Europe road trip ideas 2025
Travelling by tour bus is well and truly a thing of the past for many of us. These days, the decision is more likely to be: self-drive, or high-speed rail? Honestly, as someone who’s done both, they each have their charms━though road trips might just tip the scales for me, with the the greater flexibility and convenience that you get.
And there’s no better place to go on a road trip than in Europe. Did you know – Europe has the most natural and cultural sites assigned UNESCO World Heritage Status globally, with more than 500 of the 1,000-plus spots located on this continent?
Check some of these off your bucket list, with ‘Gram-worthy spots and awe-inspiring sights, on these Europe road trips in 2025. To make your unforgettable adventures a reality, look no further than Budget Car Rental.
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Europe road trips made possible with Budget Car Rental
With more than 3,200 pickup points across 120 countries and 825 airports worldwide, you’ll be more likely than not to find Budget Car Rental in whichever major city you want to start your road trip from. Their catalogue of vehicles available for rent is extensive, so we’ve made your trip planning easier with suggested cars for each destination.
Get the low-down on the vehicle attributes and price, and don’t forget to take advantage of the promo code <D793501> to get up to 10% off. Book a Budget Car Rental for your dream road trip getaway.
Note: The prices stated are for car rental bookings during May 2025 and are for reference only. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.
1. United Kingdom
Stonehenge, Bath, Cotswolds & Oxford
Image credit: English Heritage
Nobody knows how Stonehenge came to be, or what it was meant to be; the prehistoric megalithic rock formation on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England has mystified and bewildered historians since time immemorial.
Located just 2 hours, or 143km west of London, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been standing for 5,000 years, and is one of the most iconic landmarks in the UK. Spend a leisurely couple of hours exploring this historical location for an enriching day out.
Image credit: Cotswolds
Pop back into the car for a 56-minute drive to the UNESCO-listed city of Bath – one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe, and named for its Roman baths. Over the centuries, and we’re talking since the year 70 AD, the city became a hotspot for the rich and influential upper class to “take the waters”, seeking to cure their ailments and later, to see and be seen.
Image credit: The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
So of course, you’re definitely going to have to visit the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey if you’re touring the UK on a Europe road trip. Then, stroll to The Royal Crescent – what used to be the most prestigious address in Bath, with its imposing row of terrace houses overlooking the city. Have a picnic or lie-down on the ha-ha – a sunken ditch where you can get an obstructed view, the grass patch in front of it, or visit Sally Lunn’s for a Bath bun.
Views from the Bath skyline walk.
Image credit: National Trust
For something of more contemporary interest, book yourself in on a Bridgerton tour, or get lost in the town looking up the filming locations on your own. Otherwise, go on the Bath skyline walk for some seriously gorgeous views.
Arlington Row in Bibury.
Image credit: @ainsleysykes via Instagram
After 1-2 nights in Bath, head out to Cotswolds AONB, or Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here, you’ll find some of England’s most beautiful countryside that’s a whole universe apart from the busy, cosmopolitan London.
Castle Combe.
Image credit: Castle Combe
Make your base in any of the absolutely postcard-perfect villages, or spread your 3-4 nights over two – it’s your choice. Embrace the English countryside with scenic walks, hearty country fare with the best of the season’s produce, and forget all your worries.
Image credit: @ofeia via Instagram
Finish up your Europe road trip – UK edition – with a 1-night stopover in Oxford, home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It’s a 51-minute, or easy 47km drive, and you’ll find yourself transported from the countryside to the world of Harry Potter – you’ll recognise places from the film in the Bodeleian Library, New College, and Christ Church.
From Oxford, it’s a breezy 100km drive back to central London – under 2 hours if you don’t encounter any jams back into the city.
Start & end in: London
Total driving time: 7 hours
Total driving distance: 418km
Recommended Budget Car Rental: Car Group I, Compact, Citroen C4 (or similar)
Features: 5 seats, 5 doors, 2 large suitcases, 1 small suitcases, automatic transmission
Fare inclusion: Unlimited mileage, theft protection, collision damage waiver
Total price: S$497.36 for 8 days (Inclusive of 10% discount code)
Pick-up & drop-off: Heathrow APT T234 (LHR) for both
2. Iceland
The Ring Road, including Vatnajokull National Park
Image credit: @inspiredbyiceland via Instagram
For the more adventurous, take a trip to Iceland – and maybe try to make this happen in 2025, which is meant to be a particularly great year to catch the Northern Lights. Short of joining a tour, road tripping is the best way to get around this Nordic island, because you won’t be finding any trains around here.
