PHOTOS

LEFT AND RIGHT : SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK , VIRGINIA

CENTER : CINQUE TERRE , ITALY

soul .” As wise as his words may be , they ’ re

hardly novel ; in truth , humankind has known

about the rejuvenating properties of a walk

through nature since the advent of indoor

spaces . However , what only the most discerning

travelers might know is that the best time for

a hike is typically in the fall . The reasons vary

in conjunction with the locations of the world ’ s

best hikes — so we ’ ve prepared a smattering of

them for your consideration .

CINQUE TERRE , ITALY

All aspects of an Italian vacation benefit from saving your visit for the fall — sparser crowds and cooler temperatures are a staple of European shoulder season , after all — but no destination glistens with promise quite like Cinque Terre . This fabled coastline reaches a whole new level of charm in the fall : Each of the five pastel-painted villages feels cozier with the cooler temperatures , every street and trail more inviting with the ample breathing room you have . Hiking the seven miles through all five villages would only take you approximately five hours if

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK , VIRGINIA

Shenandoah National Park bucks the trend of the

others listed here — you can expect more people

to visit in the fall . But that ’ s for good reason : The

park is world-renowned for its fall foliage , with

visually brilliant blasts of red , orange and yellow

all seemingly cascading across the mountainside .

While Skyline Drive will attract drivers in search

of scenic vistas , there are 236 hiking trails in the

park — enough that you easily find the path ( s )

less traveled .

you did it in one go … but consider savoring the

journey and splitting it up over several days .