Europe, despite being one of the most heavily populated and developed continents in the world, still has plenty of wild areas where you can find some superb family adventure holidays. The great thing about Europe is that it offers terrain to explore and offer challenges at any time of year, from deepest winter to the baking sunshine of summer. Find the right location and the possibilities are as varied as Europe’s land and seascapes.

Czech Paradise National Park, Czech Republic / Photo by admin

Mountains, Rivers and Deep Forests

Central Europe, especially Germany, offers some of the deepest woodlands in Europe. In particular, the Black Forest, in the south west of Germany, has some wonderful facilities to offer to visitors. Bavaria’s meadows and mountain peaks are great for people who love hiking or cycling, while the water courses are ideal for those travellers who enjoy adrenaline fuelled water sports.

Southern Sun and Shorelines

Heading further south, you come to the Mediterranean countries with their spectacular coasts. The rocky Adriatic coasts of Croatia and Greece are great for people who enjoy sea-based water sports, while many of the islands in the Mediterranean are popular with people who like sailing. The beaches are also great in this part of Europe, if you need a something more restful for a while. A great way of exploring what the beaches can offer in this part of Europe is by canoe and many sailing tours offer this facility.

Beach in Pollina, Sicily, Italy / Photo by admin

Winter in the Wild

When the weather turns to snow, that does not mean things shut down in Europe. The snow comes as a boon for the skiing resorts of the Alps and the Pyrenees, while in Scandinavia, the weather is simply a part of life, influencing culture on almost every level. In countries such as Sweden and Finland, you can explore winter woodlands by skiddoo or learn to cross country ski, one of the world’s most beneficial types of exercise.

It is also possible to spot different kinds of wildlife in winter and the landscapes covered in snow form great backdrops for nature photographers. The mountain resorts of France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland really come alive in the winter months, with the adventure holidays for families available at this time are centred upon skiing and snowboarding type activities.

High Tatras National Park in Winter, Slovakia / Photo by admin

Whatever kind of adventure holidays you are seeking, from birdwatching tours to learning to water ski, Europe really can provide it all. With accessibility and transport links invariably very good by global standards, Europe answers many of the questions keen holiday makers often ask.

AUTHOR BIO: Graham Devonshire has been at home in the Alps for years. A mountain lover, whatever the weather, he write regularly about adventure holidays for families, along with other travel matters, for a range of blogs and websites. A keen skier, as well as white water rafter, his own family adventure holidays have attained an epic status in the annals of his own household, where his family attempt to keep his boundless enthusiasm for the outdoors bottled up, at least until he’s in range of the mountains.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Richard Dedeyan

The full name of this mountain is Kamnik–Savinja Alps. Their northern part – Kamnik Alps – is derived from the name of the town Kamnik. While the southern part is situated in the basin of the river Savinja and therefore is called Savinja Alps.

Mountains can be divided into several areas. The highest and largest of these is the central ridge. Here you will find the most popular tourist mountain peaks such as Jezerska Kočna (2540 m), Grintavec (2558 m) and Skuta (2532 m). The best starting points are the village Jezersko and Logar Valley (Logarska dolina). On the west lies a part called Storžič. Other groups are: Mrzla gora, Krvavec-Kalški greben, Velika planina. The minor parts then include Raduha, Rogatec and Menina planina.

Kamnik–Savinja Alps offer a dense network of marked trails. You can also use secured routes, some of which are among the toughest in the country. Accommodation possibilities are also on a very high level – especially chalets are available at all important places and major resting points.

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Pindos massif composed of several separate mountain units (Smolikas, Tymfí, Aigo, Lakmos, Athamanon, Oros Iti, Karava and others). The highest peak is Smolikas reaching an altitude of 2637 meters. It is the second highest mountain in Greece, after Mount Olympus.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by dementia_inc

The Pindus mountain features two national parks that protect the original and almost intact nature. National Park Vikos-Aoos stretching over an area of ​​3360 hectares, was founded in 1973 and occupies an area around the Vikos gorge, characterized by its vertical walls, which often reach heights up to 950 meters. The gorge is 12 km long considered one of the greatest natural wonders. There are just several tourists here, so be aware of the fact that during the trip you can meet only a few people. The best time to visit the gorge is the beginning or end of summer, when water flows quiet.

