{"id":47896,"date":"2021-12-16T13:32:20","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T02:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=47896"},"modified":"2025-04-02T21:36:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T10:36:33","slug":"why-do-a-guided-walking-tour-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/why-do-a-guided-walking-tour-in-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Why you should do a guided walking tour in Europe (something I learned the hard way)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>If you were planning to take on one of the famous Great Walks of Europe, would you haphazardly pack, head on your way, and basically just wing it? Of course, you wouldn\u2019t. You\u2019re smart.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t your hiking pro\u2019s guide to hitting the trails. This is an account of three idiots who thought they\u2019d try something \u2018outdoorsy\u2019 to balance out all their inevitable overeating and drinking on a seven-week <a href=\"\/europe\">Europe trip.<\/a> Sometimes, winging it is okay. And sometimes, you should leave it to the experts.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"product_wrapper ipf-no-title\"><div class=\"product\" style=\"width:33.333333333333%;\" data-code=\"ERXL\"><div class=\"product-inner\"><div class=\"product-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/ipf\/ERXL.jpg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/erxl\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-name\">Walk the highlights of the Lycian Way<\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-footer\"><div class=\"product-footer-left\"><span class=\"product-days\">8 days<\/span><\/div><div class=\"product-footer-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/erxl\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-btn\">View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"product\" style=\"width:33.333333333333%;\" data-code=\"ZMXH\"><div class=\"product-inner\"><div class=\"product-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/ipf\/ZMXH.jpg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zmxh\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-name\">Hiking the Balkans: Via Dinarica<\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-footer\"><div class=\"product-footer-left\"><span class=\"product-days\">11 days<\/span><\/div><div class=\"product-footer-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zmxh\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-btn\">View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"product\" style=\"width:33.333333333333%;\" data-code=\"BMXH\"><div class=\"product-inner\"><div class=\"product-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/ipf\/BMXH.jpg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/bmxh\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-name\">Walk Hadrian's Wall Highlights<\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-footer\"><div class=\"product-footer-left\"><span class=\"product-days\">7 days<\/span><\/div><div class=\"product-footer-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/bmxh\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-btn\">View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Large luggage, little laneways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If my friends and I had booked a guided walking tour when we visited <a href=\"\/italy\">Italy&#8217;s<\/a> Cinque Terre \u2013 the five historic seaside villages perched above the Italian Riviera \u2013 there\u2019s a good chance we\u2019d have been advised to pack more appropriately. Hauling our giant wheely suitcases across ancient cobblestones, along steep, winding laneways, and up approximately 12 flights of stairs from the station to our cliffside accommodation was a confronting start to the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you do a guided Great Walk of Europe like the <a href=\"\/portugal\/camino-from-porto\">Portuguese Camino tour<\/a>, your luggage is transported between stops. Instead, we were doomed to almost dying of exhaustion each time we moved to a new town during our holiday. As we looked around and saw just about every other traveller with a sensible backpack, it was clear: we really didn\u2019t get the memo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peregrine-Adventures-italy_cinque-terre_boats-harbour-town.jpg\" alt=\"Cinque Terre town\" class=\"wp-image-47907\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peregrine-Adventures-italy_cinque-terre_boats-harbour-town.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peregrine-Adventures-italy_cinque-terre_boats-harbour-town-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peregrine-Adventures-italy_cinque-terre_boats-harbour-town-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peregrine-Adventures-italy_cinque-terre_boats-harbour-town-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that trail closures are a common occurrence in Cinque Terre? We didn\u2019t. Landslides, dodgy weather, and upgrades and repairs can mean sections are closed for months or even years at a time. Of course, if we\u2019d been booked on a guided tour, our leader would have shared that kind of useful info and suggested other routes we could take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, our approach involved spotting a scenic boardwalk from a distance and deciding it looked right up our alley (read: easy). Grabbing a takeaway coffee to enjoy along the way, plus one bottle of water between the three of us, we set off, excited to enjoy the gentle stroll along the beautiful La via dell\u2019Amore to Manarola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Except that didn\u2019t happen. Because \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 the route was closed. So, we came up with plan B. Following signs for an alternative path to Manarola, we started up what increasingly revealed itself to be a very steep hill climb. No turning back now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/cinque-terre-landscape-credit-Lani-Thorpe.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/cinque-terre-landscape-credit-Lani-Thorpe.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/cinque-terre-landscape-credit-Lani-Thorpe-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/cinque-terre-landscape-credit-Lani-Thorpe-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/cinque-terre-landscape-credit-Lani-Thorpe-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image Credit: Lani Thorpe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does it even need to be said? Bring water. Lots of water.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s how I ended up trekking up a hill in the heat of the June sun with nothing but the milky dregs of a coffee to keep me hydrated. I might also take this moment to mention the highly impractical cheap canvas sneakers I\u2019d chosen to wear, which, as we began to ascend the mountainside\u2019s steep steps and gravelly paths, provided no grip whatsoever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Intrepid\u2019s Hike the Rota Vicentina in Portugal tour, travellers are advised they\u2019ll be passing through remote and undeveloped parts of the landscape and need to bring a day pack to carry enough water and snacks for each day. They\u2019re also told to wear the right shoes. Just imagine having that kind of foresight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/europe\/walking\">Check out Intrepid&#8217;s range of Europe Walking and Trekking trips<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/hiking-cinque-terre-credit-Lani-Thorpe.jpg\" alt=\"Hot hikers\" class=\"wp-image-47911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/hiking-cinque-terre-credit-Lani-Thorpe.