Got your heart set on a road trip around somewhere in Europe this summer, but you’re just not sure exactly where it is you fancy? Maybe you’re looking for a journey from beach to beach, or maybe a bit of everything... seaside, cityscapes and mountains. Well, look no further! We've put together some fantastic road trip itineraries around different European countries, to help you plan your summer adventure.
From a royal capital to the foothills of the Pyrenees – Madrid to La Seu d’Urgell
We begin our recommended European summer road trip itineraries with a picturesque journey, starting in Spain’s capital, Madrid, winding through the beautiful Aragón region of northeastern Spain, ending in a stunning town, a stone's throw from the Pyrenees.
Madrid is a hub of activity, with great food to enjoy, picture-perfect plazas to relax in and world-famous galleries, like the Reina Sofía Museum and the Prado Museum to explore. Perfect for a 3 or 4 night stay, enjoy the hustle and bustle of one of Europe’s largest capital cities, ahead of taking in the tranquil scenery that awaits you on this road trip.
From Madrid, head just a 45 minutes' drive northeast of the city, to explore the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town of Alcalá de Henares, birthplace of the author of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes. This lovely town is a hidden gem of the region, often overlooked for nearby Madrid. There, you can find great tapas, a museum about the author that lived there, and the town’s UNESCO listed Old Town to stroll through.
After a sunny afternoon spent in Alcalá de Henares, continue the road trip another hour and a half’s drive northeast to the small hilltop town of Medinaceli. In Medinaceli, you’ll find Medieval streets, a Roman arch and a Renaissance palace to marvel at, as well as fantastic views of the surrounding scenery of the Castile and León region.
From Medinaceli, your next stop is a stunning city on the Ebro River... Zaragoza. This beautiful destination offers visitors Ancient Roman ruins to explore, a charming Old Town to amble through and a number of interesting museums and galleries to visit. Zaragoza is ideal for a 2 or 3 night stay, so once you’ve had enough tapas and walked along the River Ebro til your heart’s content, it’s time to get back on the road.
Next stop, the breathtaking hilltop city of Huesca, an hour’s drive northeast of Zaragoza. With the beginnings of the Pyrenees mountain range on its doorstep, Huesca is a great place for a stop for a couple of days, to explore both the city and the neighbouring countryside. Great for both hikers and history-lovers, city sightseers and cyclists, this really is a gem of the Aragón region.
Your next stop on this road trip, takes you on an hour and half’s drive through the Spanish countryside, to the city of Lleida, in the Catalonia region. Famed for its gorgeous Seu Vella Old Cathedral, there’s plenty of great architecture to take in, tapas to try and parks to relax in... ahead of the final leg of the road trip.
The final part of this road trip takes you through the beautiful Catalonia region, past the Aubenç mountain range, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, to the gorgeous town of La Seu d'Urgell. This picture-perfect town, only 10 minutes' drive from the Andorra border, boasts a wealth of historical sites of interest to explore, Romanesque architecture to marvel at and Catalan cuisine to try. Connected to Andorra by several bus routes, and a short 30 minute or so journey, you could leave the car in the hotel car park and head out on a day trip to Europe’s 6th smallest country. La Seu d’Urgell is truly a great place to finish off your road trip around this part of Europe.
From the shores of the Adriatic to the Slovenian Alps – Koper to Lake Bled
This next road trip offers visitors a great glimpse into some of the beautiful sights Slovenia has to offer. Beginning in the coastal city of Koper, winding through the Slovenian countryside, visiting caves, castles, the capital city and then finishing at the spectacular destination of Lake Bled!
The adventure begins in Koper, where you're spoilt for choice of how to spend a short stay, with a charming Old Town to explore, great local cuisine to try, beautiful Venetian architecture to marvel at and beaches to lounge on. Climb up the Cathedral bell tower for breathtaking views of the city’s red roofs, stroll along the seafront or do some shopping. There’s really something for everyone to enjoy in Koper.
From Koper, take a 45 minutes’ drive northeast, to the Postojna Cave Park, an enchanting 24km-long stalagmite and stalactite filled cave system, that even has a mini train running through it! After exploring this magnificent cave system, just a short 20 minutes’ drive away is the town of Vrhnika. There, you can spend a night and then explore the town’s cafes and walking trails, the following day, before taking just a 25 minutes’ drive further, into the country’s capital, Ljubljana.
Ljubljana, Europe’s 10th smallest capital city, may be compact, but it’s packed full of stunning sights, such as its Dragon Bridge and hilltop castle, which offers great panoramic views of the city. A city filled with historic bridges across the Ljubljanica River that runs through it, crossing to-and-fro across these, like the Triple Bridge, the Cobblers Bridge, the St James Bridge and the Butchers’ Bridge, is a must-do activity in this magical city. So too is taking a small river boat cruise underneath them! Try Slovenian cuisine at a riverside restaurant, or stroll through the city’s biggest park, Tivoli Park or browse some of the many museums and galleries the city has to offer.
