List of highest points of European countries
I list the highest points of European countries according to height, starting from the lowest. And I try to be as accurate as possible in my instructions. I may be mistaken here or there, because I don’t remember all the facts anymore. But I’m not sorry. Some joy of searching must be left to others as well.
According to the physical geographical approach, there are 45 countries in Europe. Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey are located elsewhere; taking part in „Eurovision“ (and in the case of Cyprus, belonging to the EU) doesn’t necessarily mean they are European countries.
1. VATICAN (75 m)
The lowest highest point of a European country is located in Vatican Gardens and is called Vatican Hill. To get there, you need to book a tour in the Gardens on the museum website a couple of months ahead. See http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=3&step=2
When already on tour, you need to withdraw from the group where they stop to go to the toilet. The toilets are just a few hundred metres from the highest point, but the tour group doesn’t get any closer. So – when you’re facing the toilets, the highest hill is on your left. Just skilfully sneak away from the group and go do your thing. Just make sure you don’t look too suspicious to Swiss guardsmen, strolling Fathers, nuns and security guards. The highest point is not marked. Good luck.
2. MONACO (140 m)
The highest point is located on the slope of the mountain Mont Agel, but it’s not the mountain’s summit (the summit is located in France and cannot be accessed without a special permit, because it’s an army base). Monaco’s highest point is on the border next to a road entering this little second-smallest country in Europe. Just find the highest point where you can enter the country, stand on the state border and you’re there. Of course, the point isn’t marked.
3. DENMARK (171 m)
The peak is called Mollehòj. Denmark’s highest peak has long been causing confusion, as for many years two other peaks close by were thought to be higher. Actually, they a r e higher, but the height of these two (Yding Skovhoj and Ejer Bavnehoj) has been enhanced by human hand. Namely, there are five Bronze age burial mounds close by, which are higher than Mollehòj. But judging by natural features, Mollehòj is 9 cm higher than Yding Skovhoj, and as much as 51 cm higher than Ejer Bavnehoj 🙂
To find Mollehoj, climb the tower at the peak of Ejer Bavnehoj and look around. From there you’ll see a farm on top of a small hill a couple of hundred metres away. The highest point of Denmark is behind this farm. It’s marked with a millstone.
And who thinks that the highest peak of Denmark is in Greenland and 3700 metres high – for reasons unknown to me this peak does not count.
4. MALTA (253 m)
The problem with this peak (Ta`Dmejrek) is that actually it’s not the name of a peak but the entire region. I found the highest point by driving to Sicily, embarking on a ferry in a city called Pozzallo, and going to Valletta. From there I rented a car and drove (on the left side of the road, just so you know) to the southernmost end of the island, and found the point easily through visual inspection. No marking.
5. LITHUANIA (294 m)
The highest point of Lithuania (Aukštoja) is about 25 km to the north-east from the capital city Vilnius, on the Medininkai Upland. For a long time, another peak 500 metres away – Juozapine – was considered as the highest point of the country, but detailed measurements made by specialists at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University reduced the former highest peak to the third highest. The difference between the first and third is 1 metre and 14 centimetres . If you find Juozapine, it’ll be easy to spot Aukštojas at the peak, and there is also a large information stand with photos of both peaks. To reach Aukštojas, drive past Juozapine and continue driving for 100 m, then keep left, and after passing a farm (which is again to your left), in 250 metres, walk up a gentle slope which also serves as a pasture. There you will find another information stand and a stone bearing the name of the peak.
6. LATVIA (311 m)
Gaizinkalns is on Central Vidzeme Upland on the foothill of a crumbling red brick tower.
7. ESTONIA (318 m)
To feed the self-esteem of Estonians – as many as six countries have a lower highest point than our Suur Munamägi (literal translation – “Big Egg Mountain”). And the fact that there are 14 more such countries in the world allows us to bask in that self pride even further – this means we are only the 21st lowest in the world. Yeaaah!
8. THE NETHERLANDS (322 m)
Find a city called Vaals from the common border of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and drive up towards the highest peak of the Netherlands (Vaalserberg). The peak is located where the country ends and is marked with horrible-looking metal bars, which you can see in the “Gallery”.
