The Dolomites in northeastern Italy rank among the most beautiful and iconic mountain ranges in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site spans a vast area and draws hikers from across the globe. I hiked up to the Seceda ridgeline, known locally as the Torri di Fermeda. Jagged peaks, dramatic vistas, and sweeping alpine meadows await at every turn.

The Hike

I visited in mid-May, during the offseason. The huts, restaurants, and gondola were all closed, which made for a refreshingly quiet trail. If you want a more secluded Seceda experience, go before the official season opens on May 22 (it runs through November 2). Just pack rain gear and expect snow and wind at the summit.

The trail climbs 2,500 meters from the town of Ortisei to the Seceda ridgeline, moving through a remarkable variety of landscapes. We stayed in Bolzano, a 45-minute drive or 1.5-hour train and bus ride from the trailhead.

What to Bring to Seceda

Pack plenty of food, snacks, and water, especially in the offseason when no huts or cafés are open on the mountain. We carried sandwiches, dried fruit, and a bottle of Aperol (and water, of course). Bring a light outer layer: a brief rain shower caught us halfway through the hike, and we were glad to have it. Read more about preparing for day hikes here.

Final Thoughts

Seceda ranks among the finest hikes I’ve ever done. If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites, put this one at the top of your list.

Planning your next hiking trip but not sure where to start? A great hike takes more than choosing a scenic trail on Instagram. Weather, terrain, food, and route planning can make or break your experience.

Here’s what to consider before hitting the trail.

Time of year matters

Choosing where to hike can feel overwhelming, but timing matters just as much as location. Before committing to a trail, research the season and current conditions.

Higher elevations often hold snow or mud well into spring, even when lower areas feel warm. Many hut-to-hut routes in mountainous regions don’t open until summer, which can limit accommodation and food options along the trail.

If you want solitude, avoid peak hiking seasons and heavily trafficked routes. Popular trails can become crowded quickly, especially during holidays and summer weekends.

When I planned a spring hiking trip in Europe, the Fisherman’s Trail in Portugal stood out as the best option. Many alpine hut systems remained closed for the season, but the cooler coastal temperatures made long hiking days comfortable.

Understand the difficulty

No matter your fitness level, you should understand the demands of the trail before setting out. Even experienced hikers can underestimate terrain and weather conditions.

Before your hike, consider:

Gear requirements: Do you need trekking poles, waterproof shoes, or snowshoes? Can you realistically complete the hike in running shoes?
Water capacity: Will you carry enough water for the conditions?
Trail conditions: Are there steep sections, loose rock, or exposed areas?
Elevation gain: A short hike with steep climbing can feel far more difficult than a longer flat route.

Plan your food and water

When hiking, overpreparing usually beats underpreparing.

Research whether towns, cafes, or water refill stations exist along the route. If not, pack enough food and water before leaving. Even when trails include water sources, always carry backup water for safety.

Food also shapes the hiking experience more than people expect. A simple sandwich at a scenic viewpoint can become one of the most memorable parts of the day!

Pack lightweight, calorie-dense snacks to keep your energy up throughout the hike. Good options include:

Nuts
Dried fruit
Protein bars
Trail mix
Candy or chocolate.

Nothing beats a sandwich eaten on a hike

Route

Before heading out, research whether the trail is well-marked and maintained. Even popular routes can become confusing after storms, erosion, or poor maintenance.

Don’t rely entirely on trail signs. Download offline maps and GPS routes ahead of time in case you lose service.

Apps like Komoot, AllTrails, and Google Maps can help you navigate safely, especially in remote areas.

Weather

Check the weather before you head out. Anticipate the possibilities of unexpected weather, and make a plan. Bring backup layers for possible thunderstorms or heat considerations.

Quick safety

Tell someone your route
Bring a portable charger
Carry a small first-aid kit
Know emergency numbers

Final Thoughts

The best hikes combine preparation with flexibility. You don’t need expensive gear or expert-level experience to enjoy the outdoors, but planning makes the experience safer and far more enjoyable.

