Glamping in Europe: 10 of the Best Places to Go

Glamping takes the best part of camping, waking up outdoors in a beautiful place, and drops the worst parts: the damp sleeping bag, the tent you have to put up in the rain, the queue for a cold shower. In Europe that can mean anything from a safari tent on a Dutch heath to a floating cabin on a French lake, a dome in the Swiss Alps or a glass igloo under the Northern Lights.

Below are some of the best places for glamping in Europe, grouped by the kind of trip they suit, plus tips on choosing a site and when to go.

Quick picks

• Best for families: the Veluwe, Netherlands, and the French Alps
• Most unusual stay: a floating cabin at Echologia, France
• Best mountain views: the Swiss Alps
• Best lake setting: Lake Bled, Slovenia
• Best winter glamping: Finnish Lapland
• Best with a beach: Istria, Croatia, and the Alentejo coast, Portugal

The best places to go glamping in Europe

1. The Veluwe, Netherlands

Where: Gelderland, in the centre of the Netherlands, about an hour from Amsterdam.
Best for: families and cyclists.

The Veluwe is the largest nature area in the Netherlands, a mix of pine and beech forest, heathland and drifting sand, much of it protected in the Hoge Veluwe National Park. It’s criss-crossed by cycle paths, and the park lends free white bikes to visitors. That makes it one of the easiest places in Europe to combine glamping with car-free days out. There are dozens of sites with safari tents, cabins and treehouses. Go in late summer, when the heather turns purple, or in autumn for deer and quiet trails.

2. Echologia, France

Where: Louverne, near Laval in Mayenne, north-west France.
Best for: couples and anyone after a properly unusual night.

Echologia is an eco-glamping site built around a set of old lime quarries that have filled with clear, green water. You can sleep in a floating cabin moored on the lake, a treehouse, a yurt or a bubble dome, and spend the day walking, swimming or paddling between the quarry lakes. It’s an easy stop on the way to Brittany or Normandy.

3. Lake Bled, Slovenia

Where: Bled, in the Julian Alps, about 50 minutes from Ljubljana.
Best for: a romantic break with mountain and lake views.

Bled is already one of the most photogenic places in Europe, with its island church and clifftop castle. Just outside the town, Garden Village Bled has treehouses, glamping tents set over a stream and small pier tents, all built from local timber. Combine it with hiking in Triglav National Park or a swim at Lake Bohinj.

4. The Swiss Alps

Where: Valais and other alpine cantons, Switzerland.
Best for: mountain views, hiking and winter sports.

The Swiss Alps are where luxury pods first took off in Europe. Whitepod, on a mountainside at about 1,400 metres above Monthey in Valais, pioneered the idea with geodesic domes facing the Dents du Midi, each heated by its own stove. Elsewhere in Switzerland you’ll find yurts, tipis and mountain huts with glamping-style comforts. Summer is for hiking, winter for snowshoeing and skiing.

5. The French Alps (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

Where: Savoie and Haute-Savoie, around Lake Annecy and the high valleys.
Best for: families who want a campsite with facilities.

The French Alps have some of the best-equipped campsites in Europe, and many now have furnished tents, cabins and pods alongside regular pitches. Lake Annecy is the favourite base, with swimming, cycling and paragliding. Further up, valleys like the Vanoise and the area around Chamonix offer cooler summers and serious hiking.

6. Bohemia, Czech Republic

Where: Central and southern Bohemia, within easy reach of Prague.
Best for: good value, castles and forests.

The Czech countryside is full of forests, rivers, castles and small towns, and glamping here is usually much cheaper than in western Europe. Domes, tree tents and cabins have sprung up across the region, from the Bohemian Paradise north-east of Prague to the Šumava forest in the south. It’s easy to combine with a few nights in Prague and day trips to the castles nearby.

7. Finnish Lapland

Where: Northern Finland, around Saariselkä, Rovaniemi and Levi.
Best for: the Northern Lights and a winter trip.

Lapland is Europe’s best winter glamping destination. Glass igloos and glass-roofed cabins let you watch the sky from bed, and the Northern Lights season runs roughly from late August to April, with the darkest skies in midwinter. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort near Saariselkä made the glass igloo famous, and there are now similar stays around Rovaniemi and Levi. Book months ahead for December to March.

8. Istria, Croatia

Where: The peninsula in north-west Croatia, near Rovinj and Poreč.
Best for: a beach holiday with style.

Istria’s coast has some of the most polished glamping resorts in Europe, with mobile homes and luxury tents on pine-shaded campsites next to the sea, often with pools and restaurants. It suits families in summer and couples in June or September. Inland, Istria’s hill towns and truffle restaurants make good day trips.

9. Alentejo coast, Portugal

Where: South-west Portugal, between Lisbon and the Algarve.
Best for: surfing, wild beaches and slow travel.

The coast of the Alentejo is wilder and quieter than the Algarve, with long sandy beaches, cliffs and the Rota Vicentina walking trail. Yurts, eco-lodges and bell tents are scattered across farms and cork-oak country inland. Spring and autumn are ideal: warm enough for the beach, without the summer heat.

10. The Scottish Highlands and the Lake District

Where: Northern Scotland and Cumbria, England.
Best for: walkers who don’t mind the weather.

Britain has a huge glamping scene, from shepherd’s huts and wooden pods to bell tents on farms. The Scottish Highlands and the Lake District are the most dramatic settings, with mountains, lochs and lakes on the doorstep. A wood burner or hot tub turns a rainy day into part of the fun. Bring midge repellent for Scotland in summer.

How to choose a glamping site

• Check the bathroom. “Glamping” covers everything from a bell tent with shared showers to a pod with its own bathroom and hot tub. Read exactly what’s included.
• Look at heating. Outside midsummer, nights in the mountains or in northern Europe get cold. A wood stove or heater makes a big difference.
• Think about access. Some of the best sites are a walk from the car park. Fine for a couple with backpacks, harder with small children and luggage.
• Check the minimum stay. In summer many sites only take bookings of two nights or more, sometimes a full week.
• Book early for peak dates. Unusual stays like treehouses, floating cabins and glass igloos have very few units and sell out months ahead.

When to go

For most of Europe, the glamping season runs from May to September, with June and September offering the best mix of weather, availability and prices. July and August are busiest and most expensive, especially near lakes and beaches. For winter, Lapland and the Alps are the main options, and many alpine domes and huts stay open all year.

FAQ

What is glamping?

Glamping, short for “glamorous camping”, means staying outdoors in a ready-made shelter with proper beds and comforts. It can be a tent, yurt, dome, treehouse, cabin or pod, often with electricity and sometimes a private bathroom.

Which country in Europe is best for glamping?

France has the most variety and the best-equipped sites. The Netherlands and the UK have huge glamping scenes, and Croatia and Portugal are best if you want a beach. For something unusual, try a glass igloo in Finland or a dome in Switzerland.

Is glamping cheaper than a hotel?

Not always. Simple bell tents and pods are often cheaper than hotels, but unusual stays like glass igloos, floating cabins and luxury domes can cost as much as a good hotel, or more.

Looking for more outdoor trips? Browse our adventure guides, or plan a castle tour while you’re in Bohemia with our guide to the best castles near Prague.