Breathtaking (But Easy) Walking Holidays in Europe for Families

It’s not a secret that hiking is one of life’s pleasures; you get to explore a place and connect deeply with it. Now imagine traveling solely to do several popular hikes in a country or a long-distance hike… that’s what a walking holiday is all about! It also removes so much of the stress that comes with a typical family vacation. There is no need to deal with complicated public transport maps or spend hours in a car. Your only job is to walk from one place to the next-

The pace is slow enough that you can really notice things, like a funny-shaped cloud or a field of wildflowers, but the best part is that kids respond wonderfully to the sense of accomplishment they get from completing a walk. It is an active, healthy, and surprisingly affordable way to see the best of Europe’s countryside.

This is your guide to some of the most stunning and manageable walking trips that your whole family will love.

Planning a Successful Walking Holiday

These adventures are not about endurance; they are about enjoying the journey, with comfortable beds and your main luggage waiting for you at the next stop, and one of the main drawbacks of walking holidays is planning and organizing the logistics, which doing it all by yourself can be a lot of work. That’s why many families choose to use a specialized tour company like Orbis Ways.

They handle all the complicated details, like booking your accommodations each night and arranging for your luggage to be transported from one hotel to the next. This means you only need to take a small backpack. They also give you detailed maps and route notes.

The packages and services are available in a huge number of countries and popular long-distance trails; these are a few of them:

Exploring the Trails of Switzerland with Kids

Many people say that walking holidays in Switzerland feel like it was designed for families. Why? The trails are well-maintained and clearly signposted, so it is very difficult to get lost.

You can base your family in a central town like Interlaken and take short trips on the train network to try a wide range of different hikes. One day, you might take a cable car up to a high alpine field for a flat walk with amazing mountain views, and the next you could enjoy an easy path along the shoreline of Lake Brienz.

Discovering Scotland on Foot

Scotland is home to amazing walking holidays and long-distance trails, and it offers a wild and wonderful setting packed with history and an interesting culture for a family walking holiday. The landscapes can be seen as dramatic, but there are a ton of easy paths perfect for kids.

You can try the trails that go through ancient forests like the one at Culbin Sands, explore the coastlines of the Moray Firth, or take a short walk to the ruins of a castle.

A great strategy is to use a city like Inverness as a home base, which allows you to be flexible with your daily plans depending on the weather. This way, you can enjoy a morning walk and then visit a museum or a cafe if the famous Scottish rain arrives. On the other hand, you can go to Milngavie (which is the starting point of the West Highland Way), near Glasgow, and walk sections of the long-distance trail.

Strolling around Italy

Italy is an amazing choice for a family walking holiday, and not only thanks to the trails but also thanks to its culture and amazing food scene. Also, the country has diverse landscapes to choose from, and offers a wide range of easy-to-moderate walks that are perfect for families.

A good example is the Cinque Terre region, which is packed with coastal trails that connect five villages and offer amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea. The trails here are well-maintained and vary in difficulty, so you can choose sections that suit your family’s abilities.

Conclusion

A walking holiday in Europe is more than just a trip; it is an experience that brings a family closer, it is about the stories you will tell and the memories you will make, from spotting deer in a Scottish glen to sharing a chocolate bar on a Swiss hill. The combination of gentle exercise, stunning scenery, and the freedom to explore at your own pace creates a unique vacation.