Best Road Trips in Europe

With such varied landscape, there are so many incredible road trips in Europe suitable for all types of travellers. From the sunny Portuguese coasts, through glamorous and gritty cities, to the legendary Scottish lochs, Europe is an amazing continent for road-trip lovers. We love soft adventure travel and one of the best ways for us to experience new places is to take the road and drive to various spots on the map. We prefer driving to flying because we can take control of our journey, stop when we see something spectacular and see off the beaten path destination which we would otherwise miss. Here is our collection of the best road trips in Europe which we know for sure you are going to absolutely love.

Best road trip in Europe for sunseekers

Itinerary: Algarve – Seville – Valencia – Provence – Monaco – Liguria
Duration: 2 weeks
Suitable for: Couples, Families, Culture Seekers, Foodies

Start your road trip in beautiful Portugal, in the Algarve. The Algarve is such a stunning place with sandy coves, whitewashed villages and endless golden beaches. Our favourite place in Algarve is Vilamoura where we recommend you stay for a couple of nights. Continue your drive to Seville and get lost in the Jewish Quarters, where you can admire interior gardens which represent an oasis of tranquillity in the otherwise vibrant city.

From the Moorish architecture in Seville, drive through sunny Spain towards Valencia, where you ought to try the local dish, paella, a rice dish with ancient roots. Once you soaked up the culture in Valencia, continue your journey North, past Barcelona and towards the tranquil region of Provence in France.

Fall in love with the beaches in Saint-Tropez, indulge in shopping in the elegant city of Nice and attend the film festival in Cannes. Be a glamorous star for one night and visit Monaco, a city-state known for its elegant belle-époque buildings and opulent lifestyle.

France is incredible and one of the best countries to visit in Europe. From France, time to drive towards the Italian coast of Liguria, where all you need to do is eat, chill and love. With dramatic landscapes and beautiful coastal vistas, Liguria is the perfect place to end a sun-seeker road trip in Europe. Get a room in a traditional Italian villa with views of the sea. Eat your way around Liguria and enjoy some of the most incredible vanilla skies during sunset.

Best road trip in Europe for history seekers

Itinerary: Dresden – Berlin – Hamburg – Nuremberg – Munich
Duration: 10 days
Suitable for: Historians, Families

For history seekers, Germany is always a good idea. Known for its landscape of forests, rivers, mountain ranges and beer gardens, it has over 2 millennia of history. Although this is a suitable road trip for couples and culture seekers too, we didn’t think of this particular adventure as a romantic time away together. It would be better characterised as an educational, yet relaxing road trip in Europe.

Start the drive in the city of Dresden, a beautiful city rich in art treasures, history and legend. Take a boat trip on the river Elba before continuing your road trip North, towards the gritty city of Berlin. Berlin is the capital of Germany, a place known for its colourful nightlife and vibrant cultural scene and home to the gorgeous Friedrichstadt-Palast, where you can see incredible plays. If you love a mix of history and culture, we recommend the Castle Road in Germany.

From Berlin, drive towards the glamourous Hamburg, and stay in the Rotherbaum quarter. Take a walk around the canals and eat your way around St Pauli, a district full of hipster eateries.

Once you learned about Hamburg, it’s time to take the autobahn towards Bavaria, with Nuremberg being your first stop. Nuremberg is known for its WWII trials against German officials involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity. If your history lessons get too heavy, you can always admire the medieval architecture in the city, and immerse yourself in the local culture.

End your road trip in Europe in Munich, a city in Germany known for its epic nature and beer gardens where friendly locals are always up for some fun.

Best road trip in Europe for culture seekers

Itinerary: Amsterdam – Utrecht – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Luxembourg – Paris
Duration: 2 weeks
Suitable for: Couples, Families, Foodies, Culture Seekers

This has to be one of the best road trips in Europe, at least this is the itinerary which we recommend the most. We are madly in love with all the things to do in Amsterdam and found some incredible places to stay in Amsterdam. You can spend weeks and weeks exploring Amsterdam in search of art, architecture and impressive cultural spots. Amsterdam is ideal for any type of traveller, and it has some unique adult only places for couples in search of something out of the ordinary.

Once you explored the cultural quarters of Amsterdam, drive for less than an hour and discover Utrecht, a quaint city with charming canals, shopping boutiques and exquisite places to eat. Don’t miss on visiting De Haar Castle, one of the most beautiful fairy tale castles we’ve ever seen.

From the hispter quarters of Utrecht, drive to the industrial quays of Rotterdam. What makes Rotterdam unique is the trippy architecture you can find in its centre, with the cube yellow houses and industrial-like market hall/apartment buildings.