Research the conditions, pack more water than you think you’ll need, and choose a route that matches both your fitness level and the season. The views will feel even better when you’re prepared for the journey.

Golden cliffs dropping into turquoise water, stork nests balanced on sea stacks, and miles of dusty coastal trail with almost no one around; the Fisherman’s Trail felt more like a movie set than a hiking route. Read about the complete details of my 4-day trip from Lagos to Sagres.

My take

After four days on the Fisherman’s Trail in the Algarve, Portugal, I can’t recommend it enough. The Fisherman’s Trail follows Portugal’s southwestern coastline through beach towns, cliffs, and remote stretches of Atlantic scenery and wildflowers. There are a variety of segments to choose from for those seeking shorter trips. Hikers can dayhike, stay in hostels, and camp. Blue and green paint markers line the well-maintained trail. Read about how my four friends and I tackled the trip, and hopefully you will visit one day too!

Overview

Lagos → Sagres segment
3 nights
Roughly 52 km (32 miles)
Countless beaches
Water is available in towns, but it’s recommended to bring large water bottles on longer trips and hiking days
- Fill-ups cost 1 Euro at local bars/restaurants

Packing

Essentials:

Waterproof jacket
Trail shoes
Reusable water bottle
Portable charger
First aid kit
Sunscreen

Nice to have

Flip flops for hostel/beach recovery
Aloe/aftersun
Cash for smaller shops
Plastic bags for wet clothes/sand

Itinerary

We flew in/out of Lisbon. We love exploring the city, and it was more affordable than Faro Airport (although farther from our destination). We took the ‘Rede Expressos’ bus, and be sure to book in advance as it sells out. Most of my research for stays was from the complete guide to the Fisherman’s Trail from the “Stingy Nomads”.

May 5

Hike Lagos → Luz

Distance – 6.4 mi
Time – 2 hours
Elevation – 770 ft

Overnight in Luz: Luz Hotel

This was the easiest and quickest hike. Extremely scenic and most traveled by dayhikers, we walked along boardwalks and enjoyed coastal views, towns, wildflowers, and easy-access beaches. It gave us plenty of time to enjoy the beach and picnic in Luz.

May 6

Hike Luz → Salema

Distance – 7.4 mi
Time – 3-4 hours
Elevation – 1330 ft

Overnight in Salema: Salema eco camp

Mais Perto Grocery store sold tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, and fresh-baked bread. Bring cash and an appetite

Slightly more challenging and less traveled, which we all enjoyed. We stopped in Burgau (about halfway) to hit the beach and ate life-changing tacos at a local grocery store, Mais Perto (cash only). Salema Eco Camp is a popular place for hikers to stay, and despite being farther from town, it was a beautiful nature escape with many amenities.

May 7

Hike Salema → Sagres

Distance – 12.4 miles
Time – 4 hours
Elevation – 1815 ft

Overnight in Sagres: Sagres Sun Stay Hostel

The longest hike, yet most rewarding. We escaped the crowds, walked amid jaw-dropping views, and trudged through significant elevation gain. A long nap on the beach in Sagres was necessary. Despite a ‘shortcut’ that diverted us from the marked path, we found it altogether more scenic and quiet. It was easy to find our way back to the markings after looking at AllTrails. We packed a light lunch to eat along the trail, then had dinner at Salema Eco Camp, where we stayed.

Difficulty

Moderate overall
Longest day: Salema → Sagres
Sand, coastal wind, and incline make sections harder than expected
No technical hiking required
- Walking poles recommended
Suitable for beginner/intermediate hikers with decent fitness
Bring shoes with grip!

Pack lunches and eat along the trail. You avoid eating at a costly restaurant where you pay for the view. The grocery stores offer fresh and delicious ingredients.

Final Reflection

What made the Fisherman’s Trail memorable wasn’t just the scenery, but the rhythm of the days: hiking for hours along the Atlantic, stopping at hidden beaches, eating simple meals in small towns, and ending each night exhausted in the best way possible. It felt adventurous without requiring complicated logistics, which made it one of my favorite trips during my semester abroad.

