Best waterfall destinations in Europe

Glacial valley drops and famous water cascades in Europe

Asia's waterfalls are distributed across some of the continent's most biodiverse landscapes, with the highest concentrations found in the tropical rainforest zones of Southeast Asia, the steep river valleys of the eastern Himalayan foothills and the volcanic island chains of the Pacific rim. Many of the most impressive falls are reached via jungle trails where the walk is as compelling as the destination, passing through dense forest with significant wildlife along the way.

Water volume peaks during and immediately after the monsoon season, delivering the most dramatic conditions but also the most challenging access, with trails becoming slippery and river crossings unpredictable. Dry season visits offer easier and safer access with clearer views, and at many sites reveal natural swimming pools and rock formations that high water renders inaccessible. Local guides are advisable at remote sites where trails are unmarked.

Entry fees are modest at most sites and your money goes a long way across the majority of the region, keeping costs low even on multi-site itineraries. Heat and humidity at lowland tropical falls are significant and early morning visits are strongly advisable. Some of the most spectacular sites sit within protected national parks where visitor numbers are managed and advance booking is required during peak season.

Village in Norway
Geiranger
Majestic Fjords and Dramatic Waterfalls
The Seven Sisters waterfall drops in seven separate streams down a cliff in Geirangerfjord. A second falls called the Suitor faces it from across the water. Visitors can view both from a small boat cruising beneath the cliffs. Cruise ships pass close enough for passengers to feel the spray.
National Park in Croatia
Krka National Park
Waterfalls and Pristine Nature
Skradinski Buk cascades down a series of travertine steps inside Krka National Park. Old watermills once used the falling water to grind grain along the riverbank. Visitors can walk boardwalks that wind close beside the tiered pools. Swimming beneath the falls was allowed for decades before a 2021 ban.
Village in Switzerland
Lauterbrunnen
Valley of 72 waterfalls
Locals call Lauterbrunnen the Valley of 72 Waterfalls for the cliffs that ring its floor. Tolkien is said to have drawn on the steep walled valley when imagining Rivendell. Visitors can hike or cycle the flat valley floor past cascade after cascade. Sheer rock walls rise nearly a kilometre on either side.
National Park in Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Cascading Waterfalls and Turquoise Lakes
Plitvice Lakes cascades through sixteen terraced lakes connected by waterfalls and travertine barriers. Mineral deposits keep building the natural dams that separate each turquoise pool. Visitors can follow wooden boardwalks that cross directly over the flowing water. A small boat also ferries visitors between the upper and lower lake groups.
Waterfall in Salzburg
Krimml Waterfalls
Majestic cascades echo through alpine valleys
Krimml Waterfalls drops nearly 380 metres across three tiers, Austria's tallest falls. Meltwater from the Hohe Tauern glaciers feeds the cascade year round. Visitors can follow a trail that climbs alongside all three levels. Mist from the lower tier cools hikers even on warm summer days.
Waterfall in Bern
Staubbach Fall
Switzerland’s Majestic Free-Falling Waterfall
Staubbach Fall drops nearly 300 metres in a single free fall above Lauterbrunnen village. Wind often scatters the water into fine spray before it reaches the ground. Visitors can walk a short trail from the village to a viewing platform below. Goethe wrote a poem about the falls after visiting in 1779.
Waterfall in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kravica Waterfall
Spectacular Cascade in Herzegovina
Kravica Waterfall spreads in a wide horseshoe across the Trebizat River near Ljubuski. Water drops about 25 metres into a natural pool ringed by trees. Visitors can swim in the pool during the warm summer months. Wooden walkways and a small beach area line the shore closest to the falls.
Waterfall in Iceland
Skógafoss
Majestic cascade plunges into emerald canyon
Skogafoss plunges 60 metres over an old sea cliff left behind as the coastline retreated. Local legend tells of a Viking chest of treasure buried behind the falls. Visitors can climb a steep staircase to a platform level with the top. Rainbows appear in the spray on most sunny afternoons.
Town in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jajce
Waterfalls, Fortress and Fairytale Views
A waterfall drops right in the centre of Jajce, where the Pliva River meets the Vrbas. The 20 metre falls sit only steps from the old town walls. Visitors can watch the water crash from a bridge above the gorge. Medieval fortifications and a royal tomb overlook the falls from the hillside.
Waterfall in Iceland
Seljalandsfoss
Majestic cascade framed by misty cliffs
Seljalandsfoss drops about 60 metres over a cliff that curves back from the water. A path behind the falls lets visitors walk in a full circle around the cascade. Waterproof clothing helps against the constant spray on the walkway. Sunset light often turns the falling water gold from behind.
Waterfall in Switzerland
Rhine Falls
Majestic cascades echo through alpine valleys
Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen ranks as the largest plain waterfall in Europe by volume. A rocky pillar stands in the middle of the churning water. Visitors can take a small boat right up to the rock and climb a platform on top. Floodlights light up the falls after dark in summer.
Waterfall in Iceland
Dettifoss
Majestic cascade plunges into crystal blue
Dettifoss carries more water than any other waterfall in Europe, fed by a glacial river. The falls drop into a canyon within Vatnajokull National Park. Visitors can view the thundering water from paths on either bank. Its opening scene appeared in the 2012 film Prometheus.
Waterfall in Bern
Trümmelbach Falls
Europe’s Largest Subterranean Waterfalls
Trummelbach Falls churns entirely inside a mountain, carved out by glacial meltwater. Ten separate cascades drop through narrow rock chambers before reaching daylight. Visitors can ride a funicular partway up, then climb stairs past each roaring tier. The falls drain most of the meltwater from the Jungfrau glaciers above.
Waterfall in Iceland
Gullfoss Falls
Majestic golden cascade in Iceland
Gullfoss drops in two stages into a narrow canyon that seems to swallow the river. Farmer Sigridur Tomasdottir fought plans to dam the falls for hydropower in the early 1900s. Visitors can walk paths along both rims for views into the canyon. On sunny days, rainbows often arc across the spray.
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