There are two major rivers Aoös and Vikos, powered by a water from melting snow. They flow along the hiking trails, which are inaccessible when the snow is melting. A unique natural phenomenon in the area is 405 m deep Cave of Provatina and the nearby Chasm of Epos, where is an underground lake in a depth of 469 m. This area also includes Astraka plateau and Tymfí massive.

The larger Pindos National Park, which history dates back to 1966 is a home to the bears and wolves, deer, wild boars, chamois, wild cats and also snakes.

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Near Lake Wörthersee you can find other lakes, which are much smaller. They are located mainly south of Wörthersee and extend to the borders of Slovenia. This area is surrounded by mountain peaks of Karawanken mountains, which together with the lake create a beautiful scenery.

Lake Wörthersee is surrounded by a number of resorts – a new modern town of Velden, Krumpendorf or Pörtschach am Wörthersee.

What to see in the neighborhood
Vintgar gorge about 26 km
Minimundus 8 km
Klopeiner See about 33 km
Ski resort Kranjska Gora about 33 km
Planica about 37 km
Waterfall Pericnik about 29 km

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Abruzzo National Park is surrounded by the mountain peaks, reaching an altitude of 2000m. Among the mountains the river Sangro creates the way through the narrow gorges to wide open valleys and occasionally through small villages.

Local information centers offer a multimedia presentation, about all the peculiarities of the surface and beneath the surface of Abruzzo National Park.

Walking through the park is a very nice rest. I recommend the route number 11, which leads to the Valle delle Rose. The trip takes less than 5 hours and you will surely see the red mountain goat, or deer.

Very nice is also a trip along the trail BN1, which leads to a beautiful viewing point from which you have open views across the valley Pescasseroli. It is a 50 minutes walk from the town Pescasseroli.

The settlement Barrea has a lot to offer as well. It covers the lake Barrea, several churches, and Nature Reserve Lago di Pantaniello.

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Right through the center of the city leads the line which divided Cyprus into two Republics. It is still the capital and largest city of both Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Even today, the Turks called the city Lefkoşa and the Greeks as Lefkosia. However at present, the situation is not so difficult as before.

What to see in Nicosia?

• Huge city walls that have been built in 16th century by Venetians to protect the city against Turks. The 4,5 metres thick wall used to have three gates. The Famagusta gate is now used as a cultural centre.
• The Archbishop’s Palace with a Byzantine museum
• Eleftheria (Freedom) Square – the centre of the city
• Mosques, e.g. the Selimiye Mosque – ancient church in the Turkish occupied part of Nicosia

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Tryfan, Nant Ffrancon Valley, Snowdonia, Wales, UK by Stuart

Named after the 1,085 meter tall Snowdon peak which can be found within the park’s boundaries, the park is a popular destination in the area. Originally known as the Great Throne, Yr Wyddfa is filled with legends that have been formed throughout the ages. In the old days, the region was part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd which was considered by many to be the heart of Wales.

There are a total of nine mountain ranges that can be found within the park’s boundaries. As a result, more than 52% of the area is covered by ragged rocks and mountain peaks; some as high as 915 meters above sea level. You will also find more than sixty kilometres of coastline within the park; some of which are sandy beaches.

The Snowdonia National Park is currently inhabited by more then 26,000 people. Most of the residents of the park speak Welsh. Those numbers soar as more than six million visitors make their way to the park every single year. Since there are a number of places and ways to sleep within the park, many visitors choose to visit the park for longer than just a simple day trip.

Cwm Idwal, Snowdonia National Park, Wales, UK by Les Haines

One will notice is that in the centre of the Snowdonia National Park, there is a region which has not been included as actually part of the national park. This hole as some refer to it includes the prosperous town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The town’s main industry is its thriving slate quarry. The town was purposefully left out of the development of the park so that it could continue to grow in the future.

You could spend more than a week just visiting the park and seeing the many sites throughout. You will find ancient castles and ruins that date back to the earliest known settlements in the region. There are also several archaeological sites that can be found within the park’s boundaries.

Known for its beauty and splendour, the Snowdonia National Park is one of the most visited locations in the United Kingdom.

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