From a former US Navy gun turret in the Picos de Europa to a cold-war Nato communications station in Norway, Europe's mountain huts offer intrepid hikers and climbers sanctuary, history, and superlative views. These refuges, often accessible only on foot, provide a unique blend of adventure and comfort, with prices ranging from free (bothies) to around £122 per night.
Spain and Sweden: Eccentricity and Arctic Charm
Cabaña Verónica in the Picos de Europa, Spain, sleeps six and sits at 2,325 metres, requiring a two-hour trek from the nearest cable car station. Its real attraction is its history: it was formerly a gun turret of a US Navy battleship scrapped in Bilbao in 1960. An enterprising engineer, Conrado Senties, had it carried up on horseback and reassembled on a rock plug. The custodian keeps it in good order, and the views are incredible. Beds cost €15, bookable via reservarefugios.com.
Låktatjåkko in Sweden, over 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle and 1,228 metres up, offers cosy conviviality amid hostile conditions. When visited, it was hard to find because it was coated in thick ice and half-buried in snow. The snug timber-clad lounge is perfect for reading old accounts of Arctic explorers like Fridtjof Nansen (no phone coverage). The kitchen serves endless plates of waffles with cloudberry jam and cream. In winter, the chances of being marooned are high, and skiing can be a serious challenge due to extreme cold and fast-changing weather. Rates start at 515 Swedish kronor (£40), laktatjakko.se.
Norway and Slovakia: Cold War Relics and Tatra Boltholes
Gaustatoppen in Norway, a small, traditional hut run by the Norwegian Trekking Association, is reached via an astounding route. You enter a mountainside, take a funicular railway one kilometre inside the granite, wander through tunnels of military-grade concrete, and exit through a blast-proof steel door. This infrastructure is a cold war relic of a Nato communications station, now doubling as a museum. The hut dates back to 1893 and sits on the summit of Telemark's highest peak, a popular ski resort, open in winter on weekends. On a clear day, they say you can see one-sixth of Norway. From 1,550 Norwegian kroner (£122), dnt.no.
Chata pod Rysmi in Slovakia's Tatra mountains is close enough to the summit of Rysy (2,501 metres) for an early start to catch dawn. It is traditional, well-run, and basic, with weather that can turn brutal at any time of year. It looks younger than its 1933 start date because it has been destroyed several times by avalanches and rock falls, which is why it only opens 1 June to 31 October. A bed costs €65, chatapodrysmi.kst.sk.
Slovenia, Corsica, and Iceland: Alpine Classics and Island Huts
Kredarica on Triglav, Slovenia, is the last potential stop en route to the summit of Slovenia's highest peak, Triglav (2,864 metres). Every Slovene feels compelled to visit the summit at least once, so it can be busy in summer. In winter, the dormitories are unheated bunkholes for those tackling the final ascent, where ice axe and crampons are essential. Half-board costs €30, triglavskidom.si.
Le Refuge de Ciottulu di Mori on Corsica's GR20 footpath offers gruff, mule-supplied mountain hospitality. It has a bare-bones dining room and a dormitory with communal sleeping benches for 26, set at 2,000 metres in a vast stony panorama with a slightly unpredictable caretaker. Beds are €15, le-gr20.fr.
Breiðuvik in east Iceland is on the coast, with usual bunk rooms and a well-appointed kitchen. The location is a wild, desolate coastline of volcanic sand beaches and abandoned villages. It is one of 40 locations run by the Icelandic Touring Association. Rates are 11,500 Icelandic kronur (£70), ferdaf.is.
Scotland and Italy: Bothies and Dolomite Gems
Scotland's Mountain Bothy Association maintains former cottages for miners or shepherds, many with a fireplace or wood burner. Some have supplies left by previous guests; others offer only a stone bench and an open doorway. A few have become over-used by visitors who don't understand the ethos of mucking in, sharing out, and cleaning up. The roster contains classics like the Elphin Bothy in the Assynt region of Sutherland, but finding them is part of the adventure. See mountainbothies.org.uk.
Rifugio Nuvolau in the Dolomites, Italy, is only accessible on foot. Built in 1883 as a bequest from Baron Richard von Meerheimb, who coined the term "psychodrama", it is famous for stunning shifts in light and colour. Inside is a dining room serving excellent food, including a three-course dinner; upstairs is a small dormitory. B&B costs €51, rifugionuvolau.it.
Rifugio Lagazuoi in the Dolomites has expanded over the years and been connected to the road by cable car, enabling coach parties to stay. The south-facing terrace is lovely, and there are fantastic walks through the tunnels and terraces of the first world war frontline on the cliff face below. Mount Lagazuoi (2,835 metres) was a site where the Austro-Hungarian empire faced off against Italians. In 1965, local Alpine guide Ugo Pompanin built the first hut, which, several additions later, is still run by his son Guido. From €85 with breakfast, rifugiolagazuoi.com.
