Some European road trips are about getting from one place to another. Others are about the road itself. That is what makes driving through Europe so special. One day you can be following a narrow road above a Mediterranean coastline, and a few days later you can be climbing through the Alps, crossing empty Scottish Highlands or watching waterfalls and glaciers appear beside the road in Iceland.
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| From dramatic coastal roads to mountain passes, Europe is full of spectacular routes worth exploring by car. |
These are 10 spectacular road trips in Europe that are worth planning a trip around. They are not ranked from 1 to 10 because they offer completely different experiences. Instead, each route has its own reason to get behind the wheel, from dramatic mountain passes and coastal roads to historic towns and landscapes that barely look European.
1. Romantic Road, Germany
The Romantic Road is a road trip for people who want something beyond spectacular scenery. The landscape is beautiful, but the real attraction is the succession of historic towns, medieval centres, churches and castles scattered between the vineyards and countryside of southern Germany.
The route runs for roughly 460 kilometres between Würzburg and Füssen, making it easy to turn into a relaxed multi-day journey rather than a long-distance driving challenge.
The standout stop is Neuschwanstein Castle near Füssen, but it is the smaller places along the way that give the route its character. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the famous one, with its remarkably preserved old town and defensive walls, while towns such as Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen offer a quieter experience.
Why drive it? Because you can combine several very different experiences in one relatively compact route: wine country, medieval towns, castles and Bavarian landscapes.
How long? Three days is possible if you concentrate on the highlights, but four or five days gives you time to actually explore the towns rather than simply collecting photographs from the car.
Best for: Medieval towns, castles, photography and a slower European road trip.
2. Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Amalfi Coast is one of those places where the road is part of the attraction. The famous SS163 winds along the cliffs between towns that seem to have been stacked vertically above the Mediterranean.
This is not a road trip where you want to cover huge distances each day. The spectacular part is the short distance between places such as Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.
The road is narrow in places, bends constantly and can become extremely busy. Coaches, scooters and local traffic share the same road, so driving here is very different from cruising along a wide European motorway.
That is also why the Amalfi Coast works best when you slow down. Park the car, explore a village on foot, find a viewpoint and then continue when you are ready.
If you want to add major historical sights, Pompeii makes a natural extension to the trip. You can combine the coastal scenery with one of Europe's most fascinating archaeological sites.
Why drive it? Few roads combine dramatic cliffs, Mediterranean views and famous villages over such a short distance.
How long? Allow at least two days for the coast itself. Three or four days gives you time for Pompeii, Ravello and some slower mornings.
Important: This is one of the routes where the driving can be considerably more stressful than the photographs suggest. If you dislike narrow roads and heavy traffic, consider using buses or boats for some sections and keeping the car for exploring beyond the busiest coastal towns.
3. Iceland's Ring Road
If your idea of a great road trip is stopping every few minutes because the landscape looks completely different, Iceland's Ring Road is hard to beat.
Route 1 circles Iceland for roughly 1,330 kilometres and connects many of the country's major natural attractions. Instead of passing through endless towns, you spend much of the journey surrounded by landscapes shaped by volcanoes, glaciers, rivers and the North Atlantic.
And this is where the Ring Road becomes much more than a long drive. You can combine it with waterfalls, black-sand beaches, glaciers, geothermal areas and spectacular viewpoints.
Near the south coast, you can visit Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, while further east the landscape becomes increasingly dramatic around Vatnajökull and the glacial lagoons. In the north, the scenery changes again around Lake Mývatn.
One of the best things about an Iceland road trip is that the journey between attractions is often an attraction in itself.
Why drive it? The scenery changes constantly, and you can experience several completely different Icelandic landscapes on one trip.
How long? Seven days can work for a fast itinerary, but eight to ten days gives you considerably more breathing room. If you have less time, concentrate on the south coast and Golden Circle instead of trying to complete the entire loop.
Important: Icelandic weather can change quickly. Road conditions should be checked before setting out, particularly outside summer.
4. Atlantic Road, Norway
Norway's Atlantic Road is proof that a road trip does not have to be hundreds of kilometres long to be memorable.
The official Norwegian Scenic Route through this coastal landscape is only about 36 kilometres long, running between Kårvåg and Bud. Its fame comes from the way the road crosses a series of small islands and bridges while staying remarkably close to the Atlantic Ocean.
The most famous structure is the Storseisundet Bridge. Seen from certain angles, its dramatic curve can make the road appear to leap directly into the ocean.
The surrounding landscape is just as important as the bridges. Rocky islands, open sea, fishing communities and mountains create a distinctly Norwegian setting, and bad weather can make the experience even more dramatic.
