Berkeley, CA
Wilderness Travel, a leader in small-group adventures, is inviting travelers to explore Europe’s most captivating corners with an amazing line-up of brand-new itineraries for 2026. This collection brings together remote mountain ranges, hidden coastlines, and vibrant cultures across the continent — crafted with the expert guiding, authentic experiences, and boutique accommodations that define every Wilderness Travel journey.
Mediterranean Marvels
From Crete’s rugged canyons to Sicily’s volcanic peaks, Wilderness Travel’s new southern Europe adventures celebrate this region’s many natural and cultural riches.
Hidden Treasures of Crete is an 11-day Mediterranean journey that uncovers the island’s mythic past and wild interior — exploring high mountains with sweeping sea views, ancient footpaths, tiny villages full of character, and spectacular seaside gorges. As one of the most history-rich islands in the world, with a Minoan civilization dating to 2,000 BC, the cultural tapestry here is like no other and WT’s Trip Leaders know all the secret spots.
Looking west from Crete to Sicily’s northeast coast, you’ll find the seven Aeolian Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site named for Aeolus, Greek god of the winds. It’s also the setting for WT’s nine-day Volcano Trails of the Aeolian Islands & Sicily tour, a spectacular hiking trip that combines volcano hikes and coastal walks with Old World cuisine.
The company’s brand-new nine-day Ultimate Corsica adventure, an insider’s journey through France’s “mountain in the sea,” takes travelers along sections of the GR20, a 112-mile hiking trail across the island’s rugged interior and one of the most challenging multi-day mountain trails in all of Europe. As part of this itinerary, WT combines this world-class hiking with various multi-sport opportunities, including cycling, kayaking, and canyoneering— giving travelers an opportunity to see the island from many different perspectives.
Northern Adventures
In Europe’s northern reaches, the company’s new 13-day Coastal Walks in Denmark & Sweden trip is a lovely walking adventure that explores medieval towns, a stunning Viking heritage, nature reserves, and long, sandy beaches below towering cliffs.
The journey includes Roskilde’s 11th century Viking ships, the 18th century lanes of charming Aero Island, spectacular Møns Klint, and medieval Visby, before wrapping up in Gotland.
Further east, history and heritage take center stage on the brand-new Exploring the Pearls of the Baltics walking trip, a 13-day itinerary that journeys through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — revealing cobblestone capitals, coastal national parks, and a tapestry of Baltic traditions. Largely untrodden by most travelers, each of these three European gems offer charming medieval villages, hilltop castles, biologically diverse national parks, and a warm welcome.
The U.K.’s northern islands are also rich in culture and heritage and on the new 10-day Hiking Scotland’s Northern Isles: Orkney & Shetland tour, travelers will explore these islands’ wild trails and natural treasures along coastal walks and across moorlands.
This is a world of ancient stone circles, iconic sea stacks, seabird colonies, and wild coastal headlands at Europe’s northern edge.
Central Europe’s Trails & Traditions
For those drawn to the heart of the continent, the 10-day Hiking the Carpathians: Budapest to Kraków adventure invites travelers to a region steeped in folklore and history, crossing Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland by foot through the great Carpathian range, Europe’s second largest mountain chain after the Alps.
Starting in Hungary, hiking through limestone mountains and rich beech forests, the trip then crosses the border into Slovakia on foot. It goes on to explore a UNESCO-listed cave system as the group makes its way to Poland along the alpine terrain of the High Tatras, the highest part of the Carpathians, with spiked, snow-dusted peaks that form a natural wall between the two countries. The trip ends in Kraków, one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the world.
“With this new collection, we’ve curated experiences that showcase Europe’s immense variety – from quiet countryside trails to dramatic island landscapes,” says Scott Abbott, Managing Director of Wilderness Travel. “These are places where you can still feel a sense of discovery – where culture, cuisine, and natural beauty intersect in unforgettable ways.”
To view Wilderness Travel’s full catalogue of award-winning adventures, please visit WildernessTravel.com.