9. BELARUS (346 m)
You’ll find the highest peak of Belarus (Dzyarzhynskaya Hara), if you drive from Vilnius towards Minsk and turn right about 30 km before Minsk. Just a little more searching and you’re there. The peak is surrounded by an unstylish module fence and the highest point is indicated by a stone (by the way, you can access it using a staircase), which proves that you really are in the right place. The view from the top is sublime – the eye glimpses trees a few dozen metres away, as well as a collective farm workshop complete with machinery and equipment bearing witness to technical achievements of the Soviet era.
10. MOLDOVA (430 m)
To find Dealul Balanest, you’ll have to ask the locals. There are practically no signposts at intersections and many medium-sized roads have only remnants of pavement at the edges of holes. The peak is right next to Balanest village. By the way – one of the joys and threats of conversing with the locals is that even after a 2-minute conversation they may invite you in for a cup of tea, and then pretty soon it would be quite impolite not to stay over for the night.
11. LUXEMBOURG (560 m)
If you approach the peak from Belgium’s highest summit, then turn right as soon as you’ve entered Luxembourg. Soon you’ll find a mountain, which was long regarded as the country’s highest – Burrigplaz. The summit is 559 metres and has a bell tower on top of it. However, the right summit, called Kneiff, is a good metre higher – 560 m.
All I knew about this summit was that it’s next to some kind of a paved road and marked with this curious white concrete blob, approximately 40 cm in diameter. To make things more confusing, there is also a centre called Kneiff on the border of Belgium. The peak however is not in the centre but a couple of kilometres away. I turned right onto a small paved road coming down from Burrigplaz. This one didn’t take me to the white concrete blob either. Finally I noticed one more road going upwards, and I followed this one. Bingo! That’s where the blob was.
12. BELGIUM (694 m)
If you’re approaching the highest point of Belgium from the Netherlands’ highest point, you only need to drive about 100 km. Then you’ll see signposts pointing towards Signal de Botrange. The summit is accessible by car, and by a decree of the king, has a 6-metre high stair tower built for those who want to ascend to 700 metres on Belgium’s territory.
13. SAN MARINO (755 m)
Just go there. This country is so small that I won’t give any hints. It’s beautiful, too.
14. HUNGARY (1014 m)
Head towards Eger, one of Hungary’s best wine districts. And if you don’t see Matra Mountains and Kekeš itself from there, then ask. But be careful – if you don’t press the brake pedal soon enough, the road will take you almost to the top. I recommend using one of the hiking trails starting at a lower altitude.
15. IRELAND (1041 m)
To get near Carrauntoohil, you need to find a town called Killarney from south-west Ireland, and then proceed to little Carhoonahone settlement right next to the Kerry Mountains. Then ask further instructions. By no means should you underestimate the highest peak of Ireland – the ascent is at times quite steep and most of the time it’s raining. And if it’s raining in the Kerry Mountains, then the entire ground floods.
16. FINLAND (1328 m)
As a summit, Halti (also known as Alunturi) is not difficult. However, what makes the ascent to the top more difficult and interesting is the fact that you need to cover 55 km to reach the peak. And then another 55 to get back. The Finnish have built quite a few cottages (‘mökki’ in Finnish) along the track – in every 8-10 km or so, and if there’s any space, you can spend the night in one of them. Mind you, at high season (mid-June to end of August) there are very many people on the road. And even more mosquitoes. The trail begins a couple of hundred km north of the Polar Circle in the Kilpisjärvi village on the border of Norway. It took me 4 days to cover 110 km. I’d even recommend it to families with children, especially towards the end of September (of course it will then take longer), because during the hike you’re highly likely to spot reindeers in their own environment, thousands of different hues of red in the tundra, and polar lights. After the first third of the trail there will be no mobile phone reception.
17. GREAT BRITAIN (1343 m)
The Northwest Highlands are located, as the name suggests, in the northwest. In Scotland. There’s a cute little town called Fort William, and the trail to the summit of Ben Nevis may well start from there. Even though the summit does not seem very high, one must bear in mind that the ascent starts practically from sea level. This means there is a good 1340 metres to climb in one day. The trail itself is easy, but seasoned alpinists may choose to ascend the other side of the mountain, which offers some class 5 trails.
