Planning a Euro Road Trip

[Short Norman]

just starting to plan a Euro road trip for around next June.

Currently thinking of

Portsmouth to Bilbao on ferry
Barcelona
Monaco
Alps /Lake Como
up through Switzerland (via Furka Pass area etc)

then onto either Nürburgring or Spa (trying to arrange this for when there's a race on)
possibly stop off at Bruges before heading off home.

was trying to keep it to 7 to 10 days but think some places might need to be dropped off to allow extra time in other places.

Any suggestions/advice welcome.

 

[Stay Puft]

Looks good. I’d like to do something similar. In the megane?

 

[Rojer]

I have done parts of what you are thinking, i have been to Worthersee in Austria a couple of times.

This was our route.

* Went to Spa to catch the end of the WEC race, stayed in Belgium for a night then off to Nürburgring.
* Nürburgring to Black Forrest
* Baden Baden Black Forest to Kniebis Black Forest to Interlaken
* Switzerland driving roads Interlaken, Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass, Tremola Pass, Gotthard Pass, Verzasca Dam and San Bernardino Pass
* Switzerland to Velden Via Italy
* Velden to Nuremberg via Ingolstadt (Audi Museum)
* Nuremberg to Dunkirk

It went a bit wrong at points as we didn't realise the passes are seasonal so majority were closed and we were caught out and had to go a different route.

Also one car broke down in Verona Italy so me and the driver stayed behind and we had a rental car and went to Lake Como and Garda which was just before the Mille Miglia started so we saw some epic cars. Also took a trip to Venice, Milan, Ferrari factories and museums. Same for Lambo, Maserati, Alfo Romeo and Pagani.

In previous years we went to Merc, BMW, Porsche museums and factories which was awesome.

If you want to do a bit of south France then Red Rock Road in France is a must drive.

 

[gez 172]

I’ll be following this thread.

Literally just started planning my Euro trip too. Picking the new car up end of the year, so want a nice drive to run it in etc.

I’ll be starting in Bilbao also and heading to Monaco again.

 

[Short Norman]

Looks good. I’d like to do something similar. In the megane?

If you mean are we going in our megane, then no. It’s my sons car so no.

At the minute we’ll be going in my wife’s Evoque but that could change depending on what cars we have at the time.

 

[Short Norman]

I have done parts of what you are thinking, i have been to Worthersee in Austria a couple of times.

This was our route.

* Went to Spa to catch the end of the WEC race, stayed in Belgium for a night then off to Nürburgring.
* Nürburgring to Black Forrest
* Baden Baden Black Forest to Kniebis Black Forest to Interlaken
* Switzerland driving roads Interlaken, Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass, Tremola Pass, Gotthard Pass, Verzasca Dam and San Bernardino Pass
* Switzerland to Velden Via Italy
* Velden to Nuremberg via Ingolstadt (Audi Museum)
* Nuremberg to Dunkirk

It went a bit wrong at points as we didn't realise the passes are seasonal so majority were closed and we were caught out and had to go a different route.

Also one car broke down in Verona Italy so me and the driver stayed behind and we had a rental car and went to Lake Como and Garda which was just before the Mille Miglia started so we saw some epic cars. Also took a trip to Venice, Milan, Ferrari factories and museums. Same for Lambo, Maserati, Alfo Romeo and Pagani.

In previous years we went to Merc, BMW, Porsche museums and factories which was awesome.

If you want to do a bit of south France then Red Rock Road in France is a must drive.

Your out bound route sounds similar to ours coming home. I was thinking of the ferry down to Bilbao to avoid the day or day and a half of driving down through France. I live in Yorkshire so already got a few hundred miles to do before we get out of the UK.

Dunkirk or the war graves are a good call. I’ve always wanted to visit that area.

 

[gez 172]

I think if your going to Switzerland, it has to have some kind of Spa stop involved on those mountain views.

I can’t wait to do the trip.

 

[_Tom]

I'd love to do something like this but If it's not a driving holiday i.e. doing in an Evoque surely you'd want to allow more time? Personally I'd be looking at 14 days. Just having a quick look even the Euro leg is 30 hours solid driving with no stops.

 

[Rojer]

Yer the driving is intense most days im not going to lie, sometimes its 9 hour stints.

 

[Short Norman]

I'll try and get a proper schedule/route together over the weekend

 

[Cookie]

Only advice I can give you is don't speed in France, or Switzerland. Not even a little bit. Both of them (especially Switzerland) are s**t hot on speeding atm

 

[terryc101]

7 days will definitely be too tight, it wont be enjoyable with that sorta driving every day unless you just love motorway miles and toll booths.

Both trips I've done have been 15 days, this is to make sure theres a break from driving between the long driving days, otherwise it won't feel like a holiday imo.

