Italy Wildlife Tours
When you think of Italy, you usually think of the canal streets of Venice or the Roman ruins that are interspersed throughout the country. Italy, however, has very diverse flora and fauna for nature enthusiasts to enjoy. From the Alps to Sicily, there is great diversity in Italy that you can take advantage of on a wildlife trip.
The Apennine Mountains would be a great candidate for a trip to see Southern European wildlife. These mountains are like the spine of the Italian Peninsula, as they run from the north of Italy to the south. On a trip to this location, you will be able to experience the beauty of alpine flowers and abundance of colourful butterflies. You can also monitor the mountainsides for the opportunity to see red deer, golden eagles, or even brown bears. This is a truly remarkable experience that you would long remember. Thick forests, covered in deep snow during winter the wolf had also been reintroduced into this range.
For a more challenging trip, head to the Italian and French Alps. The views here are magnificent, and the hikes are a bit more challenging if you are up for being active. Here you will be able to enjoy the same flora and fauna as in the Apennine with the added benefit of being in the shadow of the majestic Alps.
Wildlife in Greece
The country of Greece is a nature enthusiast's paradise. You have every type of landscape that you can imagine, from mainland, to peninsulas, to islands. If you choose Greece as your destination, make sure you make the most of it and tour as many areas as you can. The diversity of wildlife that you will see is truly remarkable. Birds of prey soar over the Pindos Mountains and the snorkelling in its long and rocky coast line offer the chance to get close to some very colourful sea life.
If you are a bird lover, then the island of Lesbos is the perfect destination for watching bird migration patterns in the Mediterranean. It is Greece's third largest island, and it is only a few miles off the coast of the mainland country of Turkey. Here you will be able to see an impressive assortment of bird species as they migrate, feed and breed. Aside from the birds, the island also has beautiful flora that you can marvel at.
If you enjoy butterflies, the Peloponnesian Peninsula will offer you an unparalleled opportunity to watch them as they migrate, just like the birds on the island of Lesbos. On a trip to butterfly watch on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, it is not uncommon to see up to 50 different species of butterflies in one day.
Spain Wildlife Trips
Spain is another Southern European country that has a rich history and lots of wildlife for the nature enthusiast to enjoy. There are hundreds of miles of coastline, the Pyrenees Mountains, and even islands that offer as diverse a wildlife population as any other Southern European country. If you visit Spain you will see this for yourself. The mountains in Andalucía, the Sierra Nevada and other minor ranges allow you to get into the countryside while enjoying the scenery of these untouched landscapes.
The southern Spanish town of Tarifa is the perfect place to watch not only migrating birds, but also aquatic life because of its location right off the Strait of Gibraltar. The Strait of Gibraltar is only about 16 kilometres wide, so it gives birds the perfect location to cross from Africa to Europe and vice-versa. Furthermore, the strait itself provides access to marine life to travel between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. On land, aside from the migratory birds, you will be able to see and hear Scops Owls. In the sea, you will encounter bottlenose and striped dolphins, and if you're lucky, you may even see some sperm whales.
No wildlife trip would be complete without a trip to the Pyrenees Mountains. A walk through the landscape here can be very diverse, and you can experience the dry plains or the snow capped mountaintops. Common wildlife in this area include black vultures, bee eater birds, and even otters in the rivers located in this area. Combine this wildlife and nature with the charm of Spain and its friendly people, and you have the potential to embark on the trip of a lifetime in this country of the Iberian Peninsula.
Wildlife in Portugal
Spring is the perfect time to visit Portugal, as its meadows are teeming with beautiful flowers that attract many kinds of insects. Travel a bit to the west and you will find yourself in Portugal's coastal region, providing mammals and reptiles with the perfect environment for them to thrive. Another site worthy of visiting is the country's oak forests, with a unique habitat that provides a home for birds such as the Azure winged magpie. While it is true that Portugal is a small country compared to its neighbour Spain, it can be beneficial for the nature enthusiast because one can travel to many different types of habitats in a short amount of time.
As you can now imagine, Southern Europe is the perfect destination for you to take a wildlife tour. It has every type of environment and niche imaginable, along with a plethora of avian, reptilian, mammalian, and insect species that you can explore. For your next vacation, visit one of these countries to get back in touch with nature and the outdoors. You will surely not regret this decision and remember it for a lifetime.