I’ve written extensively about both multi-day trekking in Europe and day hiking in Europe. I spend most of my waking hours either hiking, or thinking about hiking, so it’s not surprising that there is another category of hiking I’m eager to explore: the magical world of short 2-day hiking trails.
Now, before you scoff, let me tell you why I love short 2-day hikes. A 2-day hike with a single overnight in a mountain hut can help you access remote areas deep in the mountains, which are off limits to day hikers. For example, only by spending the night at Refugio Jou de Carbones were we able to experience the most dramatic alpine scenery of Picos de Europa National Park in Northern Spain.
Two-day hikes are also great for hikers who have time constraints, due to work and life commitments, and want to plan an adventurous weekend hiking trip with their friends and/or family.
Furthermore, short 2-day treks are easy to integrate into European road trip adventures. If we’re renting a car to explore a new destination, we don’t want to abandon our rental car for multiple days to go on a long trek. But, one night is totally doable.
Another great reason to go on a two-day hike is that it’s easy to organize. You only need to book one mountain hut (or accommodation). And if you’re hesitant about hut-to-hut hiking due to comfort and sleeping concerns, this is a very soft introduction. I may not be able to survive five sleepless nights, but I can survive one.
Without further ado, here are our favorite 2-day hikes in Europe so far. Bookmark this page, because I will update it.
- Booking Mountain Huts: The majority of mountain huts in Europe can be booked online. In some cases, you may need to pay a deposit to secure your overnight stay.
- Mountain Hut Management: Most mountain huts are owned by a regional alpine club and managed by tenants, who are responsible for day-to-day operations. Along with providing beds or dormitory mattresses, managed mountain huts also offer food and drinks for sale. Learn more: Austrian mountain huts and Slovenian mountain huts.
- Discounts on Mountain Hut Overnight Stays: Join an Alpine Club, which is a participating association of the International Reciprocal Agreement on Mountain Huts, to receive discounts. Learn more: hiking in the Alps.
- Payment: While an increasing number of huts now accept credit cards, many still operate on a cash-only basis
1. Picos de Europa 2-Day Hike, Northern Spain
Picos de Europa National Park stretches across three regions in Northern Spain: Asturias, Cantabria, and León (Castile and León).
It comprises the majestic Picos de Europa Mountains, a limestone mountain range composed of three massifs.
This spellbinding mountainous region of Spain is defined by lunar alpine landscapes, deep verdant gorges, mixed leafy forests, charming rural villages, and sprawling mountain pastures. The landscapes are similar to those of the Northern and Southern Limestone Alps in Central Europe.
We recently embarked on a road trip around Picos de Europa, where we explored the park from several different gateways, including Poncebos, Potes, and Cangas de Onis. Our favorite part of the trip was hiking to Refugio Jou de los Cabrones (2034 m), the highest mountain refuge in Picos de Europa.
This demanding 2-day hike is a circular route that starts and ends in Bulnes village, accessible by funicular from Poncebos. In only two days, you’ll get to experience the most remarkable and lonesome landscapes of the central massif of Picos de Europa.
Starting/Ending Point | Bulnes, Poncebos
Duration | 2 Days
Distance | 20.6 km circuit
Difficulty | Difficult
When to Hike | Late May – October, depending on snow conditions
Mountain Hut Overnight Stay | Refugio Jou de los Cabrones
Where to Stay Before/After Trek | Arcea Hotel Mirador de Cabrales, Hostal Poncebos, or Hotel Garganta del Cares in Poncebos, Asturias.
Learn More: Refugio Jou de los Cabrones 2-Day Trek
2. Stanserhorn – Engelberg 2-Day Hike, Uri Alps, Switzerland
The two-day Stanserhorn–Engelberg Ridge Trail is a demanding alpine trek that follows the rugged crest separating the Engelberg and Sarner Valleys in the Uri Alps of Central Switzerland, near Lucerne.
It’s also stage 5 of the long distance Tell Trail. Due to the length and difficulty of the route, it’s necessary to divide this stage into two days. Although there is no mountain hut along the route, it’s still possible to break up the trek at Alp Laucheren, an alpine pasture hut that provides tents and meals to hikers. You just have to bring a sleeping bag.
This 26.6 km point-to-point trail begins atop the summit of Mount Stanserhorn, accessible by cableways from Stans, and finishes in the darling alpine town of Engelberg.
We loved this off-the-beaten-path hike near Lucerne, because of the solitude, the authenticity of Alp Laucheren, and the varied scenery.
This is how we integrated this 2-day trek into our hiking-themed and car-free Lake Lucerne Region itinerary.
Difficulty | Difficult (T3). Stage 2 requires stamina, comfort with exposure, and surefootedness.
Starting Point | Stanserhorn. To reach Mount Stanserhorn, take a 20-minute train ride from Lucerne to Stans. Ride the Stanserhorn Standseilbahn (funicular) and CabriO-Bahn (aerial cableway) to reach the summit.
Ending Point | Engelberg
Duration | 2 Days
Distance | 26.6 km point to point
Difficulty | Difficult (T3). Stage 2 requires stamina, comfort with exposure, and surefootedness.
