{"id":886900,"date":"2026-05-27T09:30:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T08:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=886900"},"modified":"2026-05-27T09:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T08:30:20","slug":"hiking-in-europe-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/hiking-in-europe-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiking in Europe: Best Destinations For Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Europe is home to some incredible landscapes with jagged snow-capped peaks and steep ascents. While it may seem intimidating on the surface, there\u2019s nowhere better for beginner hikers. You don\u2019t need mountaineering ambition to experience the Black Forest, stroll around Lake Bled or breathe in the crisp alpine air of Switzerland. Below we\u2019ve highlighted some incredible beginner-friendly hikes and hiking destinations in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Black Forest, Germany<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Do not let the Grimm brothers\u2019 ominous folklore tales fool you\u2026 you find witches or Hansel and Gretel in Germany\u2019s Black Forest. This landscape of dense pine canopy, cuckoo clocks, and winding paths is an easy introduction to hiking in Europe. The trail around Lake Mummelsee delivers geographical rewards for minimal physical tax. It\u2019s a flat, circular 1.2-mile loop rooted in local myth (supposedly home to an underwater king), taking roughly 45 minutes. You might have time to squeeze it in on Trafalgar\u2019s Best of Germany<\/a> tour \u2013 if not, you\u2019ll have fun when you Dive Into Culture and learn about the centuries-old craft of cuckoo clock making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. The Alps, Switzerland<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pack your pick axe and avalanche kit\u2026. we\u2019re joking! You can experience the grandeur and beauty of The Alps without it being an extreme sport. In the shadow of the Eiger, Switzerland has a clever network of high-altitude trains and cable cars that do the heavy lifting. If you can take the gondola from Grindelwald to First, from here take on a gently rolling trail to Lake Bachalpsee. This 3.7-mile return walk takes under two hours on a wide, gravel path. Or while on Trafalgar\u2019s Switzerland and Austria<\/a> itinerary you\u2019ll have a free day in Innsbruck, which you could use to hike some short, easy trails on the peripheries of the alpine city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ NEXT: <\/em><\/strong>A Walk Through History: Visiting Europe’s Most Historical Roads<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Cinque Terre, Italy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The famous Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) connecting all five villages is famous around the globe. But the popular section between Monterosso and Vernazza has more than 700 grueling stone steps \u2013 not exactly what we call a beginner-friendly hike. But at the southern end of the dramatic Cinque Terre coastline, there\u2019s a trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola, known as the Via dell’Amore<\/a> (Lover’s Lane), is completely flat, paved and clings directly to the cliffside over the crashing Ligurian Sea. The trail is one-way, and you\u2019ll have to buy a ticket \u2013 but best of all it takes an easy, breezy 20 minutes and the views are so worth it. You can experience the colorful magic of these coastal hiking trails stress-free on Trafalgar\u2019s Northern Italy including Cinque Terre<\/a> tour.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Northern Italy Including Cinque Terre<\/p>\n\t\t\t
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