Island Hiking Trails
16 hand-picked long-distance trails
Island hikes are for walkers who want the sea in view without giving up serious mountain days, long-distance structure or short, memorable outings. This collection brings together coastal loops, island traverses and ridge routes across Corsica, the Balearics, the Canaries, Madeira, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Scotland, Wales and Japan, from one-day clifftop walks to expert multi-day treks.
Trails in this collection
Arran Coastal Way
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United Kingdom, Scotland · 105 km · 6-8 days · Moderate Starting and finishing at Brodick ferry terminal, the Arran Coastal Way is a practical Scottish island loop. Its 105 km mix of coast, forest, moorland and mountainous terrain fits a 6–8 day walking holiday.
The Hebridean Way
View trail → United Kingdom, Scotland · 252 km · 10-13 days · Moderate The Hebridean Way belongs here for its 252 km journey through Scotland’s Outer Hebrides from Vatersay to Stornoway. Beaches, machair, moorland and hills make it a moderate but substantial island expedition.
Anglesey Coastal Path
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United Kingdom, Wales · 200 km · 12 days · Moderate The Anglesey Coastal Path is a 200 km circuit around Anglesey and Holy Island, ideal for a long coastal loop in Wales. Cliffs, farmland, beaches, dunes and heath keep the moderate route varied.
GR221 (Dry Stone Route)
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Spain · 140 km · 8-10 days · Hard Mallorca’s GR221 adds a harder Balearic mountain option, running 140 km point to point through the Serra de Tramuntana. Coastal, limestone, forest and terrace terrain give it more variety than a simple shore walk.
GR223 (Cami de Cavalls)
View trail → Spain · 185 km · 7-10 days · Moderate The GR223 earns its place as a complete Menorca circuit, covering 185 km of coastal trail, forest, ravines, dunes and beaches. Its Moderate grade suits walkers wanting a full island loop without major altitude.
Aeolian Islands Trek
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Italy · 54 km · 5 days · Hard The Aeolian Islands Trek stands out because it is an island-hopping walking itinerary rather than one continuous trail. Its roughly 54 km of hard day-walks link Vulcano, Lipari, Salina and Stromboli.
Andros Route
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Greece · 100 km · 10 days · Moderate The Andros Route is a complete 100 km Cycladic thru-hike, usually walked over 10 days. Historic stone-paved footpaths, walled lanes, ravines and terraced hillsides make it a moderate island crossing.
Madeira Island Levada Walks
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Portugal · 17.4 km · 1 days · Moderate Madeira’s levada walks represent island hiking as day-route exploration rather than a single thru-hike. The listed 17.4 km PR walk follows historic irrigation channels through forest, cliff and valley terrain.
The Fairy Pools Walk
View trail → United Kingdom, Scotland · 2.4 km · 0.5 days · Moderate The Fairy Pools Walk gives this collection a short Isle of Skye option beneath the Black Cuillin. At 2.4 km return, it suits walkers wanting a quick glen-and-river hike rather than a long traverse.
GR131 (Canary Islands Route)
View trail → Spain · 560 km · 35 days · Hard The GR131 is the longest island traverse here: 560 km across all seven main Canary Islands. It combines volcanic, desert, forest, mountain and coastal terrain over a hard 35-day point-to-point route.
Hvar Island Ridge Trail
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Croatia · 20 km · 1 days · Hard Hvar’s ridge trail is a hard full-day Croatian island walk, roughly 20 km over 5–7 hours. It crosses mountainous ridge, karst, scrub and forest terrain on the island’s spine.
Samaria Gorge Trail
View trail → Greece · 16 km · 1 days · Hard Samaria Gorge adds a hard one-day Greek island route, descending 16 km point to point through south-west Crete. Its mountainous and forested terrain links Xyloskalo with Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea.
Fira to Oia Trail
View trail → Greece · 10.5 km · 1 days · Moderate The Fira to Oia Trail is the collection’s concise Santorini classic: 10.5 km along the west-facing caldera rim. Coastal, clifftop, urban and open ridgeline sections fit a moderate 3–5 hour day.
GR20
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France · 180 km · 15 days · Expert Corsica’s GR20 is the collection’s benchmark island traverse: 180 km point to point through France’s mountainous island spine. Its 15-day duration and Expert grade make it a serious choice for experienced hikers.
Jomon Sugi Trail
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Japan · 22 km · 1 days · Strenuous The Jomon Sugi Trail brings in a strenuous non-European island day hike on Yakushima. Its 22 km out-and-back route, about 700 m of ascent and 9–12 hour duration demand strong fitness.
Selvaggio Blu
View trail → Italy · 40 km · 4-6 days · Expert Selvaggio Blu is included for hikers who want an expert-level Sardinian coast trek, not a gentle beach path. The 40 km point-to-point route combines coastal, mountainous and karst terrain over 4–6 days.
Island Hikes: How to Choose Your Route
Choosing a coastal loop or island traverse
Start with the shape of the route. Loops such as the GR223 around Menorca, the Arran Coastal Way and the Anglesey Coastal Path suit walkers who like a clear circuit and simpler start-finish planning. Point-to-point routes feel more like a journey across an island: the GR20 cuts through Corsica’s mountainous spine, the GR221 crosses Mallorca’s Serra de Tramuntana, and the Andros Route links historic paths across a Cycladic island.
Distance is only part of the decision. A moderate 200 km coastal trail can still demand consistent daily walking, while a shorter route may be much tougher because of mountainous, karst or ridge terrain. If you want a full walking holiday without expert terrain, look at moderate long-distance options such as the Hebridean Way, the GR223 or the Andros Route. If you are deliberately seeking a hard or expert challenge, the GR20, Selvaggio Blu, the GR131 and the Aeolian Islands Trek sit at the more committing end of this island hikes collection.
Fitness, terrain and logistics
Match the route to the kind of effort you actually want. Some island trails are compact day hikes: the Fira to Oia Trail is a 10.5 km caldera-rim walk, Samaria Gorge is a hard 16 km point-to-point day, and the Fairy Pools Walk is a short out-and-back on Skye. Others, such as the Jomon Sugi Trail or Hvar Island Ridge Trail, are single-day routes but still require a strong fitness base.
Logistics matter more on islands than on many mainland trails. The GR131 links separate Canary Islands sections using inter-island ferries, while the Aeolian Islands Trek is an island-hopping itinerary rather than one continuous waymarked trail. Madeira’s levada walks are a network of day routes, not a thru-hike. Before choosing, compare duration, trail type, difficulty and terrain carefully: the best island hike is the one where transport, daily distance and technical demand all fit your trip.