Music measurably affects exercise: studies show it can lower perceived exertion, improve mood and pacing, and increase endurance and power, sometimes substantially, by diverting attention from fatigue and synchronizing movement to rhythm (NIH). Since portable music players and iPods made race listening common, organizers and competitors have debated whether that advantage is fair (NYT, 2007).

Why some favor a ban

Competitive fairness: music can give a performance edge, which matters in elite or seed-based fields.
Safety and awareness: headphones can block race directions, warnings, or traffic sounds on open courses.
Preserving race atmosphere: crowd noise and official announcements are part of the event experience that personal audio can dilute.

Why some oppose a ban

Motivation: many recreational runners rely on music to train and finish races; it can make the sport more accessible and enjoyable.
It’s challenging to enforce: policing earbuds, volume, or concealed devices is difficult and inconsistent.
Reasonable accommodations: limiting music to non-competitive waves or requiring one earbud preserves safety while allowing benefits.

Bottom line

Because music can meaningfully alter performance and poses fairness concerns, a blanket allowance isn’t ideal. A targeted policy can be proposed. Headphones can be banned where fairness or safety is critical, while permitting them for recreational participants under guidelines. This can balance competitive integrity with inclusivity and enjoyment. Depending on how you run, you may feel differently about the topic. But it’s important to remember to tune in to your surroundings once in a while. Don’t forget to listen to your own breathing while you run, and reap the benefits of the exercise uninhibited by distraction!

Sources:

NIH: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7281270/

NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/sports/01iht-run.1.8142612.html

Hokkaido-Japan by bike
Our bikepacker friend Michele is exploring the Japanese island of Hokkaido. On the agenda: volcanoes, forests, wilderness, brown bears, fishing owls, the Pacific Ocean, and weather that isn’t always kind. A 4-épisode series.

MDS 120 Morocco 2025
On the northern edge of the Sahara. The MDS Morocco covers 120 km, three stages, and one certainty: nothing will come easily. Here, the desert sets the rules. The heat drains you. The wind exhausts you. And the sand follows you with every step. You quickly learn that patience and willpower matter more than speed. Every day, you carry your pack, your water, your courage. In the Marathon des Sables, it’s not just about finishing. It’s about enduring. It’s about understanding what it truly means to go all the way.

2025 Aus Cycling MTB Enduro National Championships

A rain-soaked Collie, Western Australia, becomes the stage for Australia’s premier Enduro showdown, where world-class Wambenger Trails and the iconic Wellington Dam mural frame a weekend of grit, flow and community. Across Juniors, Masters, Adaptive and E-bike fields, riders wrestle slick rock, pea gravel and long liaison climbs as stories of resilience emerge. The result is a kinetic, human-centred portrait of Australian MTB: fast, muddy, inclusive, and unforgettable.

GWA Wingfoil World Cup Abu Dhabi 2025

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates hosts the GWA Wingfoil World Cup for the first time, marking the grand finale of the 2025 FreeFly-Slalom season. Leading the charge are two-time defending world champions, Nia Suardiaz, of Spain, and Francesco Cappuzzo, of Italy, who head to Abu Dhabi leading the rankings. With the season’s final stop still wide open, both athletes will need flawless performances to secure their third consecutive titles.

New Podcast !

Anne-Marie Madden – The Front Line to Tree Line to Start Line.
Covering everything from the front line of current-day anaesthesiology, the discovery of toothed jelly fungus and achieving pure joy and accolades in running. We take a moment to speak with Anne-Marie Madden who has the ability and energy to do it all, with buckets of infectious enthusiasm, like most Canadians.

Coming Soon

Download the App and watch on your Smart TV

More News on Horizonsports.com

I’ve preferred running outside to the treadmill ever since I started running. No matter where I am, there’s nothing quite like fresh air, new surroundings, and the unpredictability of stepping out the door without a fixed path. But running outdoors does more than improve your physical fitness. It actively trains your brain in ways a treadmill simply can’t replicate. Here’s how.

