Here are three European road trip plans you can use as they are or adapt: Paris to Barcelona in 7 days (about 1,600 km), Amsterdam to Rome over the Alps in 14 days (about 2,200 km), and a 21-day loop from London through France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands (about 5,000 km). Each day has a distance, a driving time and the main things to see. Distances are approximate and driving times assume no stops.
Before You Start: Planning Principles
Every itinerary in this guide follows the same core principles that make road trips enjoyable rather than exhausting:
- Maximum 4 hours of driving per day. This translates to roughly 300-400 kilometres depending on road type. Much more and you spend the trip looking at tarmac.
- No more than 2 consecutive driving days. After two days of travel, schedule a full day in one location to rest, explore properly, and do laundry.
- Arrive by mid-afternoon. This gives you time to check into accommodation, explore the town on foot, and find a good restaurant for dinner.
- Build in flexibility. If you like a place, stay an extra night.
When estimating drive times, add 30 minutes per 3 hours to account for fuel stops, toilet breaks, and the inevitable scenic pull-over. Google Maps times assume non-stop driving.
7-Day Itinerary: Paris to Barcelona via the French Riviera
This route runs from Paris through Provence and along the Mediterranean coast into Catalonia. It covers approximately 1,600 kilometres in total.
Day 1: Paris to Lyon (470 km, 4.5 hours)
Depart Paris in the morning via the A6 motorway. This is the longest drive of the trip, so leave early. Lyon is France's food capital, and you should arrive with enough time to explore the Vieux Lyon district and eat at a traditional bouchon.
Highlights: Vieux Lyon, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse food market.
Day 2: Lyon to Aix-en-Provence (300 km, 3 hours)
A straightforward drive south through the Rhone Valley. If lavender is in season (usually late June to mid-July, before the harvest), detour via Valensole for the lavender fields. Aix-en-Provence is a good base for Provence.
Highlights: Cours Mirabeau, Cezanne's studio, the daily market at Place Richelme.
Day 3: Rest Day in Aix-en-Provence / Provence Day Trip
No driving today. Explore Aix on foot or take a short excursion to the Calanques near Cassis, the hilltop village of Gordes, or the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct. All are about an hour's drive, or a little more.
Day 4: Aix-en-Provence to Nice (180 km, 2 hours)
A short and scenic drive along the A8 to the French Riviera. Arrive early and spend the afternoon on the Promenade des Anglais, then explore the old town (Vieux Nice) for dinner.
Highlights: Promenade des Anglais, Castle Hill viewpoint, Cours Saleya flower market, Matisse Museum.
Day 5: Nice to Montpellier (330 km, 3.5 hours)
Drive west on the A8 and A9, past Cannes and Aix (Saint-Tropez and Marseille are detours off the motorway). Montpellier is a lively university city with a good medieval centre.
Highlights: Place de la Comedie, Saint-Roch district, the Lez riverbank.
Day 6: Montpellier to Barcelona (340 km, 3.5 hours)
Cross into Spain via the AP-7 motorway. The drive passes Perpignan and runs inland of the Costa Brava. Arrive in Barcelona by mid-afternoon.
Highlights: La Sagrada Familia, Gothic Quarter, Park Guell, La Boqueria market.
Day 7: Barcelona
A full day to explore Barcelona. Plan this trip to discover the best routes and stops along the way.
14-Day Itinerary: Amsterdam to Rome via the Alps
This route runs from the Netherlands through Germany, over the Alps into Italy and down to Rome. Total distance: approximately 2,200 kilometres, plus day trips.
Days 1-2: Amsterdam to the Rhine Valley (about 400 km, 4.5 hours total)
Depart Amsterdam and drive to Cologne (270 km, 2.5 hours) for a half-day stop at the cathedral. Continue to the Rhine Valley and stay overnight near Bacharach or St. Goar for the most scenic stretch of the Rhine.
Day 2: Explore the Rhine Valley. Take a river cruise, visit Marksburg Castle, and taste local Riesling wines. No significant driving needed.
