A photo of a mountain trail, a rocky forest or a valley covered in vineyards can be enough to make you want to book a hiking holiday. But the view tells you little about what a day on the trail will actually be like. Ten kilometres along a wide valley path is very different from ten kilometres with a long climb, loose stones or a steep descent.
For your first hiking holiday, it helps to choose both your destination and your base carefully. Are there routes of different lengths? Can you set off from where you’re staying? Is it easy to get back afterwards? And is there a shorter option for a day when the weather turns? The five regions below each offer a very different landscape. All are good places to start hiking, provided you choose routes that suit you.
The Moselle Valley, Germany
The Moselle winds between steep vineyards and villages along the river. From the water, you can look up at the vines; from the paths above, you can see how far the valley stretches. It’s an appealing destination if you want to combine walking with a village visit or a quiet afternoon by the river.
For a first trip, staying in one place along the Moselle makes things easier. You can plan different day walks without moving your luggage each time. When choosing a route, pay particular attention to the elevation gain. A riverside path may be gentle, while a walk up to a viewpoint can involve a substantial climb. If you plan to walk from one village to another, check how you’ll get back.
Moselle travel guide – Marco Polo
Mullerthal, Luxembourg
In Mullerthal, forests, streams and sandstone formations follow one another in quick succession. One moment you’re walking between high rock walls; the next, you’re back on an open woodland path. That variety makes even a relatively short walk interesting.
The Mullerthal Trail is 112 kilometres long, but you don’t need to plan a multi-day hike to explore the area. You can walk individual sections or choose from local routes. Check the terrain before setting off, though: steps, narrow passages and slippery rocks can make a route harder than its distance suggests. For your first day, choose a shorter circular walk. That way, you won’t have to work out how to get back to your car or accommodation.
Mullerthal Trail 112 km – Floor Denil
The Black Forest, Germany
The Black Forest has more variety than its name might suggest. Among the dark conifers are open hillsides, lakes, waterfalls and villages. You can spend several days walking here without seeing the same kind of landscape every time.
That range of options is useful on a first hiking holiday. From one base, you can start with a short route and choose a longer day hike later. Compare not just distances, but the amount of climbing and descending too. A long descent can be at least as tiring as the climb before it, especially if you’re new to walking in hilly terrain. Leave some space in your plans as well: a distance that feels easy on day one may feel different after several days of walking.
Black Forest Hiking & Cycling Cicerone
The Dolomites, Italy
The sharp peaks and towering rock faces make the Dolomites a dream destination for many hikers. You don’t have to tackle a demanding mountain hike to enjoy the scenery. In several areas, lifts take you to a higher starting point, where you can choose a shorter walk.
Route choice deserves extra care in the mountains. A lift saves you a climb, but tells you nothing about how wide or difficult the path ahead will be. Read the full route description, check the mountain weather and note the time of the last lift down. If you’re a beginner, choose a standard, well-described walking route and leave enough time to turn back if the weather or terrain becomes difficult. The via ferratas found in the Dolomites are protected climbing routes that require different equipment and skills.
Madeira, Portugal
Madeira combines green valleys and high mountains with views of the sea. Many walks follow a levada, an irrigation channel running through the landscape. These paths can take you far inland without a long climb.
A levada walk isn’t necessarily easy, however. Some paths are narrow, run alongside steep slopes or pass through tunnels. Look beyond the distance and elevation gain, and read what the route description says about the path itself. Shortly before you go, check whether the route is open and whether you need to book. Madeira’s official walking routes page lists their current status.
Which destination suits you?
If you’d like relaxed day walks with time for villages and café terraces, the Moselle Valley is a natural choice. Mullerthal is all about rocky woodland paths, while the Black Forest gives you plenty of freedom to alternate shorter and longer walks. The Dolomites offer mountain scenery, but call for careful route planning. In Madeira, conditions vary greatly from one path to another, even when a walk has little elevation gain on paper.
Whichever place appeals to you most, make your first route a little shorter than the maximum distance you think you can manage. You’ll get a feel for the terrain and leave time for breaks, a viewpoint or a change of plans for the return journey. That experience will help you make a better choice the next day.