Leave the Netherlands behind and drive towards Antwerp, a city like no other which truly is a place for culture seekers. Discover the many things to do in Antwerp and explore the baroque side of the city, eat your way around its local culinary delicacies and chill with a well deserved Belgian beer. Stay in a boutique in Antwerp and reserve a day just for shopping in the many fashion districts of the city. Of course, if culture and art are what you are after, don’t skip the Rubens House.

From Antwerp, take a short drive to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Spend time eating Belgian truffles and frites and discover the best places to stay in Brussels. There are many things to do in Brussels, and we recommend a romantic promenade on Avenue Louise.

This road trip will next take you to the beautiful country of Luxembourg. Although small, Luxembourg is home to so many cultural gems so make sure to check how to spend a weekend in Luxembourg. And being a melting pot of culture, Luxembourg is bound to have some incredible dishes you ought to try during your stay.

The final stop of this cultural road trip in Europe is, of course, in glamorous Paris, where culture meets extravagance. There are so many ways to spend a romantic weekend in Paris but we especially recommend booking tickets to the Opera.

Best road trip in Europe for cosmopolitan city lovers

Itinerary: Prague – Bratislava – Budapest – Vienna
Duration: 10 days
Suitable for: Couples, Families, Foodies, Culture Seekers, History Seekers

Before I started our bucket list for travel couples, I really wanted to visit these 4 capital cities in Europe. I remember seeing a picture of the Charles Bridge in Prague and that’s what got me started on this particular road trip. None of these cities disappointed. In fact, they are as impressive as they say.

Start the journey in the cosmopolitan capital city of Prague where you can combine romance, culture and epic food. Find out where to stay in Prague, then start making your itinerary around both sides of the river to discover the best 30 things to do in Prague.

From gorgeous Prague, drive a few hours towards Bratislava, the Slovakian capital city. Meander around the pedestrian-only, 18th-century old town and photograph the reconstructed Bratislava Castle perched atop a hill. Don’t forget to check What to do in Bratislava and what to see in this incredible city.

Drive towards Budapest, the mighty Hungarian capital city, renowned for its incredible bridges which separate the elegant Buda from the vibrant Pest. Stay in Budapest for a few days and learn how it’s like to be living like a local. Make sure you eat the best langos in the city and create your own 3 days itinerary around Budapest.

The grand finale of this road trip in Europe is in a grand city: Vienna. Vienna remains one of our favourite cities on the continent because of how beautifully calibrated it is. Relaxing promenades, fun beer gardens, cultural quarters, they all make Vienna into such a wonderful, cosmopolitan city. Check where to stay in Vienna and how to spend 3 days in Austria’s capital city.

Best road trip in Europe for outdoors seekers

Itinerary: Slovenia – Graz – Salzburg – Innsbruck – Zurich – Grindelwald
Duration: 14 days
Suitable for: Couples, Adventure Lovers, Soft Adventure Lovers, Outdoors Seekers

Slovenia sure is a hidden gem, quite off the beaten path. Many visit its capital city, Ljubljana or venture towards Lake Bled but there are many national parks with impressive peaks and cheaper accommodation. There are many glamping opportunities in Slovenia too, making this country an affordable adventurer’s paradise.

After spending time discovering the natural beauty of Slovenia, drive towards Graz, Austria’s capital city of the southern province of Styria. Take the funicular up to Schlossberg, the town hill, to the Uhrturm, a centuries-old clock tower. Enjoy your time exploring the tranquil forested public park.

From Graz, drive towards Salzburg, a city which offers incredible views of the Eastern Alps. Visit the many opulent palaces and gardens if you decide to visit during summer, or head for the skiing resorts if you visit during winter.

From Salzburg, drive a short while to Innsbruck, the capital of Austria’s western state of Tyrol. This is a well-known destination for the winter sports, but there are plenty of outdoors activities awaiting year-round.

Ah, Switzerland, no country in Europe is more loved for its snowy peaks and walking trails. Explore the picturesque lanes of the central Altstadt in Zurich, before driving towards Grindelwald, the well-known destination for mountain lovers. Have Grindelwald as your base and explore the many trails which lead deep into the mountains or high on the peaks.

Best road trip in Europe for romance seekers

Itinerary: Sarajevo – Mostar – Kotor – Dubrovnik – Split – Plitvice
Duration: 14 days
Suitable for: Couples, Adventure Lovers, Soft Adventure Lovers, Outdoors Seekers, Beach bums

If you want a romantic road trip in Europe but at an affordable price, consider Balkans for your next adventure. We never thought will enjoy the Balkans so much, especially as we drove for a very long time, from Budapest, all the way to Kotor and back up on the Dalmatian coast.
We started our drive from Budapest but you can start it directly from Sarajevo. We spent just two days exploring Sarajevo and because of our travel plans, we spent the night just outside of the city, in the Malak Hotel.

From Sarajevo, make your way towards Mostar and have lunch with a view. We didn’t stop for the night in Mostar, but of course, you can if you prefer slower travel. Driving in Montenegro was a dream, with incredible vistas and winding roads through the deepest gorges and forests.

