place for outdoor adventures?

Our European outdoor activity adventures, besides lots of hiking and trail walking, have included biking and paddling.

You didn’t mention bicycling, but our first adventure was in Belgium itself, a country that’s as much about cycling as it is chocolate, beer, and deep fried potatoes. There’s an amazing support system, with well marked, paved bike trails all over the western, Flanders part of the country. I don’t know about the eastern part of the country, but I’d guess it’s extremely bike friendly, as well. Flanders is pretty flat, so 6-speed bikes were well suited for the terrain. Electric e-bikes have apparently gotten popular now (I don’t personally have experience with any), but assistance from an electric motor could make it even easier to go farther or faster. We rented bikes in Brussels, took them by train to Bruges, then biked over several days as far south as Ypres, before turning towards Brussels. We got to Brussels by train at the end, turning in the bikes. We brought a tent and sleeping bags, and were ready to camp, but wound up doing that just one night, staying at B&B’s the rest of the time. You could conceivably stay at your home exchange house, and do out-and-back spoke trips from there. Beers after a pedal are even more satisfying!

Next door to Belgium, in France, we’ve canoed the Dordogne River, with lots of advice from Rick Steves about where and how to rent, put in, and take the boats out, plus sights along the way. Then, on the west coast of Brittany, we did a sea kayaking trip, with an overnight on the uninhabited Isle de Groix. Our guides set up the tents, cooked an amazing dinner, and made sure we got there and back safely over the 2-day adventure, crossing open water in the sea, seeing birds, and having a grand time. You do get a bit of a workout, especially if there’s a breeze, but the adventure was amazing!

I will suggest Garmisch-Partenkirchen, not far from Munich.

There are golf courses, paragliding on Wank, swimming in the Olympic pool or lakes, and lots more:

https://zugspitze.com/en/holiday-world/active-summer/water-fun

Use the menu on the left for other summer activities.

And even if you don’t like hiking so much, L’ll bet they boys would like this “hike” through a gorge on bridges and catwalks, with the river rapids below.

https://zugspitze.com/en/holiday-world/active-summer/water-fun/waterfalls-gorges/hoellental-gorge

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe, but worth a visit. Check out Interlakken in central Switzerland.

Also check out the Zillertal (valley) in Austria. I ordered a vacation package from them and it just arrived. This is a string of small resorts and villages in an alpine valley. The brochure claims “more than 31 action attractions” including paragliding, kayaking, rafting, canyoning, mountain scooters and cars, Flying Fox (a zip line, I believe) and 23 water destinations, including 6 outdoor pools and water parks, and 7 swimming lakes. Many kilometers of bike routes, at least one golf course, ropes courses and klettersteig practice areas, and a glacial cave to explore by rope and ladders.

And a 500-year-0ld brewery with BrauKunstHaus where you can learn all about beer.

https://www.zillertal-bier.at/en/braukunsthaus/

You can see more and order brochures (online or by post) here:

https://www.zillertal.at/en/summer.html

This might interest you: https://www.campadventure.dk/en/climbing-park/. But you will need a car to get there. Are you prepared to rent a car?

Here you go Kim. The ultimate outdoor adventure.

First you have to get to the starting point, and this shows you that part, but then ends at the start of the hike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3nOU2YYc7c

Here is the hike: https://www.thecandytrail.com/hiking-valbona-theth-albania/

Take a fly rod. Fishing isnt half bad.....

Great ideas, thank you everyone! :)

Switzerland is tiny, it takes ~3-4 hours to get across. For what you're suggesting though Berner Oberland (i.e. around Interlaken) is probably the place to go. Though, if you're all about the activities rather than specifically wanting to come to Switzerland you'll probably pay half as much for the same activities in a neighbouring country like Austria.

I've heard the Summer glacier skiing (available in a few places) is a bit mediocre, not so much for normal skiiers to go out to have fun on, but more for competitive skiiers to keep up training in azar summer.

It might be too far away but there is a lot of outdoor activities in the Provence region of France. You could stay in Avignon. We have hiked and kayaked and plan to do a canyoneering trip in June.

We did a bike trip in Belgium a few years ago and it was great. It is such a great cycling country.