Best Euro Road Trip: Your Quick Guide

Thinking about hitting the open road through Europe in 2025?

Whether you're cruising along the curves of the Amalfi Coast or weaving through the mountains of Montenegro, there’s nothing quite like a continental summer road trip. And Europe offers unmatched variety in scenery and cuisine, with completely new cultures just hours apart. Borders are (mostly) easy to cross, too, so you can pack a whole lot into even a short space of time. Here's your no-fuss guide to planning the ultimate Euro road trip.

Do You Need a Visa?

If you're from the EU, you're good to go. For most non-EU travelers, Europe’s Schengen Area allows 90 days of travel within a 180-day period. And a single visa covers most of the EU, Switzerland, and Scandinavia. Just keep your passport handy, especially when heading into or out of non-Schengen countries like Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, or Montenegro, where checks are rare, but can still happen on the road.

Best Routes and Must-See Stops

Europe's diversity really shines when you’re behind the wheel with a road trip buddy at your side. These 8 routes combine well-known icons with off-the-radar gems. Ideal for first-timers and veteran road trippers alike.

1. The French Riviera into Northern Italy

Start: Nice, France
End: Florence, Italy
Distance: 450 km
Time: 4-5 days

Begin in the sun-soaked streets of Nice, then follow the coastal road through Monaco, Menton, and then into Italy to eat your way across the Ligurian coast. Stop in Sanremo, then detour through the pastel-coloured cliffside villages of Cinque Terre. Wind inland to Lucca or Pisa before finishing in Florence, the heart of Tuscany. It's one of Europe's most glamorous coastal drives and you’ll truly feel like James Bond with a starlet in your passenger seat. Renaissance-era masterwork art collections awaiting you at the end make a fine reward. The perfect blend of culinary delights and culture.

2. The Balkan Loop

Start: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Loop Through: Montenegro → Albania → North Macedonia → Kosovo (optional) → Bosnia
Time: 7-10 days

This underrated loop is a blend of rugged nature and rich culture and hasn’t become overtouristed yet, so jump at your chance at this route. For this reason, food, accommodation and activities tend to be good value too, once you get out of Croatia. From Dubrovnik, drop down to Kotor for fjord-like views and medieval charm. Cruise Albania’s Riviera Road, a twisty stretch with turquoise beaches and mountain backdrops. Pass through Berat, Ohrid in North Macedonia (a UNESCO lake town), and head north via Prizren, Kosovo if you’re feeling adventurous. Finish with a night in Mostar, Bosnia, a city full of history and heartbreakingly beautiful bridges. You can even jump off one of them (Stari Most) if you’re daredevil enough!

3. The Alpine Run

Start: Munich, Germany
End: Lake Como, Italy
Distance: 600 km
Time: 4-6 days

From Munich, head south past fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle, cross into Austria, and drive through Innsbruck and Zell am See. In Switzerland, detour to Lauterbrunnen Valley, a postcard-like paradise of waterfalls and mountain villages and often a favourite locale of European visitors. Wind down into Italy via Lugano and finish at Lake Como, where alpine drama meets Italian luxury. This route is a highlight reel of European landscapes, and ideal who want to cram a lot in within less than a week. We recommend you rent a powerful German auto for this trip and experience true German engineering once that baby hits the autobahn outside Munich!

4. Iberian Peninsula Road Trip

Start: Barcelona, Spain
End: Lisbon, Portugal
Distance: 1,300 km
Time: 7-10 days

This sunny stretch mixes pulsating Iberian city energy with historic depth. From Barcelona, head south to Valencia and experience the majestic Alhambra in Granada. Stop in Seville for flamenco and tapas before crossing into Portugal’s Algarve. Think dramatic cliffs, caves, and golden beaches. Wind up in Lisbon, where pastel buildings, friendly locals and romantic fado music close out your trip on a high.

5. Central Europe Culture Hop

Route: Berlin → Dresden → Prague → Vienna → Budapest
Distance: 1,100 km
Time: 5–7 days

Big cities, big stories. This is one for the history buffs among you. This route takes you through five capitals rich with culture, beer, and architecture. Explore Berlin’s layered history and thriving art and techno scene, then relax in Prague’s charming Old Town and Vienna’s coffeehouses and ornate palaces. Finally, rest your road-weary limbs with a visit to the famous thermal baths before partying in kitschy ruin bars in Budapest. Roads are smooth, signs clear, and every city feels like a new chapter through the heart of Europe.

6. Norway’s Coastal Drive

Route: Ålesund → Atlantic Road → Geirangerfjord → Trollstigen
Distance: 500 km
Time: 3-4 days

Norway’s coast feels like driving through a fantasy novel. The Atlantic Ocean Road curves over island bridges, while the Trollstigen Pass offers hairpin turns and dramatic cliffs. Cruise past fjords, waterfalls that flow into lakes, and tiny fishing towns where time has stood still. Especially scenic in summer or under the northern lights of the winter. Whatever you do, take in a hiking trail or two on your visit to this beautiful (but pricey) country. 

7. Romania’s Transfăgărășan Highway

Start: Bucharest, Romania
End: Sibiu or Brașov
Distance: ~300 km
Time: 2–3 days

Dubbed the "world’s best driving road" by Top Gear, the Transfăgărășan Highway cuts through the Carpathians like a rollercoaster. Start with experiencing the booming nightlife and well-preserved Old Town of Bucharest, climb past glacial lakes, and end with fairy-tale towns like Sibiu or Brașov and the nightmarishly creepy (Dracula’s) Castle Bran of Transylvania.

PLEASE NOTE: Best driven in summer, the mountain pass can be treacherous in winter due to snow.

8. The Baltic Trail

Route: Tallinn → Riga → Vilnius
Distance: 600 km
Time: 4-5 days

Eastern Europe at its most bohemian and cosiest. Start in Estonia’s fairy-tale capital Tallinn, drive to Latvia’s lively Riga, and finish in Lithuania’s artsy (and weird, just trust us on this) Vilnius. Scenic detours include Gauja National Park, Hill of Crosses, and beaches along the Baltic Sea (time of year depending). Peaceful, manageable roads and budget-friendly vibes make this a hidden gem and we’re sure it will only grow in popularity with the increase of Ryanair flights that go to these smaller-sized cities. 

Rental Cars, Licenses & Insurance (Quick Tips)

• Licence: EU licences are valid across Europe. Non-EU drivers should get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Make sure you get this from an official site well in advance of your trip, and avoid the fake sites with false promises of quick (and cheap) turnaround times.
• Rental Policy: Always confirm cross-border and one-way fees. Note that some companies restrict travel into Eastern Europe.
• Insurance: Make sure you’re covered for theft and damage in every country you'll visit.

Staying Connected on the Road

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Everyone can agree that Google Maps and Spotify are essential. You could download your playlists and maps to access offline so you’re not stuck relying on data—or worse, racking up roaming charges.

But there’s an even better fix: an eSIM.

An eSIM (short for embedded SIM) is a digital version of the plastic SIM card, built right into your phone. It lets you connect to mobile networks without ever swapping chips, queuing in SIM shops, or fiddling with ejector tools.

Think of it like downloading an app—but instead of games or streaming, it gives you instant data access the moment you land.

You could get one for each country… but if you're driving across borders, why not buy a single eSIM that covers all of Europe?

Ready to hit the road? Whether you’re chasing fjords, flamenco, or fairy-tale castles, these routes are your perfect excuse to put the playlist on, roll the windows down, and explore Europe on your own terms.