The Story in Pictures
In central Switzerland, the village of Stans pairs an old wooden funicular with a double-decker cable car that includes a spiral staircase and an open upper viewing deck. Visitors who reach the summit report broad views back toward Lucerne, sightings of alpine marmots and even the odd wedding ceremony taking place at the top.
Liechtenstein’s Route 66 was praised for its mix of wildlife and hospitality. The multi-day trek crosses the Drei Schwestern, with steep ridgelines and deep valleys, and reaches the first mountain hut after roughly 5km, where walkers share a homemade three-course dinner and evenings of cards while the mountains glow at golden hour.
Readers pointed to Luz Saint Sauveur in the French Pyrenees as a market town gateway to dramatic cols and canyons, where local saucisson and jurançon white wine are part of the appeal. For those seeking solitude away from Alpine crowds, north-west Donegal was recommended, with Muckish and the Poisoned Glen offering coastal scenery, quiet roads through Glenveagh national park and pubs that reward a day of walking.
The Brenta Dolomites drew attention as a quieter alternative to the better-known Dolomite circuits. Based in Pinzolo, readers embarked on hut-to-hut treks, tackled via ferrata routes and singled out Rifugio Agostini for its warm welcome and mountain cuisine, before descending to Molveno for an aperitivo by the lake.
Contributors also described mountain days in Kosovo, driving through the Zhupa valley toward Prevallë and tackling strenuous climbs in the Sharr mountains national park, then refuelling at Hotel Krojet with coffee and a glass of raki. Around Lake Como, the long-distance Via dei Monti Lariani follows 125km of trails between Cernobbio and Sorico, passing pastures and border villages where agriturismi serve polenta uncia and pizzoccheri.
Across these reports the pattern is consistent: readers prize routes that combine open views, small-scale hospitality and regional food, often on trails that avoid the social media crowds. The selection underscores an appetite for trips that trade peak-list ticking for slower, sensory travel.
Readers are invited to send their own tips; organisers are specifically seeking a Germany trip recommendation, with the best tip winning a £200 holiday voucher for a Coolstays break.