This is an easy route to combine with a longer Norwegian trip. Kristiansund and Molde are useful bases, and the Atlantic Road can form one spectacular section of a much larger journey through western Norway.
Why drive it? It is short, unusual and incredibly photogenic.
How long? The driving itself takes little time, but allow several hours for viewpoints, photographs and stops.
Best for: Coastal scenery, bridges, photography and adding a spectacular drive to a larger Norway itinerary.
5. North Coast 500, Scotland
The North Coast 500 is one of Europe's most recognisable modern road trips, and the reason becomes obvious once you leave Inverness and start heading into the Scottish Highlands.
The circular route covers about 830 kilometres and starts and finishes in Inverness. Along the way, it passes remote beaches, rugged mountains, castles, fishing villages and some of the emptiest-looking landscapes in Britain.
But the NC500 is not really about ticking off one enormous list of attractions. Its appeal is the feeling of being somewhere remote.
The northwest section is particularly memorable. Around Ullapool, Kylesku and the Assynt region, mountains rise behind empty-looking beaches and winding roads. Further north, the landscape becomes increasingly exposed before the route turns east towards John o' Groats and the coastal scenery of Caithness.
The route can be driven clockwise or anti-clockwise, but do not underestimate the time it takes. Many roads are rural and some are single-track, meaning that a relatively short distance can take much longer than a motorway journey.
Why drive it? It combines some of Scotland's most dramatic landscapes into one recognisable circular road trip.
How long? The official NC500 guidance recommends at least five to seven days, and that is a sensible starting point if you want to enjoy rather than rush the route.
Important: Single-track roads require patience and proper use of passing places. The NC500 is a touring route through communities, not a racetrack.
6. Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland
The Causeway Coastal Route is one of Europe's best options if you want a spectacular road trip without committing to a week behind the wheel.
The coastline between Belfast and Derry/Londonderry is packed with dramatic stops. You can combine sea cliffs and beaches with castles, viewpoints and one of Northern Ireland's most famous natural landmarks: the Giant's Causeway.
Then there is Dunluce Castle, dramatically positioned above the Atlantic, and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge for those who want something more adventurous.
What makes this route particularly good for a short road trip is the density of things to see. You do not have to drive for hours between major attractions.
Why drive it? It packs castles, cliffs, beaches and unusual coastal scenery into a relatively compact trip.
How long? Two or three days is enough for a highlights trip. Add more time if you want to explore Belfast, Derry/Londonderry or the smaller coastal villages at a slower pace.
7. Dalmatian Coast, Croatia
The Dalmatian Coast is different from several of the other routes on this list because it is not one single officially defined road. Instead, it is a coastal road trip you build yourself.
And that flexibility is exactly what makes it interesting.
You can begin around Zadar, continue towards Šibenik and Split, and then travel south towards Dubrovnik. Along the way, you can mix historic cities with turquoise water, dramatic coastal roads and boat trips to islands.
Split is an obvious highlight, with Diocletian's Palace forming the heart of the old city. Further south, Dubrovnik provides a completely different experience, with its famous medieval walls overlooking the Adriatic.
But don't make the mistake of spending the entire trip in the major cities. Some of the best moments come from stopping at smaller coastal towns, viewpoints and beaches along the way.
The islands also change the rhythm of the trip. Rather than driving every day, leave the car behind occasionally and take a boat to explore places such as Hvar or another island that fits your route.
Why drive it? It combines a classic Mediterranean coastline with some of Europe's most atmospheric historic cities.
How long? Five to eight days works well for a focused coastal itinerary. A longer trip allows you to include islands without turning every day into a travel day.
Best for: Mediterranean scenery, historic cities, swimming, food and a road trip that can be mixed with boat travel.
8. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria
If you enjoy the actual act of driving, rather than simply using a car to reach attractions, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road deserves a place on your European road-trip list.
The route crosses the Hohe Tauern National Park for 48 kilometres and includes 36 bends. It climbs to the Hochtor at 2,504 metres, while the side road to the Edelweiss-Spitze reaches 2,571 metres.
That makes the Grossglockner very different from a normal scenic drive. The road itself is the attraction.
Along the way are viewpoints, short walks, exhibitions and places to stop. The route eventually brings you towards the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe, where the high Alpine landscape opens towards the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain.
The official route information recommends allowing considerably more time than the roughly 45-minute uninterrupted drive between the toll stations because there are numerous viewpoints, exhibitions and walking opportunities.
Why drive it? This is one of the European road trips where the combination of engineering and mountain scenery is the experience.
How long? A full day is ideal if you want to stop frequently. The road itself is only 48 kilometres, but rushing through it would miss the point.