You’ll need between 7 to 10 days to explore Iceland and fully take in its rugged beauty, starting and ending in Reykjavik and making a whole loop around the island on The Ring Road, AKA Route Number One. It’s up to you whether you want to go clockwise or anticlockwise, but one thing’s for sure: you’ll be pulling over ever so often for the most incredible photo ops.
Image credit: @bluelagoonis via Instagram
Ask anyone, and they’ll probably tell you that their number one thing to see in Iceland is the Blue Lagoon. Get that item ticked, and go for a good, long soak, which would be especially amazing if you’ve just landed after a long haul flight – the Blue Lagoon is just 21 minutes, or 21.6km, from Keflavik International Airport.
Image credit: @_lucabisconti
Head up to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, where you’ll find Kirkjufell, a mountain which is just as representative of Iceland as the Blue Lagoon. Also on the peninsula is Hellissandur, the Street Art Capital of Iceland, and the basalt cliffs of Longrangar. Consider staying in Stykkisholmur, the largest town in the area, or Grundarfjordur, which is smaller but more centrally located.
Image credit: @sayali.redij via Instagram
Before we get to Husavik, the best place in Iceland to go whale watching, there’s a 5-hour drive to Akureyri, where you might want to spend a night after the long drive. From here, take a 30-minute journey to Godafoss Waterfall, or “Waterfall of the Gods”.
Image credit: @marnixvm via Instagram
If, by chance, you’re driving a 4×4 on your Europe road trip and want to escape the crowds at Godafoss, check out Aldeyjarfoss – a waterfall that’s literally in the middle of nowhere, and nothing short of otherworldly. Do note that this will take at least half a day of travelling.
Lake Myvatn.
Image credit: @traveling_sauce via Instagram
Stay in Myvatn, explore Lake Myvatn and Hverir Geothermal Area, then soak away all the aches from hiking at the Myvatn Nature Baths. For more waterfall content, there’s Dettifoss and Selfoss – Europe’s most powerful waterfall.
Sturlagil Canyon.
Image credit: @studlagil_canyon via Instagram
From Myvatn, head to Studlagil Canyon, and if your Europe road trip falls between April to August, one detour you could take is to Borgafjordur estri for up close and personal encounters with puffins in their natural habitat.
Vestrahorn Mountain.
Image credit: @marcofmarques via Instagram
Stay in Egilsstadir for a night and drive 3 hours to Vestrahorn Mountain in the morning, or stick it through the 326km, a 4-hour drive, to Hofn to bunk down. The mountain is an easy 21 minutes from Hofn, just saying.
Diamond Beach.
Image credit: Iceland Discover
Spend a full day at least on the next bit of the itinerary that finds you on the edge of the Vatnajokull National Park: go on a kayak or boat tour of the Jokusarlon Glacier Lagoon, gasp at the wonder that is Diamond Beach, hike on the Vatnajokull Glacier, or walk in an ice cave. End the day in Skaftafell, and make this your base if you are spending more time in the area.
Solheimasandur plane wreck.
Image credit: @fonsiventures via Instagram
The second last stretch of this Europe road trip sees you on the south coast of Iceland, visiting highlights including Fjadrarglujufur, or Feather River Canyon, Reynisfjara Beach, and Skogafoss, another famous waterfall – if you’re not already tired of them.
There’s also Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall which you can walk behind too. And don’t forget the Solheimasandur plane wreck, though be warned that it’s a 2-hour walk there and back.
Strokkur Geyser.
Image credit: @kotomi.yama
You could end your trip here, and drive 2.5 hours back to Reykjavik, or spend a day on the Golden Circle, starting the day with a 2-hour drive to Gullfoss waterfall. Don’t miss the Strokkur Geyser in the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Thingvellir National Park. Complete the holiday with a farewell soak at the Secret Lagoon, and one final 1.5-hour drive back to Reykjavik.
Start & end in: Reykjavik
Total driving time: 20 hours
Total driving distance: 1,332km
Recommended Budget Car Rental: Car Group H, Intermediate SUV, Kia Sportage (or similar)
Features: 5 seats, 5 doors, 2 large suitcases, 0 small suitcases, automatic transmission.
