Back from your summer break and already dreaming of what comes next?
We know the feeling. You return from one journey and, before long, you are looking at maps again, thinking about landscapes you have never walked through and wondering where you might go next. Perhaps in autumn, perhaps in winter, perhaps next spring.
Four new journeys have just joined the SloWays collection, taking us from hidden Alpine valleys to an ancient Norwegian pilgrimage route, and from the volcanic landscapes of Cape Verde to Athens and the island of Aegina.
There is a particular pleasure in walking somewhere that rarely appears on the classic Italian itinerary. Val Chisone and Val Germanasca offer a quieter side of Piedmont — and the terrain rewards the effort:
Wide ridgelines with views stretching towards France
Chestnut forests and stone villages that feel genuinely off the beaten path
Ancient paths through the historic heartland of the Waldensians
That last point is what makes this itinerary stand apart. The Waldensians are one of Europe's oldest Protestant communities, and their history of resilience and faith is woven into the landscape itself. You walk through villages where that heritage is still very much alive, past ancient temples and across paths that have been used for centuries. It adds a layer of meaning to the journey that you do not always find on more familiar routes.
It is a side of Italy that many travellers never encounter, far removed from the landscapes that usually dominate the image of the country abroad. As with all our self-guided itineraries, the practical side of the journey is taken care of, so you can focus entirely on the walking and the places it takes you through — though we always recommend checking the specific inclusions on the trip page, as they vary by route.
Discover Val Chisone and Val Germanasca
If you have already walked part of the Camino de Santiago, you may have wondered what other great pilgrimage routes Europe has to offer. Where can you find that same combination of walking day after day, historical depth and a destination that has drawn pilgrims for centuries?
The St. Olav Way is one of the most compelling answers to that question. Stretching across Norway to the medieval cathedral city of Trondheim, this ancient pilgrimage route follows in the footsteps of travellers who made the journey to the shrine of St Olav — Norway's patron saint and one of the central figures in the country's Christian history. It is one of Scandinavia's oldest routes, and one that sees considerably fewer walkers than the famous Spanish caminos.
Norway does not offer the rolling hills and vine-covered countryside of southern Europe. What it offers instead is something altogether different:
Vast forests of pine and birch stretching for miles in near-silence
Wide river valleys and open farmland reaching towards distant mountains
A quality of light that changes constantly and dramatically, especially in the long days of late spring and early summer
It is a landscape with a very different rhythm from the pilgrimage routes of southern Europe, with long stretches of quiet that become part of the experience.
Depending on which section you walk, you might follow ancient cobbled paths through forested hills, cross wooden bridges over fast-moving rivers, or pass through small Norwegian towns where medieval churches still stand at the centre of village life. After days on the trail, arriving at Nidaros Cathedral on foot gives the destination a significance that is difficult to experience in quite the same way when simply arriving in Trondheim. It is the kind of ending that stays with you.
The route suits travellers who are ready for something quieter and more contemplative than the paths they may have walked before — a pilgrimage in the fuller sense of the word.
By November, when the days are getting shorter and many European trails are heading into winter, the idea of walking somewhere warm becomes particularly tempting. Cape Verde offers a rather convincing answer.
The archipelago sits in the Atlantic, just off the coast of West Africa, and it enjoys warm temperatures and consistent sunshine through the colder months. But the climate is only part of the appeal. The landscape of Santo Antão — Cape Verde's great walking island — is something quite unlike the walking most European travellers are used to.
Our new Cape Verde Coastal Hike begins on São Vicente, where the port city of Mindelo provides a natural introduction to Cape Verdean culture:
Colourful colonial architecture and lively street markets
Morna music drifting from open doorways — the archipelago's soulful, melancholic soundtrack
Volcanic landscapes to explore before crossing by ferry to Santo Antão
On Santo Antão, the landscape shifts completely. Deep valleys drop sharply from volcanic ridgelines to the sea, their steep sides covered in terraced fields of coffee, sugar cane, banana trees and tropical fruit. Mountain paths open onto wide Atlantic views. Remote fishing villages cling to the coastline where the sea meets dark volcanic rock. The scale of it takes a little getting used to.
Over eight days, you walk through the Paul Valley and the Ribeira da Torre, discover the village of Fontainhas perched improbably above the wild coast, and follow the coastal path from Cruzinha towards Ponta do Sol.
The trip is available all year round, with the drier months generally offering more settled conditions for walking — check the trip page for the seasonal details specific to this itinerary.
Discover the Cape Verde Coastal Hike: Sao Vicente and Santo Antao
Not every great journey needs to last two weeks. A short trip can still have the rhythm of a journey, especially when you explore a place on foot.
Our new Athens and Aegina short break is built around exactly that idea.
Athens is particularly rewarding on foot because its different layers sit remarkably close together. The Acropolis may be the obvious landmark, but walking between Monastiraki, Plaka, Koukaki and Filopappou Hill reveals how naturally the ancient and contemporary city overlap — the view from the hill at dusk, with the city spreading out in every direction, is one of those moments that tends to catch people off guard.
The island sits just an hour from Piraeus in the Saronic Gulf. What you find there is a marked contrast to the city:
Pine-covered hills and pistachio groves
Quiet fishing villages and a coastline that feels markedly quieter after Athens
The Temple of Aphaia — remarkably well-preserved, standing on a hilltop with views stretching to the Peloponnese and back towards the city
Walking to the temple through the pines is one of those small, uncomplicated pleasures that stays with you long after you get home.
Spring and autumn tend to work particularly well for this itinerary, with October offering warm temperatures and clear skies. But it is a trip that works across a long season, making it easy to plan around a busy calendar.
It is a short break that has the feel of a proper journey.
Four new journeys, and four very different possibilities for what comes after summer: the quiet valleys of Piedmont, an ancient pilgrimage through Norway, volcanic landscapes and winter sunshine in Cape Verde, or a few days walking between Athens and Aegina.
Your next journey may be closer than you think — or perhaps somewhere you had never considered walking before.
As always, we take care of the practical side of the journey, from carefully selected accommodation to the route information and support you need along the way. The exact services vary by itinerary, so you can find all the details on each trip page.
If you are not sure which journey suits you best, write to us at info@sloways.eu or give us a call. We are always happy to help you find the right fit.
Written by the SloWays Team
Nominee Best Specialist Tour Operator 2025
Touroperating
S-Cape Countryside Travels srl
Borgo Allegri 16R
50122 Firenze FI
P. IVA 05227330486
