Activities in Europe - things to do

Some holidays are made for putting your feet up. Others have you wondering whether you could squeeze in a bike ride, a paddleboard or a zipline before lunch.

Luckily, our summer holidays gives you plenty of opportunity to make the most of fresh air and freedom, at whatever pace suits you. 

Get on a bike. Take to the water. Try climbing. Head out for a run. It’s a holiday with more to try, more to do and more to say yes to. Isn't that a real breath of fresh air?

Cycling and e-biking

There’s more than one way to cover ground in the mountains.

In Selva, cycling comes with some fairly distracting scenery. Head off-road through the Puez-Odle Nature Park, take on local bike trails or stick to the road and soak up those unmistakable Dolomite views. Just don’t expect to get very far without stopping for a photo.

Saalbach Hinterglemm is a brilliant place to get out on a bike, with lift-assisted trails, downhill tracks, flow trails and cross-country routes all over the mountains. New to mountain biking? There are plenty of easier trails to ease you in. Already know your way around a bike park? You’ll have lots to get stuck into.

Over in Arinsal, things get a little more serious. Pal Arinsal Bike Park hosts a stage of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup each summer, so the trails here know a thing or two about mountain biking. If that sounds a bit full-on, no problem. Road cycling and gravel routes are a great way to explore more of Andorra’s mountain scenery at your own pace.

And then there’s Morzine, where bikes are just part of summer life. Hit the mountain bike trails, hire an e-bike and take things easy, or follow road routes that have featured in the Tour de France.

Watersports

Why settle for a lake view when you can get out on it? These ones are for getting involved in.

On Lake Garda, you can paddleboard along the shoreline, head out sailing or wait for the wind to pick up and give kitesurfing a go. It’s easy to start the day on the water and end it somewhere lakeside, wondering how you managed to fit quite so much in.

In Zell am See, Lake Zell sits beneath the mountains, so even a simple paddle comes with a pretty impressive backdrop. Try kayaking, windsurfing or paddleboarding, then cool off with a swim when you’re done.

Trail running

Like to run? Take your usual miles somewhere with a much better view. 

In Arinsal, trail running comes with forests, glacial valleys and high-altitude Pyrenean views. You can keep things relaxed on gentler mountain paths or pick a steeper route when you fancy testing your legs a little more.

Val di Fassa, near Canazei, is another great place to get some miles in. Choose an easier route for a scenic morning run or head higher into the mountains when you’re after more of a challenge. Either way, the scenery does a good job of distracting you from the hills.

Then there’s Chamonix, where trail running is part of the place’s DNA. Graded, waymarked routes spread across the valley, so it’s easy to head out and find one that suits you. It’s also home to the famous UTMB, where elite runners take on distances from 96km to 300km.

It’s one more way to get out into the landscape and make the most of having all those trails on your doorstep.

Ziplining

Some activities make a holiday instantly more memorable. 

At Grindelwald-First, the First Flyer and First Glider send you soaring across the mountainside with views of the Eiger along the way. It’s quick, exhilarating and a very effective way to wake yourself up.

In Flåm, Norway, the whole day can become part of the adventure. Ride the famous Flåm Railway through steep scenery, take on the zipline, then hop on a bike and cycle back down through the valley to the village.

Train up. Zip down. Cycle back. Not a bad way to spend the day.

Rock climbing and via ferrata

For climbers, the best view is often the one you’ve worked your way up to.

Around Drei Zinnen, via ferrata routes take you past dramatic peaks, historic First World War tunnels and some of the Dolomites’ most recognisable scenery. It’s a brilliant place to join a guide, clip in and experience the landscape up close.

Mayrhofen gives you plenty of ways to get climbing too, from sport climbing and bouldering to via ferrata routes such as Schlegeis 131. 

Ease yourself in on something gentler or pick a route that gives you more of a challenge.

And if climbing has been on your holiday wish list for a while, Chamonix is a pretty good place to finally give it a go. Climbers come here from all over the world for the sheer choice of routes and the chance to spend the day somewhere seriously impressive.