Traveling by car is cheaper and more convenient than any other means of transport. The main thing is to know the right routes and remember to buckle up. Open the windows wider, turn up the music louder and step on the gas – we have prepared for you the most interesting road trip route through the center of Europe – Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Italy.
We depart from Germany, from an island in the city of Lindau on Lake Constance. Before the start, you can walk around the historical part of the city, between old houses with tiled roofs, walk along the embankment to the lighthouse, take a photo as a souvenir – and off you go.
To get to Switzerland you have to travel about 450 kilometers along the Alpine road – one of the most beautiful European routes. Along the way you will come across many small Bavarian towns and villages. For example, the village of Oberstaufen, where in September a colorful festival is held to drive livestock from alpine pastures. Or the Ettal Monastery in the mountainous part of Bavaria, one of the largest Baroque monuments in southern Germany. Don’t forget to stop by Garmisch-Partenkirchen, an Alpine ski resort with picturesque mountain gorges and medieval-style houses. And also Bad Tölz, located at an altitude of 670 meters above sea level. You can download a detailed map of this part of the route here.
But the main thing on the alpine route is not even the villages and cities, but the stunning view from the mountain serpentine of alpine meadows, snowy peaks and dense forests with medieval castles. One of them is Neuschwanstein Castle, not far from the Austrian border, which became the prototype for Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris.
You can stay overnight in a family hotel or small guesthouse, which are sufficient along the entire length of the route.
On your way to Switzerland, don’t forget to stop in Liechtenstein. This state is small, but it also has its own castles. One of them is Vaduz Castle, the official residence of the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. You won’t be able to get into the castle, but now you can tell everyone that you visited Austria – visually these countries are not much different, except for the design of the mailboxes.
You can start your trip around Switzerland from Zurich, and it’s better to spend at least a day on the city itself. To see as much as possible in a short time, stick to the following scheme: 1) attractions (St. Peter’s Church, Grossmunster Cathedral and others),
2) old streets and embankment (one of the most picturesque places in Zurich),
3) shopping – Bahnhofstrasse (there are many stores of popular brands, exclusive boutiques and jewelry stores).
From Zurich it is worth driving to the Rhine Falls (it is only 50 kilometers away) and two small Swiss cities – Neuhausen and Schaffhausen, located nearby. In summer, the Rhine Falls gains enormous strength and turns into a continuous cloud of steam with stunningly beautiful rainbows. You can park, rent a boat and sail to one of the islands on the river near the waterfall.
From Zurich to Bern, the actual capital of Switzerland, 120 kilometers. Art lovers should stay in Bern – the collections of local museums will be the envy of any European capital. The main attractions of the city are located in its historical center: on the streets of Spitalgasse, Marktgasse and Kramgasse. Here are the Prison and Clock towers, street fountains and a Gothic cathedral with the tallest bell tower in Switzerland.
Further another 160 kilometers to the “capital of the world” – Geneva. It received this nickname because of the headquarters of the UN and the Red Cross, as well as because of the nuclear physics laboratory with the Large Hadron Collider. Geneva has a dozen modern and ancient museums, narrow medieval streets and shopping centers.
From Geneva, head south through France on the D902. After driving through the 11-kilometer tunnel under Mont Blanc, you will find yourself in the Alpine Aosta Valley, which lies among the slopes of the highest mountain peaks in Europe: Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn. Welcome to Italy!
From Aosta to Turin – 115 kilometers. Here you definitely need to do three things: 1) step on the belly of a metal image of a bull (the bull is a symbol of the city),
of which there are many on asphalt paths – for good luck, 2) go to any chocolate shop (Turin chocolate is a source of pride for Italians, it is sold all over the world),
3) visit the famous Egyptian Museum – the world’s first museum dedicated to Ancient Egypt.
From Turin, head south towards Florence. It is 420 kilometers away, but it won’t be boring – almost the entire way you will drive along the Apennine Mountains, stopping in small Italian towns and villages. When entering shops and stores, do not hesitate to bargain. If you do everything with a smile, you will quickly find a common language, even if you don’t know anything in Italian except the word Cippolino.
You can find the ideal hotel on OneTwoTrip.
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