Introduction
Europe has a range of wildlife holiday options available and there are lots of chances to see a wide amount of animals in a number of different countries.
Croatia has some stunning scenery and also a wide range of butterflies, especially around the lakes and waterfalls of Plitvice, the gorges of Paklencia and remote Velebit Mountains. Spot dolphins amidst the islands offshore and go in search of lynx, wolf and brown bear in the Dinaric Alps. In Germany look for wild boar in Central Franconia, along with deer, buzzards and polecat.
Forests cover more than three quarters of Finland and are home to bears, beavers, wolves and lynx. Kuusamo and Oulu are also celebrated bird watching spots. In France the Camargue is home to hundreds of bird species, including flamingo, as well as grey horses and horned bulls. In the Pyrenees look out for golden eagles and bearded vultures and even a bear or two.
Head to Iceland to see comical puffins, particularly around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Norway is home to Scandinavian staples but also wolverine and orca. Head to Spitsbergen to see polar bear, grey seal and walrus. Europe's last few bison roam the Bialowieza Forest in north eastern Poland. The Narew Marshlands here are home to beaver, elk and martens as well.
Just south of Lisbon in Portugal are the Sado estuary mudflats, home to masses of reptiles and amphibians such as terrapins, lizards, newts and frogs as well as otters and dolphins. The little-visited Sierra de Culebra in Spain is home to the country's wolf population whilst the Bay of Biscay on the northern coast is great for seeing fin, pilot and beaked whales. Elk and beaver thrive in Sweden whilst marmots play on the open meadows of Switzerland, where you may also see chamois.
These are just a handful of the options available though. You can also tailor-make your wildlife holiday in Europe by adding a city stay, beach holiday or other excursion to your itinerary; talk to a destination specialist to see what we can do for you.