Decision-Making in Real Time

When you run outside, you’re constantly making micro-decisions: when to cross a street, how to adjust your pace on a hill, which route to take next. Unlike a treadmill, where speed and incline are preset, outdoor running forces your brain to stay engaged.

Over time, this builds sharper cognitive flexibility. The ability to adapt quickly and make decisions under mild stress is subtle, but it translates beyond running into everyday problem-solving.

Spatial Awareness and Memory

Exploring new routes turns every run into a low-stakes navigation exercise. You begin to recognize landmarks, remember turns, and mentally map out areas without relying on your phone. This strengthens spatial memory, the same cognitive skill used in everything from driving to learning new environments quickly. In a sense, every run becomes both a workout and a memory-building exercise.

Everyday Awe

Getting outside can be the perfect antidote for boredom, especially when you have a repetitive lifestyle. Mixing up your everyday routine and discovering a new trail or park in your city, or just getting a necessary dose of exercise and sunlight, can easily improve your overall life satisfaction. Taking moments away from work, school, and screentime benefits your overall mental health. Studies from the National Institute of Health (NIH) prove the importance of everyday awe. Experiencing awe engages five crucial processes: “shifts in neurophysiology, a diminished focus on the self, increased prosocial relationality, greater social integration, and a heightened sense of meaning,” which promote well-being. Running outside is an easy and accessible way to achieve everyday awe, while boosting physical health as well.

Reduced Mental Fatigue

Running outside exposes you to what psychologists call “soft fascination”: natural environments that gently engage your attention without overwhelming it. Trees, water, changing scenery. These elements allow your brain to recover from overstimulation. Compared to staring at a wall or screen on a treadmill, outdoor running often leaves you feeling mentally clearer, not just physically tired.

Ability to Think (or not think)

Our lives are riddled with everyday distractions, whether it’s school, work, texts, or social media. It can be difficult in this ‘age of information’ to process the amount we’re taking in daily. A simple jog (absent of earbuds, of course) can relieve your brain from this information overload. Running allows you to think clearly and soundly, or even get your mind off something you may have been ruminating about. We constantly distract ourselves by scrolling or watching, and sometimes all you need is to get outside and remove the unnecessary factors, and get good old-fashioned outdoor views.

Not every run feels good. Every experienced runner knows the feeling: heavy legs from the first step, bad weather, a route that falls apart, or miles that drag longer than expected. We run to chase the runner’s high, enjoy the outdoors, and stay active, but we still face the occasional “bad” run.

My experience

During marathon training, I had plenty of these. I felt discouraged when I missed my goal pace or couldn’t finish a grueling threshold workout. Burnout crept in and made me question why I even signed up for the race. Even when I did everything right, slept well, and recovered properly, I still had bad runs. I tried to compensate by pushing harder, when I should have shown myself more patience. I also let my Garmin metrics dictate how I felt, which only made things worse.

What bad runs actually do

Over time, I changed how I saw these runs. Bad runs don’t ruin your training; they reveal your resilience. Pushing through shows you what it takes to keep going when nothing clicks. It forces you to rely less on pace, splits, or data and more on effort and mindset. They prepare you for race day, when the pain inevitably hits. By mile 20, most runners want to quit and start doubting themselves.

Takeaways

Learning how to handle that feeling becomes one of the most valuable parts of marathon training. It teaches you to keep moving all the way to the finish line. Not every run needs to prove something. Some runs only require you to show up, push through, and keep showing up again. Marathon training doesn’t depend on perfect runs. It depends on consistency.

Looking back, I don’t remember the fastest runs most clearly. I remember the ones where everything felt off, and I finished anyway. While I didn’t feel faster after the run, I learned that I could overcome my mind telling me to give up and complete it anyway.

