5 Fall Foliage Family Adventures in Europe
Train rides, treetop walks and zip lines are just a few epic ways to experience autumn across the continent.
From the Greek Islands to Tuscany, Christmas markets to the Swiss Alps, Europe has endless peak-season appeal.
But have you ever thought of visiting in the fall? As soon as temperatures drop, the leaves begin to change, draping a dramatic cape of colors across the continent. Imagine cool mornings and crisp afternoons, old-world architecture shrouded in mist. Think caramelized pumpkin, roasted chestnuts. A sip of fresh-off-the-vine wine, perhaps? No matter where you are in Europe, the smell of autumn in the air adds a touch of magic. So whether it’s an urban fling or an immersion in nature you fancy, here are a few ways to embrace shoulder season travel, support local communities, and experience the outdoor autumn wonderland that Europe has to offer.
Sidebar: If Europe isn’t in the cards for you any time soon, use these tips to get inspired about similar activities closer to you! One of the best lessons we can learn from the changing of the leaves is to see things through a new lens. Why not treat your hometown like a place to go sightseeing (or leaf peeping) for a weekend, a day, or just a few hours?
Ride a Foliage Train
Mixing at least a little train travel into your European adventure is always a good idea. Trains emit less carbon than short, regional flights. The rail network opens up a wealth of lesser-known destinations and second cities, not to mention no security lines, more leg room, and more flexibility around travel times.
In the fall, the Italian-Swiss Railway operates a special Foliage Train designed to showcase the splendid colors of the landscape through which it travels. Connecting the 52 kilometers between Domodossola, Italy and Locarno, Switzerland, this cute little train passes by scenic lakes, towns, waterfalls and of course all the beautiful autumn leaves in between.
For UNESCO World Heritage lovers like us, Italy’s Bernina Express offers another epic panorama of the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. This year-round route on the Rhaetian Railway – particularly eye-catching in the fall – boasts thrillingly steep inclines and minimal tunnel time. The stunning spiraled viaduct descent into the Brusio valley will knock the socks off everyone in the family. Recognized in 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this train has run on electric energy since it hit the tracks over a hundred years ago.
And for sustainable travelers, Byway has a flurry of autumn rail adventures as well as 100% flight-free excursions. We love!
Take a Walk Above the Trees
The colorful leaves of fall inspire joy when seen from any perspective, but there’s something extra-special about winding your way up a treetop walk to get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding forest. Also known as a canopy walkway, a skywalk or, in Germany, a Baumwipfelpfad, these slowly ascending ramps create a wonderfully immersive experience. Germany has the highest number of treetop walkways in the world, and Bavaria in particular offers plenty of opportunities to experience the fall foliage through biophilic design.
Nested in a national park in the sub-region of Franconia, the Baumwifpfelpfad Steigerwald features a giant goblet-shaped spiral platform that unfurls high above the overstory. This stroller-friendly walkway passes directly by the trees at every level, integrating visitors with nature in a truly unique way. Plaques and other features along the way provide mini-lessons on sustainability, forest management, birds, and biomimicry. Down on ground level, little ones can interact with animals at a petting zoo or enjoy climbing structures and other play areas. There’s even an on-site restaurant. So, whether you’re out to peep some leaves, learn something new or simply enjoy a design oasis, this treetop walkway ticks all the boxes.
These Avatar-like experiences can be found throughout Germany, and are such a delight for people of all ages. Further south in Bavaria, check out the Baumwipfelpfad Bayerischer Wald, the 44-meter-high egg-shaped walkway with 360-degree views of the wilderness (and on clear days, even of the Alps). We also love the Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald and the Skywalk Allgäu.
Treetop Walks Outside of Germany
// Viper Tree Canopy Walkway at the Newt, UK
// Way of the Dragon Treetop Walk, Switzerland in Laax, Switz.
// The Timber Trail, Czech Republic
// Treetop Walk Bachledka, Slovakia
// Treetop Walk Salzkammergut, Austria
// Camp Adventure, Denmark
Zipline Over the Trees
For those seeking a little jolt of adrenaline to add to their foliage viewing, ziplines are a fun way to mix things up. This is a full-body experience that gets kids off devices and interacting with nature while leaving a minimal carbon footprint. It’s such a simple way to pack some wonder and joy into a fall day.
Norway, where ziplines are especially popular, offers quite a few opportunities to fly over the foliage. The Geilo Zipline is one of the longest ziplines in Scandinavia, zooming down 1,100 meters from the top of a mountain to the valley down below. For a more fjord-centric experience, check out Explore Geirainger which combines a thrilling zipline with walks through beautifully tended nature and, for children over ten, a via ferrata. The Rypetoppen Adventurepark in Trøndelag, in addition to many different climbing activities, has several ziplines to choose from, including a line high above the gorgeous Brudesløret waterfall.
A few more places to sit down, clip in + zip away:
The St. Vigil Zipline through the Italian Dolomites connects several different lines for a fun zigzag pathdown the mountain.
The Grindelwald “First Flieger” ZipRider in Switzerland offers bikes, hikes, and another train – the Jungfrau Railway – in addition to ziplines high above the trees.
The Zipline Stoderzinken in Austria also offers rope courses for almost all ages (3 years + up) and is conveniently located close to the beautiful city of Salzburg, the Eisrisenwelt – a giant Ice cave tour — and the Sound of Music tour.
Find a Fall Festival
Largely rooted in the agricultural calendar, fall festivals are still common in European countries. The gatherings celebrate the end of the harvest season and the preparation for the winter to come. So, while it’s only natural that gastronomy would feature heavily in these fall fetes, it’s not all about the food. Fall fairs can also highlight the art and culture of a region. Whatever the occasion, the beauty of these autumn celebrations lies in their focus on local products, people and places. Most of these festivals welcome children of all ages, with local families often staying late into the night.
The original Oktoberfest in Munich has a somewhat raucous reputation. But beyond the beer tents, it’s actually a classic all-ages event complete with candy, games, ferris wheels, and more. Come for the day or the evening and enjoy sausages, pretzels or countless other culinary delights. Children can even get special bracelets displaying their parents’ phone numbers in case they get lost. Fun fact: Oktoberfest actually begins in mid-September and ends after the first week of October.
From the International Alba White Truffle Fair (Oct-Dec) and the Castelvetro Wine Festival (Sept) in Italy to Paris’ Nuit Blanche art celebration and Grape Harvest Festival (both in Oct), from Seville’s Flamenco Bienniel (Sept-Oct) to innumerable others, European cities, towns and villages seem to find any excuse to come together and stave off the chilly winter to come. While the above list gives an idea of where to start, the true beauty of these local celebrations is their grassroots spirit. Many don’t have a strong online presence, so the best way to find your way to a fall festival is often keeping your eyes open, talking to locals, and following your nose.
Bike Through the Foliage
Biking offers another awesome sustainable way to see a place. In Europe especially, where baby seats and trailers, carts, e-bikes and scooters are all readily available, as soon as a baby can hold their head up on their own, they can join the biking party. With temperatures soaring during summer months, fall is quickly becoming one of the best times to enjoy the outdoors in Europe. Combine a set of wheels and a burst of autumn colors and you really can’t go wrong.
One of our favorite ways to spend a fall day in Germany, for example, is to cycle along the Mosel River during the local Wine Harvest, watch as vintners pull early grapes off the vine to make the regional specialty, Riesling, and stop to taste the young Federweiser wine while the kids dig into an apple strudel…It’s the simple things, really.
