Re the Acropolis walk, after you reach the top of Acropolis, descend to all of the nearby scenes (Philopapou hill, Areopagus hill,...) They gave a very nice view of Acropolis, and there was almost no one on Philopapou hill, in mid tourist season. Then get lost again (how can you not get lost in those hills), and somehow come to the Agora. Be sure to check everything in the Agora, it's a nice walk in itself. When going out of the Agora, finish your day by an open-air movie night in Thissio, with your favorite meal next to you on a table, seating among flowers. Then come back here and tell me you didn't enjoy the walk :)

<i> Italy does not like rambling too much I guess - rarely seen any neat footpaths except in the Cinque Terre and similar places - the Cinque Terre walk is a memory for me - did all five villages in one walk, interspersed by pit stops for coffee or later in the day beer.
</i>

And just how hard have you looked for footpaths in Italy, Palenq?

Most people don't know where to find the good walks in Italy, and don't even try. They want to keep Italy in the wine-and-cheese compartments of their minds.

Did even one of you look at the photos of the walk in the Gola dell'Infernaccio in Le Marche? I'll repeat it for the benefit of those who overlooked it when I first mentioned it.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1039588...eat=directlink

This is a well-marked and well-documented trail, one of many in the Sibilline mountains. It's certainly not unique. There are many of such trails, and much longer ones, in every region of Italy, and there are groups of hikers and volunteers who maintain them.

Here's another walk I know well in Le Marche, although I haven't done all of it. Just turn off the awful music.

https://vimeo.com/121583453

Well since this is on the Europe Forum that's why all the walks mentioned are in Europe. But since a snarky comment was made about Americans and the Hudson I will start with my favorite walk in the US which is indeed along the Hudson. Start at North Cove and follow the promenade (with fabulous River and Harbor views, including the Statue of Liberty)around Battery Park and up along the east river, under the Brooklyn Bridge (and across it if you'd like). I've posted that walk, and photos to go with it, many times, but of course I posted it on the US forum.

So, back to Europe. I have to say the one Pal started the thread with is probably my favorite also.

In Paris I like to start in the Marais and then cross Pont Marie, through Ile St Louis, cross Pont St Louis, around the streets at that end of Ile de la Cite, and then just start crossing back and forth every bridge up to Pont d'lena.

In Rome I do like to walk along the Tiber, but my favorite it to just link all the fountains and piazzas in the 'heart of Rome' area. Starting with Rebublicia, to Barberini, to Trevi to Piazza de Pietra to Rotunda to Navona to campo de Fiori to Farnese. Then I head over to the Tiber and walk along there to Pont St Angelo.

"walkers> Ramblers you mean?"

PQ, in my experience, "ramblers" and "walkers" are used interchangeably. As in "Ramblers, at the heart of walking": http://www.ramblers.org.uk

"Are Americans just too frit to walk alongside the Hudson?"

There are some nice areas in the Palisades, but unfortunately, much of the riverside land is privately owned, and one must detour, often along or aside busy highways, which kind of ruins the experience. However, plans are in the works to connect NYC to the Adirondacks via greenways. We'll see.

"The Great Saunter" (I know, a too obvioulsy self-deprecating name) takes place in May, and rounds Manhattan Island. https://shorewalkers.org/the-great-saunter-event

Another problem is our walks, which we call hikes, are, as Bill Bryson noted, generally through wilderness, and do not connect to delightful towns with good pubs for lunch and a pint (not that we have that many).

Word of the day: Frit.

We like to walk a lot.
When I saw the ttile I thought back of the Samaria Gorge
http://www.west-crete.com/fr/samaria-gorge.htm

We did recently some great walks in the mountains of Slovenia - took a cable car and walked on a ski resort... in june.

We did the same in Italy somewhere along the lake of Garda.

ONe of our favourite is at Bormes les Mimosas - fantastic when the mimosasa are i bloom

I posted this last year, about a walk in Lancashire up the Langdon Valley in the Forest of Bowland and then across to Lancaster.

http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...2-memorial.cfm

It's a lovely route on a nice day, made more poignant by the WW2 memorial. I posted this in the Lounge, but should maybe have posted in the UK.

Oh yes, Forest of Bowland - a fantastic area for walking; combine it with a GUIDED walk across Morecambe Bay (don't attempt it on your own!)or pay a visit to nearby and atmospheric Sunderland Point a heaven for bird watchers.

There are many free guided walks in the UK, but finding them can be a bit tricky. Tourist Information often have brochures with local guided walks.

As a member of the Ramblers I get their walk magazine which lists the walking festivals, but although the magazine is also on line I couldn’t find the walks listed there.
But just as an example the following walking festivals are taking place soon, many feature free walks or walks for a small fee (I haven’t reproduced all the ones available):

Shakespeare Walking Week (Stratford) April 17 – 24;
Ulverston Walkfest April 23 – 2 May;
Llangollen Walking Festival April 30 – 2 May;
Bristol Walk Fest May 1 – 31;
Greater Manchester Walking Festival May 1 – 31;
Stevenage Walking Festival May 7 – 15;
Cotswolds Walking Festival May 20 – 22.

Stevelyon, thanks for the festival list. I'm attempting to sign up for a walk during the Cotswold event, appearing to officially be called the Winchcombe Walking Festival:

http://www.winchcombewelcomeswalkers...val-programme/

The toughest part may be paying the £4 rather than the walk itself.

a great London walk I took once was from Hampstead and Highgate Cemetery down to London via Primrose Hill - awesome views of all of London spread out down below:

https://www.google.com/search?q=prim...ih=868&dpr=1.1

Update: Today I received an email from the local Ramblers' Cotswolds event organizers, confirming my booking and telling me I'm welcome to pay my £4 on the day (unable to use their account debit system online). The timing and location could not be better and I love the area, having walked to all these places before but not with a group. So late May: Stanton, Snowshill, Stanway - here I come.

Thanks again to Stevelyon.

Good luck MmmePerdu its a great way of meeting up with people rather like the London walks, which is a great way to meet people. The Ramblers offer a lot of Welcome Walks which I think are free to non members - they are usually offered as a way of getting people to join up so don't know their position on overseas visitors .

My contact with the Winchcombe member today was very welcoming. The Ramblers' website used to host boards for local groups to announce walks or to find walking companions. I used it to find company on a section of the Thames Path from Oxford. Soon after the website was redesigned and no longer offered the forum, although I haven't looked recently. You've reminded me and I plan to explore the site again. I'm usually on my own and welcome company, not always easy to come by. I'm looking forward to what will be my first group walk.