When to Hike | Late June – September, depending on snow conditions
Overnight Stay | Alp Laucheren (tents and meals provided)
Where to Stay Before Trek | The Lubo (budget), Hotel Münzgasse (budget), Hotel Des Alpes (midrange), Cascada Boutique Hotel (midrange), Hotel Central Luzern (midrange) in Lucerne
Where to Stay After Trek | Hotel Bellevue-Terminus in Engelberg
Related Guide | Best Hikes in Switzerland
Learn More: Stanserhorn-Engelberg Ridge Hike
3. Veliko Špičje 2-Day Hike, Julian Alps, Slovenia
Veliko Špičje (2398 m) is a peak in the Julian Alps in Slovenia. It’s the highest summit along the Špičje ridge, which rises between Trenta Valley and the Seven Lakes Valley (aka Triglav Lakes Valley) in Triglav National Park.
The riveting Špičje ridge trail overwhelms with its lofty views, varied terrain, and carpets of Edelweiss flowers. It’s an adventurous hike that requires two days, with an overnight stay in a mountain hut.
The 2-day hike starts at the Planina Blato mountain pasture, accessible from Stara Fužina (a village near Lake Bohinj). First you will hike along easy-moderate trails across various mountain pastures and patches of forests to the Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih (Triglav Lakes Mountain Hut). From the hut, the trail ascends 1.2 km up the valley until you reach the Veliko Špičje trail intersection.
The trail steadily rises up this quiet path to the foot of the Veliko Špičje spur. It’s then a steep climb/scramble to the summit, followed by a long, exciting ridge trail. This only suitable for hikers who have no fear of heights.
Eventually, you’ll descend the ridge and cross a sea of karst pavement to the Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih mountain hut.
We recommend overnighting in Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih, and then descending the Seven Lakes Valley the next day.
Starting Point/Ending Point | Planina Blato
Duration | 2 Days
Distance | 28 km lollipop-circuit
Difficulty | Difficult
When to Hike | July, August, September
Mountain Hut Overnight Stay | Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih
Where to Stay Before/After the Trek | Pr `Agotnik apartmaji sobe Bohinj (midrange), Apartments and rooms Cerkovnik (midrange), Hotel Bohinj (luxury), Hotel Majerca (boutique luxury) around Lake Bohinj
Learn More: Veliko Špičje & Seven Lakes Valley
4. Mount Triglav 2-Day Hike, Julian Alps, Slovenia
Rising to 2,864 meters, Mount Triglav is more than just Slovenia’s highest peak; it’s the soul of the nation. Depicted on the national flag, this three-peaked mountain is a cultural compass, guiding Slovenians toward their mountains.
Located in the Julian Alps, Mount Triglav can be ascended from various routes, including Krma Valley, Vrata Valley, Lake Bohinj, Seven Lakes Valley, and Pokljuka. Regardless of the approach, all routes culminate in a via ferrata ascent to the summit.
We hiked the Pokljuka – Mount Triglav route, a 2-day hike with an overnight in Dom Planika pod Triglavom.
Hikers eager to summit Triglav but lacking via ferrata experience or gear should consider booking the 3-day Best of the Julian Alps hut-to-hut tour with the optional Mount Triglav add-on offered by Slotrips. This is a great option for solo hikers as well as friend groups and couples.
Starting Point/Ending Point | Rudno Polje, Pokljuka
Duration | 2 Days
Distance | 26 km out-and-back
Difficulty | Difficult
When to Hike | Late June/early July – September
Mountain Hut Overnight Stay | Dom Planika pod Triglavom
Where to Stay Before the Trek | Hotel Center Pokljuka (midrange), Hotel Pokljuka (midrange), or Zalin planinski raj (midrange) on Pokljuka Plateau
Where to Stay After the Trek | Guesthouse Marko (budget), Vila Alpina (midrange), and Old Parish House (midrange), or Hotel Starkl (midrange) around Lake Bled
Learn More: How to Summit Mount Triglav
5. Gosaukamm Circuit Trail, Dachstein, Austria
At the western edge of the mighty Dachstein range, the rugged Gosaukamm mountains rise like a stone fortress between Salzburg, Styria, and Upper Austria.
A varied path circuits this sub-group of the Dachstein mountains, starting in either Filzmoos, or at Vorderer Gosausee in Salzkammergut.
Whether you hike it in a single ambitious day or stretch it over two, this loop trail offers gorgeous alpine scenery, trailside huts, and lots of variance.
Starting Point/Ending Point | Gosau Lakes, Upper Austria
Duration | 2 Days
Distance | 21.6 km
Difficulty | Moderately Difficult
When to Hike | Late June/early July – September, depending on snow conditions. We were able to hike this route in late October, though we would recommend doing it earlier, because of the limited day light hours.
Mountain Hut Overnight Stay | Gablonzer Hütte or Hofpürglhütte
Where to Stay Before/After Trek | Gasthof Gosausee (lakeside guesthouse), Frühstückspension Pachler (B&B), Haus Friedrich (guesthouse), or Hotel Sommerhof (4-star hotel) in Gosau
Related Guides | Salzkammergut Itinerary
Learn More: How to Hike around the Gosaukamm
More Europe Hiking Guides
Hut-to-Hut Hiking:
- Hut to Hut Hiking with Kids
- Hut to Hut Hiking in Austria
- Hut to Hut Hiking in Slovenia
- Hut to Hut Hiking in the Dolomites
Our Favorite Multi-Day Treks:
- Best Treks in Austria
- Fisherman’s Trail in Portugal
- Alpstein High Trail Trek in Switzerland
- Liechstenstein Panorama Trail
Europe Hiking-Themed Trip Ideas:
Pin this Image for Future Trip Planning!
Stay Connected:
Connect with us on Pinterest.
Follow us on Instagram.
Support Us:
If you love reading my content, you can send me a tip via paypal.
