The Top 10 Best Waterfalls of Europe

It’s not easy to put together a Top 10 Best Europe Waterfalls List because it’s completely subjective and limited to each person’s experience with the falls being named.

Again, we’ve composed this list solely based on our own personal experiences. So that makes this (or any of our other lists) different from what you’ll typically see on the internet.

In any case, Julie and I finally got to a point where we could credibly put together such a list for Europe. After all, our waterfall survey of this diverse continent has now covered Austria, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Great Britain, Switzerland, France, Italy, Croatia, Spain, Luxembourg, and Greece.

We ultimately decided to make this list non-discriminatory and cover all of Europe. We had contemplated leaving off the Scandinavian countries since they seemed to make up more than half of the Euro Top 10.

Plus, we have top 10 lists dedicated to specific European countries such as the Top 10 Iceland Waterfalls List and the Top 10 Norway Waterfalls List among others.

Nevertheless, you can imagine how difficult of a time we had just to keep a list of 10! Heck, it even made us re-evaluate the ratings of many of the waterfalls we’ve evaluated in the past.

But in the end, after the rigorous filtering process, we ended up with this page as the end result. I’m sure this list will continue to change as we intend to visit more falls from this continent while making re-evaluations every so often.

So without further ado, we present the Euro top 10 in reverse order…

#10 STUIBENFALL

Tyrol, Austria

This towering waterfall surprised us with its ability to engage the hikers on an adventurous path involving bouncy suspension bridges and high spiraling towers.

Not only did we view the falls from spots typically reserved for birds or drones, but it also featured a couple of surprise natural bridges at its top!

Indeed, the hits just kept coming on this excursion. They came hard and they came often! And by the end of the hike, I felt compelled to give this waterfall its props by barely fitting into the last position of this very competitive list!

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#9 KRIMML WATERFALLS (KRIMMLER WASSERFÄLLE)

Tyrol, Austria

This series of waterfalls dropping a cumulative 380m were Austria’s most well-known. And after we finally got to visit it, we could see why.

Indeed, this place featured at least four major drops on the Krimmler Ache. Busy walking paths featuring overlooks allowed us to get a little sprayed while enjoying some mind blowing views (some of which yielded double rainbows on our visit).

And if all the action was a bit too in-your-face, we found a panoramic overlook across the valley (like what you see pictured here) to take it all in with a single look.

It was a long time coming, but we’re glad we were finally able to experience what lots of other people had been raving about. Thus, we had to give it a spot on this list.

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#8 MARDALSFOSSEN

Møre og Romsdal, Norway

This majestic waterfall could’ve easily been mistaken for a waterfall in Yosemite Valley at peak flow. But this one happens to make its cliff dive in the scenic Eikesdal Valley in Norway.

Said to be one of the tallest waterfalls in the world at a reported 655m (or 705m depending on who you talk to) it definitely sported lofty dimensions.

Its location overlooking the beautiful Eikesdalsvatn Lake flanked by the walls of a classic U-shaped valley with many more beautiful waterfalls throughout made it easy for us to include this towering two-tiered monster on our Euro Top 10 List.

Not even the controversial hydroelectric stream diversion that made this a Summer-only waterfall could deny its entry.

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#7 STAUBBACH FALLS (STAUBBACHFÄLLE)

Bernese Oberland, Switzerland

While there may be taller or more voluminous waterfalls than this one, sometimes you just have to acknowledge its landscape above all else.

And in this case, we have a 297m freefalling waterfall plunging right into the Lauterbrunnen Valley while being watched over by the majestic and iconic Swiss Alps (including the peaks Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau).

Heck, even the town at the base of the falls (called Lauterbrunnen) was both charming and picturesque.

Where else can you mix the awesome beauty of Nature with a little European mountain charm to boot?

Add it all up, and Julie and I had no problems emphatically putting this waterfall on the Euro Top 10 List.

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#6 HÁIFOSS

South Region, Iceland

In a country that featured so many beautiful waterfalls, this one just nudged into the penultimate spot on this list. And as you can see, it had a lot going for it.

The falls featured an impressive 122m gush while accompanied by a neighboring waterfall that was almost the same size.

Then, it was in a place that was just pure raw Nature that seemed typical of the rugged and hauntingly beautiful interior highlands of Iceland.