18. CZECH REPUBLIC (1602 m)
The mountain range is Sudetes. The location – on the border of Poland and the Czech Republic. The peak is called Snežka. The trail is easy, at places it has even been made too easy. If I told you about the exact location and ascent then it really wouldn’t be interesting anymore. Go and see for yourself.
19. CROATIA (1831 m)
Dinara is located near the border of Croatia and Bosnia. Even today you may spot old army tanks in this region, which are like relics of the Third Balkan War. The ascent is easy, but you need to ask the locals to find out where the track starts.
20. UKRAINE (2061 m)
The highest point of this country is located, of course, in the Carpathian Mountains. It’s called Hora Hoverla and it’s not far from the Romanian border. Nice and easy trekking.
21. ISLAND (2110 m)
Despite not the most impressive height, you will need a whole day to climb Hvannadalshnùkur, which is located on the lower edge of Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajökull. That’s because the track starts at about 30 m altitude. Besides trekking poles, make sure to have a rope, ice axes and crampons with you (and, just in case, a couple of ice screws for possible rescue operations). Because at about 800 m altitude you will need to be tied together with a rope and for the last 150 m you’ll also need crampons and an ice axe. It took me 8 hours to reach the summit and 4 hours to descend. The weather is extremely fickle and on most days nobody ascends the summit. But in good weather there may be another couple of hundred climbers besides you. The ascent itself is not very steep and is suitable for most, until the last section of the track. The track begins at a small place called Sandfell, you’ll find it by heading east and driving past the Skaftafell centre. There is a large tree, at least in Island terms, and ruins of a village once destroyed by a flood.
Joining a guided tour means spending about 225 USD. But on the other hand, you wouldn’t need to carry equipment all the way from your home.
22. SWEDEN (2111 m)
Kebnekaise is above the polar circle, west of Kiruna. It’s a good idea to reserve two days from the car park onwards for the summit, as there is quite a lot trekking to do. Since the peak is covered with snow, it’s usually necessary to take along an ice axe and crampons to make the summit, otherwise the last 10 metres will turn out to be too steep. The rest of the trek is of medium to hard difficulty.
23. SERBIA (2169 m)
It took me a long time to figure out the highest peak of Serbia. Before Kosovo’s separation from Serbia the country’s highest point was Daravica, which is located in Kosovo. And since the Serbs refuse to recognise Kosovo’s independence, they haven’t recognised another peak as their highest. Finally I managed to establish that the new highest point is Midzhur, on the border of Bulgaria. The ascent itself is an easy trek.
24. PORTUGAL (2351 m)
This peak has several names – Ponta do Pico, Pico and Pico Alto. It’s a volcano, and the trail itself an easy one-day trek. However, the ascent is complicated by the location of the peak, which is approximately 1600 km west from Lisbon in the middle of the Azores archipelago, on Pico Island. It is definitely more expensive to fly to the Azores from the capital of Portugal than to fly to Lisbon… but oh boy does it pay off. The Azores are amazing. Important – there’s no water on the mountain (as often is the case on volcanoes).
25. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA (2386 m)
Maglič. No water on the mountain. No longer any mines, either. The trail is marked but first you need to make it to the trail itself. Drive to Foča from Sarajevo, then head towards Tjentište. Just before the Tjentište valley there is a petrol station on the right. Turn left here – you’ll see a narrow paved road, the pavement ends in a couple of kilometres. The road is curvy and continues through a forest. Follow the road until it doesn’t get any higher and starts to descend. Now you should notice the first sign on a tree on the right – that’s the start of the track. When you’ve covered about a hundred metres you’ll need to keep right and pass through a small thicket. If you feel you may deviate from the track, just keep slightly left. From then on the track is easy to follow. At times is gets quite steep and those with less stomach for risk will most likely feel frightened. Helmets would be useful, and a rope. When you reach the crest of the mountain, take a right, and after a short climb with hands and feet you’ll see the summit with an iron flag. By the way, there’s also supposed to be an easier track. I don’t know.
