The best national parks in Europe offer extraordinary landscapes and a wilderness experience. Unfortunately, these beautiful landscapes are still not well known by tourists. And you, have you already visited a national park in Europe? We are almost certain that you have at least one - Triglav National Park, which The Guardian ranked among the ten most beautiful and best national parks in Europe.
Grand Paradiso, Italy
It is one of the oldest protected areas in the Alps, but the wild lakes and mountains of the Grand Paradiso National Park are unfortunately often overlooked by tourists. In the summer months, visitors can go to the mountains, and in the winter they can go on a ski tour. The valleys of Orco, Soana and Cogne are worth exploring with their traditional stone houses. There is a wide range of accommodation, from camping to lodges, and the park also offers guided tours.
W: www.pngp.it
Triglav National Park, Slovenia
The only Slovenian national park, Triglav National Park, is a beautiful alpine landscape. Despite the fact that it is fairly easy to explore from Bled, a town by the lake, we will get a better sense of its serenity if we stay there. Lake Bohinj does not have a church on the island, but it is quieter and it is easier to find accommodation in one of the typical wooden houses in the village by the lake. From there, you can go hiking, biking, canoeing, and paddling on the clear water that reflects the peaks that surround it.
W: www.tnp.si
Oulanka, Finland
In Lapland, near the Russian-Finnish border, there is Oulanka, a Finnish national park that impresses with its beauty all year round. The Karhunkierros trail, which runs through the park and is among other things the most popular hiking trail in Finland, can take up to seven days with its eighty kilometers. You can spend the night free of charge in the shepherd's huts that are lined up along the route. You can also opt for canoeing on the rapids of the Oulankajoki river, or simpler and family-friendly activities and trails. Oulanka Park was established in 1956, it is famous for reindeer, a diverse mix of natural beauties and rare plants. The pink and white Calypso orchid, the emblem of the park, which is rarely found elsewhere, is quite common in Oulanka.
W: www.outdoors.fi/oulankanp
Peneda-Gerês, Portugal
Wild Garrano ponies roam freely in the Peneda-Gerês National Park in the north of Portugal - and we can also ride a domesticated pony without worry and go on a tour of the hilly and oak-strewn national park. Not only is the park full of natural beauty, it also has a rich history behind it: a Roman road winds through the park, marked by landmarks dating back more than two thousand years. Serra do Gerês is the most popular settlement in the park, where we also find swimming pools. Every Friday the 13th, the village of Montalegre, on the eastern border of the park, hosts the Noite Bruxas street party, where Queimada - a local liqueur with honey - is drunk.
W: www.icnf.pt
Sächsische Schweiz, Germany
The dramatic and unusual landscape in eastern Germany has more than seven hundred peaks for climbers and hundreds of kilometers for hikers. The park's main attraction is the Bastei, a rock formation that rises 194 meters above the Elba River and is connected by a sandstone bridge that cuts right through the Bastei. The Malerweg trail, which is 112 kilometers long, is said to have inspired painters and artists. The park also extends to the Czech Republic. Böhmische Schweiz, however, has its own geographical wonder in the form of Pravčická brán, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe.
W: www.saechsische-schweiz.de
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Sarek, Sweden
In the Sarek National Park, there are about a hundred glaciers, the six highest peaks in Sweden and white water rapids. Tourists are advised to be able to read maps and have a good knowledge of the terrain or similar terrain they want to visit. Two thousand square kilometers of pristine natural habitat is a natural playground for experienced adventurers. With an experienced guide, we can go on a journey through one of the last European wildernesses.
W: www.swedishlapland.com
Kalkalpen, Austria
Four-fifths of the Kalkalpen National Park is covered by forest, forming the largest forest area in Central Europe. Rivers, canyons and gorges meander through the dense trees, popular with climbers as well as cyclists, hikers and skiers. Despite its stunning natural beauty, which can be absorbed in all its glory at the Wurbauerkogel lookout tower near the town of Windischgarsten, the park is relatively unknown. They offer guided tours with forest rangers who take us into the heart of the forest and help us identify some of the wild animals.
W: www.kalkalpen.at
Rago, Norway
You probably know that Norway is full of natural beauty, but Rago National Park is a beauty in itself: bold rock formations, steep mountains jutting out of the landscape and the waterfall Litlverivassforsen, which pours out at the edge of Lake Litlverivatnet. There are trails, as well as lodgings, and the Sjunkhatten and Junkerdal National Parks are also nearby to explore further.
W: www.visitnorway.com
Port-Cros, France
Port-Cros is the smallest of the three Iles d'Or islands on the Cote d'Azur. Only one kilometer wide and three kilometers long, the rugged terrain of the hilly island is criss-crossed by trails, and its ridges provide stunning views of the sparkling sea. Clean water with rich and protected marine life makes it possible to "snorkel" and thus follow the underwater path. The bike- and car-free island of Port-Cros is accessible by ferry from the Giens peninsula, and from there we can also access the islands of Porquerolles and Levant, said to be the birthplace of European nudism.
W: www.portcrosparcnational.fr
Ordesa, Spain
The oldest national park in Spain offers some of the best hiking trails in the Pyrenees. It is famous for its three kilometer long glacial valleys that meet at the 3,355 meter high mountain Monte Perdido, which can be reached on several routes for all levels of difficulty - including natural limestone ledges. Most routes start in Pradera, where there is an information point and a parking lot. The best months to see the rich flora of the park are the end of June and the beginning of July.
W: www.spain.info
Adapted and adapted from:
www.theguardian.com
