The most beautiful European national parks

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Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, Spain

You will find this national park in the northeastern tip of Spain near the Pyrenees. There are over two hundred lakes of crystal clear water in the park. There are also waterfalls, numerous rivers, streams and marshes. Tourists have the opportunity to explore the park by bike as there are thirteen routes ranging from flat paths to challenging mountain roads. The peaks of Los Encantados dominate the park and among the animals here you can see the bearded vulture or the black grouse. Another attraction of the park is the 37 natural springs and the Caldes de Boi thermal baths.

Mercantour National Park, France

It is located between the southernmost Alps and the Mediterranean Sea in the south-east of France. Thanks to the diverse landscape the park is home to a huge variety of animals. There are two thousand species of flowers and two hundred rare plants including endemic ones. In addition two hundred species of birds and 78 mammals live here. The Valley of Wonders is located here in which you can find almost forty thousand rock carvings. The Vans glacial lakes and adjacent waterfalls are also a big attraction of the park.

Eifel National Park, Germany

The Eifel National Park is located in North Rhine-Westphalia in the west of Germany. This is a park that was founded only twenty years ago. The park is intensively reforested and thanks to this wild animals soon found their way here. The park is home to a wide range of animals, including a large population of deer. Tourists have the opportunity to get to know the park best thanks to the four-day Wilderness Trail.

Risnjak National Park, Croatia

The Croatian park was named after the lynx that inhabits the nature here. Thanks to the Risnjak and Snježnik massifs in the northern part of the Dinaric Alps it has become a popular habitat for brown bears wolves and chamois. The park is home to 89 species of butterflies and several rare orchids grow here. In the park tourists can enjoy panoramic views from Istria through the Adriatic to the Julian Alps.

Peneda-Geres National Park, Portugal

The only national park in Portugal is located in the far northwest near the border with Spain. The park has mountains, oak and holly forests, meadows, bogs, rivers and waterfalls. The park is home to several endemic species and history-seeking tourists will find their time here. The routes include monasteries medieval castles and sanctuaries.

Source:GUARDIAN/Editorial