Kitesurfing in Tarifa. Plenty of colorful kites flying against a background of the mountains, beautiful clouds and waves of the Atlantic Ocean

Fun European Vacations: Adventurer's Ultimate Guide

The Best Adventure Activities to Do in Europe

By Claire Heginbotham | Published on February 9, 2024

There's your average mountaintop viewpoint, and then there's the kind of view that knocks your socks off and makes you feel lucky to be alive. In my personal experience, these places aren't easy to reach, they're not crawling with tourists, and they certainly don't have a Starbucks en route. Usually, you can only reach these special lookouts if you push your body and mind to the limit. And that's exactly what I recommend you do if you're looking for thrill-seeking European vacations. From mountaineering in the Swiss Alps to whitewater rafting in Croatia, there are endless opportunities for excitement when you cruise to Europe.

Where To Go For Awe-Inspiring Sights

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.

The view atop Ben Nevis is hard to beat.

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.

Beautiful forest in Madeira. The Laurissilva of Madeira Island. Laurel trees. Waterfalls and irrigation canals calles levada.

See beautiful canyons in Laurissilva Forest.

While views from up top are great, one can't help but wonder what lies beneath. Below Koper, Slovenia, lies the Križna jama (Cross Cave) — an underground cave system spanning five miles. A tour into the caves is well worth it as you'll float on top of tranquil underground lakes, walk through epic rock formations and see the bones of ancient cave bears. While the regular tour goes 700 meters deep, see if you can join a highly exclusive four-hour tour that goes much deeper into the caves. This is only available to 1,000 visitors annually, so you'll likely need to book a season in advance.

Rubber raft parked by stalagmites and stalactites in the Kalvaria hall in Križna Jama karst cave in the early summer

Take an inflatable boat across underground lakes in Slovenia.

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.

Extreme Sports That Make Your Adrenaline Pump

Big chop on the oceans of Tarifa.

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.

Top view of gulet wooden yacht in Marmaris Mugla Turkey at Aegean Sea Turkey

Turkish Gulet's are beautiful yachts that have a privateering feel to them.

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.

Atractive sporty girl in neoprene shorty surfing on famous artificial river wave in Englischer garten, Munich, Germany

This wave isn't for the faint of heart!

As I found out when I began my awkward foray into riding waves, between the waves, the wind and the sheer physical effort, surfing almost always feels extreme, even when you look like a total newbie on your foam board! If you're an experienced surfer, head to Munich, Germany, to try "river surfing" on the man-made Eisbach river. Just beware, crowds gather in the city center to watch the crazy surfers attempt these challenging waves!

Go Extreme In Europe

Cold Crisp Thurso , An unridden winters Gem gliding across the Scottish Water

Thurso frequently has epic pipes when big storms roll in.

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.

Spain Mediterranean Sea, Majorca beach of Cala Moro beautiful seaside bay, Balearic Islands.

Majorca is known for its stunning beaches, such as Carla Moro of the Balearic Islands.

A sport known as deep water soloing is seeing a rise in popularity as humanity looks for new limits to surpass. The origin spot, Majorca, Spain, is a very popular destination for this particular type of thrill — fondly referred to as "psicobloc" in Spanish, which translates to "crazy boulder." In a nutshell, you go free climbing on extremely tricky cliffs that hang over deep waters. If your grip fails, you'll plummet safely into the waters below. Naturally, this activity also leads to subsequent cliff diving. You can find plenty of spots by asking locals, doing a quick internet search or heading off to a remote island in search of the next best site. The coastline of Azores, Portugal, also has plenty of great options if your travel dates are during the summer months.

Akureyri, Iceland Blue Water Cave — Clear blue water within a cave in Iceland

Plunge between two of the earth's mighty tectonic plates in Iceland.