Fare inclusion: Unlimited mileage, theft protection, collision damage waiver
Total price: S$929.10 for 8 days (Inclusive of 10% discount code)
Pick-up & drop-off: Reykjavik Domestic Airport (RKV) for both
3. Italy
Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast
Enjoy la dolce vita on the UNESCO-listed Amalfi Coast this May or September – the best times to visit this southern Italian region – on a Europe road trip. Fly into Naples, have yourself some Neapolitan pizza, and pick up your rental car before heading out to Mount Vesuvius, whose eruption famously annihilated the city of Pompeii back in 79 AD.
Image credit: @pompeii_parco_archeologico via Instagram
You can explore the ancient ruins on your own, but it’s highly recommended that you get a guide who will be able to talk you through the journey. You’ll need at least 2-3 hours here, though you could spend an entire day or more to take it all in, if you wish. Pompeii is under 30km from both Naples and Sorrento, so you could choose to spend the night in either – Naples, of course, will have a buzzier city feel, while Sorrento has a more laidback, resort vibe.
La Fontelina in Capri.
Image credit: @theclassyvoyages via Instagram
However, considering the next leg of this Europe road trip, Sorrento is the better option for a shorter drive to Positano – 14.1km, versus 56km from Naples. We’re not here to rush, so take 2 nights here, and book yourself on a boat trip to the island of Capri while you’re at it. Think: sun, sea, and an Aperol Spritz in hand.
Image credit: @positano.official via Instagram
Your drive around the Campanian coastline takes you from the Gulf of Naples to the Tyrrhenian Sea, heading next to picture perfect Positano in a 30-minute drive, with some crazy hairpin turns along the way. P.S. you’ll most likely have to park in a public carpark and walk to your hotel, unless you stay in a fancy enough place that’ll park your car for you.
Image credit: @fiordofurorebeach via Instagram
If you’re looking for somewhere less crowded, check out the town of Praiano instead, and spend a lazy afternoon or two lounging on a beach – the Fiordo di Furore is one, hidden in a crack on the coast, and fronted by a stone bridge.
Image credit: @sil_psique via Instagram
From Praiano, head out to the Grotto dello Smeraldo – Emerald Grotto in English – which is just 4.6km away, and remember to pre-book your guided boat tour, which will bring you through the sea cave with its otherworldly sunlit waters. Then, drive to the town of Amalfi and visit the Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea, and visit a limoncello factory while you’re here. Spend the night here or in nearby Ravello, but what you must do is try an Amalfi lemon sorbet at some point on this trip.
Image credit: @wiolasarara via Instagram
Yes, this is a road trip, but one hike that you ought to take on the Amalfi Coast is what’s known as the Path of the Gods, or Sentiero degli Dei. You can drive to the trail head in Bomerano, but that would mean you’d need to double back to get your car. Otherwise, walking the full trail will find you ending in Nocelle or Positano.
Image credit: @_simian_ via Instagram
If the Path of the Gods is too strenuous a hike for you, walk the Path of Lemons, also known as Sentiero dei Limoni, instead. This historic path is the same one that lemon farmers used to take when they carried their fruit down to the harbour. It links the towns of Maiori and Minori, and takes you by the famed lemon groves of the region. Pick one of these quaint little towns to spend your last night of the trip, before taking a 55.3km drive back to Naples.
Start & end in: Naples
Total driving time: 4 hours (Do factor in more time when driving along the Amalfi Coast)
Total driving distance: 163km
Recommended Budget Car Rental: Car Group H, Full Size, Cupra Formentor (or similar)
Features: 5 seats, 5 doors, 1 large suitcases, 2 small suitcases, automatic transmission
Fare inclusion: Unlimited mileage, theft protection, collision damage waiver
Total price: S$588.43 for 5 days (Inclusive of 10% discount code)
Pick-up & drop-off: Napoli Capodichino Airport (NAP) for both
4. Ireland & Northern Ireland
From Belfast to Dublin, with cliff walks & puffin watching
You don’t often hear of people travelling to Ireland, but this road trip itinerary may just convince you to plan a holiday there. But – since you’re there, consider making a full loop around the island, though you should note that you’ll need to be proficient at both right- and left-hand driving, and prepare currency in Euros and pounds.
