[ Coast & islands ]
Best coastal and island national parks in Europe
Cliffs, beaches, archipelagos and islands. 30 national parks in this guide, among them Cinque Terre National Park, Lake District National Park, Doñana National Park.
Cinque Terre National ParkVernazzaFive cliff-side terraced towns linked by coastal trails in Liguria, northern ItalyCoastHistoryBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Lake District National ParkScafell PikeSixteen major lakes and England's highest fells in CumbriaMountainsLakesForestBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
In season now
Doñana National ParkAcebuche Visitors CentreMarshes, mobile dunes and pine forest at the Guadalquivir delta in AndalusiaWetlandsDunesForest
Calanques National ParkEn-VauSteep limestone bays and sea between Marseille and Cassis in southern FranceCoastKarstIslandsBest Apr–May, Oct
Butrint National ParkRoman theatreAncient ruins, lagoon and wetlands on Albania's far southern Ionian coastWetlandsCoastIslandsBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Jasmund National ParkKönigsstuhlChalk cliffs and beech forest on the Baltic coast of RügenCoastForestWetlandsBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Lahemaa National ParkViru rabaBays, peninsulas, raised bogs and manor houses on Estonia's north coastCoastForestWetlandsBest May–Sep
Snowdonia (Eryri) National ParkYr Wyddfa (Snowdon)Glacial peaks, tarns and lakes with a Cardigan Bay coast in North WalesMountainsLakesCoastBest May–Sep
Mljet National ParkVeliko jezeroTwo saltwater lakes and an island islet on Mljet, southern CroatiaLakesIslandsCoastBest May–Sep
Curonian Spit National Park (Lithuania)Nagliai nature reserveSand dunes and the Curonian Lagoon on Lithuania's Baltic spitDunesCoastForestBest May–Sep
Thy National ParkHanstholm VildtreservatCoastal dunes, sandy heath and wartime bunkers on Denmark's North Sea coastCoastDunesHeathBest May–Sep
Snæfellsjökull National ParkSnæfellsjökullIce-capped volcano, lava cave and sea stacks at the tip of Snæfellsnes in West IcelandGlaciersVolcanicCoastBest Jun–Sep
Lofotodden National ParkHermannsdalstindenJagged granite and volcanic peaks above the sea on Moskenesøya, LofotenMountainsCoastForestBest Jun–Sep
Słowiński (Slovincian) National ParkWydma ŁąckaMoving sand dunes, lakes and pine forest on Poland's Baltic coastDunesLakesCoastBest May–Sep
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National ParkTrischenTidal mudflats, salt marshes and Halligen along Germany's North Sea coast in Schleswig-HolsteinCoastWetlandsIslandsBest May–Sep
Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National ParkPaestumCoast, karst caves and mountains with Greek ruins in Campania, southern ItalyCoastMountainsCavesBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Port-Cros National ParkChâteau Sainte-AgatheIsland and sea park in the Hyères Islands east of ToulonIslandsCoastHistoryBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
South Downs National ParkSeven SistersChalk downland, white sea cliffs and wooded Weald in southern EnglandCoastForestMeadowsBest May–Sep
Gargano National ParkForesta UmbraAncient beech woods, wetlands and the Tremiti Islands in Apulia, southern ItalyForestWetlandsIslandsBest Apr–Jun, Sep
Wolin National ParkGosańSea cliffs and a wisent sanctuary on Wolin island in north-west PolandCoastIslandsForestBest May–Sep
Circeo National ParkPromontory of CirceoCoastal forest, dunes and salt lakes on Italy's Lazio plainForestWetlandsDunesBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Ladoga Skerries National ParkLake Ladoga skerriesRocky skerries, narrow bays and pine forest on Lake Ladoga's Karelian shoreLakesIslandsForestBest Jun–Sep
Russian Arctic National ParkFranz Josef LandArctic islands and sea with polar bears in Russia's far northIslandsCoastHistoryBest Jul–Sep
Atlantic Islands of Galicia National ParkCíes IslandsFour granite archipelagos at the mouths of the Rías Baixas in GaliciaIslandsCoastForestBest Jun–Sep
6 more
- Kornati National Park (Croatia)
- Aspromonte National Park (Italy)
- Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (United Kingdom)
- Sochi National Park (Russia)
- Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park (Germany)
- Danube-Ipoly National Park (Hungary)