Days 3-4: Rhine Valley to Munich (450 km, 4.5 hours total)
Drive to Munich in one stretch or break it with a stop in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany's best-preserved medieval towns. Spend Day 4 exploring Munich.
Highlights: Marienplatz, Englischer Garten, Viktualienmarkt, Nymphenburg Palace. Day trip option: Neuschwanstein Castle (2 hours each way).
Days 5-6: Munich to Innsbruck to Lake Garda (350 km, 4 hours total)
Cross into Austria and stop in Innsbruck for lunch and a walk around the old town. Continue over the Brenner Pass into Italy and down to Lake Garda. You'll need an Austrian vignette, plus a separate toll for the Brenner motorway and Italian autostrada tolls. Spend Day 6 at the lake.
Highlights: Innsbruck old town, Brenner Pass views, Sirmione on Lake Garda, Riva del Garda.
Days 7-8: Lake Garda to Venice (160 km, 2 hours)
A short drive to Venice. Park at one of the mainland car parks (Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto) and take the water bus into the city. Spend two nights to properly explore.
Highlights: St. Mark's Square, Rialto Bridge, Murano island, getting lost in the back streets.
Days 9-10: Venice to Florence (260 km, 3 hours)
Drive through Emilia-Romagna. Bologna, one of Italy's great food cities, makes a good lunch stop. Florence deserves two full days minimum. Its centre is a ZTL (restricted traffic zone), so park outside it or arrange parking with your hotel.
Highlights: The Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset views, the San Lorenzo leather market.
Days 11-12: Florence to Tuscany Day Trip to Siena and San Gimignano
Use Florence as a base for a day trip through the Tuscan countryside. Siena's Piazza del Campo and San Gimignano's medieval towers are both within 90 minutes. Stop at a vineyard for Chianti tasting.
Day 12: Second day in Florence or a different Tuscan excursion (Val d'Orcia, Lucca, or Pisa).
Days 13-14: Florence to Rome (280 km, 3 hours)
The final leg to Rome. Consider stopping in Orvieto, a hilltop town on a volcanic rock, for lunch. Arrive in Rome for your final evening.
Day 14: Explore Rome. The Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon, and Trastevere neighbourhood for dinner. Plan this trip for a customised route.
21-Day Itinerary: The Grand European Loop (London and Back)
Start and end in London, covering France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. Total distance: roughly 5,000 kilometres including day trips. You'll need a Swiss motorway vignette for week 3.
Week 1: London to Barcelona
- Day 1: Channel crossing to Calais, drive to Reims (300 km). Visit the cathedral and champagne cellars.
- Day 2: Reims to Paris (145 km). Afternoon and evening in Paris.
- Day 3: Full day in Paris. Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Montmartre, Seine river walk.
- Day 4: Paris to Bordeaux (585 km, 5.5 hours). Long drive but mostly motorway. Evening in Bordeaux's wine district.
- Day 5: Bordeaux wine country day trip. Saint-Emilion is a must.
- Day 6: Bordeaux to San Sebastian (250 km, 2.5 hours). Cross into Spain. Explore pintxos bars in the old town.
- Day 7: San Sebastian to Barcelona (570 km, 5.5 hours). A long day, so leave early.
Week 2: Barcelona to Switzerland
- Day 8: Full day in Barcelona. La Sagrada Familia, Gothic Quarter, beach.
- Day 9: Barcelona to Carcassonne (300 km, 3 hours). Explore the medieval walled city.
- Day 10: Carcassonne to Nice (480 km, 4.5 hours). Arrive on the Cote d'Azur.
- Day 11: Rest day in Nice. Beach morning, old town afternoon, seaside dinner.
- Day 12: Nice to Cinque Terre (340 km, 3.5 hours). Drive along the Italian Riviera. Hike between the five villages.
- Day 13: Cinque Terre to Milan (230 km, 2.5 hours). Afternoon at the Duomo and Navigli district.
