This is a guest post from Rebecca Crawford who writes Hiking Mastery
Are you planning a hiking trip to Europe and are unsure about where to hike with your children? It can be an issue since not all trails are child-friendly and it’s very easy (even for adults) to get hurt or have a hard time manoeuvring. For this reason, we have compiled a list with some of the most fantastic hiking trails that are kid friendly and will save you a lot of headaches. Are you ready to plan your hiking trip? Let’s go!
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Hiking Trails in Europe for Kids
Badia – Sompunt Lake in Italy
Italy is a beautiful country full of places to hike. The Badia located at Sumpunt Lake is only a 30-minute hike but it has a lot of beauty to behold. You will take a little ascent onto a road where you will follow the trail through the Paracia and Ciaminades farms, which are picturesque. You will then keep going to Sompunt Lake, which is a great place to rest as you can eat here as well as let your children play on the playground equipment.
Children’s Adventure Trail in Switzerland
Located in the Swiss Alps, in the Jungfrau Region, you will find the Children’s Adventure Trail in the Murren area. Here, you can not only see some of the most famous mountain tops, but you can take in all of the scenery and some fun, too.
This will involve a lot of walking, so make sure your kids can handle it and that they have the best hiking shoes for kids so their feet will not hurt while you are all enjoying yourself. This can cause your child to have blisters or have a bad time because they are in pain.
You can choose one of the many child-friendly hikes here, but the Children’s Adventure Trail is one of the best. You start at the Allmendhubel Funicular train and travel through the Swiss Alps. You will find many networks of funicular trains and gondolas to help people get around. You can take one of these too to get past harder terrain that your kids are not ready for.
Here, you will also find obstacles courses, playground, and fun activities for the kids to take part in and be active. It comes highly recommended to families!
Wild Kaiser Mountain Range in Tirol, Austria
At this mountain range, you can take cable cars to go from one place to another, as well as take part in many activities for your family, along with hiking. There are not only regular trails but themed trails, too, which should keep your kids interested. In this general area, there are 6 adventure worlds to look into and discover. Your children can learn about nature and why it is important.
Take part in seeing the Filzalmsee Lake, the enchanted forest of Ellmi’s Magic World as well as the Hohe Salve. At these places, you can eat nearly any food, like ice cream, as you talk about the 13 mountains around you, or as you decide which of the 20 hiking trails to take part in.
Auvergne, France
Auvergne is an area where your children will have a great time hiking. You can check out the Puy de Dome, the highest peak, and enjoy hiking right in the middle of beautiful France, and take a themed hike on the Stevenson trail. If your children are really into it, you can take the trail to the volcano and learn about it on a guided tour. The country side of France is absolutely stunning and does have a lot to offer your children in terms of activities, like swimming a crater lake, or watching a farmer make cheese!
Mallorca, Spain
Your kids will feel like they are in a fairy tale or fable when they hike around Mallorca. The scenery is that out of a storybook, which is both beautiful and somewhat strange, which kids will enjoy. You can find a few trails that are interesting for the kids, such as the area around the Lluc Monastery, where your kids can climb on the rock formations and explore the area. There is also a restaurant there so you can eat. This trail lasts under 2 hours.
If you want an ocean view hike, you can try the trail in Talia Alcudia in the northern area. You will travel from the Sanctuary La Victoria and it will take about 90 minutes. Don’t forget to pack a swimming bag so you can take a swim in the ocean! If your kids want to go off the beaten path you can find areas that wind around and have tons of pine trees, which is especially true in Calo d’en Monjo. If you take a 15-minute walk from here, you will be able to relax at the beach!
Santuari De Lluc, Mallorca
Colfosco – Pisciadu Waterfalls in Italy
The hike at Colfosco is only about 30 minutes long and will start at the Hotel Lujanta where you will go past some beautiful landscape of hills and pastures. At the end of the trail is the amazing PIsciadu Waterfalls, where you can take the time to soak in this amazing scenery.
When you head back, you can stop at the Colfosco Adventure Park if you are up to it, as it has many family activities, many of them are all natural, or earth friendly. For example, you can climb up a high rope course that involves hundreds of meters of rope and is 19 meters high.
Conclusion
As you can tell, these hikes are not just hikes that have nice scenery, but they generally have activities for children and their parents to participate in. These activities not only help you bond as a family, but make the outdoors, hiking, and travelling more exciting to your kids. So, while you are in Europe, head up some of these trails and take time for some fun activities, too! And, don’t forget your camera in your family day pack!
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DISCLOSURE:
- All images courtesy of Pexels
These hiking trails aren’t only good for kids, but I would also go there. Thanks for sharing awesome places with stunning scenery! When’s the best time of the year to hike in Auvergne?
Thanks for picking these trails out, I am sure they will be very helpful to parents. Outdoor fun activities like hiking and camping are some of the ways in which families can create lasting bonds. Nice article.
What a great adventure and post you shared! This is so useful and so excited after seeing all your updates! love all the pictures which you shared. Thank you so much for sharing this post..