Hiking adventures for families
Exploring the region on foot together
The Moselsteig and its partner trails offer more than 365 kilometres of adventure! There are plenty of stages, sections and circular walks that won’t be too much for little ones and will put adults at ease right from the planning stage. Once there, you can rely entirely on the consistently excellent signposting and waymarkings.
What’s more, there are numerous other walking trails in the Mosel region that are suitable for families. Crossing streams, visiting castles and enjoying wonderful nature experiences ensure exciting moments for the kids. On themed trails, the whole family can learn more about the local flora and fauna and discover nature with all their senses at interactive experience stations. At the same time, the routes are close to villages, offering the flexibility to shorten the walk if needed or combine it with a stop for refreshments. A real highlight for young and old alike: the walk can easily be shortened at any time by bus, train or even by boat, adding extra variety to the experience.
Whether you’re travelling with a pushchair, little ones in walking shoes, or are feeling a bit more adventurous: the Mosel offers families plenty of opportunities to get out and about together and discover something new time and time again.
An overview of family-friendly walks
Here you’ll find a selection of family-friendly walks in the Mosel region. The walks are no more than 10 kilometres long, ranging from easy to moderately difficult, and offer a variety of sights along the way for young and old alike. Some of the trails are also suitable for pushchairs and buggies, making walking with young children a particularly relaxing experience.
Our advice on choosing the right tour length
How long should a family walk be?
As a rough guide, the German Hiking Association offers the rule of thumb ‘age multiplied by 1.5’. According to this, a six-year-old can manage around nine kilometres. It’s also worth noting that 100 metres of elevation gain is roughly equivalent to one kilometre of distance.
Important for a relaxed hike with children: the pace and breaks are always dictated by the youngest children, especially as they often cover twice the distance by running back and forth as if playing. Little surprises add variety, such as a treasure hunt announced on the spur of the moment or a note found by the side of the path with small tasks to complete.
FAQ on hiking with children along the Mosel
Answers to frequently asked questions
There are numerous family-friendly walks along the Mosel – ranging from short, easy strolls to varied themed trails that tell exciting stories and bring nature to life in a fun way. Those travelling with older children and looking for more adventure will also find more challenging routes, such as the region’s via ferrata. Many walks can also be combined with other family activities and day-out destinations. This means that a walk, with the right breaks and stops along the way, can turn into a varied day out.
There are various walking trails along the Mosel that are ideal for exploring with a pushchair. Each route description specifies whether a trail is designated as pushchair-friendly or accessible. You can also use the Rhineland-Palatinate route planner to filter by specific criteria and search for suitable walking trails. This allows you to check in advance whether the route suits your family’s needs.
There’s no single ‘hidden gem’ – because families have very different ideas about what makes for a successful day’s hiking. Whether it’s a hike to a castle, a varied themed trail, nature experiences, a via ferrata or a tour followed by a boat trip: along the Mosel, there are plenty of opportunities to combine hiking with special experiences.
Many walks can be combined with a break or a stop for refreshments. Whether it’s rest areas and picnic spots in the countryside, a cosy café, an ice-cream parlour or a restaurant: depending on the route, there are various options for taking a break along or near the route. You’ll find details of places to stop for refreshments in the respective route descriptions.
On our website, you’ll also find a selection of family-friendly restaurants and special accommodation options for your family holiday in the Moselle region.
Yes, long-distance hikes are also great fun for the whole family. So there’s nothing to stop you from setting off on a hike along the Moselsteig and its partner trails. What’s particularly handy is that, thanks to the Moselsteig access routes and the good transport links to the local towns, you can plan your hike flexibly and join or leave the route at various points along the way. Thanks to the good public transport links, you can use the bus or train to return to the starting point. The return journey by boat is also a special experience for the whole family – turning the hike into a day out with two different perspectives on the Mosel.