Once you’ve explored the capital as much as you’d planned, get back on the road, just a 30 minutes’ drive northwest, to the city of Kranj. Located in the foothills of the Slovenian Alps, offering unique views of a number of the country’s highest peaks, Kranj is the gateway to Alpine adventures. There’s something to do in this charming city year-round... in the summer, explore the city’s Old Town, its museums and galleries and follow hiking and cycling trails that begin in Kranj, and offer incredible mountain views. In winter, enjoy the cosy, festive atmosphere and use Kranj as a base to explore the nearby ski resorts of Krvavec and Stari Vrh.
This road trip then comes to a magical end with a visit to one of Slovenia, and Europe’s, most awe-inspiring destinations... Lake Bled. Around a 30 minutes’ drive northwest of Kranj, Lake Bled is a must-visit destination. Whether you choose to walk around the lake, go across the lake in a traditional wooden Pletna boat, or go on the famous toboggan ride down Straža Hill overlooking the lake, the bright blue waters backed by the surrounding mountains of the Slovenian Alps, is a sight to behold from any angle!
Exploring Croatia’s coastline - from Pula to Šibenik
A road trip great for history-lovers, outdoor explorers and fans of relaxing on the beach, this next adventure begins in the coastal city of Pula, Croatia, following the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic down the coastline to the stunning city of Šibenik, home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The first stop, Pula, is well-known for having one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, as well as boasting a Roman temple to explore, several great museums to enjoy and beautiful beaches nearby to relax on. Pula is a great place to start your road trip around this part of Europe and can be explored well within a 2 or 3 night stay.
From Pula, head around a 2 hours’ drive northeast, to the next stop of Rijeka, a colourful port city with lots to do. To break up the journey, a stop to the coastal town of Rabac is a nice choice, for some sea breeze and a stroll on a Blue Flag Beach, about halfway through your journey to Rijeka. When in Rijeka, visitors are spoilt for choice of activities to do and sights to see. For different viewpoints of this spectacular city, see the city’s skyline from the sea on a boat trip, or see the shoreline from above from the heights of Trsat Castle!
Art lovers, visit Rijeka’s Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, fans of all things shopping, take a stroll down Korzo Promenade, the city’s main street, and those looking to take things easy, Rijeka has several beautiful beaches like Plaza Ploče and Sablićevo Beach. After a fun-filled couple of days in this great city, get back on the road for the longest drive of the road trip, 3 hours and 45 minutes’ southeast to the next destination of Zadar. However, as this drive goes through several gorgeous small coastal towns, we’d recommend stopping off at a couple of them on the way, to stretch your legs and take in the views of the Adriatic.
One such stop on this route is the town of Senj, which offers visitors a couple of great things to do on an hour or two stop, including seeing the Nehaj Fortress and the Old Town. Another great place to stop on the way is Paklenica National Park, where there are hiking trails to do, with stunning views to be had.
On arriving in Zadar, there’s plenty to keep you busy, and a couple of days would be a reasonable amount of time to stay, to explore all that the city has to offer. This gorgeous city on the country’s Dalmatian Coast is a hub of activity, with art and sound installations along the seafront, historic landmarks like the Roman Forum, the City Walls and the 9th century St. Donatus Church to explore and plenty of museums and shops to browse. After you’ve taken enough time to explore this buzzing city and its beautiful blue waters, it’s time to visit your final stop of the road trip, Šibenik.
Šibenik, an hour southeast of Zadar, is a great last stop on this Adriatic adventure. This stunning walled coastal city, at first glance, could be mistaken for the region’s more famous city of Dubrovnik, with the red roofs of its Old Town leading similarly from the hill down to the sea. Šibenik, though a lesser-known destination, has just as much to offer visitors, including boat trips along the coastline, 3 fortresses to explore and plenty of opportunities for shopping, eating and relaxing. A perfect end to a Croatia road trip!
Hiring a car for your European road trip? Consider getting car hire excess insurance
Not heard of car hire excess insurance before? Not to worry! Here’s what it does - it helps protect you financially, against damage and loss to your hire car, giving you peace of mind whilst road tripping around Europe, and beyond. It is an optional insurance product, which covers you against any excess charges the rental company may ask you to pay, should your rental vehicle be damaged or stolen, whilst in your possession.
This excess insurance works by reimbursing you the excess you would have to pay when making a claim against damage or loss with your car hire company. iCarhireinsurance.com offer excess insurance covering rentals in Europe and worldwide, find out more about our cover types, here.
