Germany is criss-crossed by a large network of signposted hiking trails. These do not only run through nature, you can also find interesting hiking routes in cities.
Which hiking trail should you choose?
As is so often the case, he who has the choice … The offer in the field of hiking in Germany is really huge.
Some hiking trails follow a specific theme. For example, you can hike from mill to mill or from brewery to brewery. There are short routes suitable for children, which sometimes also offer great information, action opportunities or playgrounds along the way. The regions offer hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty, ranging from high-altitude trails to almost flat and also barrier-free trails. Ambitious long-distance hikers will also find hiking trails in Germany that connect far-flung places. Other trails are ideal for day or half-day tours. So there is a suitable offer for every taste, every condition, every age group.
The quality of trails for hiking in Germany varies greatly. There are, for example, the certified quality trails Wanderbares Deutschland, but also numerous trails without a “quality award” that offer no less hiking fun.
No matter which path you choose, for your own safety you should always walk only on signposted paths. You never know what dangers lie hidden off the beaten track and those who go off the beaten track destroy our beautiful nature and scare away animals.
Hiking in Germany – our hikes
Here we present hiking routes in Germany that we have hiked during our travels. These are theme-specific tours, circular hiking trails of different lengths and hiking routes that we were able to walk in one day without much stress. Some of the tours are also excellent for cycling.
Most of the posts contain maps with the route. Many of the tours are also published on Komoot.
For visitors to Berlin, sightseeing is usually the main focus, but Berlin has more to offer. Berlin is green, with lots of water and there are great opportunities for hiking. How about a hike on the Havelhöhenweg?
From Spandau to Schmöckwitz is almost a "world trip" and so I'm not surprised that the Köpenick district is one of my "white and unknown spots" on the Berlin map. We were there to change that!
The hike is just under 6 kilometres long and took us from Hallerndorf to Willersdorf. Of course, not without making stops at breweries or cellars along the way.
The town of Fischbach is only about 9 kilometres from Idar-Oberstein. Here in the southern Hunsrück is the historic Fischbach copper mine, which can be visited all year round.
The municipality of Aufseß is located in Franconian Switzerland. Here you will find the Aufseß Brewery Trail, which even made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 2001.
Pilgrimage on the Via Sacra - for me it went for the first time on pilgrimage in Upper Lusatia: from Oybin to Görlitz in three stages with visits to sacred sites, on foot and by bike. Three wonderful and varied days that made me want to go on further adventures.
When the lush green of the trees gives a view into the undergrowth, the hike to the cemetery railroad is especially worthwhile. Now you can discover the old tracks, forgotten stairs and unused bridges especially well.
Peterle and Paulchen, two donkeys who accompanied us on an exciting donkey walk, live in the Hossingen district of Albstadt.
The premium hiking trail Traufgang Hossinger Leiter is one of the most popular hiking trails in the area of the Swabian Alb. We were almost magically attracted by the circular hiking trail of 8.7 kilometers and in pleasant autumnal weather we set out on the hike "Traufgang Hossinger Leiter".
The Northern Black Forest is a paradise for hiking enthusiasts. Here, numerous very well signposted hiking routes of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty await those seeking recreation through a varied landscape.
You can also discover Berlin beautifully by bike. The outer districts and especially tours through the forests and along the water are ideal for a bike tour. But this route is also great for hiking!
A hike of about 10 kilometers from Kleinern led us through the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park to Hemfurth on Lake Edersee. Just the thing for nature lovers and hikers!
I love the TV pictures of the Brocken, when you see the storm sweeping over the mountain top and people trying to move forward. For that reason alone, it was clear to me relatively quickly that if I'm in the Harz, I have to go to the Brocken.
Sacrow is a small town located between Berlin-Kladow and Potsdam in Brandenburg. For us, this was the starting point for a short hike through the Königswald forest along the Sacrower See lake.
In the fall, a hike took us from Lübars in Berlin across the state border into Brandenburg's Mühlenbecker Land region and back to Lübars. The route was almost 16 kilometers long, but can certainly be shortened or extended.
At the foot of the Fichtelberg in the Ore Mountains lies the town of Oberwiesenthal. At 915 metres above sea level, it is the highest town in Germany. In winter, it is a great place for winter sports, and in the snow-free season, hiking trails attract visitors.
In beautiful weather, we set off from Bad Schandau to tackle our planned hike to the Bastei. First we take the train to Rathen.
Bad Schandau in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains is easily accessible by train. It is easy to discover many different hiking routes from here. We did two half-day tours, which were very varied and left lots of wonderful and atmospheric impressions.
Oberwiesenthal lies directly on the border with the Czech Republic and the Zechengrund nature reserve forms a section of the direct border.
The Fichtelbergbahn is a narrow-gauge railway that runs from Cranzahl in Saxony to the highest town in Germany, the town of Oberwiesenthal. The route is just over 17 kilometres long and is one of the most popular excursion tips in the Ore Mountains.
In Brandenburg, quite close to Berlin, lies the Döberitzer Heide. The entire area is about 5000 hectares. On about 3600 hectares, the former military training area Döberitz, is now a nature reserve. Most of the heathland lies in the Havelland district between Dallgow-Döberitz, Seeburg, Elstal and Priort. The southern area belongs to Potsdam.
The best way to find out where Berlin's coldest point is is to ask the meteorologists - or look at the Berlin city map and search for a name that actually reveals exactly that it must be particularly cold here - Eiskeller (ice cellar).
Fancy a beer hike? In Franconia you will not only find numerous breweries, here you can combine beer drinking with hiking on the Five-Seidla-Trail.
During our short visit to Pottenstein, we left the car behind. Hiking in Pottenstein is a wonderful alternative!
During my visit to the Upper Palatinate, I took part in a hike near Bad Neualbenreuth. Both tours are easy to manage with only moderate gradients and on good paths, even for inexperienced hikers.
Bad Neualbenreuth has only recently been recognised as a spa and now offers further interesting offers in addition to the existing programme. I experienced the forest health training with trainer Beate Ott and got to know a completely new forest experience.
Churfranken is a wine region and the Franconian Red Wine Trail runs along the Main. Here you can not only enjoy a wonderful hike, but also watch the winegrowers at work and discover the local wines in the wineries.
From the tourist information office in Lossburg, we set out on a short hike through the enchanted forest in the magic land of Lossburg. We had the information flyer about the hiking route and the little pixie book "Mit Winni auf Entdeckertour im Zauberland" with us. A really cutely designed book that goes with the…
In bright sunshine, we drove with an information flyer from Lossburg to the starting point for a hike through the world of mills on the Heimbach.
A city tour and relaxation are two sides of the same coin in Radeberg. We went out to explore the City of Beer Path (Bierstadtpfad) and the Planet Path (Planetenwanderweg).
Three days in Bad Schandau and one firm goal: We are going to go hiking despite the temperature being 30 degrees!