Europe is home to the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, with 231 of them being listed as natural wonders.
But this proliferation of wonders can draw huge numbers of tourists – more than 100 million annually.
This can make soaking up the sites a stressful and crowded experience, which is why Emerald Cruises has revealed some of the lesser-known sites which are just as amazing with fewer crowds.
One of these is the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings in Switzerland which date back to 5000 and 500BC. Filled with cultural and historical significance, the archaeological site is Googled just 20 times per month on average.
These prehistoric ruins are all that remains of societies from the neolithic and Bronze ages who built their homes on piles over marshy lands.
The homes were placed above the ground to protect from the occasional flooding in the region.
Some 56 of the sites are located in Switzerland. According to UNESCO, the settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.
The second UNESCO gem also in Switzerland are the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, offering spectacular alpine views, with the mountain’s grandeur mentioned by over 100 visitors.
The site provides an outstanding example of the formation of the High Alps, including the most glaciated part of the mountain range and the largest glacier in Eurasia. The alps have a wide diversity of ecosystems, and also showcase the impact of climate change in its glaciers.
If you want to explore more hidden gems across Europe, then Emerald Cruise has compliled a list of the top 20 little-known sites which you can see below.
The top natural wonders ranked
Rank | Site | Country | Weighted Rank | Keyword Count | Sentiment Score | Avg Monthly Search Volume |
1 | Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps | Switzerland | 95.0 | 117 | 83 | 20 |
2 | Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch | Switzerland | 86.7 | 106 | 73 | 5400 |
3 | Sintra-Cascais Natural Park | Portugal | 79.1 | 74 | 68 | 390 |
4 | Jostedalsbreen National Park | Norway | 78.0 | 72 | 66 | 390 |
5 | Teide National Park | Spain | 77.9 | 75 | 65 | 1600 |
6 | Thingvellir National Park | Iceland | 76.6 | 71 | 69 | 5400 |
7 | Lauterbrunnen Valley | Switzerland | 75.9 | 46 | 80 | 590 |
8 | Donana National Park | Spain | 75.5 | 75 | 57 | 880 |
9 | Picos de Europa National Park | Spain | 75.2 | 78 | 53 | 590 |
10 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | Croatia | 75.0 | 79 | 58 | 5400 |