26. NORWAY (2469 m)
Drive from Oslo to Lom – a city not very far from Oslo – and continue on to the centre called Spiterstulen between the mountains (a bit over 20 km from Lom). Set up your camp and in the morning take the 3-4-hour trek to the peak called Galdhoppigen. There’s also a café on the top.
27. POLAND (2499 m)
Rysy is located on the border of Slovakia and Poland in High Tatras near Zakopane. It’s a one-day rather easy trek, if you go in summer. Until May you’ll also need crampons and an ice axe. Rysy has two peaks – the tripod one belongs to Poland and the other one, 2 metres higher, belongs to Slovakia.
28. MONTENEGRO (2534 m)
Most Montenegrians believe that their highest peak is Bobotov Kuk in the Durmitor mountain range. In reality, however, as many as three peaks located near the border of Albania are higher, and the highest of these is Zla Kolata. This is a former Albanian territory inhabited mostly by Albanians. Nice people, by the way. You should first head towards Berane and then to a small village called Plav. The track begins in that village near a police station. Turn left between the houses, the first sign is on the lower end of the stone fence on the right side of the road. At the end of June, parts of the track are still covered in snow. Otherwise pretty medium trekking.
29. ROMANIA (2544 m)
I went there such a long time ago that I don’t remember exactly… Transylvania of course. Medium-level trekking trail leads to the peak. The name is Moldoveanu.
30. LIECHTENSTEIN (2599 m)
It should be quite easy to find the highest peak from the territory of such a small country. Just a hint: it’s located on the border of Austria and is called Vorder-Grauspitz. There may be some climbing towards the final crest, but otherwise it’s ordinary trekking.
31. SLOVAKIA (2655 m)
The highest point of High Tatras, Gerlachovsky Stit, is one of those peaks that require a rope and helmets. As we’re dealing with rocks, a couple of chocks will come in handy too. I reached the peak with the help of a local guide, because there is no beaten track to follow and looking for one can turn out to be a long and dangerous undertaking.
32. KOSOVO (2656 m)
To reach Daravica, drive to the town of Decani and then head up to the mountains from the road passing the local monastery. For safety reasons, it would be wise to spend the night in the parking lot of the local hydroelectric power station – it’s lit up and all. The trail is mostly unmarked and it’s quite a long way up. If possible, get a local map, or contact me for more detailed directions.
33. and 34. ALBANIA and MACEDONIA (2764 m)
As you may have figured out, this peak is on the border of the two countries and the summit is the highest peak of both. In Albania it’s called Maja e Korabit and the Macedonian side is Golem Korab. I suggest approaching the mountain from the Macedonian side. The trail is easy. I came by the right trailhead quite by chance. I drove along a road between the mountains and at one point a sign pointed to the right at ”Korab”. Then without even having to brake I got to the Macedonian border guards’ house where we stayed the night; next day we drove a few kilometres further to an abandoned guard post, and from there we went on foot along the marked trail all the way to the top.
35. SLOVENIA (2864 m)
Triglav is in Julia Alps. The trail is occasionally quite steep. In off-season you will need belaying equipment. In high season it’s of course pretty crowded. Most deaths on this mountain have been caused by lightning.
36. GREECE (2917 m)
Ascending the legendary Mount Olympus takes a whole long day, as the trail is rather lengthy. When you’ve made it to the spot where you can see the summit (just before the last hut), then you still need to go around the curve to the other side of the last massive and find your way to the highest peak called Mytikas. Because from that point you can also follow trails to other peaks of Olympus (such as ”The Throne of Zeus”). If you want to ascend the highest peak, don’t take the other trails. The last bit requires climbing with hands and feet, which may prove too much if you are afraid of heights. The peak is marked by a metal Greek flag.
37. BULGARIA (2925 m)
The trail to the summit of Musala is very easy. There are a few steeper sections at the end, but all in all it’s on the easier side of the trekking scale. The peak is south of Sofia.