Image credit: The Gobbins Cliff Path
If you fly into Belfast, you’ll pick up a car that’s right-hand drive just like in Singapore, since this belongs to British Northern Ireland. Take a short drive to the Gobbins Cliff Path, a guided cliffside walk that takes you around the coastline overlooking the majestic Irish Sea.
Image credit: @giantscausewaynt via Instagram
Spend the night in Portrush, before hitting your first UNESCO World Heritage Site of the trip: the Giant’s Causeway, which is just 15 minutes away. Explore the area, including The Old Bushmills Distillery, which has been around for more than 400 years, drop in at Dunluce Castle, and traverse the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Then, you’re going to hightail it an hour back to Belfast for the night. If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, you might want to drop by The Dark Hedges, where scenes in the epic drama were filmed.
Image credit: Ireland.com
Cross over to the Republic of Ireland, where people drive on the left side of the road, and visit Bru na Boinne, also called the Boyne Valley tombs. This UNESCO site dates back 6,000 years, with Neolithic structures that are at least 5,000 years old housing western Europe’s largest collection of megalithic art.
Image credit: @vijayadoosje via Instagram
Book yourself a night in Dublin, only the fourth UNESCO City of Literature, and breathe in the smarts at Trinity College, where the famed Book of Kells is kept. Learn how to pull a pint at the Guinness Storehouse – Guinness does taste better here – and visit the Kilmainham Gaol.
Image credit: @pierrick.ftn via Instagram
Next up on the itinerary is a long, 266km drive across the island to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, which you may recognise from the Harry Potter franchise, among many other films. Towering more than 200m above sea level, these spectacular cliffs are home to many colonies of nesting sea birds.
If you’re up for it, the Burren National Park is a 31km drive away, famed for its rocky landscape, where Arctic, Alpine, and Mediterranean plants grow right next to each other. Plus, 23 of Ireland’s 27 native orchid species grow here, and you’ll even find rare breeds of Old Irish goats here – the park is a trove of flora and fauna. After this, you’ll retire for the day in the city of Limerick.
The Old Weir Bridge.
Image credit: @svet.pres.hledacek via Instagram
Hoof it 117km down to Killarney, your starting point for the Ring of Kerry drive: a 179km circular route that’ll bring you to some of Ireland’s most beautiful landscapes. Spend a day or two in Killarney National Park, and take in sights including Moll’s Gap, Gap of Dunloe, the Old Weir Bridge, and Innisfallen Island.
Image credit: @pierrick.ftn via Instagram
If you’re visiting between April and September, sign yourself up for a boat tour to UNESCO World Heritage Site Skellig Michael, where movies including Star Wars were filmed. These trips, especially the landing tours that take place from May to September, are very highly sought after, so you’ll have to book them a good while in advance.
You’ll need to stay in or near Portmagee the previous night if you’re going on these tours, since the boat trips start pretty early in the morning. Driving from Killarney to Portmagee, you’ll pass Cahergall, a medieval stone fort near Cahersiveen.
After the boat tour, take an easy loop around Valentia Island, and check out the view from Geokaun Mountain, before embarking on a scenic drive to Parknasilla or Sneem. From here, it’s a 120km journey to Cork, or thrice that back to Dublin – depending on where you’ll fly out from.
Start in: Belfast
End in: Cork or Dublin
Total driving time: 16-19 hours
Total driving distance: 1,165-1,421km
Recommended Budget Car Rental: Car Group I, Compact Crossover, MG ZS (or similar)
Features: 5 seats, 5 doors, 2 large suitcases, automatic transmission
Fare inclusion: Unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver
Total fare: S$468.050 for 8 days (Inclusive of 10% discount code)
Pick-up: Belfast International Airport (BFS)
Drop-off: Cork Airport (ORK)
5. Portugal
Lisbon to Porto, with medieval Moorish towns & castles
Image credit: @lisbon via Instagram
The last European road trip itinerary on this list finds you in Portugal, rather than the oft-visited Spain. Start your journey in its capital, Lisbon, where virtually none of its oldest buildings has a history beyond 1755, when a massive earthquake almost entirely destroyed the city.
Image credit: My Guide Lisbon
2 buildings which survived the earthquake were Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Jeronimos Monastery, whose construction started in 1501 and lasted a century, and Belem Tower, a fort and later, lighthouse. While you’re in the area, don’t forget to have a Portuguese egg tart, AKA Pasteis de Nata, at the 188-year-old Pasteis de Belem.
