Best of
Europe rewards the driver who leaves the motorway. These are the road trips that turn a transfer into the reason for the trip.
A great European road trip is not the shortest way between two points, it is the way that takes in the roads worth driving. Each of these routes already exists as a full journey guide on Drivers Atlas, with realistic distances, tolls and a season worth knowing about before you book.
We have ranked them on the strength of the driving roads they thread together, not simply on distance or fame. A short trip with two extraordinary passes beats a long one spent mostly on autoroute.
The ranking
700 km scenic · 3 days
The Route des Grandes Alpes strings together sixteen passes between the lake and the Mediterranean, and nothing else in Europe compares for sustained pass driving.
1680 km scenic · 4 days
The classic British run south, worth taking via the Swiss passes rather than straight down the autoroute.
1720 km scenic · 4 days
A loop through the Black Forest and Tyrol that ends at the best pass driving in Europe.
690 km scenic · 2 days
A short trip with an outrageous ratio of great road to distance, including the Stelvio when the season allows.
780 km scenic · 3 days
Fjords, ferries and the Trollstigen hairpins finishing on a causeway that skips between islands.
1010 km scenic · 3 days
The Spanish road trip most drivers overlook, with the Pyrenean foothills as an optional extra.
1080 km scenic · 6 days
An easy run to Inverness followed by the full 830 km loop around the top of Scotland.
Methodology
Each journey draws on the Drivers Atlas driving score for the roads it includes, weighted toward routes with several 9 and above roads rather than one famous pass surrounded by motorway.
FAQ
What is the best road trip route in Europe?
For sustained driving quality, the Route des Grandes Alpes between Geneva and Nice is hard to beat, with sixteen passes including the Iseran, the Galibier and the Bonette.
How long should a European driving road trip be?
Three to four days is enough to enjoy a route properly without rushing the passes. Building in a rest day at the halfway point usually improves the trip more than adding extra driving days.
When is the best time of year for an Alpine road trip?
Late June to early October, once the high mountain passes have reopened for the season and before the first autumn snow.