The Alps Travel Guide

The Alps are the most accessible serious mountains in the world. A dense network of huts, lifts, waymarked trails and valley transport means you can do a hut-to-hut week with no camping gear and no expedition planning. The trade-off is that the famous places are busy; the counter is that there are thousands of valleys, and the quiet ones are genuinely quiet, often a single side valley away from the crowds.

At a glance

Reference facts for planning The Alps.

Countries

France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Monaco

Highest summit

Mont Blanc, 4,808 m

Currencies

EUR and CHF

Hut system

Alpine club huts, typically staffed mid-June to mid-September

Plug type

C/F/J/L, 230V

Best time to visit

Where the good months sit, and why.

Months to think twice about: July and August in Chamonix, Zermatt and the Dolomites' most photographed spots if you want quiet. Shift one valley sideways and the difference is dramatic.

Where to go

The places that justify the trip, and the guides we have written for them.

• Tour du Mont Blanc

  France, Italy, Switzerland

  The classic 170 km circuit, roughly ten days, crossing three countries and countless passes. Book huts early.

• The Dolomites

  Italy

  Pale limestone towers with via ferrata routes, comfortable huts and better food than any other mountain range.

• Hidden valley villages

  Across the range

  Settlements that kept their character because the road went past them rather than through them.

  Read the guide

• Slovenian Julian Alps

  Slovenia

  The eastern end of the range: cheaper, quieter, and just as dramatic around Triglav.

Visas & entry

Most of the Alps sits within the Schengen area; a single visa or visa-free stay covers France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany and Slovenia.

• Visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many others can travel in Schengen for 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.
• Switzerland is in Schengen but not the EU customs union; it uses the Swiss franc and has its own border checks.
• ETIAS is being introduced for visa-exempt travellers to the Schengen area — check whether it applies before you travel.
• The 90/180 rule is counted across all Schengen countries combined, not per country.

Confirm Schengen entry rules with an official EU or national government immigration source before booking.

Daily budget

Rough per-person costs, excluding international flights.

• Half-board in an alpine club hut is the best-value meal-and-bed combination in the mountains, and members of alpine clubs get discounted rates.
• Switzerland is roughly double the cost of France or Italy for equivalent food and lodging.
• Mountain lifts are expensive individually; a multi-day or season pass pays off quickly on hut-to-hut routes.
• Self-catering from valley supermarkets and carrying a stove cuts costs substantially compared with hut meals.

Recommended routes

Three ways to structure a trip, depending on how much time you have.

Getting around

The Alps have the best mountain transport network in the world. Postal buses, mountain railways, cog trains and cable cars reach deep into the valleys, and timetables are coordinated. A car gives flexibility but is often unnecessary and expensive to park. Rail passes work well for valley travel.

Safety & hazards

Alpine weather changes fast and afternoon thunderstorms are routine in summer. Start early, be off exposed ridges by early afternoon, and carry proper rain and warm layers even on a hot day. On glacier routes and via ferrata, use a guide or the correct equipment — this is not optional, and it is the most common cause of serious accidents here.

The Alps guides

Long-form guides published for this destination.