From Lisbon, drive 32km west to the wealthy beach town of Cascais, pronounced ‘cash-ky’ – a destination you’ll want to put on your itinerary, especially during the warmer months. You’ll have to be prepared for the crowds, though. Spend an afternoon here, or book yourself into one of the chic resorts for a mini beach vacay.
Pena Palace.
Image credit: @visit.sintra via Instagram
If you thought the monastery was impressive, wait till you get to Sintra, just 20 minutes inland. Here, you’ll find not one or two, but at least 6 palaces and castles in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its cooler microclimate. It’s impossible to cover all the sights here in a single day, so you might need to pick, or consider staying overnight. Do note, however, that driving is pretty restricted here, so you might want to take a local bus within Sintra or walk instead.
Monsteiro da Batalha.
Image credit: @marketcandle via Instagram
From Sintra, you’re going to drive an hour north to the medieval walled town of Obidos. Get the full experience by staying here overnight, so you also get to see the town after the day trippers have left.
27 minutes away, you’ll hit Monsteiro de Alcobaca, the first Gothic building in Portugal and yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Make that a double, with Monsteiro da Batalha, which is known to be one of Portugal’s most beautiful churches – just a 22-minute drive away.
Biblioteca Joanina.
Image credit: @ucoimbra via Instagram
Up next is a 90km drive to the city of Coimbra, home of the country’s oldest university, where you must visit Biblioteca Joanina – one of Europe’s most well-kept Baroque libraries, built completely in wood and gilded gold surfaces, and their own resident bats. The old town here is ripe with Moorish influence from the 8th-13th centuries; there is even, in fact, an inscription on the cathedral walls in Arabic.
Image credit: @quintadacostadouro via Instagram
Stay a night in Coimbra, and then make your way 2-hour north to the Douro Valley: a verdant, magical terraced wine region that houses all of Portugal’s most esteemed quintas, or wineries. Visit one of these to see how port wine is produced, have a port flight, take a romantic river cruise down the Douro River, and stay in one of these magnificent properties for a night.
Bid farewell to the countryside, and head back into Porto to end your road trip – only 97km away, it’s an easy drive back to the valley should you feel like it again.
Start in: Lisbon
End in: Porto
Total driving time: 7 hours
Total driving distance: 579km
Recommended Budget Car Rental: Car Group L, Compact, Citroen C4 (or similar)
Features: 5 seats, 5 doors, 2 large suitcases, 2 small suitcases, automatic transmission
Fare inclusion: Unlimited mileage, theft protection, collision damage waiver
Total price: S$968.29 for 5 days (Inclusive of 10% discount code)
Pick-up: Lisbon Airport (LIS)
Drop-off: Porto Airport (OPO)
Plan your Europe road trip with Budget Car Rental
Zipping around Europe living out your road trip fantasies has never been easier, with Budget Car Rental. Take your pick from their comprehensive range of cars which come with unlimited mileage, local city and airport taxes, and excesses such as damage excess and theft excess – just in case.
Image credit: Budget
Pick from extra top-ups including GPS rental, child seats or booster seats, and even Roadside Assistant Plus, which covers you for any call-out charges and work done.
Think about it: getting a group of people, especially if they include younger and older travellers, to the train station on time, and then onto the train, with a load of luggages can be trying, to say the least. With a car rental, your day is so much more flexible, and you won’t have to lug your barang up and down trains, or deal with railway disruptions.
It’s the best way to ensure that your holiday can take spontaneous turns, without someone falling apart in a panic because you’ve missed a connection. What’s more, you’ll have the freedom to pull over and grab a shot whenever you please, unlike on a train or plane.
As the name suggests, Budget Car Rental is just that – budget-friendly. Not only do their cars come in different sizes, they also have rentals to suit every budget. If affordability is your concern, we’ve got great news for you: enjoy up to 10% off* your Budget Car Rental when you make a booking between 28th February to 23rd March 2025, for travel from now till 15th December 2025. Just use the promo code <D793501> when booking.
*Budget standard terms and conditions apply.
Wherever you may choose to Europe road trip this year, don’t forget to do all the necessary checks and get your International Driving Permit (IDP) ready in advance. It would also be wise to read up on the local driving regulations so you can avoid being slapped with unpleasant fines after your holiday.
Book your Budget Car Rental here
This post was brought to you by Budget Car Rental.
Cover image adapted from: @fonsiventures & @lisbon via Instagram