Rifugio Firenze and Seceda, a balcony on the Odle
You do not need an exposed trail to see the best of the Alps, and this list proves it with numbers: it gathers every hike we class as grade T, tourist, meaning wide, well-marked paths with no technical sections, that has also earned a score of 8 or more from us. Two of them, Seceda and the Aletsch Glacier, have a 10, the highest score we have given.
Easy does not mean short, because the elevation gain and walking time stay as stated on each hike's page, but it does mean that with a good pair of shoes and reasonably fit legs you will reach the end without surprises.
Good to know about easy walks
The CAI's T grade and the Swiss T1 look alike but are not quite the same thing: the first describes lanes, mule tracks and easy paths with no route-finding problems, the second a well-built path where any exposed spots are secured with fixed ropes or railings. For the Swiss hikes on this list, then, it is worth looking at the colour of the waymarks as well: yellow for hiking trails, white-red-white for mountain trails. Both scales assume fair weather, dry ground and good visibility, and a summer thunderstorm or a late patch of snow can make even the widest path slippery.
Many of the finest easy walks cross pastures, from the Alpe di Siusi to Seceda, and in summer the path is shared with cows, calves and sometimes livestock guardian dogs. The Swiss advice is simple: pass calmly at a distance of about twenty metres, never come between a cow and her calf, and keep your dog on a lead, letting it go only if the herd comes too close. With guardian dogs the CAI recommends a wide detour around the flock, staying calm if they bark, offering no food and getting off your bike, because their whole job is to defend the animals from anyone they do not know.
The hikes
By our rating, highest first. Browse them as photographs, as a list with all the numbers or on the map.
DolomitesRifugio Firenze and Seceda, a balcony on the OdlePerhaps the finest hike in the whole of the Dolomites, set between alpine pastures and vertical walls.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 5:00h
- Distance
- 15km
- Ascent
- 880m
- Rating
- 10/10
SwitzerlandAletsch Glacier (Aletschgletscher)The most classic walk to the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 4:30h
- Distance
- 14km
- Ascent
- 460m
- Rating
- 10/10
DolomitesFrom the Alpe di Siusi to Rifugio Bolzano on the SciliarA stroll across the high plateaus of the Alpe di Siusi and the Sciliar, among the most famous in the Dolomites.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 7:00h
- Distance
- 21km
- Ascent
- 1,000m
- Rating
- 9/10
SwitzerlandLago di Saoseo and Lago Viola in the Val di CampoTwo gems of lakes in a valley dotted with alpine pastures. At its best between October and November.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 4:30h
- Distance
- 13km
- Ascent
- 550m
- Rating
- 9/10
PiedmontCima di Morissolo and the Linea Cadorna fortificationsA summit dropping sheer to Lake Maggiore, just 30 minutes' walk away, with a maze of Linea Cadorna tunnels.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 1:30h
- Distance
- 3.5km
- Ascent
- 170m
- Rating
- 8/10
SwitzerlandThe balcony path from Silvaplana to the Maloja PassAn easy balcony path dominated by breathtaking views of Lake Sils and Lake Silvaplana, with the Bernina and the peaks of the Bregaglia in the background.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 4:00h
- Distance
- 13km
- Ascent
- 470m
- Rating
- 8/10
ValchiavennaAcquafraggia Falls, Savogno and DasileA loop around the Acquafraggia Falls: ladders, pools, Lilliputian villages and old mule tracks.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 3:00h
- Distance
- 5.5km
- Ascent
- 620m
- Rating
- 8/10
Aosta ValleyTo Rifugio Barbustel, in the heart of the Monte Avic Natural ParkCrystal-clear lakes and larch woods with a North American feel, in under 3 hours of walking.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 4:30h
- Distance
- 9.6km
- Ascent
- 700m
- Rating
- 8/10
ValtellinaRifugio Cristina, a balcony over the larch woods of the ValmalencoA short walk to Rifugio Cristina at Alpe Prabello, at the foot of Pizzo Scalino.- Grade
- T
- Time
- 2:00h
- Distance
- 6.5km
- Ascent
- 230m
- Rating
- 8/10
Questions
The answers come from the hike pages listed here.
Which one is the best, in your view?
Rifugio Firenze and Seceda, a balcony on the Odle and Aletsch Glacier (Aletschgletscher), all rated 10 out of 10.
Which one is the easiest?
Cima di Morissolo and the Linea Cadorna fortifications: grade T, 1:30 hours of walking and 170 metres of ascent.
How long do these hikes take?
From 1:30 to 7:00 hours of walking, with ascents between 170 and 1,000 metres.
More guides
Other lists that share some of these hikes.
