Whale watching is a truly exciting experience! But it is very disappointing to spend days staring at the sea without any luck. However, there are spots where whale sighting is almost guaranteed. Read on to know where to go whale watching in Europe.
Husavik, Iceland – Blue Whales
During summer, the rare blue whales gather at the shorelines on the north coast of Iceland in Husavik to feed. You could also see humpback whales, orcas, minke whales, dolphins, seals, and sharks. This is a great location to see all kinds of wildlife.
Franz Josef Land, Russia – Humpback Whale
Often entertaining whale watchers with its spectacular acrobatics, the humpback is a fun to watch. The Franz Josef Land is one of the best places to go watch whales in Europe with the possibility of sighting bow-heads, belugas, and narwhals. Whale-watching tours have been organized in the region with the increased sightings.
Disko Bay, Greenland – Bow-head Whale
Famed for its longevity, the bowhead is the only large whale living only in the Arctic. From March to May, Disko Bay offers whale watchers the exciting opportunity to see upwards of 1,200 bow-head whales. At times whale watchers get to see twenty to thirty in one day.
Bay of Biscay, Spain – Sperm Whales
The Bay of Biscay is a great whale watching spot in Europe from April to October. One can easily sight sperm whales floating at the surface of the waters around the Azores, the Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean. Between Portsmouth and northern Spain, you could see other species of whales as well as dolphins.
Isle of Mull, Scotland – Minke Whales
Measuring about 30ft long, minke whales are the most commonly sighted in the Scotland. They can be found in shallow, inshore waters in several parts of Europe. Easily sighted in the summer they often swim closely lo boats.
Shetland Islands, Scotland – Killer Whales
Are you ready to meet the killer whales? Then head to the Shetland Islands in summer. There is a Community of 14 killer whales in the West Coast.
Svalbard, Norway – Beluga Whales
Svalbard is a good whale watching destination in Europe as you can sight hundreds of beluga whales close to shore. What better place to watch the belugas make face and hear them sing! Norway is also the best spot for watching killer whales in Europe as you can find them in large numbers.
North Shields, Tyne & Wear, Britain – White-Beaked Dolphins
These large attractive dolphins can be seen in significant numbers (up to a hundred of them in a day) along the coasts in North Shields, Tyne and Wear.
Cardigan Bay, Wales – Bottlenose Dolphins
Take a boat ride to Cardigan Bay to watch the bottlenose dolphins. Although they are common in other parts of Europe, you can find a huge number of them very close to the shore in Cardigan Bay.
Hamburg, Germany – Harbour Porpoise
You can find these tiny porpoises in shallow coastal waters in many parts of Europe. Harbour porpoises are so many in Hamburg that you could watch them from cafés.