7 Adventure Holiday Destinations for the Active Traveler

written by local expert Anna Faustino

Anna is a co-founder of Adventure in You and has been traveling the world for the last 9 years. She has spent time living in Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, and Spain and is our local expert in these areas. Her expertise on travel, gear, and building businesses have been featured on Foundr, Business Insider, Yahoo Travel, and more.

Excitement can be found all over the world. So whether you want to stay close to home,
travel around Europe or head to far-flung destinations, you can find tons of interesting things to do for your much-awaited holiday.

If you’re like us and prefer to be out and about and lounging by the pool or beach all day sounds like the ultimate bore, check out these adventure travel destinations that are bound to get you excited and moving.

Tenerife

Whether it’s lush, mountainous landscapes you’re wanting to explore or the shallow waves washing onto black volcanic sand; Tenerife is a perfect place for adventure. Dominated by Mount Teide, Tenerife is Spain’s exotic paradise.

With bustling touristic resorts along the west coast and quaint, remote villages towards the north, you have plenty of choices to plan the perfect holiday for you. Hike into the hills of Masca Valley for spectacular views among the flourishing canyons.

Venture into the sparse landscape of sand dunes to reach Mount Teide’s peak at 3,718 meters high. The landscapes here have drawn a likeness to the planet Mars. Enjoy the tree-top amusement Forestal Park where you can whirl across zip wires and jump from tree to tree. Alternatively, you could also visit the Astronomical Teide Observatory to discover the beauty of the stars in the planetarium.

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Switzerland

If you’re looking for fun and adventure, Switzerland has a few fun activities up its sleeve. For adrenaline lovers, head on over to Interlaken where you can find a plethora of adventure activities from skydiving, sledding, skiing, paragliding, and more.

Apart from these adventure activities, the trekking in Switzerland is also unbelievably beautiful. For James Bond fans, you can also opt to head up to Schilthorn or to opt to take a train to Jungfraujoch which is considered the top of Europe.

Azores

Loosely coined as the  Hawaii of Europe, the Azores are situated off the coast of Portugal and truly stunning. When you do set out for a trek, expect trails into the deep tree canopy, where babbling pools and idyllic moss covered waterfalls can be admired.

Bathe in the natural thermal springs and hike through the volcanic landscape in Terra Nostra Gardens. As this collection of remote islands is quite small, the hotels here are rustic and homely with plenty of nature to explore nearby. Enjoy the thriving yachting culture in the Horta marina on the Faial island.

If you want to explore the oceans, you can opt to scuba dive in the Princess Alice Bank to spot manta rays and other tropical fish. There’s also the chance to see many species of whales including blue, humpback and fin whales during outdoor sea excursions.

Compared to other resorts, the Azores is relatively quiet, which means there’s no stopping you once you land in this natural paradise. We love it here so much that it immediately went on our Europe Bucket List.

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Czech Republic

After spending a few weeks traveling all over the Czech Republic, we’re convinced its an active travelers paradise! Our Czech Republic itinerary takes us through some beautiful sites, incredible hiking trails, and epic landscapes.

If you want to explore just a specific area, we recommend heading to Bohemian Switzerland which has some of the best sites in the country. Visit stunning rock formations by Tisa Rocks or hike up to the viewpoint by Mariina Skala (Mary’s Rock) to catch a glimpse of the sunrise. bohemian-switzerland-sunrise

The Isle of Wight

Adventure isn’t too far away if you know where to look. With miles of country lanes, rolling countryside and rural adventures the Isle of Wight is the perfect spot for those looking for thrills. Its perimeter is only 60 miles in length and allows cyclists and avid hikers to fully immerse themselves in nature.

There are many routes across the island that differ in difficulty so whatever your skill-level in riding, you can be as adventurous as you like. If you’re traveling with the family, enjoy a half-day ride along the popular Red Squirrel Trail where wildlife spotting and picnic breaks are encouraged.

Cycling around the Isle of Wight during summer is a different yet equally impressive experience than visiting in the autumn or winter. In the summer, its natural sights are in full bloom with flourishing forests, grassy meadows and plenty of birdlife to discover, including the woodpeckers, warblers, falcons and swooping lapwings.

In the winter, the island twinkles to celebrate national festivities where the heritage castles and buildings can be explored.

Cape Town

This lively port city on the beautiful Western Cape in South Africa is a paradise for the adventurous. Cape Town is shadowed by the towering Table Mountain where around 2200 species of plant life can be found. Follow the sprawling hiking trails up from the city to the 10085 meters high.

If you don’t fancy the journey up to the impeccable views, there’s a comfortable cable car that takes you to the summit. As its name suggests, Table Mountain has an unusual flat peak. As well as taking in the unbelievable setting, you can fly down the mountain on a zip wire that dangles 155 meters above the forests. It’s also not uncommon to see paragliders use the slanting hills as a leaping off point.

In the eastern section of Table Mountain is the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Founded in 1931, the 1300 acres are made up of valleys, sloping forests and specialist gardens including rainforests and cacti meadows.

A visit to Boulder Beach is a must, to see the peculiar sight of the wild African Penguins waddle across the sand and paddle in the waves.

For those who like to take it to the extreme, cage diving with Great White sharks is also a really popular activity to do while in Cape Town…if you dare! south africa mountain top

Greece

Although Greece has gained popularity for its cliffside resorts and luxury hotels, there is still a plethora of adventurous things to do while on holiday. From trekking alongside volcanic calderas to exploring various colored beaches, the possibilities are endless.

In Santorini alone, you can go for a day of sailing, taking you around lush surrounding islands. Alternatively, you can opt to go for an ATV ride around the beautiful rugged landscape, visiting popular beaches with distinctly colored pebble stones.

Whatever you decide to do, with the popularity of these active holidays, there is no shortage of exciting things to do. Hopefully, this quick list inspired you to start looking into your next holiday destination. Happy trails!


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