10 BEAUTIFUL PATHWAYS TO EXPLORE NOW

We’ve got 10 gorgeous pathways to explore around the world. Who knows what you might find as you go!

1. PACIFIC GROVE -- CALIFORNIA

Ice plants bloom along the beach in Pacific Grove, California, between Point Pinos and Monterey. Enjoy the nearby town, nicknamed "America's Last Hometown," known for its Victorian homes and Asilomar State Beach. It is also known as "Butterfly Town U.S.A.," for the annual migration of the Monarch butterflies.

2. HALLERBOS FOREST -- BELGIUM

If what you seek is natural, unspoiled beauty, then Hallerbos Forest in Belgium is the perfect pathway for you to wander.

Hallerbos, or “The Blue Forest,” also known as Halle’s Wood, is an undulating landscape covered with beautiful beech trees. But the most special time here is in late spring and early summer, when a wild carpet of bluebell hyacinths springs up. These gorgeous flowers extend for a few acres at the edge of the beech woods, and will impress you with their colorful beauty.

3. CABOT TRAIL -- NOVA SCOTIA

For a pathway that is packed with activities, try the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. This scenic roadway takes you through some of the country’s best coastal and highland scenery, and offers plenty of excursions along the way.

You can hop off the trail to grab some of the area’s famous seafood, buy handcrafted goods from the Cabot Trail artisans, and soak up some local music at the Cape Breton Music Festival.

If you’re looking to get off the beaten path and onto a wilder one head for the spectacular offshoot hiking trails or go kayaking with the whales. Afterwards, you can bunk in any of the cozy inns or 5-star resorts nearby.

4. ROTA VICENTINA -- PORTUGAL

The Rota Vicentina, also known as the Fisherman’s Trail, in Portugal, takes you through the gorgeous wilderness of the southwest of the country.

This pathway is physically demanding, as it runs along the wild Alentejo coastline, and is frequently met with steep dunes and ocean winds.

It follows the trails that locals use for beach access and the best fishing spots, so you’ll feel like a Portuguese native when you take this beautiful beachside pathway.

5. AMALFI COAST -- ITALY

The Amalfi Coast in Italy was named an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape by UNESCO. The coast is fringed by mountains that steeply drop off into the glimmering sea. Whitewashed villas dot the ragged edge.

To best see all of these incredible sights, walk along the beautiful Via Tragara. It is a pathway that runs from busy Capri Town to the vista point at Belvedere Tragara. There’s a plethora of incredible restaurants and hotels nearby, as well as some of the country’s best hiking trails.

6. CLIFF WALK, NEWPORT -- RHODE ISLAND, UNITED STATES

The Cliff Walk, which extends for 3.5 miles along the coast of Rhode Island, is one of the most beautiful pathways in the Northeastern United States. It begins on Memorial Boulevard, where it winds through luxurious Gilded Age mansions and a 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo, called The Breakers.

After immersing yourself in glamour, the path becomes tougher. It leads you towards Bailey’s Beach, over boulders and along cliffside drop-offs that plunge into the Atlantic. This pathway offers a truly unique combination of glitz and ruggedness.

7. PASEO DE LA PRINCESA -- OLD SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

The tree-lined Paseo de la Princesa, in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, is perfect for a warm walk any time of year. The trail snakes along the coast, between the gorgeous bay and the enormous 17th-century fortress walls of the city.

The Paseo takes you past the best old city sights. It begins as an esplanade lined with local sculpture and local vendors selling traditional Puerto Rican food and crafts. Check out the famous bronze Raíces fountain and listen to jazz musicians along the way.

You can end up at the edge of the bay or head deeper in to Old San Juan. Either way, you can’t help but fall in love with the city when you walk down this pathway.

8. OLD TOWN WALLS -- DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

For a walk through ancient history, walk along the Old Town Walls in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Mostly constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries, their beautiful white stone gives the Old Town their nickname, the Pearl of the Adriatic. Dubrovnik has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1970s.

Walking the length of this pathway may take you all day, despite it only being 1.3 miles, because of all the wonderful vistas, overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

9. WALES COAST PATH -- WALES

The Wales Coast Path runs along the entire coastline of the country.

As you walk, you’ll admire the misty peaks of Snowdonia, the frolicking dolphins and seals in Cardigan Bay, and the rocky paths of Anglesey and Pembrokeshire. There are 41 beaches, 18 castles, and 12 nature reserves along the path.

You don’t need to plan a detailed itinerary for this journey- you’ll stumble across something beautiful every step of the way.

10.  BODNANT GARDENS -- WALES

Flower lovers should add Bodnant Gardens, in Wales, to their bucket list of beautiful floral pathways to explore.

The same family has run the gardens for 5 generations. They’ve planted seeds and cuttings collected on many plant-hunting expeditions in China, North America, Europe, and Japan.

Bodnant Gardens sits on the banks of the River Conwy, and overlooks the spectacular peaks of the Snowdonia Mountains. With an array of terraced and wild gardens and informal lawns, the paths are graced with gorgeous flowers at every turn.

Read more about Beautiful Pathways, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including Baby, Tonight We’re So Beautiful Now!, The Pathways to Beautiful Ideas Now, Wild Pathways to Beautiful Food Now, and The Magical Paths of Lights Now.

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Image Credits:

1. Image: by Abe Kleinfeld. Pink Pathway. California.
2. Image: by Vincent Brassinne. A Light In The Curve [Explored]. Belgium.
3. Image: by Nicolas Raymond. Blue Forest Trail. Nova Scotia.
4. Image: by Björn Groß. Rota Vicentina VI. Portugal.
5. Image: by Dennis Jarvis. Italy-3040 Phoenecian Steps. Italy.
6. Image: by slack12. Cliff walk beach. Rhode Island, United States.
7. Image: by Ricymar Photography. Puerto Rico (Viejo San Juan). Puerto Rico.
8. Image: by Dennis Jarvis. Croatia-01754 - Two Fortresses. Croatia.
9. Image: by Kris Williams. ‘Stepping Into A Sunset’ - South Stack, Anglesey. Wales.
10. Image: by ukgardenphotos. Laburnum Arch, Laburnum Pergola, in full bloom at Bodnant Gardens, Conwy, Wales, UK (1 of 15). Wales.
11. Image: by Mikko Muinonen. Stari Grad. Dubrovnik, Croatia.
12. Image: by ianpreston. P1050792. Bodnant Garden, Wales.
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14. Image: by Stacey Kizer. Amalfi, Italy. Italy.