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Compare trails

Which trail suits your trip? Pick a month for typical weather, or your own dates for the forecast, rated at each trail's lowest and highest point. The best match comes first; the table below has the details. For winter trips, start with hiking in Europe in winter.

Best in October

  • Good in October: GR 221 Dry Stone Route, GR 131 Tenerife, GR 249 Gran Senda de Málaga, Fishermen's Trail and Alta Via dei Monti Lattari.
  • Driest: GR 131 Tenerife (45 mm in a typical October), against 307 mm on Madeira.
Good no real weather drawbackMixed walkable, with one drawbackPoor a serious drawback, or out of season
How the ratings work
Good
Typical weather suits walking: no snow expected at the high point, not hot low down or cold up high, and under 200 mm of rain in the month.
Mixed
One drawback in a typical year: snow or ice possible up high, a warm or cool month, or a wet one (200 mm or more).
Poor
Snow likely at the high point, heat of 33 °C or more low down, days below 3 °C up high, or outside the published season.

From typical weather: the 1991–2020 averages at the trail's lowest and highest point, corrected for height. A published season (a park that closes, huts that open) overrides the weather. A rating is a planning aid for the area, not a report of the trail: check the official warnings before you go.

  1. 1
    Fishermen's Trail Portugal
    Good
    1. January: Good
    2. February: Good
    3. March: Good
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Good
    6. June: Mixed
    7. July: Mixed
    8. August: Mixed
    9. September: Mixed
    10. October: Good
    11. November: Good
    12. December: Good

    13 of 13 stages rated good on typical weather.

    • 14–23 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 68 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 17(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide
  2. 2
    GR 249 Gran Senda de Málaga Spain
    Good
    1. January: Good
    2. February: Good
    3. March: Good
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Good
    6. June: Poor
    7. July: Poor
    8. August: Poor
    9. September: Mixed
    10. October: Good
    11. November: Good
    12. December: Good

    31 of 33 stages rated good on typical weather. Warm on 2 stages.

    • 7–25 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 72 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 19(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide
  3. 3
    GR 221 Dry Stone Route Spain
    Good
    1. January: Good
    2. February: Good
    3. March: Good
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Good
    6. June: Mixed
    7. July: Mixed
    8. August: Mixed
    9. September: Mixed
    10. October: Good
    11. November: Good
    12. December: Good

    9 of 9 stages rated good on typical weather.

    • 9–24 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 92 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 14(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide
  4. 4
    GR 131 Tenerife Spain
    Good
    1. January: Good
    2. February: Good
    3. March: Good
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Good
    6. June: Good
    7. July: Good
    8. August: Good
    9. September: Good
    10. October: Good
    11. November: Good
    12. December: Good

    5 of 5 stages rated good on typical weather.

    • 6–24 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 45 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 32(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide
  5. 5
    Alta Via dei Monti Lattari Italy
    Good
    1. January: Mixed
    2. February: Mixed
    3. March: Mixed
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Good
    6. June: Good
    7. July: Mixed
    8. August: Mixed
    9. September: Good
    10. October: Good
    11. November: Good
    12. December: Mixed

    4 of 4 stages rated good on typical weather.

    • 8–22 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 115 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 12(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide
  6. 6
    Madeira Portugal
    Mixed
    1. January: Mixed
    2. February: Mixed
    3. March: Mixed
    4. April: Mixed
    5. May: Good
    6. June: Good
    7. July: Good
    8. August: Good
    9. September: Good
    10. October: Mixed
    11. November: Mixed
    12. December: Mixed

    0 of 11 walks rated good on typical weather. Wet on 6 walks.

    • 6–26 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 307 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 25(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide
  7. 7
    Lycian Way Turkey
    Poor
    1. January: Poor
    2. February: Good
    3. March: Good
    4. April: Good
    5. May: Mixed
    6. June: Poor
    7. July: Poor
    8. August: Poor
    9. September: Poor
    10. October: Poor
    11. November: Good
    12. December: Poor

    Outside the published season. The Culture Routes Society recommends February to May or September to November, especially February, and not mid-December to the end of January; summer is too hot for long walks. In 2026 the fire season closed the forests: Muğla's listed forests from 1 June to 31 October, Antalya's from 1 May to 31 October, except the way from Çıralı to Geyikbayırı. From December to March snow covers the high stretches over Belören and below Tahtalı.

    • 5–27 °C(Typical: a night at the high point to a day at the low point)
    • 68 mm rain(Rain in a typical month, at the wetter end)
    • 11 h 19(Daylight in the middle of the month)
    Open the guide

