There are a lot of great opportunities for road trips around Europe. As a collection of islands, we can only really enjoy driving from one city to the next, whereas only a ferry ride or a short flight away, is a whole cluster of countries to explore.
Related: Four luxury travel experiences to inspire your next getaway
We’re going through all the best road trip opportunities in Europe. Whether you’re a culture vulture, a sun worshipper, or a thrill seeker, we’ve got something for you. Read on for all the details.
Paris, Photo by Henrik Pfitzenmaier from Pexels
The city tour
Driving from Paris to Berlin is a surprisingly simple cross-country road trip that takes round over gentle hills and fairy-tale towns, including castles.
Even better, it takes you through two of the most important cities in European history. Berlin is a name that is synonymous with “wall” and has fingerprints from the Second World War incorporated all over the city. But it also is a city rich in a love of art, music, and film. Meanwhile, Paris is a city with a million sides to it. Whether you appreciate art, film, fashion, the glamourous everyday culture of a coffee on a cobbled street, etc. you will find something to do.
And if all else fails, a day trip to Euro Disney is always a win.
Berlin, Photo by Abdel Rahman Abu Baker from Pexels
The mythical wanderer
You can’t mention Irish culture without a mythical creature making an appearance, and road trips are no different. For example, for people in Northern Ireland some of the most popular road trips will take you over the Giant’s Causeway (Above image: By K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash). If you take a route running north from Larne, you will find one of the two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Northern Ireland.
The rugged cliffs, Atlantic waves and geographical antiquity that could only be created by nature or magic, we’ll leave that up to you, are the inspiration of Finn McCool, who left his giant boot on the shore.
Locals will know to follow the road north, driving through gently sloping hills and round slow bends in order to find the Madman’s Window, a naturally occurring hidey-hole between the rocks looking out to the sea.
But anything can go wrong, even on your own back doorstep, and the more miles your road trip clocks up the greater your likelihood of encountering an issue on the road. That’s why we’d recommend that you ensure you have the best possible car insurance in Northern Ireland before you set off.
The inner viking
If the beach doesn’t feel like home to you, you might consider taking a drive through the city of Bergen and head to Trondheim. This is the road trip that will get the heartrate going, if not for the low temperatures giving Norway’s mighty fjords its distinctive look, then for the road trip itself which can feel like a rollercoaster ride.
Bergen, Norway. Image by Michael Fousert on Unsplash
Road closures are common in the winter months, so you’d be best starting in the city of Bergen in the spring. Enjoy the wooden cabin architecture, take a carriage into the hills, then hit the road for views of Voss and the Tvindefossen waterfall. Follow The Troll Path of hairpin bends, over rollercoaster style bridges, until you reach the peaceful still waters that line the homes of Trondheim.
Enjoy the multicoloured homes and friendly locals as you bike along the cobbled streets. Stop for a cup of cocoa to warm yourself up or visit a few boutiques and galleries that line the streets.
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
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