5 Most Beautiful Coastal Roads in Europe
Although trains and planes are popular ways of getting around Europe; let’s not forget that there are also a number of absolutely gorgeous drives on this diverse continent. From epic mountain passes to thick primeval forests, Europe’s landscapes are mind boggling. The top 5 most beautiful coastal roads in Europe are as varied as they could possibly be.
Top 5 Most Beautiful Coastal Roads in Europe
Wild coasts surround the European continent, from Scandinavia to Great Britain to the Mediterranean. Often, the shores are home to picturesque villages, historic towns and beautiful beaches. Europe is a place that deserves to be explored by motorhome rental—there’s nothing quite like driving from one iconic European city to the next along a spectacular stretch of coastline.
If this kind of traveling tickles your fancy, you’ll certainly be interested in the following top 5 most beautiful coastal roads in Europe.
5: Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
By far the longest road in this list, Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way zigzags from Malin Head, the northernmost point on the island, to Old Head of Kinsale in the south. It’s 2,500 kilometers long, making for a memorable ten-day to two-week journey. Take your time for this one. There’s quite a lot to see, including places like the Cliffs of Moher, Skellig Michael, Galway, Connemara, Slieve League and Fanad Head.
4: Ring Road, Iceland
Even though this long loop around the Icelandic isle doesn’t always follow the coast, it deserves a spot in this list. Whenever it does touch or parallel the coast of Iceland; and it does so quite often; the scenery is nothing less than breathtaking. This awesome road is more than 1,300 kilometers long and takes in basically all major highlights in Iceland, of which there are more than you can count.
3: North Coast 500, Scotland
The North Coast 500 extends for 516 miles (about 830 kilometers) along the spectacular coast of northern Scotland. Starting and ending at Inverness Castle; the North Coast 500 passes a plethora of various attractions, from deserted beaches and rugged cliffs to historic fishing villages and castle ruins. When it comes to wild beauty, this is arguably one of the best—if not simply the best—coastal roads in Europe.
2: Amalfi Coast, Italy
On the coast of southwestern Italy, the absolutely jaw-dropping Amalfi Coast Road snakes its way scenically along one of the world’s greatest coastlines. This is no road for the fainthearted, though, as there are steep drop-offs, narrow sections and blind turns all over the place. In terms of sheer beauty, however, things can’t get a whole lot better than this. This stunner of a drive can easily be done in just one day. It’s only 50 kilometers long, connecting the Sorrento and Amalfi villages.
1: Atlantic Road, Norway
Previously voted “most beautiful drive in the world”, Norway’s Atlantic Road is the rightful number one in this list of beautiful coastal roads in Europe. Although the other roads above are undeniably scenic as well, this one takes things a step further. The road is by no means long—it’s super-short, actually. Just more than eight kilometers long, it packs beauty unlike any other road on earth. A true engineering masterpiece, it runs over eight bridges and connects the western Norwegian mainland with a series of islands.
