The Pilgrims' Way
Norway
Norway's pilgrimage routes are many and together known as St. Olav Ways: they all lead to Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, the most important pilgrimage site in the Nordic countries since the canonization of former Viking King Olav II Haralsson in 1031. The most sought-after and famous is Gudbrandsdalen's The Pilgrims' Way , which starts in Lillehammer and, during its 643 kilometers (but the stones on which this distance is marked probably lie by default), passes the municipalities of Øyer, Ringebu, Sør-Fron, Nord-Fron and Sel as far as Otta, and then continues on to Mount Dovrefjell. To travel it in its entirety takes 32 days to spend among monuments, peaceful landscapes, villages and medieval farms. The final destination is the Cathedral of Trondheim: upon arrival, before entering, the ancient ritual involves going around it three times.
Westweg Trail
Germany
About 12 days of walking, 285 kilometers of trail. Absolutely doable in one fell swoop, if you pick the right season and the weather falls nicely for you. The Westweg starts at Pforzheim and arrives at Basel, Switzerland, crossing the Black Forest and extricating itself between the Danube and the Rhine and their many tributaries. Centuries-old fir forests, sunny (or tremendously rainy...) peaks, spas, farms and delicious little restaurants, for those who know how to reward themselves for their efforts. Experts (but not dieticians) suggest abundant slices of Black Forest gâteau to be consumed in the many typical restaurants.
Cretan Way
Crete
Indicated as an alternative vacation, there are 500 kilometers to do in 28 days, cutting the island from east to west. The weather in Crete allows for pleasantness in every season, but in summer it can be too challenging. The Cretan Way is notable for the variety of its territory, ranging from long white beaches to peaks that touch 2,500 meters in height. It starts from the beach of Kato Zakros and reaches the monastery overlooking the sea of Chrisoskalitisa, crossing the center of the island where there are gorges, ruins, Byzantine churches and mountains including Mount Ida, where there is the cave of Ideon, considered by Greek mythology the birthplace of Zeus. You sleep in characteristic inns, but it is a good idea to book in advance, because availability depends very much on seasonal flows.
Alpe Adria Trail
Austria, Slovenia, Italy
From the Alps to the sea. That is, 750 kilometers for toned legs and trained lungs, crossing three countries: Austria, Slovenia, to arrive in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. The Alpe Adria Trail includes 43 stages of about 20 km each with a high coefficient of difficulty: it starts on the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria, on the border between Carinthia and East Tyrol and crosses glaciers, villages and lakes arriving on the shores of the Adriatic in Muggia, the southernmost city of Friuli, passing through the Trenta Valley in Slovenia. Points of interest include the Groppenstein Gorge, with its 30-meter waterfalls, in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park in Carinthia; the Friulian Dolomites and the medieval Cividale del Friuli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Avoid July and August or, at least, book everything well in advance.