Pyrenees

The Pyrenees stretch roughly 430 km from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean Sea, forming the natural border between Spain and France, with the tiny principality of Andorra tucked into the middle. Along the way, the range shifts from green, rain-soaked Atlantic valleys to high granite peaks, glacial lakes and sun-baked Mediterranean ridges, and the cultures change with the landscape, from Basque and Aragonese villages to Catalan and Occitan mountain communities.

The range is easy to explore in sections, with a few well-known bases to build a trip around. In the Spanish Pyrenees, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park and Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park offer deep canyons, glacial lakes and high granite peaks, while Pyrénées Occidentales National Park covers the dramatic French side near Gavarnie. Mountain towns such as Torla, Benasque, Vielha, Jaca and Puigcerdà make good hubs, with hut networks, marked trails and plenty of day hikes nearby. Many of these places are connected by train and bus, so you can plan trips and even point-to-point routes without a car.