Jeremy Clarkson described Romania's Transfăgărășan Highway as "one unbroken grey ribbon of motoring perfection". The route (the second highest in Romania after the Transalpina) with its hairpin bends and climbs over the mountain was thrilling. Although we'd been told bear sightings were possible, we didn't anticipate spotting them literally on the roadside, with one hanging over a stone wall posing for photographs, taken through the car window. Because of the harsh winters in the southern Carpathian Mountains, the section of the road to Bâlea Lake is open only for a few summer months – it proved particularly beautiful.
In 2022 my wife and I set off on a 1,000-mile road trip around the island of Ireland after taking the overnight ferry from Liverpool to Belfast. We stopped in Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Dingle, Ennis, Galway, Castlebar, Sligo, Donegal and Derry, staying in a mix of hostels, B&Bs and holiday lets. The scenery was incredibly varied, with the peninsula drive on the Ring of Kerry and the karst landscape of the Burren being particularly memorable. There were beautiful beaches, rich history and culture, superb food, characterful towns and cities, and such friendly, warm people.
My wife and I drove from Bergen to Vossevangen along the Hardangerfjord, with a diversion to Flåm for a sauna and dip. Then we took the Myrkdalen road, which includes hairpin bends, waterfalls and an exciting descent into Vikøyri, before visiting Nese, a secluded village on the western shore of the Arnafjorden. A car ferry took us to Dragsvik, then along the northern shore of the Sognefjord for another ferry to Dingja on the coast, to do some fishing, before heading all the way back to Bergen.
We started from Reykjavík and drove around the whole country on the ring road. We have done a few road trip holidays – this one was the most interesting. Every day we saw multiple dramatic landscapes and weather conditions, as well as very few other cars, since we went in May. Iceland is an expensive country but being able to whale-watch and swim in geothermal pools made it worth it.
We drove up to Orkney, taking our time, stopping in Glasgow, Falkirk, Perth and Tain. As lovers of history and design, we visited the Falkirk Wheel, the Kelpies and Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland, the most northerly of Scotland's great houses. You're spoilt for choice with castles, brochs and standing stones, but for us, the spectacular Caithness coastline was the main attraction – not least Dunnet Head, mainland Britain's most northerly point.
The Romantische Strasse (Romantic Road) was an early example of a themed tourist route. It covers 286 miles through Bavaria from Würzburg to Schwangau. We drove the entire route, visiting picturesque medieval towns, climbing the clock tower at the walled town of Nördlingen – built entirely inside a meteor crater – and ending at the fairytale castle of Schloss Neuschwanstein. We sampled the hearty Bavarian cuisine, enjoyed the local beer, and stayed in simple local hotels.
Abruzzo's Valle del Sagittario snakes between narrow limestone cliffs, giving a peek into Italy's wild heart. From vertiginous Anversa degli Abruzzi, head south to Scanno, pausing to solve its riddle of stone stairways and cobbled alleys, made famous by photographers and artists. Continue through mountain pastures, still traversed by shepherds and flocks and the region's endangered brown bear population. Take a deep breath at the Godi mountain pass and relish the sparkling turquoise of Lago di Barrea below, then look out for the aptly named roadside hotel as you descend into the national park: Paradiso.