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One of the reasons I love living in Europe is that you can be in another country within hours and if you decide to take a Europe road trip you can easily visit multiple countries during a single trip. Driving in Europe is relatively stress-free but some of the bigger cities like Paris and Rome can be a little crazy!
Europe Road Trip
Here I’ve listed some of the best European road trips and driving itineraries I’ve taken over the years. Read on to gather ideas for planning your own driving holiday routes.
Road Trips in Central Europe
- Bavaria Road Trip – Munich to the German alps, Neuschwanstein Castle, Rothenburg, Nuremberg and returning to Munich.
- Germany: Cologne to Berlin – Driving across Northern Germany in winter you’ll pass through some of the country’s most beautiful historic cities. Take a warm coat and drink some mulled wine and you won’t even notice the cold.
- Budapest to Krakow via Kosice – Starting in Budapest, the incredible Hungarian capital, driving north towards the unusual city of Kosice in Eastern Slovakia and then up to Poland’s most famous city, Krakow.
Eastern Europe and The Baltic States
- Estonia Road Trip – Estonia is unlike any country in Europe. It’s unique in so many ways. You can find the Old Believers, the Seto community, the island people, university town Tartu, bogs, windmills, meteor craters, nude beaches, Stalinist towns, castles, manor houses and of course Medieval Tallinn.
Road Trips in Western Europe
- Tuscany Road Trip – We all know Tuscany has incredible beauty but the regions hilltop towns are especially stunning. This road trip takes you through Siena, Pienza and San Gimignano.
- French Riviera Road Trip – The winding roads of the French Riviera, the Cote d’Azur and the South of France, stopping at beaches, glitzy resorts, hilltop towns along the coast and then up through Provence.
- Northern Italy Road Trip – Starting and ending in Milan, this road trip takes you past the Italian lakes and a number of Italy’s all-time great cities.
- Paris to Berlin – This itinerary takes you past Roman ruins at Trier, fairytale-like Bacharach, breathtakingly beautiful Dresden and the diverse German capital Berlin.
- Paris to Innsbruck, Austria – When driving from Paris to Innsbruck be sure to stop in the tiny country of Liechtenstein.
- Northern Portugal Road Trip – Lisbon has an interesting history, delicious food and great nightlife but northern Portugal has a lot to offer too. Go port tasting in Porto, wander the historic city of Guimaraes or go hiking in Geres National Park.
- Sardinia Road Trip – Road tripping around the Italian island of Sardinia might just be one of the best trips of your life. Sardinia has countless sandy and pebble beaches, secluded coves, and incredible sunrises. In this post, I highlight the best beaches and the ultimate Sardinian road trip itinerary.
- Sardinia to Berlin via France – Hopping on the car ferry in Sardinia you can head to Marseille, Genoa or Livorno. From there you have your choice of adorable French towns and cities like Annecy, Colmar and Strasbourg and anywhere you like in Germany but my top recommendation is Dresden.
- Netherlands Road Trip – This Dutch road trip starts in Amsterdam then has you driving through the tulip fields around Keukenhof before heading to bike friendly cities Utrecht and Maastricht.
The Balkans and Southeastern Europe
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – Crossing the border in the north takes you through the almost tourist free region of Republika Srpska then down to Sarajevo, one of the most popular cities in the Balkans, and on to beautiful Mostar in the south.
- North Macedonia Road Trip – Going well off the beaten path in the Balkans which highlights being Lake Ohrid, Bitola and countless villages.
- Romania Road Trip – Romania might be one of the less visited countries in Europe but it’s no less beautiful or interesting. This trip is perfect for first time visitors to Romania as it covers the highlights of Transylvania and the capital Bucharest.
Road Trips by the Season
- 5 Winter Road Trip Itineraries – Choose one of these warmer winter road trip itineraries or brave the snow for a cold winter holiday break.
- Christmas Road Trip Ideas – These 3-stop Christmas road trip ideas include stops at some of Europe’s best Christmas market destinations and a few off the beaten paths cities you might not have considered before.
