Lonely Planet National Parks of Europe

Europe's national parks are incredibly diverse - and that's what makes them so special. They protect areas of coast, high-altitude peaks in the Pyrenees and Alps, and even parts of the frozen Arctic, and include wildlife from Carpathian squirrels and fin whales, to peregrine falcons and polar bears. Setting out to choose Europe's top 60 national parks was no easy task, so we called on our expert writers and well-travelled editors. We asked them to tell us which parks provide the best experiences and why. The final selections were those that offered something truly unique, often an enthralling mixture of stunning natural beauty, incredible wildlife, fulfilling activities, local culture and, occasionally, a compelling history too.
We hope the following pages inspire you to explore more of Europe's wild and wonderful spaces.
Includes 60 national parks:AbiskoAbruzzoAiguestortes i Estany de Sant MauriciArcipelago di La MaddalenaAtlantic Islands of Galicia National ParkDolomiti BellunesiBerchtesgadenBlack ForestBrecon BeaconsCairngormsCarpathianCinque TerreConnemaraCuronian SpitDartmoorDonanaDurmitorEcrinsEtnaGaujaGolfo di Orosei e del GennargentuHardangerviddaHohe TauernHortobagyJostedalsbreenJotunheimenKillarneyKornatiLahemaaLake DistrictLake SkadarLemmenjokiLoch Lomond and The TrossachsNational Marine Park of Alonnisos Northern SporadesNordvest-SpitsbergenOrdesaOulankaPaklenicaNational ParkPeak DistrictPembrokeshire CoastPeneda-GeresPicos de EuropaPirinPlitvicePort-CrosPyreneesRetezatSarekSaxon SwitzerlandSierra NevadaSlovensky RajSna¦fellsjokullNational ParkSnowdoniaSwiss National ParkTatrasTriglavValbona ValleyVatnajokullVikos-Aoos National ParkWadden Sea