Road trip through Europe: 7 road trips from Catalonia

BarcelonaTraveling by car allows you to save hours at the airport and carry limited luggage, as well as being able to enjoy the trip at your own pace and discover fascinating places that are difficult to access by public transport. road trips There are endless options, but we've put together seven routes through different European locations, each with roads as diverse as their topography. Conditions? Departure and return to Catalonia. Restrictions? We won't be flying, but there is the option of sailing or taking a train. With a duration of 15 days at most, these seven suggestions are perfect for discovering the Old Continent beyond the big cities.

The French Alps, landscapes and hiking

The French Alps in late August and early September are spectacular. Prepare to climb 3,000-meter peaks and enter a glacier. We suggest basing yourself in the Chamonix area for a week. To get there, you can stop in Provence and, depending on how many days you have available, spend a couple exploring the area, including villages like Gordes, Roussillon, or Saint-Rémy. If you're just passing through, Avinyó is an ideal option, with a stunning old town. Once in Chamonix, the options are endless: hiking trails to see lakes like Lac du Passy (where you can swim) or Lac Blanc; excursions to waterfalls like Coeur and Arpenaz; a ride on the Montenvers train that takes you to the Mer de Glace (with a cave inside the glacier); or a trip on Europe's highest chairlift (3,842 m) to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi. If you save three or four days for the return trip, you can do it along the French Riviera, stopping in Nice, Cannes, or Saint-Tropez.

The Grand Tour of Switzerland, a circular route from Zurich

Designed by the Swiss Tourist Office, this route is designed for overnight stays in a different location each day. The original circular route begins and ends in Zurich. Coming from Catalonia, you can start in Geneva (night one). From there, you'll travel to Neuchâtel (night two), continue to Bern (night three), and then to Zurich (night four). With these four days, you'll have discovered Switzerland's heritage, with major cities and other interesting towns like Lucerne, Gruyère, and Fribourg. You'll also have visited natural areas like Lauterbrunnen (also known as the Valley of the 72 Waterfalls), Jungfraujoch (the highest train station in Europe at 3,454 m), and Entlebuch (Switzerland's first biosphere reserve). From Zurich, you'll travel via Appenzell (night 5) and then Saint-Moritz (night 6), to visit the Zurich wine region and the Rhine Falls, discover the world of Heidi in Maienfeld, the Swiss National Park, and the Salginatobelbrücke, the only world monument in Switzerland. To finish the route, you'll pass through Bellinzona (night 7), Zermatt (night 8), with the Matterhorn (Switzerland's iconic mountain), and Lausanne (night 9). The Bellinzona to Zermatt section is considered the most spectacular and has the most twists and turns.

The Cotswolds, the English rural paradise

The adventure of crossing the English Channel, whether by submarine train or boat, is unforgettable. To do this road trip If you're not worried, you'll need a couple of weeks, assuming you can make both the ascent and descent in a couple of days. Once in London, find a good place to stay and park your car for four or five days. Once you've visited Big Ben, ridden the London Eye, explored the British Museum, and strolled through the most important neighborhoods, trendy like Shoreditch or Brixton, make your way to the Cotswolds and spend four or five days exploring them.

Bibury is one of the most famous (and most visited) towns, thanks to a street lined with old 16th-century cottages, a true Cotswold icon. Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and although it's somewhat crowded, it's worth spending a few hours there. Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the Little Venice of the Cotswolds, is another of the most touristy towns, but the charm of the six bridges that span the River Windrush makes it very picturesque. From here, wander aimlessly and discover little gems like Snowhill, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury, or Castle Combe. You won't be disappointed!

