The allure of water is endless, with its ability to relax, enchant, thrill and invigorate us. Perhaps this is why we always look for an element of water in our holiday, whether it is in the form of taking a refreshing dip in the sea or a swimming pool, hiking to a mountain waterfall, snowshoeing over a frozen lake, or soaking in a hot spa. Because water is an element in many European tourism destinations, water based tourism is the focus of this year’s competition to become an ‘EDEN’ destination.
EDEN is the acronym for European Destinations of Excellence, a European Commission project promoting sustainable tourism development models across the European Union. For the last three years, EDEN has been on a quest to re-discover and promote Europe's hidden treasures from lush mountain meadows to small community fiestas. Every year, EDEN showcases a selection of the best sustainable tourism destinations that Europe has to offer. New destinations are chosen from the 27 member countries of the European Union, as well as from the candidate countries. A different theme is also chosen every year, and this year the focus will be on Aquatic tourism.
The aim of this year's theme is to reward those coastal, lake and riverside tourism destinations which are promoting innovative approaches for their aquatic tourism. We look for destinations to offer tourism attractions in such a way as to promote a more qualitative environment, to encourage tourism throughout the seasons and to rebalance the tourist flows towards the non-traditional, small-scale destinations. Because many European destinations base their tourist offer on water based activities, the competition will be tight. This year the quest is for those tourist coastal, lake and riverside destinations which will provide sustainable, low-impact tourism away from Europe’s beaten tracks.
Several million kilometres of flowing waters and more than a million lakes cover the European continent, and there are thousands of miles of coastline. The beauty of water based tourism in Europe however lies in its sheer diversity. Just like its variety of landscapes, ranging from Arctic tundra to sun-drenched Mediterranean coasts, Europe also hosts a myriad of water based attractions. With an ever-changing coastline, rivers, waterfalls, springs and lakes, there is something to tempt even the most dedicated landlubbers.
And just because there is water involved, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get wet. You could enjoy a walk through snowy landscapes, or get your sea legs by sailing past some of Europe’s glorious coastlines. Below we have given you some tasters of alluring aquatic attractions which may be beckoning around Europe...
Lakes
Europe is host to some of the world’s most famous lakes, but the lesser known ones are often no less alluring. In fact, they can offer a truly authentic and unspoiled experience of local culture and customs, scenery and water based activities. Boating, fishing or wildlife watching are just some of the opportunities available to enjoy Europe’s untouched lakes. Did you know that there are more than 500 000 natural lakes larger than 0.01 km2 (1 ha) in Europe? About 80 % to 90 % of these are relatively small with a surface area of between 0.01 and 0.1 km2, whereas around 16 000 have a surface area larger than 1 km2.
Coast & Sea
The seas around Europe have been a vital resource for millennia, and the last several decades even more so due to the onslaught of tourism. Coastal locations feature highly in many holidays, but there is often much more to the undeveloped coastlines of Europe than sea and sand. The European marine ecosystems are incredibly diverse, stretching from the sub-tropical Atlantic to the ice-covered Arctic. Both the marine and the coastal environments contain not just diverse opportunities for activities such as wildlife spotting, canoeing, scuba-diving, whale watching, marine conservation or water sports, but often also a rich cultural diversity, allowing the traveller to get truly immersed into the local culture and customs. Why not find your undiscovered patch of European coastline this summer and experience something different? You could be kicking back by a crystal blue lagoon or enjoying a spot of water sports and find you have most of the beach to yourself...
Waterfalls
There is something refreshing about waterfalls, whether a stream or river drops with a thunderous roar or tranquil trickle. Who wouldn’t like taking a dip in its plunge pool after a long, strenuous hike... There are many types of waterfalls, such as Cascades (where water descends from a series of rocks), Plunges (where water descends vertically and loses contact with the bedrock surface) and Tiered (where water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls) to name a few, but they all have one thing in common, they are great places for some quiet contemplation...
Springs, Spas & Relaxation
Hot springs offer water heated by nature and they are important tourist attractions all over Europe. Since ancient times springs have been regarded to have great health benefits. It is said that soaking in the hot mineral water helps the body to get rid of toxins, reduce muscle tension and increase blood circulation. Among other things, hot mineral baths are also said to have a positive impact on the human psyche. Should you prefer not to bathe outdoors, Spas bring the mineral spring water inside, offering a more formal spa experience.
Snow & Ice
It is easy to forget that snow and ice is water too, and although many of us may be dreaming of warmer climates at the moment, snow has its unique attractions. Wandering through picturesque snowy scenery, dog sledding over a frozen lake, wildlife tracking in the snow and skiing down Europe’s mountainous slopes are just some examples of the wonderful things snow and ice lends itself to.
Rivers
Most of Europe’s several million kilometres of flowing water is found in its rivers, cascading down Europe’s mountain slopes and flowing through plains and fields, forming a base for local livelihoods and tourism. As well as discovering vibrant communities along Europe’s river banks, you could be immersing yourself into white water rafting, fishing, or even watching fish migrations.
EDEN Award destinations are selected on criteria which include low visitor density and social, cultural and environmental sustainability so if you choose to visit one of the EDEN awarded destinations, you can be assured you’re in for an authentic experience away from mass tourism.
Whether you are a true water baby or only want to dip your toe in aquatic tourism, the winners of this year’s EDEN aquatic tourism theme will be announced before this summer, so watch this space for some first-rate ideas for off-the-beaten track sustainable water based tourism locations!
Read our articles on
the magic of EDEN and
EDEN's seasonal delights here.
See here for more information on
EDEN - European Destinations of ExcelleNce 