These are the two I’ve done.

European Roadtrip 2015

After reading a few threads on here from people who had done drives around Europe I decided that this summer I would give it a go in the clio with my younger brother. Booked 2 weeks off in august and started planning at the start of the year, we would mostly camp to keep costs down and stay on...

cliosport.net

Both had a good mix of driving days and relaxing days, except doing Barcelona to Kent in one day which is not recommended 😅😭.

Bilbao is really nice but try to avoid the San Francisco area at night, it’s where all the crime takes place and they can spot a tourist. Head down to the port to the Viscaya Bridge which is pretty cool and there’s a lovely beach down there too.

San Sebastián is only an hour away and is bloody lovely, so well worth a visit if you’ve got time.

What sorta budget have you got? 5* hotels or chain jobs?

 

[Short Norman]

7 days will definitely be too tight, it wont be enjoyable with that sorta driving every day unless you just love motorway miles and toll booths.

Both trips I've done have been 15 days, this is to make sure theres a break from driving between the long driving days, otherwise it won't feel like a holiday imo.

These are the two I’ve done.

European Roadtrip 2015

After reading a few threads on here from people who had done drives around Europe I decided that this summer I would give it a go in the clio with my younger brother. Booked 2 weeks off in august and started planning at the start of the year, we would mostly camp to keep costs down and stay on...

cliosport.net

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Both had a good mix of driving days and relaxing days, except doing Barcelona to Kent in one day which is not recommended 😅😭.

Bilbao is really nice but try to avoid the San Francisco area at night, it’s where all the crime takes place and they can spot a tourist. Head down to the port to the Viscaya Bridge which is pretty cool and there’s a lovely beach down there too.

San Sebastián is only an hour away and is bloody lovely, so well worth a visit if you’ve got time.

What sorta budget have you got? 5* hotels or chain jobs?

Cheers, your first route looks something like what I want to do. Just can’t make my mind up whether to drive down through France or take the boat and have 24 hours on the boat relaxing.

Me saying 7-10 was just me being tight with taking time off work (I’m self employed). If it needs to be 14+ days to make it enjoyable then it looks like I’ll have to have a few days extra off work.

 

[terryc101]

Cheers, your first route looks something like what I want to do. Just can’t make my mind up whether to drive down through France or take the boat and have 24 hours on the boat relaxing.

Me saying 7-10 was just me being tight with taking time off work (I’m self employed). If it needs to be 14+ days to make it enjoyable then it looks like I’ll have to have a few days extra off work.

We thought about doing the boat across as we were starting in northern Spain but the price was a bit much compared to the Tunnel. But I guess if you live closer to the ferry it’s better than driving to Dover and back down through France again.

Got to take tolls into account too, they can soon add up if you’re doing big miles through France unnecessarily.

 

[Short Norman]

here's a first attempt at a route

Day 1 drive to Portsmouth for midday ferry to Bilbao
Day 2 arrive in Bilbao at midday and drive to Barcalona (380 miles)
Day 3 day in Barcalona
Day 4 Leave Barcalona to drive to Nice/Monaco (425 miles)
Day 5 day around Nice/Monaco
Day 6 leave Nice/Monace to drive to Lake Como (245 miles), not sure onn route yet.
Day 7 day around Lake Como
Day 8 leave Como, Furka Pass, Harder Kulm then onto Bern area (200 miles)
Day 9 Leave Bern to drive to Nürburgring (340 miles)
Day 10 leave the ring to drive to Bruges (234 miles)
Day 11 stay in Bruges
Day 12 leave Bruges for home

definatly not set in stone and I can see a few areas that may need changing

Preliminary Route

 

[gez 172]

That sounds quite exhausting to be honest. I think you need the stops to be a little longer.
Monaco has plenty to see, a 2 day stop from driving would be better.
I don’t think you’ll enjoy as much by having to smash out that kind of mileage without proper breaks.

That Nurburgring bit sounds a bit too much driving also. Driving to the Ring, then leaving the following day?

 

[Short Norman]

That sounds quite exhausting to be honest. I think you need the stops to be a little longer.
Monaco has plenty to see, a 2 day stop from driving would be better.
I don’t think you’ll enjoy as much by having to smash out that kind of mileage without proper breaks.

That Nurburgring bit sounds a bit too much driving also. Driving to the Ring, then leaving the following day?

Think you’re right I might scrap the ring visit and possibly also the stop in Bruges. That way we could spend more time in the south of France and area around the alps.

 

[Short Norman]

Right back on with planning this. We are thinking of sacking off getting the boat down and driving down instead and staying at lake Garda.

Anyone got any recommendations for staying at lake Garda.

Also should be starting to look for a Porsche in the new year, so might go in that instead of her Evoque.