Berlin is a city where families will feel welcome.
21.07.2023 - 07:44 / roughguides.com
Hiking in Germany is a passion and Germans are passionate hikers. Not surprisingly, the country has trails galore and Wandern (hiking) happens on a network of routes which covers almost 125,000 miles. Saxony’s share includes some of the country’s most popular trails which will make many a hiker’s heart beat faster.
The region’s stand-out hiking USP is probably the diversity of trails to explore. This not only applies to the types of routes on offer, from leisurely hikes for the gentle hikers amongst us to challenging long-distance options, but more importantly to the sheer range of beautiful scenery and sights to delight in while out and about.
Wide meadows, dense forests, rolling hills, steep climbs and most of all those all-important rewarding views – it’s all there and more. Many of the trails take in castles, palaces, and picturesque town so that a nice little dose of history and culture is always part of the hiking package. So, lace up those hiking boots – here are five of our top Saxon choices for the best of hiking in Germany.
Goeltzschtalbruecke bridge in Saxony, Germany © Sebastian Rose
The Vogtland region in Saxony’s southwest is hiking country par excellence, featuring five routes that carry a special German quality label given only to trails that fulfil certain criteria for top hiking experiences.
Vogtland’s green hills and forest are perfect for a ramble and the Vogtland Panorama Trail offers a kind of “best of” on a good 140-mile loop which starts and ends at the “Göltzschtalbrücke”, the world’s largest brick-built bridge (get your cameras out!).
The trail’s 12 legs cover between 7.5 miles and 15 miles per day and, depending on your individual “hiking mode”, hikers can easily pick and choose and create shorter tours.
Best: There are “hiking without luggage” packages available which make exploring the Vogtland Panorama Trail very manageable.
On the way, hikers can not only enjoy beautiful scenery and gorgeous views but also dip into the region’s unique traditions, from lace making in Plauen to instrument making in Markneukirchen.
Or how about trying a traditional mud spa treatment in Bad Elster, one of Saxony’s oldest spa towns? Your joints will thank you for it.
Hiking in Germany on the Vogtland Panorama Trail, Markneukirchen © Dennis Stratmann
In Upper Lusatia, at Saxony’s south-easternmost tip, the region meets Poland and the Czech Republic. Here, the Upper Lusatian Mountain Trail winds its way on a good 66 miles through a landscape which mixes mountain moments with forests and meadows.
Hikers can expect a vivid low mountain range landscape with granite ridges, volcanic hilltops, striking sandstone mountains and picturesque valleys at an altitude of 200 to 800 metres. Highlights of the
Berlin is a city where families will feel welcome.
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