Important: This is a high-mountain road, so opening periods and road conditions matter. Check the official conditions before setting out.
9. Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
The Wild Atlantic Way is the opposite of the Atlantic Road in Norway. Instead of a short, concentrated coastal drive, Ireland gives you an enormous route that follows the country's western edge for roughly 2,500 kilometres.
Trying to drive the entire route quickly would completely miss the point.
The Wild Atlantic Way stretches from Malin Head in County Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, passing through nine counties. Along the way are cliffs, beaches, peninsulas, mountains, villages and landscapes that seem designed for stopping rather than speeding through.
Some sections are famous, such as the Cliffs of Moher, while others are much quieter. The Dingle Peninsula, Connemara and Donegal are particularly good examples of why the route is better experienced as a series of smaller road trips rather than one giant drive.
Tourism Ireland recommends at least ten days for the route, with two weeks or more giving you a better opportunity to explore it at a slower pace.
Why drive it? The scale and variety make it possible to build completely different Irish road trips from the same route.
How long? Ten days is a realistic minimum for attempting a substantial section. Two weeks or more is better for a broader journey.
Best approach: Pick several regions rather than trying to see everything. Ireland rewards detours.
10. Transfăgărășan Highway, Romania
The Transfăgărășan is the road on this list for people who want the drive itself to be the main event.
Crossing the Făgăraș Mountains in the Carpathians, the road climbs through a landscape of sharp bends, steep mountain slopes and high-altitude scenery before reaching the area around Bâlea Lake.
The road became famous among driving enthusiasts because of its dramatic engineering and seemingly endless succession of bends. But there is more to the trip than the road. The journey can be combined with historic attractions such as Poenari Castle and the scenery of the surrounding Carpathians.
The most important thing to understand is that this is a seasonal mountain road. Snow and winter conditions can make the high section inaccessible, so the timing of your trip matters much more than it would on a normal European road.
Why drive it? The combination of mountain scenery, high-altitude roads and tight bends makes it one of Europe's most memorable driving experiences.
How long? The actual mountain crossing can be done in a day, but allow at least two days if you want to include nearby attractions rather than treating the road as a quick pass-through.
Best for: Mountain scenery, photography and drivers who genuinely enjoy winding roads.
Which European Road Trip Should You Choose?
There is no single best European road trip. The right one depends on what you want to see when you turn the engine on.
What Makes a Great European Road Trip?
The best road trips are not necessarily the ones with the most famous viewpoints. They are the ones where the journey between the stops is part of the experience.
That is why these routes are so different from simply hiring a car at an airport and driving between major European cities. The Atlantic Road is memorable because the road jumps between tiny islands. The Grossglockner is about climbing into the high Alps. The NC500 is about remote Highland scenery. Iceland's Ring Road is about watching an extraordinary landscape change around you.
And sometimes the best road trip is the one where you have deliberately left an afternoon empty.
Give yourself time to stop when a viewpoint catches your eye, take the smaller road when it looks interesting, and spend an extra night somewhere that turns out to be better than expected. That is when a European road trip stops being a list of destinations and becomes an actual journey.
Before You Set Off
European road trips can look deceptively simple on a map. Distances are relatively short compared with some long-distance road trips elsewhere in the world, but mountain roads, ferries, single-track sections, traffic and weather can dramatically change how long a journey takes.
- Check road conditions: This is particularly important for Iceland, Scotland's Highlands and high Alpine routes.
- Don't plan every minute: Scenic roads are at their best when you have time to stop.
- Check local driving rules: Tolls, vignettes, parking rules and low-emission zones vary between European countries.
- Book popular areas ahead: Routes such as the NC500 and Amalfi Coast can become very busy during peak periods.
- Allow for slower roads: A 100-kilometre mountain or coastal drive can take much longer than the same distance on a motorway.
- Check seasonal access: High mountain roads such as the Grossglockner and Transfăgărășan are particularly dependent on weather and seasonal conditions.
For more practical advice, take a look at our guide to driving in Europe, including tolls, vignettes and other things worth knowing before a European road trip.
The Road Is Part of the Adventure
Europe may not be enormous, but that is exactly what makes it such a fantastic road-trip destination. You can cross borders, landscapes and cultures in a single journey, often without driving enormous distances.
One trip might take you from medieval German towns to a Bavarian castle. Another might put you beside an Icelandic glacier before sunset. Or you could spend a week following Scotland's remote northern coastline, stopping whenever the mountains disappear into the clouds.
The best part is that you don't have to choose the most famous route. Sometimes the road you almost skipped turns out to be the one you remember.