[ Close to a big city ]
National parks near big European cities
Within 50 km of a city with more than half a million people. 49 national parks in this guide, among them Calanques National Park, Saxon Switzerland National Park, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
Calanques National ParkEn-VauSteep limestone bays and sea between Marseille and Cassis in southern FranceCoastKarstIslandsBest Apr–May, Oct
Saxon Switzerland National ParkBasteiSandstone canyons, rock towers and gorge forest near Dresden in SaxonyMountainsGorgesForestBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National ParkLoch LomondLochs, glens and Munros across the Highland Boundary Fault in central ScotlandLakesMountainsForestBest May–Sep
Vesuvius National ParkVesuviusActive volcano and its ancient crater Monte Somma near NaplesVolcanicHistoryBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Peak District National ParkKinder ScoutGritstone moors and limestone dales in the heart of northern EnglandMountainsCavesHeathBest May–Sep
Losiny Ostrov National ParkElk Biological StationMoose, forest and river sources inside Moscow's city limits and Moscow OblastForestWetlandsRiversBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Ojców National ParkMaczuga Herkulesa (Hercules' Club)Limestone valleys, cliffs and over 400 caves north of Kraków in PolandKarstCavesForestBest May–Oct
České Švýcarsko National ParkPravčická bránaSandstone arches, towers and deep gorges on the Czech–German borderGorgesForestRiversBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Kampinos National ParkPalmiry Memorial (Miejsce Pamięci Palmiry)Pine forest, sand dunes and swamps on Warsaw's north-western edgeForestWetlandsDunesBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
De Biesbosch National ParkHollandse BiesboschFreshwater tidal wetlands of creeks and willow forest in the western NetherlandsWetlandsRiversForestBest Apr–Sep
Wielkopolska National ParkGóreckie LakePost-glacial lakes and pine forests south of Poznań in Greater PolandLakesForestWetlandsBest May–Sep
Wicklow Mountains National ParkGlendaloughBlanket bog, heath and monastic ruins in the mountains south of DublinMountainsLakesForestBest May–Sep
Sierra de las Nieves National ParkPinsapar de CaucónSpanish fir forests, deep shafts and high limestone ridges in Andalusia's Sierra de las NievesMountainsForestCavesBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Nuuksio National ParkHaukankierrosLakes, rocky pine hills and flying squirrels close to Helsinki in southern FinlandLakesForestWetlandsBest May–Oct
Danube-Auen National ParkLobauFloodplain forests, meadows and wetlands along the Danube east of ViennaForestRiversWetlandsBest May–Sep
Danube-Ipoly National ParkHills, Danube islands and Ipoly floodplain across northern central HungaryRiversForestIslandsBest Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Guadarrama National ParkPeñalaraPine forests, granite summits and wolves in Spain's Sierra de Guadarrama near MadridMountainsForestWetlandsBest May–Jun, Sep–Oct
Ķemeri National ParkGreat Ķemeri Bog boardwalkRaised bogs, boardwalks and sulphur springs west of Jūrmala in LatviaWetlandsForestLakesBest May–Sep
Samarskaya Luka National ParkMolodetsky KurganLimestone hills and forest inside the great Volga bend in Samara OblastMountainsRiversForestBest May–Sep
De Maasduinen National ParkParabolic dunesParabolic dunes, heathland and forest on a sandy plateau in LimburgHeathForestWetlandsBest May–Sep
Zuid-Kennemerland National ParkThijsse's HofCoastal sand dunes, dune forests and beaches west of Haarlem in North HollandDunesCoastForestBest May–Sep
Meinweg National ParkProtected woodland and heath on the Dutch–German border in LimburgForestHeathBest May–Sep
Tyresta National ParkOld-growth forestOld-growth pine and spruce forest near Stockholm in Haninge and TyresöForestLakesWetlandsBest May–Sep
Trakai Historical National ParkCastle IslandLakes, forests and a historic town 25 kilometres west of VilniusLakesForestWetlandsBest May–Sep
25 more
- Orhei National Park (Moldova)
- Holosiivskyi National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- Nizhnyaya Kama National Park (Russia)
- Dalby Söderskog National Park (Sweden)
- Nieuw Land National Park (Netherlands)
- Sipoonkorpi National Park (Finland)
- Homilsha Woods National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- Great Meadow National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- Lower Dniester National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- De Zoom–Kalmthoutse Heide Cross-Border Park (Belgium)
- Yavoriv National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- Sengileevskie Mountains National Park (Russia)
- Nechkinsky National Park (Russia)
- Zalissia National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- Schinias Marathon National Park (Greece)
- Kongernes Nordsjælland National Park (Denmark)
- Forests of Brabant National Park (Belgium)
- Østmarka National Park (Norway)
- Scheldt Valley National Park (Belgium)
- Skjoldungernes Land National Park (Denmark)
- Kuialnyk National Nature Park (Ukraine)
- Hollandse Duinen National Park (Netherlands)
- Boyne Valley National Park (Ireland)
- Parnitha National Park (Greece)
- Sounio National Park (Greece)