I suppose I’m going to have to get used to the idea of no longer having to make the distinction of Continental Europe in referring to it, pending the outcome of the whole Brexit issue, but I do believe I have come into some sage information when it comes to those wandering souls who seek to explore Europe. Do it by road. Rent a car if you have to or make sure your baby is fit enough for a cross-continental adventure…
It would probably make for the ultimate in road trip adventures to just start driving from one end to the other and basically just see where the road takes you, but in the true spirit of what being European and being in Europe is all about, you’ll have a much better time planning the terrace and making use of all the tools and tech which are to the aid of the road traveller.
Here’s what I believe is the ultimate European road trip terrace:
The Channel Tunnel is perhaps taken for granted by the youngest of adults today, but if you are coming into Continental Europe from the UK, to kick-start your road-trip from France, then that in itself will make for an interesting journey. Re-live the history of the connecting infrastructure that was popularly known by its commercial operator’s name, the Eurotunnel, to start making your way down to the South of France.
To be honest though, I think it’s better to start the Euro road trip proper down in the south of France since I think that’s the most beautiful part of the country… Hence my recommendation that you rent a car from there…
Assuming you’ve made arrangements to get your Schengen visa if that’s applicable to you, your South West France starting point will have you in for some majestic views of the vineyards, but head into Spain to enjoy some of the biggest landscape contrasts you’ll see in one region as you cruise along Northern Spain. Enjoy the massive mountain ranges like the Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees, then as you make your way to the Mediterranean Sea, scoot back into the South of France again.
South eastern France has some of the finest seaside destinations to explore by road and you can go through Monaco as well if you’re headed in the direction of Italy, having gone through the likes of Cannes.
Otherwise the idea is to eventually make it to Austria via Italy, planning stops and activities along the way (if the sightseeing is not enough), then into Germany and ultimately the Netherlands.
If you came across the most objective list discussing which European countries are the best to drive in then you’ll realise that three of the countries listed in this itinerary make the top five, with Netherlands and Austria falling just outside of the top five, occupying position six and seven, respectively. There are various reasons why these countries are ranked near the top of the best to drive in, with Germany perhaps rightfully taking the number one spot on account of many metrics, one of which is perhaps the ultimate in driving experiences, which is being able to put the pedal to the metal and utterly floor your car on the Autobahns!