Why sightjogging is the best way to explore Europe

What if the best way to see a new city wasn’t a bus tour or a museum ticket, but a pair of running shoes?

During my semester abroad, I trained for a marathon by running in a new city every weekend across Europe. What started as a way to log miles turned into something that actually has a name. Known as ‘sightjogging’, it’s the art of exploring a destination on foot, at a pace, with no itinerary except the route ahead of you. It leaves room for spontaneity and exploration. Here are five European cities that proved sightseeing isn’t just a workout. It’s the best souvenir you’ll never have to pack.

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is a very suitable city for runners. I started along the Danube River and wove my way through landmarks, building my route through Apple Maps. Hero’s Square, with its sweeping colonnade and bronze statues, makes for a perfect mid-run photo stop, and the city’s vast open parks and gardens give you room to breathe even in the denser districts.

Pro tip: January running here means fewer tourists and uninterrupted stretches of pavement. The cold is manageable, and the reward is a warm, steaming chimney cake at the finish line.

Lake Garda, Italy

Lake Garda is perfect for long runs. Staying in Sirmione allows you to run about five miles out along the peninsula and back, with the dramatic Monte Pizzocolo mountain range framing every step. The landscape constantly shifts; lakeside promenades, quiet village lanes, and open sky.

After your run, skip the ice bath. Lake Garda is dotted with thermal spas, making recovery feel more like a spa day than a cool-down. I even caught a rainbow on the way back.

Florence, Italy

Florence rewards the runner who’s willing to go uphill. Since the Arno River path gets busy with pedestrians mid-morning, I crossed the bridge and headed up into the hills on the south side of the city. The Via di Santa Maria a Marignolle winds through quiet residential streets and opens onto views of the Tuscan countryside that no tour bus can access.

The city does sightseeing on two levels: urban energy by the river, golden-hour stillness in the hills. Run both if you have the energy.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

A week before visiting, I’d never heard of Ljubljana. By the time I left, it was one of my favorite runs of the entire trip.

Training for a 20-mile marathon long run, I found a near-perfect 32km route looping around the capital. Three hours of varied terrain, city center, open countryside, and quiet forests, contained historical dimensions that left me with more wanderlust than ever before. The route traces the Iron Curtain wire that once enclosed the city during Italian occupation in World War II, now preserved as a memorial monument. Ljubljana is proof that sightseeing doesn’t just show you a place, it teaches you about it. Read more about my run here

Paris, France

Arguably the most runner-friendly city I visited. Paris is remarkable not just for how much there is to see, but for how efficiently you can see it through your running shoes.

I ran along the Seine and hit the major landmarks, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and Notre-Dame, in a single loop. But Paris scales to whatever distance you have. A popular long-run challenge is running all the way from central Paris out to the Palace of Versailles. For those with limited time, the city’s parks and riverside paths offer beauty and calm between monuments.

In Paris, sightseeing isn’t a compromise between tourism and training. It’s the best version of both.

Ready to sightjog on your next trip?

You don’t need a marathon on the calendar to make this work. Any city, any distance. Load a route, lace up, and let curiosity do the pacing. The cities worth knowing are best learned on foot, and the miles you collect there will stick with you longer than any souvenir. And it’ll help you work up an appetite to try all the delicious local food!

Whether you’re just daytripping to Bologna or thinking of moving here, the city has much more to offer than just delicious ragu and tortellini. Bologna has plenty of outdoor spaces and opportunities for running; you have to look for them!

Giardini Margherita

Here you will find many runners weaving through the park. It is roughly a 1-mile/1.6km loop, with both flat and hilly sections. The duck pond, blooming pink trees, cafes, and happy dogs make it visually attractive. After your run, you can cool off under a tree or enjoy an aperitif, gelato, or coffee at one of the outdoor cafes. This was my go-to spot for quick, easy mileage during marathon training.

