[ LISTICLE · THE DISPATCH ]

Best Hiking Destinations for People Who Don't Really Hike

You don't need to be a trail-runner with trekking poles and electrolyte gels to access some of the world's most spectacular scenery. These destinations are for the hiker-adjacent — people who want to walk somewhere beautiful without it becoming an endurance test.

I am not a hiker. I own exactly one pair of walking boots, purchased specifically because a friend told me I “really had to” do the Cinque Terre trail in Italy and I believed her, and I have worn them precisely five times in six years. I do, however, love arriving at the top of something and having a view that makes the previous two hours feel fully justified.

This is, I suspect, the actual motivation of many people who describe themselves as hikers.

So here are the best destinations for people in my situation — want the view, want the experience, want to feel slightly outdoorsy and virtuous — but with trails that don’t require previous mountaineering experience, a helicopter evacuation plan, or trekking poles that cost more than the flight.

1. Cinque Terre, Italy (Coastal Trail)

The Monterosso to Riomaggiore trail covers five villages on the Ligurian coast with sea views the entire way. The full route (12km, ~5 hours) sounds intimidating but breaks into village-to-village segments — you can stop, eat pasta, take a ferry, and rejoin at any point. The via dell’Amore (Manarola to Riomaggiore) section is 15 minutes and accessible to everyone.

2. Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh

An extinct volcano in the middle of Edinburgh, 251 metres high, achievable in 45–75 minutes by most people who can walk up stairs. The view from the top is 360 degrees of city, coast, and countryside. No specialist equipment needed. You can see it from the Royal Mile and decide on a whim. This is the ideal non-hiker hike.

3. The Champagne Route, Épernay (France)

Rolling vineyard walks through the Marne valley, with Champagne villages every few kilometres and the reasonable expectation of a dégustation at each one. Not strenuous. Extensively rewarded. Distance manageable in any direction.

4. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand

This one is the stretch on the list — 19.4km, 6–8 hours, genuine altitude — but it’s on here because thousands of people who’ve never hiked complete it every year. The key is choosing the right day (clear weather is essential; bad weather makes it dangerous) and starting by 7am. You do not need to be fit; you need to be willing. The emerald lakes at the top are extraordinary.

5. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Not hiking in the technical sense — wooden boardwalks through 16 interconnected lakes and waterfalls in a national park. It’s flat, it’s beautiful, and you could do it in sandals (though trainers are sensible). One of Europe’s most spectacular natural landscapes with essentially zero physical challenge.

6. The Diamond Head Crater, Hawaii (O’ahu)

1.6km up, 1.6km back, 30–45 minutes each way, and at the top: panoramic views over Waikiki and the Pacific. It’s steep in places but fully paved with handrails. It’s the perfect “I went hiking in Hawaii” experience for people who didn’t pack hiking shoes and are wearing trainers they bought for the airport.

7. The Camino de Santiago (Short Sections)

You don’t have to walk 800km to do the Camino. The last 100km from Sarria to Santiago qualifies for the Compostela certificate, takes 4–5 days, and passes through Galician countryside that is green, gentle, and well-supported with pilgrim hostels every few kilometres. Many people do just one day to experience it.

8. The Inca Trail Lite (Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu)

The classic 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a real trek. The Short Inca Trail — 7km from the Km 104 trailhead — arrives at Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate in one day and is manageable for most reasonably fit people. Still genuinely rewarding, still arrives the right way.

9. Capri, Blue Grotto to Anacapri

Capri’s Monte Solaro chairlift takes you most of the way up; the walk from the top through gardens to Anacapri is mostly downhill, beautiful, and ends near a bus stop. The island’s footpaths are well-marked and short. The Mediterranean views from the paths near the Arco Naturale require no particular fitness to access.

Destination	Difficulty	Distance	Time	Best Reward
Arthur’s Seat	Easy	3–4km loop	45–75 min	City views
Cinque Terre (section)	Easy–Mod	3–12km	30 min–5 hrs	Coast, pasta
Plitvice Lakes	Very Easy	3–8km	2–5 hrs	Waterfalls
Diamond Head	Easy–Mod	3.2km	1–1.5 hrs	Pacific views
Champagne Route	Easy	5–15km	2–5 hrs	Champagne
Tongariro Crossing	Moderate	19.4km	6–8 hrs	Volcanic lakes
Camino (last 100km)	Easy–Mod	100km over 4–5 days	Multi-day	Cathedral, certificate

What gear do I actually need for these trails? For most on this list: comfortable trainers (not heels), a bottle of water, a snack, and a charged phone. The Tongariro Crossing genuinely needs proper boots and waterproofs. Diamond Head is fine in trainers.

Can I hike Cinque Terre independently? Yes — the trail is well-signposted, no guide needed. Buy a trail card at the first village entrance and remember the higher paths are sometimes closed for maintenance; check online before you go.

What’s the best first-ever hike? Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh or Diamond Head in Hawaii — both 45–75 minutes, both spectacular pay-offs, both confidence-building for everything else on this list.

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