Berry Oliver - Lonely Planet Europes Best Trips

WELCOME TO EUROPE

Europe has an embarrassment of riches . To incomparable art and architecture, add a vivid past. To spectacular scenery and vibrant cities, add the finest food and wine. Its a place that helps you do and be what youve always wanted. Hike mountain passes. Savour wine beside sun-ripened vines. Tour palazzi and pueblos. Linger over lunch-time people watching. Feel you belong.

These riches are best by far discovered by car. And the countless stops weve crafted into 40 road trips are your key to unlocking those experiences. Grip the wheel in white-knuckle mountain routes. Cruise along coast roads. Drive historical timelines. Trace gourmet and vineyard trails.

Trips packed with culture, cities, history, mountains, food, beaches, wine and art theyre all waiting to be discovered and our routes will guide you every stop of the way.

Italy Duomo, Florence
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EUROPE HIGHLIGHTS

Europes best sights and experiences, and the road trips that will take you there.

Italian Lakes

Italys northern lakes are simply sublime. The most picturesque and least visited is Lago di Como (Lake Como); a highlight of Trip 2: The Graceful Italian Lakes , a scenic jaunt around Lakes Maggiore, Orta and Como. Set in the shadow of the Rhaetian Alps, Lago di Comos banks are speckled with Liberty-style villas and fabulous landscaped gardens that burst into blushing colour in April and May.

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Italian Lakes Varenna, Lago di Como
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Scottish Highlands

Scotlands wild places abound in breathtaking vistas: imposing mountains, emerald green glades, glinting lochs the scenery here is truly awe-inspiring. Drive right into the views on Trip 19: Royal Highlands & Cairngorms , which delivers castles, peaks and wildlife galore and the chance to explore the Royal familys summer holiday haunts.

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Scottish Highlands Urquhart Castle
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Paris

What is there to say about the City of Light that hasnt been said a thousand times before? Quite simply, this is one of the worlds essential cities: sexy, suave and sophisticated. Theres a lifetime of experiences here, from the treasures of the Louvre to the cafes of Montmartre encounter them on Trip 8: Essential France , which steers you all the way from the chic capital to the glistening Med.

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The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is Italys most dazzling seafront stretch. Its coastal road detailed in Trip 4: The Amalfi Coast curves sinuously, linking steeply stacked towns and rocky inlets. All around, cliffs sheer down into sparkling blue waters, lemons grow on hillside terraces, and towering fichi dIndia (prickly pears) guard silent mountain paths.

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BEST ROADS FOR DRIVING

SS163 The Nastro Azzurro weaves along the precipitous Amalfi Coast. Trip

Col dAubisque A route through the craggy Pyrenees; more like flying than driving. Trip

A939 Scottish Highlands Motor beside ski slopes at rollercoaster Lecht Pass. Trip

The So Vicente Coast Road Cliff tops en route to Europes southwestern-most tip. Trip

Silvretta High Alpine Road Brave 34 white-knuckle switchbacks 2500m high in the Austrian Alps. Trip

Chteaux of the Loire

For skys-the-limit extravagance, dont miss Trip 14: Chteaux of the Loire . Constructed by Frances aristocratic elite between the 15th and 17th centuries, these lavish mansions were designed to show off their owners wealth something they manage to achieve in spectacular fashion. Chambord is the jewel in the crown, but on this trip youll see plenty of sparkling gems.

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Chteaux of the Loire Chteau de Chambord
GRIMPLET/SHUTTERSTOCK

BEST SIPS

Castello di Verrazzano Sample Chianti Classico and olive oil at this ancient Italian castle. Trip

pernay Explore bottle-packed cellars in the French town dubbed the capitale du champagne. Trip

Rioja Trek Tour a vineyard; sup in a bodega; make your own wine. Trip

Quinta do Crasto Spectacular, terraced vineyards on a ridge above the Ro Douro. Trip

Engelszell Visit a 13th-century abbey to taste monk-made cheese and beer. Trip

Stonehenge

Mysterious and compelling, Stonehenge is Great Britains most iconic ancient site. People have been drawn to this myth-laden ring of bluestones for the last 5000 years, and we still dont know quite why it was built. Come up with your own theories while gazing at massive megaliths on Trip 17: The Historic South , a voyage which crosses the country via a centuries-long timeline through a captivating past.

Trips

Stonehenge VICTOR MASCHEK/SHUTTERSTOCK