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/hiking-cinque-terre-credit-Lani-Thorpe-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/hiking-cinque-terre-credit-Lani-Thorpe-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/hiking-cinque-terre-credit-Lani-Thorpe-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Turns out it\u2019s hard to grab onto the railing for support when you only have one free hand. There I was, looking like a misplaced Melbourne poser with my empty coffee cup and not a bin in sight. While my friends and I rationed sips from our one bottle of water, we couldn\u2019t help but exchange wistful \u2018if only someone had prepared us correctly\u2019 looks, as we staved off heat exhaustion under a tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-Turkey_Kayakoy_800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Sunset along the Lycian Way\" class=\"wp-image-47905\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-Turkey_Kayakoy_800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-Turkey_Kayakoy_800x450-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-Turkey_Kayakoy_800x450-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-Turkey_Kayakoy_800x450-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When you hike popular trails in Europe like the Cinque Terre or the Lycian Way with a guide, you often set off early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the heat. Not in the middle of the day when it\u2019s \u2018nice and sunny\u2019. Lesson learned. Not surprisingly, we never even made it to Manarola that day. Let\u2019s just say the combination of the rocky downhill route, the searing heat, our jelly legs and crappy shoes meant we took the easier option of simply turning back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But let me tell you, there\u2019s nothing quite as motivating as extreme thirst. I\u2019ll never forget the sweet relief of making it back to the local store and literally running to the drinks fridge to power-chug whatever icy-cold beverage I could get my hands on. I imagine what the polite woman who served us thought as she observed our sweaty red faces and delirious expressions was something along the lines of \u201cStupidi turisti!\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A little knowledge goes a long way<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m happy to say we did finally tick off a proper Cinque Terre walk before we left the region. After chatting to some helpful fellow travellers, we found out we could jump on board the Cinque Terre Express, a train that stops at each of the five villages,and start a walk from further along the trail. That took us to Corniglia, where we set out on the 1.5hr walk to Vernazza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Better prepared this time with plenty of water, we were awed by ridiculously picture-perfect views along the way. It definitely wasn\u2019t an easy walk but even for non-hikers like us, it was doable. And we felt fully justified gorging on massive bowls of pasta in a Vernazza trattoria as a reward for all that walking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I probably owe Cinque Terre a redo. But if I ever have visions of hiking another one of the Great Walks of Europe, I\u2019m going to take a moment and get real with myself. I\u2019m booking a group tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"ipf-title\">Enjoy the trails of Europe on a small group adventure<\/h2><div class=\"product_wrapper ipf-has-title\"><div class=\"product\" style=\"width:33.333333333333%;\" data-code=\"ZMXG\"><div class=\"product-inner\"><div class=\"product-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/ipf\/ZMXG.jpg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zmxg\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-name\">Portuguese Camino<\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-footer\"><div class=\"product-footer-left\"><span class=\"product-days\">10 days<\/span><\/div><div class=\"product-footer-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zmxg\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-btn\">View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"product\" style=\"width:33.333333333333%;\" data-code=\"ZFXM\"><div class=\"product-inner\"><div class=\"product-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/ipf\/ZFXM.jpg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zfxm\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-name\">Mont Blanc Highlights\t\t<\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-footer\"><div class=\"product-footer-left\"><span class=\"product-days\">8 days<\/span><\/div><div class=\"product-footer-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zfxm\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-btn\">View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"product\" style=\"width:33.333333333333%;\" data-code=\"ZMXI\"><div class=\"product-inner\"><div class=\"product-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/ipf\/ZMXI.jpg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zmxi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-name\">Hiking in the Dolomites<\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-footer\"><div class=\"product-footer-left\"><span class=\"product-days\">8 days<\/span><\/div><div class=\"product-footer-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/trips\/zmxi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"product-btn\">View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you were planning to take on one of Europe\u2019s famous Great Walks, would you haphazardly pack, head on your way, and basically just wing it? Of course you wouldn\u2019t. You\u2019re smart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16240,"featured_media":47901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1408,455,286],"tags":[684,46,1107,19,229,473],"class_list":["post-47896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-feature","category-stories","tag-advice","tag-europe","tag-hiking","tag-italy","tag-portugal","tag-walking","ipf_theme-active-adventures","ipf_theme-walking-trekking","ipf_region-italy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.3.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why You Should Do a Guided Walking Tour in Europe | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you&#039;re planning on doing one of the Great Walks of Europe, you should probably book a guided tour. It&#039;s something I learned the hard way.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/why-do-a-guided-walking-tour-in-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Great Walks of Europe: Why you should do a guided tour\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you&#039;re planning on doing one of the Great Walks of Europe, you should probably book a guided tour. Something I learned the hard way.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/why-do-a-guided-walking-tour-in-europe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Good Times by Intrepid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intrepidtravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-12-16T02:32:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-02T10:36:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peregrine-Adventures-italy_cinque-terre_woman-walking-village.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lani Thorpe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Great Walks of Europe: Why you should do a guided tour\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"If you&#039;re planning on doing one of the Great Walks of Europe, you should probably book a guided tour. 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