Come to Europe for the Mountains
Europe is a diverse continent both in regards to landscape and culture. There are snow-capped mountains lined with finger-like glaciers; there are deep, dark lakes that freeze in winter and teem with life during the summer; there are thick forests both ancient and youthful; there are sandy beaches, stone beaches, rock beaches and volcanic beaches and to top it all off there are man-made wonders from the Collosseum in Rome to St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
When it comes to people, we have both similarities and differences. We are brought together by commonalities – fashion, media, economics and even food – but we are unique through language, histories and traditions. It’s no wonder so many people want to visit this enthralling continent; even other European’s don’t tire of exploring its depths.
Although the mountains of Europe may not be able to compete in length with those in South America or in height with those in Asia, the landscapes are beautiful, fascinating and breathtaking in their own right. Here are three of the best.
Spanish Pyrenees
The Pyrenees, like so many mountain ranges, acts as a natural border between two countries: Spain and France. The mountain range runs from the Bay of Biscay in the west to the Mediterranean in the east, stretching for almost 500km. From skiing and snowboarding in the winter, to hiking and mountain biking past torrent-like waterfalls and through highly elevated passes during the summer. There are three large national parks in the Pyrenees, two on the Spanish side and one on the French side, that attract thousands of visitors every year.
The eastern end of the Pyrenees isn’t far from Barcelona and popular holidays include two-centre breaks with a few days in the bustling, cosmopolitan city followed by an escape to the mountains for the remainder of the week. You could try this on your next holiday Spain break. On The Beach doesn’t just offer beach destinations it has all your holiday Spain needs covered.
Austrian Alps
Austria is full of mountains. From the Eastern Alps to the Örtzal Alps, this country is a mountain-lovers dream. Skiing and snowboarding during the winter is world class and thanks to the many glaciers in the country you can ski pretty much all year round. During the summer there are deep lakes to sail on or swim in and serious hiking trails take you over several hundred kilometres via a series of cute and quaint mountain huts. Check out the Austrian tourism website for inspiration.
Norwegian Fjordlands
Norway is one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Whether you’re in the mountains or the city, you’re never far from water thanks to fjords, waterfalls and huge lakes. All the usual winter sports are available, with cross-country skiing being a real winter favourite here and during the summer, Norwegians flock to the mountains for picnics, hiking and some serious cycling.
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The Fjordlands look incredible!