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Black Forest, Germany -

The Black Forest is the central mountain range of Baden-Württemberg, a state in the southwest corner of Germany. The region, a hugely popular European tourist destination, is named for its astonishing veil of dark pine trees.

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Hallerbos Forest, Belgium -

Make your way to Hallerbos Forest in spring and be greeted by a gorgeous quilt of bluebell—a natural feature that has made this region near Halle, in Flemish Brabant, popular with locals and visitors alike.

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New Forest, England -

The New Forest in Hampshire was once a royal hunting ground for William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England. His third son, William II, commonly referred to as William Rufus, was killed by an arrow while also out hunting, in circumstances that still remain unclear.

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Wild Taiga, Finland -

Finland's taiga forests, also referred to as boreal forests or snow forests, constitute part of the wider belt of taiga that lies between the tundra to the north and temperate forests to the south. Alaska, Canada, and Siberia also have taigas.

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Forest of Fontainebleau, France -

Just 50 km (31 mi) south of Paris, the beauty of Forêt de Fontainebleau has inspired numerous artists, including Rousseau and Renoir. A mixed deciduous woodland, Fontainebleau is renowned for the large banks of sandstone boulders that lend further character to its remarkable canvas. 

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Crooked Forest, Poland -

Surely Europe's weirdest-looking woodland, the aptly named Crooked Forest near the town of Gryfino is so named for a grove of oddly-shaped pine trees. The forest is a protected natural monument.

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Irati Forest, Spain -

Draped over the Navarre region in northern Spain, the Irati Forest is the largest wooded area on the Iberian Peninsula. It's also the second largest beech and fir forest in Europe.

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Durmitor Forest, Montenegro -

The Durmitor massif in northwestern Montenegro gives its name to the national park that comprises it. The region, a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, is blanketed with a rare old-growth stand of European black pine. A series of glacial lakes heightens the breathtaking scenery.

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Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell, Norway -

The centuries-old woodlands enclosed by the Trillemarka-Rollagsfjell Nature Reserve lure nature lovers with a pristine landscape of untouched wilderness and a collection of cultural sites. And the reserve is just a two-hour drive from Oslo.

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Paimpont Forest, France -

Also known as Brocéliande Forest, Forêt de Paimpont in Brittany is associated with the legends surrounding King Arthur: the forest is said to contain the tomb of Merlin. More tangible is the chêne à Guillotin (the oak of Guillotin), a 1,000-year-old oak and more than 9 m (29 ft) in circumference.

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Sherwood Forest, England -

Famous because of its historic association with the legend of Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire is crisscrossed with nature trails, one of which passes the famous 800-year-old Major Oak, which according to local folklore was Robin Hood's principal hideout.

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Ardennes, Belgium and Luxembourg -

The Forest of Ardennes is actually a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills, and precipitous ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg. The region was the scene of the bloody Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Pictured is one of the forest's most famous beauty spots, Le Tombeau du Géant, near Bouillon.

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Glen Affric, Scotland -

One of the most alluring glens in the Highlands, Glen Affric is wrapped in a mantle of Caledonian pinewood—one of the largest expanses in Scotland. In fact, the entire area is a Caledonian Forest Reserve.

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Forest of Dean, England -

One of the surviving woodlands of England, the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire is composed of deciduous and evergreen trees, predominantly oak. The thick undergrowth is home to wild boar.

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Forest of Lyons, France -

Surrounding the picturesque village of Lyons-la-Foret in Normandy is a vast forest of beech, often cited as the most beautiful beech grove in France.

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Umbra Forest, Italy -

Italy's Foresta Umbra unfolds over the Gargano Peninsula. It's the country's only remaining part of an ancient oak and beech forest that once covered much of Central Europe.

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Gosau Forest, Austria -

Gosau Forest is blessed with the wonderfully scenic Panorama Trail, which snakes its way across a valley through deciduous and evergreen woodland to meet the sparkling Lake Gosau.

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Białowieża Forest, Poland -

UNESCO protects Białowieża Forest as a natural World Heritage Site for its status as the last and largest remaining part of the immense primeval forest that once stretched across the European Plain. Around 800 European bison roam freely within its boundaries.

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Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania -

One of Europe's spookiest woodlands is Hoia-Baciu Forest in Transylvania. This diminutive patch of mixed deciduous trees is steeped in myth and legend. It's a hotspot for paranormal phenomena, and has featured in several ghost-hunting documentaries.

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Zauberwald, Germany -

Zauberwald translates into English as "Magic Forest," and this pocket of tall pine trees, moss-covered rocks, and bubbling streams fed by the alpine waters of Hintersee is indeed one of the most enchanting of Bavaria's forested regions.

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Gwydir Forest, Wales -

Set in the stunning Snowdonia National Park, Gwydir Forest encircles the charming village of Betws-y-Coed. Numerous lakes are sunk into the landscape, which is nourished by several rivers and streams.

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Virgin Komi Forests, Russia -

The remote Virgin Komi Forests are little visited, located as they are in Russia's Northern Ural Mountains. Part of the area's taiga ecoregion, the vast woodland is the largest old-growth forest in Europe. It's a rare and precious environment protected by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage Site.

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Chartreuse Forest, France -

You'll need a stout pair of legs to explore the woodland set in Parc Naturel Regional de la Chartreuse. The huge beech and fir trees that envelop the massif grow from 800 to 1,500 m (2624 to 4921 feet) above sea level.

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Sonian Forest, Belgium -

Back in the day, Sonian Forest was a favorite hunting ground of the Habsburg Imperial family. Visitors today seek out the forest for its old-growth stand of beech trees, a natural feature UNESCO has designated a World Heritage Site.

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Sachsenwald Forest, Germany -

Located near Hamburg, Sachsenwald—which means "Saxon Woods" in English—is a relatively small forest, but makes for an extremely rewarding day-trip option from Germany's second-largest city.

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Vizzavona Forest, France -

France's southernmost forest is found on Corsica. Set in the heart of the island, Vizzavona Forest comprises beech, larch, and pine. A favorite Instagram spot is the Cascade des Anglais waterfall, reached by following the GR20 hiking trail.

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Buçaco Forest, Portugal -

The steep wooded slopes of Buçaco Forest in the central region of Portugal was the scene in 1810 of the Battle of Buçaco in which Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, defeated the French. The area surrounding Buçaco Palace Hotel (pictured) was once part of a Discalced Carmelite convent.

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Casentino Forest, Italy -

Casentino Forest in Italy's Tuscany region stands in the verdant Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi. The bewitching scenery is dominated by hornbeams, turkey oaks and sessile oaks, and chestnut woods.

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Bøkeskogen, Norway -

Searching for the remote? Bøkeskogen, the "Beech Tree Forest," is Norway's largest woodland, and the world's most northernmost beech tree forest. It's located along Farris Lake in Larvik, a region known for its prehistoric burial mounds and vestiges of Viking occupation.

Sources: (Forest Europe) (History) (UNESCO)

See also: These are the most remote places on Earth

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