Portugal: Alentejo and Algarve

Beautiful Alentejo landscapes and spectacular Atlantic beaches: these are the ingredients of this road trip Portuguese. Enter the Alentejo through Badajoz and spend a few days inland. Elvas (a World Heritage Site, with an old town surrounded by Renaissance fortifications and Baroque houses), Évora (with a fairly well-preserved Roman temple), and Beja (with Roman, Visigoth, and Arab remains) are some of the essential stops to discover before heading to the coast, where beaches such as Praia do Castelejo or Praia Grande await, open to the immensity of the Atlantic and uncrowded, even in summer. Spend two or three days following the coast to Sagres, and continue enjoying spectacular beaches such as Amoreira, on the Aljezur coast, or the less accessible Praia de Vale Figueira, where you'll feel like you've discovered one of the unspoiled corners left in Europe. In Sagres, don't miss the head of Sao Vicente, the most southwestern point in Europe, especially iconic for watching the sunset. Once here, you'll have three or four more days to enjoy the southern Algarve. Beaches like Praia da Marinha (with spectacular cliffs), Praia de Benagil (with a cave with three holes, one of them in the ceiling), Praia da Falésia (with 3 kilometers of sand), and the pristine beaches of Ilha de Tavira (part of the Ria Formosa Natural Park) are must-visit.

Southern Italy, beaches and charming villages

We won't make you drive all the way to Southern Italy in one go; it would take you three or four days just to get there. There's a better option: take an overnight boat to Rome and start the road trip Head south from there to discover the heel of Italy's boot, Puglia. A land of borders and sea, it has become a spectacular heritage site. Make two bases to visit it. The first, in Bari, its capital, to see some of the most charming villages in the area, such as Alberobello (with the famous trulli –typical stone houses with conical roofs), Polignano a Madre (with a wonderful historic center), Locorotondo (with a round historic center) or Ostuni (known as the White City).

Make your second base in the Salento area to discover the beaches and other towns of Puglia. The must-sees are: Gallipoli (an islet connected to the mainland by an ancient bridge), Otranto (where the best beaches are said to be), or Lecce (known as the Florence of the South). For the best beaches, you should go to Baia dei Turchi (full of small coves), Pescoluse (known as the Maldives of Salento), or the Grotta della Poesia (a stunning natural pool). On the way back to Rome, stop in Matera, which, 10,000 years old and famous for its sassi (cave houses built inside the mountains), is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

Alsace and the Black Forest, charm and nature

This route between France and Germany is a fantastic combination of charming villages and nature. To get there, you can spend the night in Lyon and discover France's third-largest city. Once in Alsace, base yourself in one of its charming villages for three or four days. Colmar, known as Little Venice, is the most touristy town, but you can also stay in Eguisheim, Turckheim, Kaysersberg, or Riquewihr. All of them are small towns, nestled among vineyards, that maintain the same decor and architecture. A visit to Strasbourg is also a must, with its historic center, the Grande Île, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When you jump to Germany and venture into the Black Forest, save time for excursions and discover waterfalls and lakes like Lake Titisee or the Mummel, and the Triberg or Zweribach waterfalls. You can base yourself for three or four days in Freiburg, one of the most interesting towns in the area. And don't miss Triburg (famous for its cuckoo clocks), Schiltach (riverside with colorful houses), Baden-Baden (a spa town), Durbach (with Staufenberg Castle) or Gengenbach (one of the most beautiful villages in the area).

Basque Country, the coast of Euskadi and Iparralde

From Barcelona to Bilbao, follow the Basque coast to Biarritz and return through the Aragonese Pyrenees. The route we suggest will allow you to discover the coast of the Basque Country and Iparralde. Once you arrive in Bilbao, spend three or four days driving along the seaside, stopping in towns such as Bermeo (don't miss the famous Gaztelugatxe), Lekeitio (with a visitable lighthouse), Zararutz (a surfer's paradise), and Zararutz (a surfer's paradise).) and Donosti (don't miss a night of tapas and a walk along the Kontxa).

Before crossing the border, you can't miss Pasaia and Hondarribia, two of the most beautiful towns in the Basque Country. Once across, head inland to discover charming towns like Sare, Ainhoa, and Ezpeleta. Return to the coast to visit San Juan Lohitzune, Getaria, and Biarritz. Spend three or four days exploring this part of the Iparralde region and save two or three more for a stop in the Aragonese Pyrenees before returning home..