Climbing
10 top places in Europe to get your climbing fix this spring
Don't wait for the summer to get back into climbing. Snap up a cheap flight, grab your kit, and head to one of these easy-access destinations around Europe this spring.
Spring is one of the best times of the year to visit Europe's most spectacular climbing destinations, so what are you waiting for? While northern Europe slowly breaks out of its winter freeze, the south of the continent is warming up nicely, opening up great climbing destinations with fewer crowds, cheaper prices and ideal temperatures. And don’t worry, not every climb needs to be a marathon ascent of the tallest chimney in Europe.
We've picked 10 of the best destinations, all within easy access of a major airport (except one, which is deliberately remote), so take your pick. For detailed tips and suggestions on these regions and more, visit the Climb Europe website.
Mallorca
Climbing the cliffs in Palma
© Damiano Levati/Red Bull Content Pool
Country: Spain
Closest airport: Palma
Although often overlooked in favour of mainland Spain, the diversity and landscape of Mallorca makes this one of Europe's premier climbing locations, with great mid-grade climbing, unexplored regions and top deepwater soloing.
There are crags all around the island, but highlights include the Sa Gubia rock bowl, with more than 100 mid-grade routes, Formentor peninsula's stunning sea cliffs, and the walls, cracks and overhangs of Es Fumat and La Creveta.
Sicily
Sicily is a climber's paradise
© Trolvag via wikicommons
Country: Italy
Closest airport: Palermo
This island paradise has more than 1,000 single and multi-pitch routes for all levels, with slabs, roofs, chimneys and cracks. It's broken up into four main areas, each of which offers something different.
The bustling beach town of San Vito lo Capo, with its 4km coastal cliff, is the most popular region, although some areas have recently been restricted. Monte Pellegrino, in Palermo, has the most routes, while Messina and Siracusa have good sea cliffs, the latter especially great for deepwater soloing.
Kyparissi
Five hours from Athens is the tiny town of Kyparissi
© Luka Fonda/Red Bull Content Pool
Country: Greece
Closest airport: Athens
This tiny town is five hours drive from Athens and an hour from popular Leonidio (also a good spring option with more than 1,400 routes), but it's worth the drive, because it offers great remote climbing.
The region has only recently been opened up, but there are now around 200 different routes on the craggy slopes around Mount Parnon. Popular spots include tough climbs at Babala, easier routes at Watermill, and a variety of grades at the idyllic remote bay in Vlychada.
Sella
Country: Spain
Closest airport: Alicante
This is the most popular region on the Costa Blanca, with steep limestone walls containing more than 300 routes, from short and easy to challenging multi-route climbing. Adding in the wider Benidorm area, there are eight crags and 750 routes in total.
In Sella itself, the centre of the valley is good for all comers while Hidden Valley and Divino are perfect for those who like the tough stuff. It can still be a bit chilly out of summer, though, as the tall walls cast a lot of shadow.
Finale Ligure
With over 3,000 routes, Finale Ligure is Europe's largest climbing area
© Aurora Photos/Getty Images
Country: Italy
Closest airport: Genova
The lush, wild green valleys and hills behind this pretty Italian town offer adventurous climbing, with 10 square kilometres of white limestone slabs, walls and overhangs, and more than 3,000 routes across all grades.
The region was made famous in the 1980s and '90s, and the most popular area is Monte Cucco. Climbs range from single pitch through 3–4 route pitches up to the Bric Pinarella, where routes are up to 250m long.
Siurana
Siurana has a reputation for more technical climbing
© Denis Klero/Red Bull Content Pool
Country: Spain
Closest airport: Reus/Barcelona
This world-class climbing area in the Sierra de Prades Mountains is where Margo Hayes sent La Rambla, but it's not all super tough, with 1,750 routes for all grades.
The area around the pretty hilltop village is very sectored, which means it rarely feels crowded. It has a reputation for more technical climbing, with lots of small and sharp crimps on vertical or gently overhanging walls.
Kalymnos
Sasha DiGiulian hanging out in Kalymnos
© Alex Grymanis/Red Bull Content Pool
Country: Greece
Closest airport: Kos, and then boat
Climbing only really began in Kalymnos in the early 2000s, but it now claims the best concentration of high quality sport climbing in the world, with over 80 crags and 3,400 routes.
It's all climber-friendly yellow and orange limestone, and the main locations are found just 15 minutes from the hub of Masouri. It's beautiful too, with the spring landscape blooming with wild flowers.
Frankenjura
Country: Germany
Closest airport: Nuremberg/Munich
This is Germany's best, largest, most famous and most beautiful climbing region, with more than 1,000 crags of vertical or overhanging grey and white limestone hidden among wild forests.
Routes are mostly short and single-pitch, and with more than 10,000 different options, they cover all grading levels. The weather and the mostly north-facing direction mean late spring is better than an early visit, though.
El Chorro
Country: Spain
Closest airport: Malaga
The near vertical El Chorro
© Jakub Botwicz/Wikimedia Commons
This famous limestone gorge, reached via the Camino del Rey cliff-edge walkway, is one of Europe's most southerly climbing destinations. Its steep walls provide a unique experience for all grades.
There are more than 800 single pitch and multi-pitch routes, beginning in the lower gorge, which contains the prized routes Africa and Zeppelin. That narrow and intimidating section opens out into the single pitch-filled crags of Los Cotos and El Polvorin, and severe overhangs of Makinodromo.
Osp, Misja Pec and Crni Kal
Country: Slovenia
Closest airport: Trieste (Italy)
The Sanjski par extension in Osp, as climbed by Domen Skofic
© Stanko Gruden/Red Bull Content Pool
This popular, easy-access area has more than 600 routes on three main limestone crags, all within 4km of each other. It's also close to other climbing regions in Italy and Croatia.
The huge u-shaped wall at Osp has grades of all levels, all well bolted and mixing multi pitches with long single pitch routes. Nearby, Misja Pec is mostly higher grades, and Crni kal is mainly shorter lower grades.