Europe has a variety of stunning national parks that make great alternatives to busy beach resorts and cities.
Visitors can contemplate the wonders of nature as they take in the unique scenery and wildlife these beauty spots have to offer.
The national parks are growing in popularity, attracting millions of visitors every year.
So the question arises which ones are the best to visit. Of course the answer always depends on who you ask.
The website europeanbestdestinations.com compiled its own list of its top ten, and not one was British.
The top pick was Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, with its spectacular waterfalls. It is located between the Mala Kapela mountain range in the west and northwest, and the Lička Plješivica mountain range to the southeast.
Thereafter come the national parks of Saxon in Switzerland, the Belluno Dolomites in Italy and the wild Taiga in Finland.
The Taiga has an array of wildlife that was once though lost to Europe forever. Here visitors can catch glimpses of brown bears and wolves, if they are lucky.
In fifth place is Ecrins in France, that was crowned “European Park of the mountain” by the Council of Europe.
This is followed by Durmitor in Montenegro, Triglav in Slovenia and Soomaa in Estonia.
Sooma is an ornithologist’s paradise with its huge variety of exotic birds. Its swamp forests are home to the White-backed Woodpecker and the Three-toed Woodpecker, while Lesser Spotted Eagles and Black Storks can be seen hovering above the flood plains.
There are also numerous nesting areas for Great Snipe on the alluvial meadows and Golden Eagles dwell in the fens.
Bringing up the rear is the Ordesa national park in Spain with its valleys, pastries and rivers that lie at the foot of Monte Perdido (3,355 metres).
Conspicuous by their absence are British national parks, some of the ostensible beautiful in the world.
Another list compiled by statista.com shows the ten most popular parks in Europe for the year 2021.
And in this one five British national parks feature in the top ten – with the Pembrokeshire Coast occupying top spot. Others included Snowdonia, the Cairngorms, Northumberland and the South Downs.
Emily Hudson
As an avid nature lover, I must say that the diversity and beauty of European national parks never cease to amaze me. Each park offers a unique experience, from the majestic waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes to the rich wildlife of Taiga. Although the UK may have been snubbed from the list, it’s clear that Europe’s national parks are true treasures waiting to be explored.