38. ANDORRA (2946 m)
Coma Pedrosa in the Pyrenees is an easier trekking peak. Drive to Arnisal and from there you should be able to find the trailhead with little effort.
39. GERMANY (2963 m)
Zugspitze near the Austrian border is accessible by cogwheel train. I approached it on foot in May and since the snow hadn’t melted yet, I also needed crampons. In summer you can do without them, but less experienced climbers should definitely be prepared for a two-day trek. Just in case.
40. SPAIN (3718 m)
Drive to Tenerife Island in the Canary Islands and then to the base of the island’s highest volcano Pico de Teide. This part is easy. But remember that from about 2000 metres upwards (by the way, the first 3550 m is also accessible by cogwheel railroad) there is no water along the trail and the sun is shining the entire time. I camped in a tent at 3200 m altitude on a terrace of a hut, although camping on the mountain is strictly forbidden. You need a permit to ascend the summit (i.e. go higher than the cogwheel railroad station), which you can apply for somewhere in the capital of the island. I took the peak without the permit, because I started early and made it back below the station before the first carriage with rangers arrived at work (i.e. a bit after 9 a.m.).
41. AUSTRIA (3798 m)
Drive to Austria and find a road called Grossglocknerwegen near the border of Italy. After paying 12 EUR, it takes you to a viewing platform which in good weather shows you the exact location of Grossglockner. To make it to the peak you need to descend to the glacier at the bottom of the valley, cross it diagonally, and then go up to the Erzhertzog-Johann-Hütte, which is on the mountain crest at 3451 metres altitude. There you need to put on your crampons and ascend to the upper edge of the glacier, at which point it’s high time to tie yourselves together with a rope because you’re entering a seriously rocky route with a slope on both sides. The path masters have fixed plenty of metal tubes in the rocks, which are good for belaying your partner(s). I recommend taking two days to attain the peak. It is possible to stay the night in the upper hut.
42. SWITZERLAND (4634 m)
In my experience, Dufourspitze is the most difficult one of all the highest peaks of Europe. I, for instance, climbed Mount Blanc before, in order to acclimatize. From Zermatt you should take the railway up to the next-to- last station (Rotenboden) and ascend to Monte Rosa Hütte on the first day. Camping is not allowed there, but if you follow the trail up for another half an hour, you’ll find several suitable campsites. Next day when you’re attempting the peak you should tie yourselves together with a rope as soon as you get on the glacier. From there on it’s a sloping ascent over a smaller stretch of glacier and a few cracks until the mountain crest with a view to the Italian Alps. When you’ve made it to the crest, turn up left. The ascent becomes steep and the glacier is soon replaced by a rocky route. Make sure you have a few chocks and a couple of ice screws for unexpectancies, but in most cases you can easily use the stones sitting on the crest for belaying. Most supporting ropes on the track have seen a lot of wear and tear and are not trustworthy. In the summit it would be wise to belay yourself to the cross. In good weather there is an excellent view over the Swiss, Italian as well as French Alps. And a particularly good view over the famous Matterhorn.
43. ITALY (4760 m)
The highest point of Italy is not a mountain peak. It’s a downslope a few hundred metres towards Italy from the peak of Mont Blanc on the unmarked border of the two countries. Depending on snow conditions, the height of the spot is approximately 4760 metres. I reached the peak of Mount Blanc, descended to the highest point of Italy, and then went back to France crossing the highest point of Western Europe again.
44. FRANCE (4810 m)
There’s plenty of information available for this peak. I’ve climbed Mont Blanc twice, and on both occasions I required three nights in a tent. Bear in mind that the last spot where camping is officially allowed is in the base camp at 3150 metres. The first time I reached the summit straight from the base camp, the second time I spent the night in Goutier hut at 3800 metres. Above the base camp you’ll need helmets (towards the Goutier hut you may be hit by stones dislodged by other climbers), a rope, crampons, an ice axe, and life-saving equipment in case an accident happens.
45. RUSSIA (5642 m)
As far as I’m concerned, Mt. Elbrus is the highest peak of Europe (for some people, however, it’s Mont Blanc). Similarly to Mont Blanc, there’s enough information available everywhere.