From Lake Constance in Germany, the E5 runs 600km through a remarkable kaleidoscope of landscapes and culture in Switzerland, Austria and Italy, to its destination at Verona. It traverses the Allgauer, Lechtaler and Ötztaler Alps. There is a good network of alpine refuges and guesthouses along the route.

Maps

Simplified sketch maps and route profiles detailing each stage are included in this guide. Their purpose is to give a rough idea of the route, and to describe facilities walkers can expect to find. However, it is essential to take with you the relevant published maps.

Kompass (www.kompass.at) publish two useful maps covering the whole of the E5. ‘Wanderkarte Europäischer Fernwanderweg E5‘ sheet 120 is ‘Teil Nord’ (northern part), which corresponds to Stages 1–9, while sheet 121 ‘Teil Süd’ covers Stages 10–29. At a 1:50,000 scale, they consist of strip sections of larger maps, and in combination with this guide are perfectly adequate for following the E5. Their disadvantages are occasional innaccuracies and lack of detail, and the fact that they only show the immediate area around the route; it can be frustrating not being able to identify more distant mountains.

Walkers who intend to cover a short part of the route may prefer purchasing more detailed maps. Apart from Kompass, other possibilities are listed below, though there are some gaps. Leading map sellers and outdoor stores in the UK, USA and Australia generally keep these in stock. For the UK try Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk).

Stages 1–3 1:60,000 sheet Bodensee/ Lake Constance by Kummerly+ Frey (Constance to Bregenz) www.swissmaps.ch.

Stages 6–7 Alpenvereinskarte 1:25,000 sheet 2/1 Allgäuer-Lechtaler Alpen, West (Oberstdorf to Holzgau only). Published by the Austrian Alpine Club; members can order the map at www.alpenverein.at/karten.

Stages 7–8 Alpenvereinskarte 1:25,000 sheet 3/3 Lechtaler Alpen, Parseierspitze (Holzgau
to Zams only). Published by
the Austrian Alpine Club;
members can order the map at www.alpenverein.at/karten.

Stage 10 Alpenvereinskarte 1:25,000 sheet 30/5 Ötztaler Alpen, Geigenkamm (Mittelberg to Zwieselstein). Published by
the Austrian Alpine Club;
members can order the map at www.alpenverein.at/karten.

Stages 11–13 Tabacco 1:25,000 sheet 039 ‘Val Passiria/Passeiertal’ (Zwieselstein to Hirzerhütte).

Stage 14 Tabacco 1:25,000 sheet 011 ‘Merano e dintorni/Meran und Umgebung’ (Hirzerhütte to Meranerhütte).

Stage 15–16 Tabacco 1:25,000
sheet 034 ‘Bolzano-Renon-Tschögglberg’ (St Jakob to Deutschnofen only).

Stage 16 Tabacco 1:25,000 sheet 029 ‘Sciliar/Schlern’ (Bozen to Oberraden).

Stages 23–24 Sezioni Vicentine del CAI 1:25,000 sheet 2 (foglio nord) ‘Sentieri Pasubio Carega’ (Passo Coe to Pian delle Fugazze).

Stages 25–27 Sezioni Vicentine del CAI 1:25,000 sheet 1 (foglio sud) ‘Sentieri Pasubio Carega’ (Pian delle Fugazze to Maregge only).

Stage 29 Provincia di Verona-Comune di Verona 1:20,000 ‘Carta dei Sentieri Sulle Colline di Verona’ (Montecchio to Verona).