Some people choose a country for its cities. Others choose it for everything around them: the mountains they can ski or hike at the weekend, the coast they can swim off in summer, the space to get outside. If your weekends matter as much as your work, this guide ranks all 27 EU countries on the two things outdoor lovers care about most, mountains and coast.
Mountains or sea, or both
A handful of EU countries give you serious peaks and a great coastline at once; others lean firmly one way. Here is how all 27 compare, the most well-rounded for the outdoors first (illustrative ratings only):
| Country | Mountains* | Coastline* |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 80 | 90 |
| Greece | 65 | 98 |
| Spain | 65 | 95 |
| Croatia | 60 | 95 |
| Cyprus | 55 | 95 |
| France | 80 | 70 |
| Bulgaria | 75 | 70 |
| Slovenia | 90 | 55 |
| Portugal | 45 | 95 |
| Ireland | 45 | 85 |
| Romania | 75 | 55 |
| Sweden | 55 | 70 |
| Germany | 70 | 45 |
| Poland | 65 | 45 |
| Malta | 5 | 98 |
| Finland | 35 | 65 |
| Austria | 95 | 0 |
| Denmark | 10 | 75 |
| Belgium | 25 | 55 |
| Estonia | 10 | 70 |
| Latvia | 10 | 70 |
| Slovakia | 80 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 5 | 70 |
| Czechia | 65 | 0 |
| Lithuania | 10 | 55 |
| Hungary | 45 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 40 | 0 |
Access beats raw scenery
A country can be full of mountains and still leave you hours from a trailhead if you settle in the wrong place. What really shapes an outdoor life is how close you live to it, how good the transport is, and whether the seasons suit what you love, whether that is skiing, surfing or long hikes. Pick the region as carefully as the country.
Match it to your weekends
Whether you dream of alpine winters, a Mediterranean coast or rolling green hills, the MoveMap check folds your scenery and lifestyle preferences in with cost, work and documents to rank all 27 EU countries for you.