By Claire Heginbotham | Published on February 9, 2024
When you travel to Europe for adventure, you'll be welcomed by some of the world's most beautiful natural sights. Ben Nevis, a volcano that collapsed after exploding millions of years ago, is tucked away in the Scottish countryside. It's the tallest mountain in the United Kingdom and takes between nine and 11 hours to summit. If you're an experienced hiker, skip the beginner's Mountain Path and take the challenging Carn Mor Dearg Arete — a route that requires endurance, rock scrambling and a good head for heights. Despite burning thighs, the natural beauty of the Scottish highlands will make your heart sing. Nearby in Northern Ireland, you'll also find plenty of challenging but beautiful hiking trails, such as the Slieve Donard route in the Mourne Mountains, which has views that reach Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man.
If you're anything like me, once you've climbed one mountain during your extreme adventure vacations, you'll want to add a little spice to the next rocky mound you encounter. If that's you, consider hopping over to the port city of Madeira in Portugal for some canyoning.
Canyoning is similar to hiking but adds climbing or abseiling down waterfalls. As a year-round activity, you can easily find accessible routes for the whole family — such as Ribeira das Cales, which includes hiking, abseiling, swimming and waterfall jumps. It's athletic but not overly challenging if it's your first time trying canyoning. For hardened canyoneers looking for a real challenge, check out Ribeira do Vimieiro, an incredibly steep canyon with successive waterfalls set in the lush Laurissilva Forest — one of many UNESCO world heritage sites in Europe.
If you're a thrill-seeker at heart, these activities are guaranteed to get your heart racing. Europe has no shortage of natural playgrounds, and you can find activities like kitesurfing, mountain biking, white-water rafting, foiling, surfing, paragliding and parachuting all over the continent.
When you cruise to Spain, Tarifa has wind that never stops and is one of the few destinations where you can kitesurf all year round. It's also a stunning spot and is just one hour's drive from Cadiz, one of Spain's major cities and the most ancient still-standing city in Western Europe. You can find plenty of kitesurf schools for beginners here, or head out into the heavier winds for epic power-up jumps.
In Italy, Sicily also has incredible volcanic terrain along Mount Etna that creates hundreds of exciting tracks through the mountains. Another top spot I recommend visiting involves a trip to France, deep in the French countryside. It's called Les Deux Alpes and has over 70 miles of single tracks to enjoy. Just a note, you'll likely need to get a rental car to reach these areas.
Bodrum, Turkey, is a spot adored by Hollywood stars for its glittering blue waters, ancient ruins and regal views. Rent a yacht for the day to explore the coastline and visit many popular islands in the surrounding waters. If you're up for a challenge, try renting a Turkish Gulet — a traditional wooden boat. The best time for sailing is during the summer.
If you're looking for something more on the extreme side, these are the best activities to try in Europe. They're not comfortable, easy or, in my opinion, worth the risk of physical harm, but as some adrenaline-seeking daredevils have told me, you have to try them at least once!
Continuing the theme of surfing as an extreme sport, to say that surfing in a Scottish winter is "chill" is an understatement. Thurso Beach in Scotland is said to have the 10th best waves in the world, and you'll need to brave icy (literally) waters and the occasional hailstorm. The rumor is that Scottish surfers will tread water holding their boards above their head, waiting for hailstorms to pass before continuing their surf session.
No list of extreme European vacations would be complete without mentioning the spectacular chances of seeing the countryside from the sky. The breathtaking aerial landscape is the best-kept secret in Europe.
Bungee jumping is great because you can do it alone without a skilled pilot or guide. One of my best jumps in Europe was over Verzasca Dam in Ticino, Switzerland. This bridge is the highest in Europe (222 meters). This is where the opening scene for GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, was shot. It takes some serious guts to attempt, but it's worth the bragging rights! The Corinth Canal jump in Corinthia, Greece, is an excellent scenic spot for a jump, as is the Rasnoavei Gorges in Rasnov, Romania.
While many of the heart-stopping adventures you can have in Europe aren't fit for everyone, there are plenty of exciting family vacation spots everyone will love — even grandma!
One of the most novel and exciting things you can do in Europe is to take a hot air balloon ride in Château-d'Oex, a small Swiss town with a rich history that boasts of being the hot air balloon capital of the world. Every year, the Hot Air Balloon festival opens for nine days in January and has the most spectacular event of 100 balloons taking off at once. You can also hop on an air balloon tour anytime during the year and see the Swiss Alps stretch for miles. On clear days, you can even spot Mont Blanc — a premier skiing destination and the tallest mountain in Europe.
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