Once we arrived in Kotor, we discovered how unimaginably beautiful the Bay of Kotor truly is. Speaking of romance, Kotor has so many romantic things to do for couples looking to escape digital distractions. Affordable and well positioned, Koto is a lover’s paradise. Still, off the beaten path, you can hike from Kotor or take a day trip to discover the best of Montenegro.

From Kotor, drive to Dubrovnik, the city known as King’s Landing, thanks to the tv series Games of Thrones. Explore the many beaches of Dubrovnik, climb the city walls and chill on the rocky cliffs with a beer. Continue your road trip in Croatia, by driving North on the Dalmatian coast towards the city of Split.

Split is an impressive city, home to Diocletian’s Palace, which withstood the test of time from as early as 4th century AD. More relaxed than Dubrovnik, Split has so many beautiful attractions and the prices are more affordable. For outdoors lovers, head to the Marjan Forest Park for a day walk with perfect vistas.

End your Croatia itinerary in Plitvice, the UNESCO World Heritage Site which is famous for its lakes and waterfalls. We advise that you start your walk around the park first thing in the morning, to ensure you avoid any crowds.

Best road trip in Europe for rolling hills lovers

Itinerary: London – Bristol – Peak District – Lake District – Edinburgh – Loch Lomond
Duration: 14 days
Suitable for: Couples, Adventure Lovers, Soft Adventure Lovers, Outdoors Seekers

Most people might prefer a road trip in Europe which is on the main continent, but in our opinion, the UK has so much to offer in terms of culture, adventure, epic trails and romance. We drove across the UK almost on a weekly basis and we continue to miss the British countryside.

All British adventures must start in London, the vibrant and cosmopolitan capital city of the UK. Traffic gets pretty intense in London, so we recommend accommodation somewhere outside the centre if you rented a car and travel by subway for the duration of your stay. It’s a lot quicker and easier. There are so many things to do in London from cool bars and restaurants, through modern art galleries to history and cultural tours around its posher quarters.

From London, take the M4 to the beautiful city of Bristol. There are times when we miss living in Bristol, as I still hold its one of the coolest cities in the UK. En-route, you can visit Bath, known for its Georgian architecture and quaint tea houses.

Nothing beats the fresh air of the British countryside, and that’s why you will be driving towards the Peak District, located about one hour away from Manchester.

From the Peak District, head to the Lake District, one of our favourite areas in the UK. The Lake District is a mountainous region in North West England and home Beatrix Potter and fascinating stories.

Drive towards the streets of Edinburgh, one of our favourite cities in the UK. Edinburgh is fantastic if you love a mixture of culture and epic architecture, but also great for outdoor lovers who can hike to the top of Arthur’s Seat.

Everyone heard of the Lochness Monster, so what better way to see if the legend is true than by driving there yourself. The surrounding highlands area is home to red deer and oak woodlands, which makes it perfect for travellers seeking tranquillity away from the city.

Best road trip in Europe for adventure lovers

Itinerary: Snowdonia – Pembrokeshire – Brecon Beacons – Wye Valley – Malvern Hills – Cotswold
Duration: 18 days
Suitable for: Couples, Adventure Lovers, Soft Adventure Lovers, Outdoors Seekers

Start your adventure in Snowdonia National Park, one of the most beautiful places in the UK. Located in Wales, Snowdonia is a region concentrated around the mountains and glacial landforms. Hike to the top of Mount Snowdon and enjoy incredible vistas as far as Ireland, visible on a clear day.

After spending a few days exploring Snowdonia, head South towards Pembrokeshire, where you can photograph dramatic landscapes with beaches and rocky cliffs. Pembrokeshire National park has over 186 miles of coastal walks, watersports, wildlife and history on scenic beaches, coves and cliffs awaiting to be discovered.

Brecon Beacons is a mountain range with plenty of trails for adventure lovers. Rent a charming cottage at the foot of the mountains and enjoy a quiet night after a day of hiking in the Welsh countryside.

From Brecon Beacons, drive towards the Wye Valley, a less mountainous area, but ideal for adventure lovers who enjoy walks on forested trails. Wye Valley is also known for its archery range if you wish to take a break from hiking and indulge in medieval games for an afternoon.

Malvern Hills is, in our opinion, an off the beaten path adventure in the UK. We went there several times and never saw many people on the trails. The Malvern Hills offer incredible panoramic vistas and are best visited during summer, sunny days due to the potential windy conditions at the top. We visited Malvern Hills during Christmas, and, although it was the middle of winter, the place looked just as stunning.

No adventure trip is complete without a trip to the beautiful Cotswold. The Cotswold is known for the quaint villages, but there more to the area than meets the eye. Take the Cotswold Way, a 100-mile walking path and journey through picturesque country landscapes.