Xceltrip

Vatnajökull National Park was founded in 2008, when authorities created a megapark by joining the 8300-sq-km Vatnajökull ice cap with two previously established national parks: Skaftafell in southeast Iceland and Jökulsárgljúfur in the northeast. The park measures over 14,100 sq km, occupying approximately 14% of the entire country, and its boundaries encircle a staggering richness of landscapes and some of Iceland’s greatest natural treasures, created by the combined forces of rivers, glacial ice, and volcanic and geothermal activity. The entirety of the Vatnajökull ice cap is protected, including countless outlet glaciers and glacial rivers. There are incredible rock formations around Ásbyrgi canyon, waterfalls such as Dettifoss and Svartifoss, the storied Lakagígar crater row, Askja and other volcanoes of the highlands, and an unending variety of areas where geology, ecology and history lessons spring to life. Vatnajökull National Park has been nominated for inclusion on th...

Helvetinjärvi National Park is situated in Ruovesi in 40 kilometers northwest of Tampere.  The special features of the park include two rift valleys formed 150-200 million years ago by displacement of the earth’s crust. Helvetinkolu Gorge, located northeast of the Lake Iso Helvetinjärvi, is the most famous gorge in the area and can be reached by a forest path of ca. 2 kilometres. You can easily make a day trip or a longer hike in Helvetinjärvi National Park. The park's landscape is dominated by geological features created millions of years ago by mighty movements deep in the Earth's crust. After admiring the rugged cliffs around Helvetinjärvi (Hell's Lake) and Helvetinkolu (Hell's Hole) you can relax on the sandy lakeshore at Haukanhieta. The landscape here is dominated by geological features created millions of years ago by mighty movements deep in the Earth's crust. After admiring the rugged cliffs around Helvetinjärvi (Hell's Lake) and Helvetinkol...

Portugal   is clearly divided into the northern wooded and southern lowland parts. The south of the country is painted in light tones of ripening wheat, olive groves, and cork oak plantations. Portugal's largest deep rivers are the Tagus, Douro and Guardian, originating in Spain. The most popular resort destination is the southern tip of the country, especially the Algarve region, which covers more than 150 km of the coastal strip, stretching from east to west from Monte Gordo to Lagos. The northern part of the state is rich in small towns with fully preserved architectural monuments. While many come to the delight of the vibrant and picturesque cities of Lisbon, Porto and Sintra, others are heading for the beautiful beaches that dot its coastline. Natural Park Sintra-Cascais Indeed, the country is bathed in natural beauty, and there are many incredible panoramas and views awaiting discovery. With this in mind, here are the five most beautiful national and na...