Villa Ghigi

Just outside the city center, Villa Ghigi feels like a true escape from Bologna’s busy streets. The park is filled with dirt trails that wind through rolling hills, making it ideal for runners looking to mix in elevation and softer terrain. You’ll pass vineyards, open fields, and panoramic viewpoints overlooking the city. It’s not the place for precise pacing, but it’s perfect for slower, more intentional runs where the scenery becomes part of the experience.

San Luca

If you’re looking for a challenge, run to San Luca. The route, nearly 4 kilometers of continuous arches, gradually takes you up to the sanctuary. It’s a sustained incline that tests both your legs and your willpower. Read about the benefits of hills here. You’re rewarded with unmatched, sweeping views of Bologna and the surrounding hills. Whether you run it straight through or break it up into intervals, this is the city’s most iconic and challenging run.

Parco della Montagnola

Located near the city center, Parco della Montagnola is a convenient option for a quick run without leaving the urban core. The park is smaller and more structured, with paved paths and short inclines created by its terraced layout. It’s best suited for easy runs, warm-ups, or squeezing in a workout when you don’t have time to venture far. Expect a lively atmosphere, especially in the afternoons.

Parco di San Pellegrino

Parco di San Pellegrino offers a quieter, more immersive running experience. With flatter paths that stretch along green spaces and after a steady incline, it’s a great spot for steady, uninterrupted mileage. Just under 2 miles from the city center, after about 800 ft of elevation gain, you can see an (almost) 360-degree view of Bologna. Continue running through Via di Casaglia for stunning views. Run all the way down to the Reno River to discover more beautiful parks and forests.

I just finished my first marathon (Run the Rome Marathon), and I can confidently say I caught the ‘marathon bug’.

But what surprised me most wasn’t the race itself. It was everything about the experience, outside of running, that taught me about myself and my capabilities.

Maybe it’s seeing months of discipline (5 am wakeups, running in rain or shine) come to life. Or maybe it’s the shared sense of awe with 36,000 runners, each carrying their own story to the same start line.

Either way, the marathon turned out to be less about miles and more about mindset, people, and perspective.

Notice the Marathon Journey

“You’ve run hundreds of miles, just 26.2 to go.”

I saw this old Nike ad before I officially started training. It didn’t really resonate with me until after I was standing at the start line, staring at the Colosseum with no idea how my injured hip would hold up. I wasn’t thinking about the race to come, but everything that got me there. In training, there will be good and bad runs. Sometimes you feel like you’re invincible, and other times the miles catch up to you. The journey can be lonely if you’re training by yourself. But here I was, united with strangers who were just as crazy as me to run for hours across Rome. I realized the marathon reveals what had long been built up before race day.

People Make the Marathon

Instead of “good luck on the race,” someone told me to ‘make sure I talk to people’. I needed to deal with my nerves at the start line and remembered the advice. Within minutes, I met another runner who had the exact same injury (and cause) as me: hip pain from pushing too hard on a 20-mile run. We exchanged concerns, but also shared the same quiet determination to try anyway.

Later, I met two runners from Norway. They asked about my goal time.

“3:30… but I’m trying to be realistic,” I said.

“So you’re running a 3:30,” they replied.

I laughed and repeated it back: “I’m running a 3:30.”

Their encouragement was refreshing. We tend to talk ourselves down a lot for fear of failure, but now was the time to hype myself up. Believing in yourself gets you pretty far and puts you in situations that challenge you, maybe even make you consider giving up.

Don’t Overlook Your Support System

I also thought of everyone who supported me, leading up to it and on race day. If you’re lucky enough to have friends and family watch you, make sure to thank them for coming. My best friend and boyfriend spent $50 on rented scooters, brought signs, and cheered me the whole way. Another group of friends sent me a video before their 6 am flight, wishing me luck.

The Finish Line isn’t the Point (although it is pretty great)

Even though I didn’t end up running a 3:30, I will one day. Knowing I could train under the difficult conditions I did, and run a marathon without stopping or giving in to the pain (it really sets in during the last six miles), only makes me want it even more.

Running a marathon teaches you to show up for yourself, no matter what. And it’ll make you keep coming back for more.