Voices along the Via Alpina

Tourism & Leisure — May 06, 2025

The Via Alpina has been connecting people, cultures and landscapes across the Alps for 25 years now. A podcast series tells the story of the project, highlights the challenges and opportunities of long-distance hiking and raises awareness of sustainable tourism in the Alps.

The Via Alpina is more than just a hiking trail – it is a symbol of the solidarity between the Alpine regions. Since was established, 25 years ago, it has inspired countless people to experience the Alpine landscape in a sustainable way. However, the growing popularity of long-distance hiking also raises questions about nature conservation, infrastructure and regional development. This is where the podcast series ‘Voices along the Via Alpina’ comes in: fascinating interviews, stories and background reports trace the development of the Via Alpina and convey the importance of sustainable Alpine tourism. The aim is to raise awareness of the Via Alpina as a cross-border cultural and natural experience.

Full project name:
Voices along the Via Alpina. Multilingual podcast series in 2025 to mark the 25th anniversary of the ‘Via Alpina’ long-distance hiking trail connecting all Alpine countries.

Project objectives

To raise awareness of the Via Alpina as a flagship project for gentle tourism and inspire nature experiences in the Alpine region.
To raise awareness of sustainability issues in the Alpine region at a personal level.
To raise awareness of environmental issues, from the climate crisis to the biodiversity crisis.
To enable knowledge transfers across language barriers and national borders.
To link the Alpine countries and their geographical, scenic and cultural highlights and make them tangible.

Main activities

Production of a multilingual podcast series in several episodes about the Via Alpina.
Communication: dissemination of the podcast series via newsletters, regional partner radio stations, media relations, social media, the Via Alpina website/social media and regional and national CIPRA offices.
Events & exchange: organisation of a public podcast discussion and a guided hike along the Via Alpina.

Duration: January to December 2025
Project languages: German, French, Italian, Slovenian
Funding: The project has received financial support of CHF 20,000 from the Stiftung Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger in Liechtenstein. The total costs amount to CHF 42,000. Would you too like to support the project’s implementation financially? You can do so via the Via Alpina donation page or contact us directly: nora.leszczynski@cipra.org