Enjoying the freedom to choose when and where to stop is priceless, which is why car travel is one of the best ways to travel. Not feeling tied to bus or train schedules or relying on taxis or shared transport makes up for having to drive sometimes hundreds of kilometres a day. Add to this the fact that renting a car in advance can often mean paying up to half the usual price, and car travel can be much cheaper than it might initially appear. There are many great countries to travel by car, and we've put together a selection of what we think are the top 10 best car trips.
1. Iceland
Iceland is undoubtedly one of the best driving and motorhome trips in the world. If you have a couple of weeks, you can complete a circular route around the island, practically never leaving the famous Highway 1, as most of the island's most popular tourist attractions are located around it. In Iceland it is possible to enjoy landscapes that seem to be from another planet, glaciers, waterfalls adorned with rainbows, volcanoes, black sand beaches or glacial lagoons, from the car and we can assure you that driving in the Land of Ice and Fire is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have in your travels. To make routes through the interior of the island it is best to rent a 4×4 and for accommodation, it is best to book in advance, as there are not many and those that are available are sold out quickly, especially in high season, which includes the months of July-August and part of September.
2. Tuscany
Although we have always thought that Italy is a perfect country to travel by road, there are several areas of the country that we believe are especially worth to make a route by car. And although it is difficult to choose just one, if we have to choose, the selected one would be Tuscany, one of the romantic trips that we have enjoyed the most and that we would repeat without hesitation. Seeing its corn fields and vineyards, medieval villages and cities like Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Siena..., being able to stop anywhere to taste its gastronomy in one of its many restaurants, make Tuscany one of our favourite places in the world. The best and most economical way to get to this area is to take a low-cost flight to Pisa, where you can rent a car at the airport and in about two hours be in Siena, the heart of Tuscany, from where you can start to trace the route through the area, making a base in a city that you like or deciding on the fly, where to stay overnight. Do you like this idea?
3. Western United States
The trip to the West Coast of the United States is one of the longest trips we have ever made by car, but at the same time one of the most spectacular. Being able to visit incredible parks such as Yellowstone, Arches, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Death Valley or Yosemite, gave us some of the most beautiful images of the trip, which we will surely never forget. The Grand Canyon, a small part of Route 66, experiencing (and at times hating) Las Vegas and sleeping in roadside motels are just a few of the many things you can do on a driving tour like this one. Keep in mind that most cars in the USA are automatic, so it's important to practice a bit before you go or even in the car park where you pick up your car before you hit the road. It is also a must to have good insurance, both for the car and yourself, which is very important if you don't want to be ruined if you have a mishap in the USA.
4. Austria
Austria is another great European road trip. A good time to do this route is during the summer months, from June to September, as there are many interesting areas at high altitude, such as the Tyrol and the Grosslockner road, and you'll have more possibilities to access them without risking the risk of them being closed or needing chains to drive around. There are many places to see in Austria. If you decide to take this trip by car you can't miss Hallstatt, the most beautiful village in Austria, the cities of Vienna, Salzburg or Innsbruck, which are also spectacular, as well as the Danube Valley, the Tyrol area or the Krimml waterfalls.
5. Scotland, one of the best car trips
Scotland was one of our first car hire trips and we can still say today that it is still one of the best trips we have ever made. A good circular driving tour can take about two weeks, starting from Glasgow or Edinburgh. There are many things to see in Scotland, a land of castles, some of them as beautiful as Dunnotar Castle, Crathes Castle, Fraser Castle or the spectacular Elian Donan Castle, although it is also a land of lakes, some of them essential, such as Loch Maree, Loch Lomond or the famous Loch Ness with its Urquhart Castle. Also, if your car route includes a few extra days, you can't leave Scotland without visiting the Isle of Skye, seeing St Andrews or getting lost in the historic centre of Edinburgh.
Bear in mind when hiring a car that you drive on the left, so it's best to take it easy for the first few hours, keeping an eye on the direction of travel and even if you're used to it, it's best to look both ways to make sure you're in the right and left-hand side of the road.
Elian Donan Castle in Scotland, one of the best drives in the world.
6. Switzerland
Switzerland is a paradise for lovers of scenery and fairytale villages. As it's not a very large country, a week or 10 days will give you a good route by car to get to know the highlights of the country. If you arrive in Geneva, you can hire a car at the airport and start your trip by exploring the area around Lake Geneva and the beautiful Chillon Castle. The alpine landscapes of the Interlaken area with the Lauterbrunnen Valley of the 72 waterfalls are the most spectacular, so you shouldn't miss them. And don't forget to visit cities such as Freiburg, Bern and Thun on your way to beautiful Lucerne. If you have a little time to spare, you can also make your way to Zurich or back to Geneva for your return flight.
Chillon Castle in Switzerland
7. Ireland
Ireland is another of the best car trips you can take. On this occasion, as in some of the previous options, summer is also one of the best times to do the route, as the biggest problem in this part of the world is the usual bad weather and rain. A complete tour, taking in all the sights, will take about two weeks. Ireland is full of incredible places like the Giant's Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore and Clonmacnoise Abbeys or the Castles of Blarney and Rock of Cashel. Cities such as Galway, Belfast and especially Dublin, with a great atmosphere in the pub area, are must-see places on this trip. Being able to stop anywhere to see the scenery of the Ring of Kerry, Glen Gesh Pass or the spectacular Slieve League cliffs, is a marvel and something you can only do with the freedom of driving. As in Scotland, you should be aware that driving is on the left, so take time to get used to it and avoid any surprises.
Cliffs of Moher
8. Normandy
There are many incredible driving routes in France, but the one through Normandy has a special charm. Departing from Paris and bordering the English Channel, you'll find stunning scenery such as the Cliffs of Etretat and the pretty village of Honfleur, which we know will surprise you. If you are a lover of history and the Second World War, you cannot miss visiting some of the key points of the Normandy Landings, such as the Pointe du Hoc, the German war cemetery of La Cambe, Omaha Beach and its American cemetery, the remains of the landing on the beach of Arromanches-les-Bains or the Batteries de Longues. And finally, you can't end this trip by car without visiting the jewel in the crown: Mont Saint-Michel. If you have a few extra days, you can extend the route by visiting some of Brittany's villages and landscapes.
Mont Saint Michel in Normandy
9. Bavaria
Bavaria and the Black Forest are two of the best drives in Germany. If you have a week or 10 days, you can make a good driving tour starting in Munich, a city that will give you enough time for a couple of days. After picking up the car, a good route is to head south to start seeing the charming villages and landscapes of Bavaria. One of the highlights is the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, next to the pretty village of Fussen. The village of Oberammergau is not to be missed either, where the facades of the houses are true works of art that tell children's stories on their façades. If you have a little more time, you can continue on to the Black Forest, with beautiful villages such as Gengenbach, Calw, Triberg and Freiburg.
Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria
10. The Cotswolds or English countryside
The Cotswolds area stretches across the south of England in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. With typical English countryside greenery dotted with honey-coloured stone villages, it's the perfect place to drive through. There are several must-see villages such as Castle Combe, Tetbury, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Stow on the World and the most beautiful village in England, Bibury. Parking the car and sleeping in the typical English bed&breakfast is an experience that you will remember forever. Don't forget that you must drive on the left-hand side of the road, and although there is not much traffic in the area, it is worth spending some time on this aspect so that you don't get any surprises.
Bibury. English countryside villages