While scuba diving isn't all too crazy these days, braving the chilly waters of Northern Europe is another matter. A dive between the tectonic plates in Silfra, Iceland, is an adventurous undertaking that only experienced scuba divers can try. The water in this fissure is so pure that you'll have the best underwater visibility in the world, estimated to be 100 meters. The water is icy cold at 25 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 4 degrees Celsius) year-round, and divers must have completed 10 dry suit dives in the last two years plus an open water certification to qualify. You can dive up to 18 meters deep into this literal crack in the earth's crust. A great way to enjoy a more family-friendly dive is to book a snorkeling tour.

Before you head home on cruises out of Europe, don't miss the extreme activity of cheese rolling in Gloucester, England. The event involves hundreds of folks chasing one big rolling cheese down an impossibly steep hill. And yes, it's as silly and dangerous as it sounds! Cheese rolling is considered the world's seventh most bizarre feat of strength and is pure comedy to watch. The unique culture of holding this event originated in Gloucester, and every spring, you can enter, spectate or join the run (for the common public) at the end. And the best deal about attending? It's totally free!

One-Time Jumps In Europe

Dam in Val Verzasca (Tessin - Switzerland)

This bungee-jumping experience makes movie magic come to life.

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.

See the Swiss Alps from a truly unique perspective.

Paragliding is where you use a giant wing that looks similar to a kite surfer and jump off the side of a mountain. The paraglider is lifted by the thermal winds coming off the mountains, and you can control your direction and speed. In my opinion, the best place for paragliding is Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland. From your initial mountainside jump, your guide will expertly navigate the U-shaped valley and glide you close to alpine waterfalls and the stunning mountainside. For an even crazier flight, try skydiving over Prague in the Czech Republic for a view that spans miles into the distance. The lovely bay of Sainte-Maxime in the French Riviera offers parasailing, which is closer to the ground than paragliding or skydiving.

The Cetina River is entrenched into one of the deepest and narrowest canyons in the world. It is positioned in the central Dalmatia, Croatia, close to Omiš.

The Cetina River is entrenched in one of the deepest and narrowest canyons in the world.

If you want more safety than a paraglider offers but a little less bounce than bungee jumping, look no further than Europe's plentiful collection of zip lines. When I first took the Omis Zipline Adventure above the River Cetina canyon in Croatia, I thought it'd be a nice but boring whoosh over the mountainside. How wrong I was! Each new zip line is incredibly exhilarating from the moment you step off the platform. Nothing really compares to the sense of freedom you get from ziplining over forests and rivers. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, I highly recommend the zip line in Dubrovnik, one of the sets for the television show. Last but not least on our list is the Velocity 2 zip line in Wales. It's the fastest in the world and the longest in Europe.

Exciting Family Vacation Spots

Drift over the Swiss Alps in style.

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.

For younger kids, restless teens and physically fit parents, I highly recommend the sport of zorbing. You're wrapped up in a giant plastic bubble that is pushed downhill and quickly gathers speed. You can take it a step further in summer with aqua-zorbing, where you're suspended in water inside the ball. Both types of zorbing can be done with more than one person. The other type that's even more fun is a match of zorbing soccer. You can find plenty of places that offer this sport when you cruise to Barcelona, Spain.

Close up view of bubble football balls game.

Can you hit the ball in the goal while bouncing off your teammates?

Lastly, rafting on the River Cetina in Split, Croatia, is a good idea for water-based activities on your Europe cruise. This experience is fun, relatively easy and suitable for all ages; plus, there's the opportunity for all sorts of extra adventures, such as canyoning, tubing and kayaking. Corfu in Greece (and many of the nearby Greek islands) is another hub of water activities, and I highly recommend trying the banana ride behind a speedboat if you're looking to entertain tweens. A cruise to Europe can be a thrilling vacation for the entire family.

Written By
CLAIRE HEGINBOTHAM

Claire Heginbotham is a professional copywriter and adventure traveler. Over the last five years, she's published work with Royal Caribbean, Gaijinpot, Kuroko Tours, and many more. She's traveled to hundreds of bespoke Asian destinations where the unknown flourishes.

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