Untouched glaciers, unique wild animals or breathtaking streams: Europe's nature reserves have a lot to offer and make even the greatest city dwellers long for nature. 

Vatnajökull National Park (Iceland) 

The Vatnajökull National Park is one of the largest nature reserves in Europe and offers a unique view of the homonymous Glacier Vatnajökull. The landscape here is breathtaking, from canyons to lagoons to waterfalls, there is much to discover here. A visit to the national park is a unique experience, where you can really clear your head.

The untouched nature reminds you of the beauty of Iceland at every corner and gives interesting insights into the history and development of the country. Small tip: Be sure to pack warm clothes, because especially in the heights it can get really icy. By the way, if you want to experience a lot, you should come at the beginning of the winter season. Because then the new ice caves, which are created by the melting of the ice, are explored every year and visited during ice climbing tours. 

Plitvice Lakes (Croatia) 

The Plitvice Lakes have become an absolute Instagram hotspot in recent years. The beautiful water landscape including breathtaking waterfalls is a unique photo motif that no visitor to Croatia should miss. The nature reserve consists of a total of 16 emerald green lakes and countless waterfalls, which are completed by the adjacent forest. A special highlight here is also the limestone gorge into which the waterfalls and lakes flow. 

The area is ideally developed for tourists and still finds the balance between attraction and nature reserve. Although you are not allowed to swim in the waters due to nature conservation, there is the possibility to explore the lakes via ferry.

Those who want to explore everything in detail should definitely plan a whole day, as specially in the main seasons, the tourist groups gather here and in order to get a nice picture, one often has to wait a little. 

Bohemian Switzerland National Park (Switzerland)

Anyone who drives across the German-Czech border should definitely make a detour to the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. Because the nature reserve inspires with a dramatic landscape like from a Hollywood flick. Gloomy forests, colourful foliage and breathtaking landscapes await visitors here. In addition to the rock massifs, the absolute highlight is the Rosenberg volcanic mountain, which sits enthroned in the middle of the forest and creates a unique atmosphere. 

If you want to forget all your everyday worries, you should definitely take a long walk or hike here and be inspired by the forest landscapes as well as the wildlife and the silence of nature. The nature reserve is also an excellent stopover, for example to visit Saxon Switzerland later or on the way to a city trip to Dresden. 

Calanques Nature Reserve (France)

France also has beautiful nature reserves. Just outside Marseille, the Calanques nature reserve shows the most beautiful sides of the French landscape. Because not only beautiful limestone bays await here, but also unique rocky cliffs and the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea. Due to the proximity to the metropolis Marseille, the motto here is also to consider the use of the nature reserve and there should also be possibilities to combine nature protection and tourist attraction. Therefore, even hunting and fishing is partly allowed here in the low season, even climbing is allowed at times.

But beware: In the high season from July to mid-September, the national park is closed to tourists. On the one hand, this is due to the increasing number of visitors, which could endanger the protected area, but on the other hand, it is also due to the fire hazard that threatens during the hot season.

So if you want to visit the beautiful and unique nature, you should arrive in the low season. But then it is even more worthwhile. Because who walks here, discovers a unique flora and fauna in the midst of the rocky landscapes and meets next to the one or other bat maybe also one of the protected dolphins. A specially designated hiking trail with included climbing area leads through the most beautiful areas of the area and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the coast.