Hidden gems: 12 premium hiking trails that will make you happy

We’ve put together 12 trails for you that have been awarded the “Premium Hiking Trail” or “Premium Walking Trail” designation. They guarantee close contact with nature, few paved sections, and, above all, hiking experiences that will make you happy. We’ll take you on a journey across the country - to the Rhine and the Loreley, to the Palatinate and the castle that became Richard the Lionheart’s prison. Experience Point Alpha on foot at the former East-West German border and an exciting loop trail in the Alps with views of Lake Chiemsee. Psst! These trails are insider tips - please (don’t) tell anyone!

Loreley Extra Tour

Sankt Goarshausen: View from the Loreley rock to the Rhine valley landscape ©AdobeStock (Alice_D)

“I don’t know what it means that I’m so sad…” That’s how the famous song about the Loreley on the Rhine begins. The beautiful Lore was a pretty girl who constantly combed her hair and drove the boatmen on the Rhine mad. In the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a very entertaining hiking trail has been created around the Loreley rock - the Loreley Extra Tour. It’s 16 kilometers long and quite challenging, as it climbs from the Rhine up to the Loreley plateau. At the Loreley Culture and Landscape Park, you can watch a 3D film about this mythical place and explore a glass-bottomed rock.

Start: Sankt Goarshausen, Market Square
Duration: 4.5 hours
Distance: 14.3 kilometers
Public transportation: St. Goarshausen train station

Extratour Point Alpha

The Point Alpha extra tour takes you to a Cold War hotspot. You’ll hike through the Iron Curtain that separated West and East Germany after World War II. You’ll cross the border where Americans and Russians, West and East, once faced off. On this 15-kilometer loop, you’ll experience enchanting forests - as well as sweeping views of the Rhön landscape. A highlight is the fairytale-like old town of Geisa with its castle and Renaissance-era town hall. At Point Alpha, observation towers belonging to the GDR and the U.S. Army were installed. At the House on the Border, you can immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Point Alpha.

Start: Haus der Grenze
Duration: 4.5 hours
Distance: 14.6 kilometers
Public transportation: Point Alpha bus stop, Geisa

Richard the Lionheart Trail

Annweiler am Trifels: Aerial view of Trifels Castle in autumn at sunrise, Palatinate Forest ©lookphotos (Hans Georg Eiben)

Did Richard I, known as Richard the Lionheart, go on vacation in Germany? No: He was imprisoned, in a sort of luxury confinement at Trifels Castle. On the Richard the Lionheart Trail in the Palatinate, you can explore the magnificent forests surrounding the castle. Naturally, the trail markers feature the three lions from the English coat of arms. The starting and ending point of this 12-kilometer premium trail is the picturesque town of Annweiler with its half-timbered houses. Did Richard the Lionheart also wander through these medieval streets? You should definitely visit Trifels Castle. Copies of the imperial regalia - the Imperial Orb and Sceptre—are on display there.

Start: Parking Lot 10 in Annweiler
Duration: 3.5 hours
Distance: 12.5 kilometers
Public Transportation: Annweiler am Trifels Train Station

Cochem Knights’ Trail

Cochem Castle overlooking the Moselle ©Shutterstock (SCStock)

The landscape along the Moselle is world-famous: the Riesling wines that grow on the steep slopes; the wild, rocky terrain; and a multitude of castles. On the Cochem Knights’ Trail, you’ll experience the beautiful Moselle in all its facets. A cheeky little knight accompanies you on this 16-kilometer-long, challenging premium trail. First, the route leads steeply uphill along alpine paths to the Pinner Kreuz. Tip: Take the cable car. Then you’ll experience forests, great views, a castle ruin, and, as a highlight at the end, the old town of Cochem. Of course, the trail also passes by Cochem Castle - before you wrap up the day with a boat tour on the Moselle.

Start: Josef-Steib-Platz, Cochem
Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 16.3 kilometers
Public transportation: Cochem train station

Liebesbankweg

One of the most beautiful hiking trails in the Harz Mountains is the Liebesbankweg. The Harz is known as a gathering place for witches, who fly on their brooms around Mount Brocken in the middle of the Harz on Walpurgis Night. On the Liebesbankweg in Goslar-Hahnenklee, it’s not witches who gather, but people of all ages: families, couples, and solo travelers who enjoy the trail’s special atmosphere. You’ll hike along this seven-kilometer premium trail past several small lakes. The lakes are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Oberharzer Wasserwirtschaft.” The 25 “love benches” are beautifully designed with scenes from romantic life. There’s a German saying: The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. That’s why all hikers should stop for a bite to eat at a restaurant in Hahnenklee or Goslar after the loop hike.

Start: Stave Church, Hahnenklee
Duration: 2.5 hours
Distance: 6.3 kilometers
Public transportation: Hahnenklee Treff Hotel bus stop, Goslar

Bad Berleburg Fairy Tale Trail

Once upon a time… in the Siegerland, Germany’s most forested region in the largest federal state, North Rhine-Westphalia. Near Bad Berleburg Castle, families can enjoy a beautiful, short loop trail. Along the five-kilometer-long Bad Berleburg Fairy Tale Trail, you’ll discover six fairy-tale-like stops. Did the Frog King sit there by the fountain? Did Rapunzel let her hair down from this tower? Was Little Red Riding Hood seen there in the forest? As the crowning finale to this varied hiking trail, you should definitely visit the Bad Berleburg Residential Castle. Perhaps you’ll meet the Count and Countess von Sayn-Wittgenstein, who live in the castle.