- Day 14: Milan to Interlaken, Switzerland (about 250 km plus the Lötschberg car train from Goppenstein to Kandersteg, roughly 4-5 hours). The Simplon Pass is the scenic highlight; in summer you can take the Grimsel Pass instead of the train.
Week 3: Switzerland to London
- Day 15: Full day in Interlaken. Jungfraujoch railway, Harder Kulm viewpoint, or Lauterbrunnen Valley.
- Day 16: Interlaken to Lucerne (70 km, 1 hour). Short drive, full day exploring. Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument, lake cruise.
- Day 17: Lucerne to the Black Forest, Germany (200 km, 2.5 hours). If you base yourself in the north, drive the Black Forest High Road (B500). Cuckoo clocks, dense forests, and excellent cake.
- Day 18: Black Forest to Heidelberg (200 km, 2 hours). Visit the castle and the old university town. Evening walk along the Philosophenweg.
- Day 19: Heidelberg to Amsterdam (460 km, 4.5 hours). Arrive in time for a canal-side dinner.
- Day 20: Full day in Amsterdam. Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Vondelpark, Jordaan neighbourhood.
- Day 21: Amsterdam to Calais (370 km, 3.5 hours). Channel crossing back to the UK.
For the 21-day itinerary, consider booking accommodation only for the first three and last three nights. Leave the middle flexible so you can extend stays in places you love without losing money on pre-booked rooms you skip.
Adapting These Templates to Your Trip
These itineraries are starting points, not rigid schedules. Here is how to customise them:
If You Prefer Slower Travel
- Add an extra rest day after every two driving days
- Cut the final destination from each itinerary and spend the extra days deeper in the earlier stops
- The 14-day itinerary stretches well to 21 days with rest days and side trips
If You Are Travelling with Children
- Reduce maximum daily driving to 3 hours
- Build in playground and swimming stops (French motorway rest areas often have good play areas)
- Add more rest days and choose accommodation with pools or gardens
If You Are on a Budget
- Avoid Swiss and Scandinavian legs where fuel, food, and tolls are most expensive
- Use free motorways where possible (Germany has no general motorway tolls)
- Consider camping or using Aires (free or low-cost motorhome stopovers in France)
- Cook your own meals using local market ingredients at least half the time
If You Want More Adventure
- Replace the motorway routes with mountain passes (the Stelvio, the Furka, the Col du Galibier)
- Add outdoor activity days: hiking in the Dolomites, kayaking on Lake Annecy, surfing in Biarritz
- Swap city stops for national parks: Plitvice Lakes, Swiss National Park, Cinque Terre hiking trails
Essential Tools for Planning
- Google Maps: Use the "Add Stop" feature to build your route and check drive times with traffic estimates
- Via Michelin: Calculates toll costs and fuel estimates for European routes
- Park4Night: Find overnight parking, campsites, and Aires across Europe
- Plan Your Road Trips planner: Build and customise your route with our interactive planning tool
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometres per day is realistic for a European road trip?
For an enjoyable trip, aim for 250-350 kilometres per day as a maximum, which translates to 3-4 hours of driving. You can push to 500 kilometres on a motorway transfer day, but doing it several days in a row gets tiring. Build in at least one rest day for every two driving days.
Should I pre-book all accommodation or stay flexible?
It depends on when you travel. During July and August, pre-book at least your first and last nights plus any accommodation in popular areas (Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Barcelona). In the shoulder season (May-June, September-October), you can be much more flexible and book a day or two ahead. The sweet spot for most travellers is to book the first three nights and leave the rest open.
What is the best time of year for a European road trip?
Late May to mid-June and September are the best windows. The weather is warm, the roads are quieter than peak summer, accommodation is cheaper, and attractions are less crowded. July and August offer the best weather and the longest days but come with higher prices, heavier traffic, and the need to book everything well in advance. October can be lovely in southern Europe but Alpine passes may be closed or require snow chains.