It will take you not more than a week to travel from the west coast of Europe to the Russian capital Moscow. It’s actually not more than a 50-hour drive, but unless you’re into some kind of a race, then it’s better to stop around and do some sightseeing.
With evidence showing that people lived here thousands of years ago, Europe is full of places worth visiting. In this article, we’re going to talk about only a few of them.
Most articles on the internet are going to tell you to visit specific places and are not very considering the car-rental tourists who like to road trip around the continent. Follow up, and see what we have in mind!
The French Riviera
The French southern coastline is about 550 miles long. It’s called Cote d’Azur which means Blue coast. It is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Driving past the seashore and stopping by to see some amazing sights can be a wonderful experience.
The good thing every driver should know here is that cars drive the same way they do in the USA. The bad part – rarely who understands English. If something happens and experience an accident, you better have your dictionary or Google translate by your hand.
The tunnels of the Alps
Going east, you need to go through the Alps. Of course, you can go around and visit Belgium, Holland, and Germany, but why, when you can experience something like this. During the winter days, these places look more like a fairytale than real-life pictures.
Driving through this area is an experience of its own. You get to see some of the longest tunnels in the world and definitely in Europe, but more importantly, some of the most amazing sights you’ll ever see. Small mountain villages scattered around the mountains all looking like a part of a Christmas movie.
People around here mostly speak German. However, English is not so strange and if you need help, chances are big you’ll find someone who can help you. There are emergency phone boots in tunnels in case of an accident and stopping places ever 10-15 miles if not even more.
Prague Architecture
Prague and the Czech Republic are one of the most important places in Europe in the sense of architecture. With a history stretching for more than 3000 years, this city is one of the most remarkable places in the world.
Over time it had more conquers and owners. They all left a trace in every sense. Today, the most notable buildings are those from the middle ages and Gothic periods when some amazing structures were built and still stand today to witness some other times.
The old name of this city is Boihaem and the area Bohemia. This is very similar to the word we use today as a meaning for something enjoyable. It suits perfectly for this city because it is one of the places in Europe where fun, party, and nightlife are outstanding. You might want to check this out if you stay a night here.
Balkan cuisine
Even though south of the original route, the Balkan Peninsula is the kitchen of Europe. Just like every kitchen in the world, it’s chaotic most of the time, but in this case, it offers a gastronomic experience that no one forgets.
Most of the countries southern than the river Danube were occupied by the Ottoman Turks in some part of their history. This means a lot of influence from the dishes coming from the Middle East and the Arab countries.
The people are hospitable and most of them speak English, especially the younger population. If you run into some problem, don’t be surprised if someone comes with you on the spot and arranges everything for you. Of course, you’ll need to pay for this as these are not the wealthiest people of the continent.
The cuisine here is generally meat-oriented, but you can also find some amazing vegan dishes. If you have no problem with meat, you must try a little of all the local specialties. Just ask for what’s the best and be sure that you’ll need to spend a night resting because your stomach will be completely exhausted by some of the best tastes in your life.
The landscapes of Estonia
On the north, as a borderline between the continent and the Scandinavian Peninsula is Estonia. This is a country that used to be occupied by Russia for a long time but is now an independent country with some of the most spectacular sightseeing locations.
Almost everyone speaks English. They’ll explain the rules of rent-a-car companies without a problem. If you don’t like waiting for their advice, read https://extralargeaslife.com/rent-best-cars-in-tallinn-car-renting-guide/ and learn everything there is about driving a rented car.
From this point on, the options are endless. You can either go more East and visit the Orthodox world of the Russians, go north in the cold parts of Finland and the polar cape or get back through Poland and Germany where you can visit some of the central parts of Europe witnessing how history was amazing in both good and bad way, providing a lot of trouble to citizens there but also building a ton of amazing structures still standing today and witnessing about it.
Conclusion
All this is just a tiny bit of what a road trip through the continent may look like. You have so many unbelievable options. We talked about some of the less attractive places in a touristic way of speaking because we know that lots of people already visited them.
Some may say, if you want to experience a foreign country it’s best to do it in places that are not attractive. This is the only way you’ll see the true picture of the place. We couldn’t agree more about this. Just get your dream car in some of the rent-a-car agencies all over the continent and have fun.