Heck, there was even a bold rainbow arc across its base that we witnessed during conditions that I’d say would have to be as close to as perfect as you can get.

In fact, our visit here was so memorable that Julie and I still think about this place from time to time.

With such a powerful experience, we gave this the emotional tiebreaker over other equally-rated waterfalls just to even get on this list let alone this spot!

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#5 SKÓGAFOSS

South Region, Iceland

There’s something to be said about a waterfall this big yet classically-shaped (with its nearly geometric rectangle) and this accessible (notice the people standing right in front of it).

Julie’s really partial to this waterfall for those reasons, and it’s the primary reason why it sits in the upper half of this list.

On top of that, we were also able to climb a path that went to its top where we could better appreciate the raw Icelandic scenery looking back towards the coast.

And then, it turned out that this falls happened to be the last in a long line of waterfalls along the Skógar River, which itself featured well over 20 impressive ones (I had lost count due to the sheer quantity of them).

In the end, maybe Julie’s sentiments towards the falls were well deserved after all!

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#4 LANGFOSS

Hordaland, Norway

This was an example of just how majestic a waterfall can be when left to Nature. And we contend this could very well be the best of the big bunch of Norwegian waterfalls as long as it remains unregulated and in its natural state.

For we literally witnessed an unchecked and thick stream cascading over a mountainside with a cumulative reported height of 612m.

Then, it fell into Åkrafjorden, which was an example of one of many beautiful and deep fjords throughout the west side of Norway.

We were able to take it all in with its scenic landscape views from a distance along with its thundering power as we managed to get a closer look near its base.

Adding all these things up, we had no problems putting this one high up on our Top 10 Europe Waterfalls List.

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#3 PLITVICE WATERFALLS

Lika-Senj / Karlovac, Croatia

Rather than being a singular waterfall, this was really a conglomeration of a whole network of waterfalls and lakes. Some of these waterfalls were impressive enough to stand out on their own.

Nonetheless, when it came to the overall waterfalling experience, this one grew on us as we explored more of its walks while encountering one waterfall after another.

Just for that property alone, Julie and I thought this was certainly one of the more unique waterfalling experiences.

However, it was further augmented by the color of the lakes (clear enough for us to see plenty of fish as well as submerged fallen trees) along with the lushness and depth of the gorges giving rise to all of these features.

So with all that these waterfalls had going for them, Julie and I just had to put this unique and special place in the Top 10 European Waterfalls List as well as our overall Top 10 List!

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#2 DETTIFOSS

Northeast Region, Iceland

Of all the European waterfalls that Julie and I have visited, this could very well be the one waterfall where we truly felt like it was earthshaking.

We’re not kidding!

The ground literally felt like was trembling beneath our feet the closer to the falls we stood!

Indeed, the same forces that struck a sense of fear and awe within us was also responsible for the deep and desolate moon-like Jökulsárgljúfur, which we thought was Iceland’s version of the Grand Canyon.

And the wild glacial meltwaters of Jökulsá á Fjöllum dropping a reported 44m was definitely something not to be messed with.

Yet it was hard to believe that this river has seen even greater megafloods in its turbulent and violent history in the form of Jökulhlaups when a volcano erupts beneath a glacier further upstream in the vast Vatnajökull Ice Field and the ice all of the sudden turns into a lahar.

No doubt about it, a visit here will leave a lasting impression, and that was certainly the case with us!

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#1 GULLFOSS

South Region, Iceland

While this waterfall may not have the thunder nor soar amongst the birds like others on this list, it was certainly one of the most unique waterfalls we’ve ever seen.

Where else can you see two wide river waterfalls in succession falling at right angles to each other?

Add to that the sense of remoteness as the falls was right on the doorstep of the desolate Highlands with distant glaciers in view.

Furthermore, this waterfall was reasonably accessible as we were able to walk right up to the brinks of both of its tiers, and we happened to see rainbows in the wafting mist from various vantage points.

We could totally see why this very popular waterfall was one of the main attractions of the Golden Circle, and as is often the case with famous waterfalls like this, there’s usually a good reason why!

So by virtue of its uniqueness, size, and overall experience, it just nudges into the top spot on this list of Top 10 Europe Waterfalls.

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Below are a few more Top 10 lists of the waterfalls we’ve visited.