Discover the European continent on the road
Welcome to our first article in the series “The best road trips in 2021”! In the following weeks and months, we will show you the coolest routes around the world. We will give you a good overview as well as share some real insider tips with you. We start the series with Europe, our home continent, and move from the far north to the most beautiful south.
The Best Road Trips in Europe – Black Forest, Germany
Our first route of road trips in Europe starts in our home country in Germany. This nature reserve is located in the west of Baden-Württemberg, on the border to France. It is famous for its deep forests and wonderful nature. You can start your tour in Triberg, one of the most famous cities in the region. Here you can eat your first piece of Black Forest Cake or buy a real cuckoo clock. Triberg is also famous for the Triberg waterfalls near the city. The waterfalls are really impressive with a height of 163 meters over 7 steps.
The next destination is the Titisee, about 45 minutes away from Triberg. The beautiful thing about driving through the Black Forest is the winding roads and the deep green trees above the wide canyons. If you are lucky and it is a nice sunny day, you should definitely go swimming in the lido at Titisee. Otherwise, the water also offers a beautiful panorama on cloudy days.
As the Black Forest is not a big region, we have included an extra tip: why not make your way directly to Lake Constance! The 90-minute drive takes you through wide fields and small villages, your destination is Konstanz. The city is simply beautiful and you can go out on Lake Constance by boat or swing on SUPs. Perfect for a sunny day!
The Black Forest Tour is something for all travelers among you who have never done a road trip before. You should take 2-3 days to drive this route so that you really have time to enjoy nature. If you want to read more about traveling in Germany, check out our article on cool places to discover.
The Best Road Trips in Europe – Ring Road, Iceland
The ring road in Iceland is probably one of the most famous road trips in Europe and therefore this route should not be missing from our list. In this article, we will show you an excerpt of a possible route. There is so much to experience in Iceland that it would be enough for a whole book. For this road trip you should plan 10-14 days because the distances are quite long and you don’t want to rush. You should also pack a tent or rent a small bus in which you can sleep with your Iceland travel partners. Your trip starts in the capital Reykjavik. Here you can pick up your rental car, arrive and stock up on provisions for the trip.
Then we head north for 2.5 hours to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, also called Mini Iceland. Here you will find the first typical Icelandic components, all in one place: craters, glaciers, waterfalls and much more. The next stretch is a bit longer but will take you past breathtaking places on the island where you can stop if you want. But our destination is Lake Myvatn. It’s located high up in the north of the island, so you’ve already made a lot of progress. The landscape around Lake Myvatn is really surreal. There are lava castles, mud pots and the endless expanse will catapult you into the world of Lord of the Rings and co.
You should try to reach the next stop in two days because we want to go to the glacier lagoon Jökulsarlon, which is about 7 hours away from Lake Myvatn. Here you can watch glaciers gliding silently over the water into the open sea. A boat tour is the highlight! There is also a black beach surrounded by glaciers. From the glacier lagoon, it takes 4 hours back to Reykjavik through the beautiful south of the country, which you probably know from most road trip articles. If that is the sort of thing you normally read…
The Best Road Trips in Europe – Quiraing, Scotland
Do you know the movie “King Arthur” or the series “Highlander”? Then you also know the Quiraing region! Quiaring is located on the Isle of Skye in the northwest of Scotland. Quiraing is a landscape formation that was formed by numerous massive landslides and today offers an extraordinary panorama. Although Quiraing is a specific point to which you will make your road trip, there is no one vantage point from where you can view the formations. From the parking lot, you should explore the area with your hiking partners and take as many pictures as possible. You can get to Quiraing from the east as well as from the west of the island. If you have a navigation system or your smartphone, you can find your way to this landscape by typing in “IV51 9JY”.
This road trip is more about going out and discovering nature for yourself rather than just sitting in the car. The trail is not really difficult and there are numerous routes you can use to admire the unique rock formations.
The Best Road Trips in Europe – French Riviera, France
After the rather autumnal and winterly road trips in 2021, which we showed you before, we are now heading into the sun. To be more precise, it’s going to the Mediterranean coast of France, also called the French Riviera. Within a week you can experience the life of the upper class, enjoy wonderful food and stroll along the sunny coast of the country.
Your tour starts in Marseilles, it is best to rent a motorhome for this tour, as there are many campsites along the way where you can stay overnight. Marseilles is a wonderful city that welcomes you with French charm and where you can do your shopping. High above the city is the Basilica Notre Dame de la Garde, which you can visit and from which you have a wonderful view over the whole city and the sea. From Marseilles you go to the city of Cassis, about 40 km southeast. There is also a breathtaking national park, which invites you with overgrown cliffs and crystal clear water. Cassis will enchant you with its old castle and take you back in time.
On a tour through the south of France, Saint-Tropez should not be missing. This city is so magnificent that only the richest of the rich can afford to live here. Nevertheless, the city is beautiful! From the citadel, you can get your own impression of it.
Your road trip through the South of France ends with your France travel partners outside France, in Monaco. The small princely state is, just like Saint-Tropez, characterized by wealth and pomp, but you can also enjoy the history of the state here. If you want the typical experience, a visit to the Casino Monte-Carlo should not be missed. For a different kind of adventure, you can visit the exotic garden of Monaco and overlook the whole city.
The Best Road Trips in Europe – Amalfi Coast, Italy
Our last road trip on this list leads us to Italy at the Amalfi Coast near Naples. In Naples, you also start your 1-2 week road trip along the beautiful Mediterranean coast. In Naples, you should of course make a tour of Vesuvius and visit the ruins and excavation sites in front of it. Naples is also the birthplace of pizza, so this should be your main dish 😉 ! There are some pizzerias, so you have a wide range of authentic, really delicious food.
From Naples, you will go to Amalfi, the eponymous city of the region. You won’t quite get there in your car, so you will have to go to Atrani and then take the bus to Amalfi. The city welcomes you with small fishing boats, white sandy beaches and sweet old houses.
From Amalfi, you go back towards Naples, but you stop in Positano. The city is wedged between high mountains and a small bay with a fine sandy beach where you should spend your day. High above the roofs of the city, you have a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean Sea and with a boat, you can reach the famous island, Capri.
If you enjoyed what you just read, stay up-to-date and start looking forward to our next articles in this series. We look forward to experiencing the world on the road with you and would also be happy if you share your favorite routes using the hashtag #myfavoriteroadtrips on social media.
Find some more inspiration below:
How to prepare for your next roadtrip
9 essentials you must pack for the perfect road trip
Exciting places in Germany where you can travel to now