Side by side

Trail
Fishermen's Trail
Portugal
GR 249 Gran Senda de Málaga
Spain
GR 221 Dry Stone Route
Spain
GR 131 Tenerife
Spain
Alta Via dei Monti Lattari
Italy
Madeira
Portugal
Lycian Way
Turkey
At a glance
Weather in October Good 13 of 13 stages rated good on typical weather. Good 31 of 33 stages rated good on typical weather. Warm on 2 stages. Good 9 of 9 stages rated good on typical weather. Good 5 of 5 stages rated good on typical weather. Good 4 of 4 stages rated good on typical weather. Mixed 0 of 11 walks rated good on typical weather. Wet on 6 walks. Poor Outside the published season. The Culture Routes Society recommends February to May or September to November, especially February, and not mid-December to the end of January; summer is too hot for long walks. In 2026 the fire season closed the forests: Muğla's listed forests from 1 June to 31 October, Antalya's from 1 May to 31 October, except the way from Çıralı to Geyikbayırı. From December to March snow covers the high stretches over Belören and below Tahtalı.
Typical weather
Temperature, lowest point 23° by day, 15° at night at sea level25° by day, 15° at night at sea level24° by day, 15° at night at sea level24° by day, 16° at night at 624 m22° by day, 15° at night at sea level26° by day, 20° at night at sea level27° by day, 16° at night at sea level
Temperature, highest point 21° by day, 14° at night at 158 m19° by day, 7° at night at 1,408 m16° by day, 9° at night at 1,214 m15° by day, 6° at night at 2,417 m13° by day, 8° at night at 1,391 m12° by day, 6° at night at 1,848 m16° by day, 5° at night at 1,816 m
Rain in a typical month 68 mm 72 mm 92 mm 45 mm Driest 115 mm 307 mm 68 mm
Snow at the high point Typically snow-free (model) High point 158 mTypically snow-free (model) High point 1,408 mTypically snow-free (model) High point 1,214 mTypically snow-free (model) High point 2,417 mTypically snow-free (model) High point 1,391 mTypically snow-free (model) High point 1,848 mTypically snow-free (model) High point 1,817 m
Daylight mid-month 11 h 17 Sunrise 07:42, sunset 18:5911 h 19 Sunrise 08:24, sunset 19:4311 h 14 Sunrise 07:59, sunset 19:1311 h 32 Sunrise 08:05, sunset 19:3711 h 12 Sunrise 07:11, sunset 18:2311 h 25 Sunrise 08:11, sunset 19:3611 h 19 Sunrise 07:09, sunset 18:29
The trail
Kind of trip Point to point in 13 stages Point to point in 33 stages Point to point in 9 stages Point to point in 5 stages Point to point in 4 stages Day walks from a base: 16 routes Point to point in 29 stages
Length 222 km 650 km 148 km 84.4 km 70.4 km 16 day routes, 6–25 km each 443 km
Total climb +3,178 m +18,597 m +6,067 m +3,466 m +4,270 m Per walk +16,687 m
Highest point 158 m 1,408 m 1,214 m 2,417 m 1,391 m 1,848 m 1,817 m
Days to allow 11 walking Suggested for the whole trail; shorter trips in the planner3 walking, 2 fast Suggested for málaga to nerja; shorter trips in the planner9 walking, 4 fast Suggested for the whole route; shorter trips in the planner4 walking, 2 fast Suggested for the open route; shorter trips in the planner4 walking, 3 fast Suggested for the whole alta via; shorter trips in the plannerOne route a day Plan them by weather and bus on the guide page20 walking, 13 fast Suggested for ovacık to geyikbayırı; shorter trips in the planner
Practical
Places to sleep 13 towns and villages Read 18 September 202639 towns and villages Read 18 September 20268 refuges and 8 towns and villages 8 of 8 refuges have not published 2027 dates (read 18 September 2026)4 towns and villages Read 18 September 20265 towns and villages Read 18 September 20263 suggested bases Funchal; Machico; Santana50 towns and villages Read 27 September 2026
Official status and season No official status recorded No official status recorded No official status recorded No official status recorded No official status recorded 9 open, 2 partly open of 11 walks Read 18 September 2026The Culture Routes Society recommends February to May or September to November, especially February, and not mid-December to the end of January; summer is too hot for long walks. In 2026 the fire season closed the forests: Muğla's listed forests from 1 June to 31 October, Antalya's from 1 May to 31 October, except the way from Çıralı to Geyikbayırı. From December to March snow covers the high stretches over Belören and below Tahtalı.
Rules and permits Walking only – – – – Book each IFCN walk, even when it is free; Fees since 1 January 2026; One-way sections and closures; Crossing the island –
Getting there Choose your first and last town; Arrange local connections or luggage transfer Málaga airport (AGP); To El Chorro by train; Ronda line: buses instead of trains; Home from Casares; Coast buses Island buses from Palma; The Sóller train Fly to Tenerife North or South; Island buses Naples airport and the train to Sorrento; Coast buses Madeira airport (FNC); Island buses, then taxis Dalaman airport and Fethiye; Kaş, Kalkan and Kekova; Finike, Adrasan and Çıralı; Antalya, Hisarçandır and Geyikbayırı
Official weather warnings Official weather warnings (Meteoalarm) Official weather warnings (Meteoalarm) Official weather warnings (Meteoalarm) Official weather warnings (Meteoalarm) Official weather warnings (Meteoalarm) Official weather warnings (Meteoalarm) No European warning service linked
Sources Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Pico do Areeiro station on the Madeira peaks; Forecast: Open-Meteo Climate: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages; Forecast: Open-Meteo

Where they are

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Ratings are planning aids from typical weather or the forecast, not statements about trail conditions. Typical weather: TerraClimate 1991–2020 at each trail's lowest and highest point, corrected for height, with the Pico do Areeiro station on the Madeira peaks. Stays and status come from each guide's dated records.