EDEN, European Destinations of ExcelleNce

Uncovering Europe’s authentic experiences
Europe...an evocative name for the traveller with its unmatched cultural diversity and natural heritage. The continent is packed with undiscovered travel experiences, places where the environment and its indigenous people have found a way to develop a tourism industry in a sustainable way; this is why the European Commission has launched the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN).

Since 2007, EDEN has been on a quest to re-discover and promote Europe’s hidden treasures from lush mountain meadows to small community fiestas.

EDEN – Cherished locally, unknown globally
Across Europe there are many places and cultures that are cherished locally, but are unknown globally, particularly to the travelling public.

Yet these little known tourist sites or natural areas that are off-the-beaten track represent some of the most stunning and pristine environments on the continent.

Every year EDEN showcases a selection of the best destinations that Europe has to offer, locations that will inspire your travel; places where you can feel, experience and participate in the local culture; interact with authentic communities and revel in an untouched environment.

Map of EDEN destinations - click on a country for more details
New destinations are chosen from the 27 member countries of the European Union, as well as from the candidate countries. However, EDEN wants to showcase those extraordinary places, therefore, each nominated destination has to be sustainable in terms of preserving the local environment, culture and social fabric of the destination.

Every year EDEN choses a theme along with the national tourism bodies that will inspire you to travel...

• 2009: Tourism and protected areas
• 2008: Tourism and local intangible heritage
• 2007: Best emerging European rural destinations

The fact is that EDEN is not just about award winning destinations. It is about promoting authentic European experiences, showing you a way back to paradise. It is about endorsing the destinations that the continent is pas-sionate about and sharing them with you – the travelling public, so that you can enjoy the best holidays.

Read about 'The magic of EDEN'

Sustainable tourism
You want a destination that is known for its local charm, its beautiful landscapes and fascinating history. A place where the locals respect their land and will do anything to protect it from harm. Sounds like a dream? Well, in Europe, the possibilities are endless.

The European Commission launched the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) a few years back with the aim of selecting special places "off the beaten path" that value economic, environmental and social sustainability. The 52 places chosen so far all represent Europe in a fitting manner.

Europe is a continent of great history and lands. The continent's mystique draws tourists from around the world in search of adventure, paradise and culture. While there are many wonderful destinations in Europe, the truth is, many of them have lost their allure due to expansive tourism and a lack of regard for the environment. No longer can a region's name alone be enough to draw visitors to their majestic mountains or pristine beaches. There must be more and the European Commission has devoted numerous resources to instil the mind-set of sustainable tourism in its regions.

Sustainable tourism is a practice that must run deep in the values of the local people. Whenever new accommodation is built and man-made changes are made to the landscape, eco-friendly and environmental measures must be followed. A constant respect for nature is needed to ensure that today's crea-tures and eco-systems are still around in the distant future.

Sustainable tourism also plays a major role in a region's local economy. The growth of an area leads to more jobs and helps raise the quality of living in a region. The local people also take advantage of visitors eating at their restaurants, shopping at their markets and staying at their hotels. It is essential that proper investment in tourism growth has the people's best interests in mind.

The next time you go on a memorable holiday to the countryside and enjoy a bottle of the Earth's precious wine, take notice of the land and its people. These 52 selected EDEN "hidden gems" all have done their part in making their region a wonderful and memorable place to visit. Now it's up to you to decide which adventure you want to seek!

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