arrival or departure.
October and November bring a different rhythm to the Cilento coast: quieter villages, autumn light and a landscape of olive groves between the hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Along the way there are opportunities to try local food such as pizza, mozzarella and limoncello.
A note on season: Cilento operates through November and is the ideal autumn choice in this selection. It is not a winter itinerary.
What to expect: 76 km over 6 walking days, level 2 difficulty. Daily stages of 9 to 15 km. The route combines coastal paths with sections through olive groves and hilltop villages. Some terrain is rocky and exposed. Luggage transfer on selected stages, one dinner, medical and luggage insurance, and 24-hour support are included.
See the full Cilento itinerary and calculate your price
When: Year-round, including January and February Duration: 4 days / 3 nights Distance: 18 km From: €342 per person
A note on format: Aegina is a short break rather than a week-long walking holiday, making it particularly easy to fit into a few days away. It works as a standalone trip or as a natural extension of a stay in Athens.
Aegina sits in the Saronic Gulf, an hour by ferry from Piraeus. It is one of those places that most visitors to Athens never quite get around to, which is part of what makes it worth the crossing. The Aegina Short Break follows quiet island trails between fishing villages, olive groves, monasteries and ancient sites, with views across the sea to the mountains of the Peloponnese throughout.
The two walking days cover 18 km in total. Day 2 climbs from the fishing village of Perdika through a limestone landscape of chapels and old windmills to the beach at Marathonas, passing olive trees that are more than 500 years old. Day 3 crosses the heart of the island from the Monastery of Agios Nektarios to the seaside village of Agia Marina, passing the medieval hilltop settlement of Paleochora and the Temple of Aphaia, one of the finest surviving examples of Classical Greek architecture.
The island is available year-round, making Aegina one of the most flexible options in the SloWays programme for a short winter walking break.
What to expect: 18 km over 2 walking days, level 2 difficulty. Walks follow dirt roads and stony footpaths with some quiet paved sections. No technical hiking skills required. Included: 3 nights B&B, ferry tickets Piraeus-Aegina return, transfers on day 1 and day 4, and 24-hour support. Travel insurance is not included.
See the full Aegina itinerary and calculate your price
Four different options for walking beyond the summer season. Rota Vicentina offers long Atlantic stages along Portugal's western coast, available year-round. Malta and Gozo combine coastal walking with archaeology and a broad off-season window from September to May. Cilento brings together Tyrrhenian coastline, fishing villages and the landscape of southern Italy in autumn, running through November. Aegina is the most compact of the four: a Greek island short break available in any month, easily combined with Athens.
All four are available for autumn departures. Rota Vicentina, Malta and Gozo, and Aegina continue into winter. Cilento extends the Italian coastal season through November.
If you are not sure which suits you best, get in touch with the SloWays team and we will help you choose based on your dates, your fitness level, and what you are looking for. SloWays has been operating self-guided walking holidays for over twenty years.
Written by the SloWays Team
Nominee Best Specialist Tour Operator 2026
