7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer
Intro
If you’re planning a summer road trip in Europe, it’s best to steer clear of the most popular hotspots, which are thronged with local tourists and visitors from abroad throughout the holiday months. However, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the idea of a road trip altogether. Why not explore the roads less travelled – and discover new parts of this multifaceted continent in the process?

By Fiona Brutscher

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Iceland
Run Rings Round Iceland

Iceland’s Route One is not exactly an unknown, but it’s unique in that it isn’t just a thing to do, it’s THE thing to do for anyone visiting the rugged volcanic island. The ring road pretty much encircles the entire country, passing by or getting you as close as possible to most of its most popular attractions. At 1,332 kilometres, it’s incredibly varied, both in terms of landscapes and regarding driving condition, ranging from tarmac to gravel, multi-lane tunnels to single-file bridges, with sections often becoming impassable during winter. If you’re planning a week-long road trip or a month-long adventure, or even if you’ve just touched down for a brief stopover in Reykjavík and want to breeze through the Golden Circle, you’ll find yourself on Iceland’s longest road at some stage. The further you go, the smaller the crowds.

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Faroe
Take A Road-Tunnel-Bridge-Ferry Trip On The Faroe Islands

For road trip variety, it’s hard to beat the Faroe Islands. The self-governing archipelago, part of the Kingdom of Denmark, lies hundreds of kilometres off the coasts of Iceland, Norway and Scotland. Getting there by car involves a long ferry ride, the roads on each of the 18 major islands are, of course, rugged and scenic, and the connections between them adventurous to varying degrees. The islands of Vágar, Streymoy, Eysturoy, Borðoy and Viðoy are connected by bridges or sub-sea tunnels, others can be reached via ferry. While we’re listing off unusual modes of transport, why not take a side trip on a government-subsidised helicopter while you’re at it, too? A transportation nerd’s dream!

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Atlantic Ocean Road
Skirt The Atlantic In Norway

A tiny bit further north lies a stretch of road that packs a hefty scenic punch on a very manageable eight-kilometre distance. The Atlantic Ocean Road connects the island of Averøy with the Norwegian mainland via a smattering of islands spanned by eight bridges. Needless to say, this part of the road trip, while spectacular both in terms of the landscape and regarding the architecture and engineering, is rather short. Luckily, Norway’s coast offers plenty of other beautiful roads, so you could make use of the long summer days and drive for miles. Alternatively, plan in lots of stops, for example at the elevated walkway on Eldhusøya islet, or in the numerous fishing villages on either side.

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Alleenstraße
Tour Eastern Germany On Tree-Lined Avenues

Most travellers have heard of the Romantic Road, which winds through picturesque southern landscapes, past stunning castles and medieval towns, including some of Germany’s most popular tourist magnets. On the other hand, for a road trip focused on the driving experience while taking in lesser-known destinations, look to the Deutsche Alleenstraße. The “Road of Avenues” was branded after the country’s reunification to protect the tree-lined avenues that had survived the GDR years, when infrastructural development was less intense east of the border. It starts on the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, passes countless quaint villages (bypassing Berlin) before reaching culturally significant towns like Wittenberg (where Martin Luther lived and is buried) and Dessau (of Bauhaus fame), then comes close to – and at times crosses – what used to be the inner-German border. A scenic, educational and romantic trip, even if the word isn’t in the name.

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Verdon
Drive Around (Or Swim In) A French canyon

The Gorges du Verdon are known as Europe’s Grand Canyon, so the roads can get pretty busy during the summer months. However, even at the worst of times, the crowds are nowhere near as crazy as what you experience in Arizona. Another plus: If it gets too hot to sit in a car all day, you can also take to the water and float, kayak or raft down the gorge. What makes this road trip so special is its proximity to numerous far more famous tourist hotspots. A short drive from the beach glamour of Cannes and Nice, the bustling port of Marseille or the rolling lavender fields of Aix-en-Provence, it’s a destination hidden in plain sight. It also offers a wide range of outdoor activities, from the aforementioned water sports to hiking, biking, rock climbing and – for the less adventurous – swimming in Lac de Sainte-Croix, the lake into which the Verdon river flows.

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Romania
Modern Roads To Medieval Sights In Romania

It’s alternately referred to as the road “to the Sky”, or “to the Clouds” and considering that it has been lauded as one of the best driving experiences in the world, Romania’s Transfăgărășan route is surprisingly unknown. The spectacular alpine road leads across the Fagaras mountains from Transylvania to Wallachia. You probably don’t need us to tell you that this is prime Dracula country, and most travel guides focus on the eerie charm of old villages, grand castles and dark forests as the country’s major draws. The megalomaniac construction of this gargantuan infrastructure project, however, is a far more recent and equally breathtaking sight.

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7 Unusual European Road Trips For Summer.
Malta
Explore European History In Malta

If you fancy a European adventure, featuring plenty of history, lots of culture, sea air and sunshine, with glimpses of several different cultures – but are short on time – Malta delivers all of that and more. The archipelago’s location in the Mediterranean, not much further from Tunisia than from mainland Italy, makes it a great late-summer destination. The main island’s size is perfect for a driving holiday, but its mere 316 square kilometres are packed with historical sites relating to the cultural, imperial and religious history of several European nations. You will find traces of occupation by Greek, Phoenician, Roman, British and French powers, as well as various rulers from neighbouring Mediterranean kingdoms as you tour its roads.

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