Euro Road Trip - Critique & Advice

Euro Road Trip - Critique & Advice

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Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
I'm planning a Euro road trip this year, and I'd really appreciate some critique and suggestions of things I may not have thought of along my route. I'm not averse to changing my route, either!

I've probably got an 80/20 focus on destination/roads, but would love to take in some decent roads along the way. I'll be driving an Audi S1 (the new one), so I would imagine the roads I should focus on are larger ones. For example, I'm not entirely sure how much I'll actually enjoy something with tight hairpins (e.g. Stelvio).

I've not set days or anything just yet, but I'd be roughly looking at 23 days away (Sat start, Sun finish). I'd like to stick to sub 3,000 miles, but would be happy to do more if something's really worth it and it won't be too tiring.

Roughly (and this is changing all the time), I'm looking at (in this order):

- Either the train or Harwick/Hook of Holland ferry
- Amsterdam (to see my friends)
- A stop or two in Germany (anywhere - perhaps Frankfurt / Nuremberg, but would love recommendations for mid-Germany), on the way to...
- Berchtesgaden / Konigsee (where I'd like to spend maybe c.3 days)
- See a few places around Austria, including Salzburg, Hallstatt, etc.
- Maybe pop down to Lake Bled for a couple of days.
- Grossglockner Alpine Road
- Krimml
- Innsbruck (where I'll pick my friend up at the airport)
- Maybe Stelvio, but per my previous comment, is it worth the detour?
- If not Stelvio, head directly back up to the Deutsche Alpenstrasse (which was originally my intention for the trip!) to do half of it.
- Not sure what's on the way, but then head to the Black Forest to spend around 3 days there
- Stuttgart for the Porsche museum (not fussed about the Merc one)
- Nurburgring (never been, so would be nice to see, and take a Ring Taxi trip out)
- Bruges
- Train home

I'll be going at the start of July, if that influences any suggestions.

Would welcome any advice at all. This is my first ever Europe trip, and am still doing the initial reading about road rules/signs, etc. so any advice on that would also be great (especially if there's a central resource for that sort of thing).

isaldiri

18,408 posts

167 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
The merc museum is better than the Porsche one imo. Definitely do go through the black forest heading up to Stuttgart.

While you're at the 'ring take a detour to Spa Francorchamps and have a drive around the route of the old Spa circuit which is on the public road.

Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
isaldiri said:
The merc museum is better than the Porsche one imo.

While you're at the 'ring take a detour to Spa Francorchamps and have a drive around the route of the old Spa circuit which is on the public road.
Spa is a good shout actually! I'm off there on a different trip this year, but not sure I'll get to explore much as I'm there for a karting endurance race. Added!

isaldiri

18,408 posts

167 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
Just a suggestion as well, give stelvio a miss but head to southeast of Zurich instead, you can link 2-3 passes that are better for driving before heading up through the black forest to Stuttgart. Sounds like a great trip anyway, enjoy thumbup

steve51800

125 posts

98 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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We did a similar stint early 2015, harwich to hook (6 hr crossing, quite relaxing) then stayed in Nijmegen for a night, had a break mid trip for a night stop in Germany (used a roadside chain, similar to Premier inn here) then went to Vienna. Made it 2 days heaviy motorway focussed, though I did keep pulling off and using A/B roads for stints to break the journey up, ended following the Danube for miles through some stunning towns in Austria. Went from Vienna up to Prague then back.
Advice? buy your vignette for Austria in advance, check fuel prices, Holland turned out to be more expensive than UK, so made sure had enough fuel in to get to germany without stopping, other than that just enjoy the roads, the standard of driving and other road users manners seemed much better on the continent than here.

Cabrony

222 posts

161 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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Planning my trip this year and have just added the Brienzer Rothorn Railway to my list. Hour up a mountain and hour back down. Views look ridiculous.

Cabrony

222 posts

161 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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I can also highly recommend Hotel Navarra in Bruges...

https://www.hotelnavarra.com/index.html

Right in the middle of Bruges and has parking. Even has a small pool and sauna

loskie

5,143 posts

119 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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I did similar in 2011 in an mx5. Had the missus (now ex) with me so not totally focussed on driving. Hull to Zebrugge, 2nts south of Paris, 2nts Annecy, 1 nt Leysin Switzerland, 1nt Bern, 2nts near Baden Baden (surprised how nice Germany was) 1 nt Bastogne (Belg) 3nts Bruges.

Switzerland and Luxembourg cheap for petrol, chanced transiting Switzerland with no Vignette with no problems.
Would do similar again. To me its a shame not to take time to stop and see stuff en route which is why we had 2nt stops. Planned ahead booking all hotels before leaving uk to avoid stress at 8 pm when you have no where to stay!

Iva Barchetta

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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If you do land in The Netherlands and have time,the Louwman museum is well worth a visit.

As already said ,if you're in Stuttgart,spend the whole day doing Merc AND Porsche

Zed 44

1,242 posts

155 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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Are you doing the trip on your own? And why July? It will be more expensive then and full of touristicos. Just asking.

Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Sunday 8th January 2017
quotequote all
Zed 44 said:
Are you doing the trip on your own? And why July? It will be more expensive then and full of touristicos. Just asking.
I'd love to avoid July, but the challenge is finding 3 weeks in my diary. If I reduced it to 2 weeks, I could fit it in somewhere else. The alternative would be to go around September/October time.

I'm going on my own for the first two weeks, and my friend is joining me for the final week (picking him up in Innsbruck).

Zed 44

1,242 posts

155 months

Sunday 8th January 2017
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I had planned to do a very similar trip to this last October but family circumstances forced a cancellation. I'm thinking about doing it again this year as my second European trip in September for about 3 weeks.

I believe May, June and September are the best months for driving. Fewer touristicos with kids and cheaper prices. Only thing that gets in the way are campervans and caravans and they're a nuisance any time of the year.

Yipper

5,964 posts

89 months

Thursday 12th January 2017
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Go in September. Much quieter roads, with all touristy stuff still open. Go to Italy Dolomites. Best mountain scenery and roads in Western Europe.

Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months