Start: Market Square, Bad Berleburg
Duration: 2.5 hours
Distance: 5.4 kilometers
Public transportation: Market Square bus stop, Bad Berleburg

Chiemseeblick

Chiemsee: View of Fraueninsel and Frauenwörth Abbey in front of the Chiemgau Alps ©DZT (Francesco Carovillano)

You should plan at least seven hours for the Chiemseeblick premium alpine hiking trail. The route climbs uphill on narrow trails; you should have a head for heights and love the high mountains. Here you can experience magnificent mountain forests and idyllic alpine meadows. The highlight of the loop hike is the fantastic view of Lake Chiemsee, also known as the Bavarian Sea - a truly majestic lake! At the highest point of the hike, you can rest at the Stoibenmöseralm and enjoy the mountain scenery. Anyone who can say the name “Stoibenmöseralm” ten times in a row without stumbling will receive the Bavarian Hiking Diploma.

Start: Parking lot at the Festsaal in Reit im Winkl
Duration: 7 hours
Distance: 12.4 kilometers
Public transportation: Reit im Winkl bus stop, Festsaal

3 Towers Trail

The Ruhr region, in the heart of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is and has always been the industrial heart of Germany. But you can also experience nature there, on the Ruhr region’s only premium hiking trail, the 3 Towers Trail in Hagen. On this 12-kilometer loop, you can visit the three towers. From the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tower, you’ll have a spectacular view stretching far into the Ruhr region - you can even make out the Dortmund stadium. Along the way, you’ll learn about Hagen’s industrial history; the trail becomes an open-air museum. One of the tour’s many highlights is Hagen’s wildlife preserve.

Start: Stadtgarten, Hagen
Duration: 3.5 hours
Distance: 11.6 kilometers
Public transportation: Hagen Markt bus stop

Bernauer Hochtal Steig

Upper Black Forest: Panoramic view from Herzogenhorn ©Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH (Dand Schultheiss)

The premium hiking trail Bernauer Hochtal Steig is a hiking sensation in the Black Forest. The 16-kilometer loop trail starts at an elevation of 900 meters, placing you on a high plateau. You’ll hike leisurely up to nearly 1,400 meters, where the fragrant mountain meadows are simply sensational. You’ll hike through dense, alpine spruce forests and breathe in the fresh Black Forest air. But the highlight of the trail is the fantastic views all the way to the Alps. From a wooden platform equipped with a telescope, you can see as far as the Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. And you can enjoy a hearty meal at the Krunkelbachhütte. Look forward to the Black Forest ham platter with mountain cheese!

Start: Ankenbühl parking lot
Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 15.6 kilometers
Public transportation: Bernau bus stop, Weierle Strasse

Kurschatten Bad Schwalbach

Bad Schwalbach is a beautiful spa town above the Rhine near Frankfurt. On the Kurschatten premium walking trail, you’ll experience hiking as a wellness event. The loop trail is just six kilometers long, perfect for families and hiking beginners. You’ll walk through a real moor and feel the ground beneath your feet on a barefoot path. The trail takes you over sticks, stones, and sand - a wonderful sensation underfoot! And if you want to rest, you can take a seat on one of Germany’s longest benches.

Start: Moorbadehaus, Bad Schwalbach
Duration: 2.5 hours
Distance: 6.5 kilometers
Public transportation: Kurhaus bus stop, Bad Schwalbach

Seegang

Waterfront promenade with Lake Constance ©DZT (Jens Wegener)

Ahoy! Cast off, welcome to Germany’s largest inland lake, Lake Constance. You’ll hike along the Seegang premium hiking trail. 55 kilometers of hiking fun in four stages, or three stages for experienced hikers. You’ll start in Überlingen and enjoy the breathtaking view across the lake to the Swiss Alps. You’ll immerse yourself in the forests of the hinterland and experience the spectacular Marienschlucht - a true alpine adventure! Our insider tip is the picturesque town of Ludwigshafen on Lake Constance, a highlight along the Seegang trail. The destination and grand finale is the city of Konstanz with its medieval old town. In Konstanz, you can board a Lake Constance ferry and return to Überlingen.

Start: Überlingen. Destination: Konstanz
Duration: 4 stages / 4 days
Distance: 53.4 kilometers
Public transportation: Überlingen and Konstanz train stations

Soonwaldsteig

Bingen: Aerial view of the mouse tower on an island in the Rhine ©Rheintouristik Tal der Loreley, St. Goar (Mahlow Media, Winningen)

The Soonwald is a range of hills between the Nahe and Moselle rivers. It’s a remote area, as the German saying goes. On the five stages of the 85-kilometer-long Soonwaldsteig, you’ll be immersed in the complete solitude of the forest. Your only companions will be the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds. Since there are no hotels along the way, you can spend the night in trekking camps. This is pure adventure and very popular with families. Hiking by day, campfire romance in the evening, and a deep sleep in your own tent at night. The Soonwaldsteig ends in Bingen am Rhein at the famous Mäuseturm.

Start: Kirn Train Station. Finish: Bingen Central Station.
Duration: 6 stages / 6 days
Distance: 85 kilometers
Public transportation: Kirn Station + Bingen Central Station