Europe Road Trip

France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, Germany & Luxembourg

Key Information

Route: Dover → Paris → Bern → Milan → Manarola → Pisa → Lipica → Vienna → Bratislava → Krakow → Prague → Bamberg → Cochem → Dover

Duration: 14 days

Transport: Car (ferry from Dover)

Ferry: P&O Ferries (flexible ticket – can use any ferry 4 hours before or after booked time)

Important: Arrive at ferry dock 30 minutes before departure

Vignettes Required: Czech Republic motorway

Mobile Data: Turn off before entering Switzerland to avoid roaming charges

Language Basics

French:

• Hello – Bonjour (Bohn-Zhoor)
• Goodbye – Au revoir (Oh rur-vwah)
• Please – S’il vous plait (See voo play)
• Thank you – Merci (Mehr-see)
• You’re Welcome – De Rien (Deu Ree-Ahn)
• Pardon Me – Excusez-moi (Pahr-dohn Mwah)
• English? – Anglais (Ahng-Leh?)
• Yes – Oui (wee)
• No – Nohn (No)

Italian:

• Hello – Ciao (Chow)
• Goodbye – Arrivedeci (aww-rev Deci)
• Please – Per Favoure (Poor fav-vour)
• Thank you – Grazie (Gratz-ee)
• English? – Inglese? (eng-lese?)
• Yes – Si
• No – No

Summary of Plan

Day	Date	Plan	Accommodation
1	Fri 21-Jul	Dover to Paris	Hotel, Paris
2	Sat 22-Jul	Paris & Drive to Bern	Hotel, Bern
3	Sun 23-Jul	Bern & Drive to Milan	Hotel, Milan
4	Mon 24-Jul	Milan & Drive to Manarola	Hotel, Manarola
5	Tue 25-Jul	Manarola & Drive to Pisa	Hotel, Pisa
6	Wed 26-Jul	Pisa & Drive to Slovenia	Hotel, Slovenia
7	Thu 27-Jul	Lipica Stud Farm & Drive to Vienna	Hotel, Vienna
8	Fri 28-Jul	Vienna & Drive to Bratislava	Hotel, Bratislava
9	Sat 29-Jul	Bratislava & Drive to Krakow	Hotel, Krakow
10	Sun 30-Jul	Krakow, Auschwitz & Drive to Prague	Hotel, Prague
11	Mon 01-Aug	Prague & Drive to Bamberg	Hotel, Bamberg
12	Tue 02-Aug	Bamberg & Drive to Cochem	Hotel, Cochem
13	Wed 03-Aug	Cochem & Drive to Dover	Ferry & Home

DAY 01 [21/07] – Dover to Paris

Hotel, Paris – night 1/1

Ferry: Depart Dover 18:35, arrive Calais 21:05 local time

Drive: 3 hours 7 minutes (toll road) or 3 hours 15 minutes (non-toll)

We will set off at about 1PM to Dover. The typical time to Dover dock from home on a Friday at 1PM is 3hr 30mins to 4hr 50mins depending on London traffic. Our ferry depart time is 18:35 so we should get there in plenty of time. You are required to arrive/check in at the dock 30 minutes before departure. The ferry will arrive at 21:05 local time and we now drive to Paris or the outskirts of Paris to find a place to sleep for the night. Stay in the hotel for the night to get a wash and sleep. Night night!

DAY 02 [22/07] – Paris & Drive to Bern

Hotel, Bern – night 1/1

Drive: 6 hours 6 minutes

Early rise this morning, we want to be parked up in Paris by 7AM to give us time to explore before setting off to Switzerland tonight because it’s a long drive! Park up at 7AM (NOTE: MAKE SURE WE KEEP A GPS TRACK OF WHERE THE CAR IS PARKED) and then head off via the Paris Metro to visit some sites and visit the Le Marais last where we can buy some lunch before we set off again.

Paris Highlights:

• Eiffel Tower
• Arc de Triomphe
• Louvre Museum
• Notre-Dame Cathedral
• Sacré-Cœur
• Le Marais district

Once we’ve filled up on lunch, head off to the car and set off for Bern in Switzerland. The drive is 6hrs and 6mins so on the way we will stop off for some food in a French town called Beaune (TURN MOBILE DATA OFF HERE IN PREPARATION TO GO TO SWITZERLAND) and then carry on to Bern. Once we arrive in Bern we will find a hotel for the night, park the car up and then go for a walk around the city to witness the nightlife and eat and drink some tasty stuff!

The most common language spoken in Bern, Switzerland is German so just get Tarnya to do it, no guide needed! 😛

DAY 03 [23/07] – Bern & Drive to Milan

Hotel, Milan – night 1/1

Drive: 4 hours

Early start again this morning, head into the city to get some breakfast and then visit the following sites to see in Bern, most things are within walking distance so we won’t need to catch the Metro etc.

Bern Highlights:

• Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Zytglogge (Clock Tower)
• Bear Park
• Bern Cathedral
• Federal Palace
• Rose Garden

The drive to Milan this afternoon is 4 hours and full of some of the most beautiful sites in Europe, so if we leave Bern after lunch we can stop at a few sites for pictures around Switzerland. There’s also a place called Valle Verzasca on the way that we can stop off at and maybe even go for a swim!

Once we arrive in Milan we will find a hotel, park the car then head into the city for some dinner and exploring of the city at night.

DAY 04 [24/07] – Milan & Drive to Manarola

Hotel, Manarola – night 1/1

Drive: 3 hours

Once again it’s an earlier rise (get used to this!) and we will be setting off a little later to our next destination today (about 3PM) so we will explore the following sites of Milan, enjoy some Italian food and then drive to our next destination at about 3PM.

Milan Highlights:

• Duomo di Milano (Cathedral)
• Galleria Vittoriano Emanuele II
• Sforza Castle
• La Scala Opera House
• Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper (Santa Maria delle Grazie)

There’s not a huge number of landmarks in Milan other than those aforementioned but Milan is a beautiful city to walk around and try some tasty food and get some shopping if you so wish!

The drive to Manarola will take 3 hours so when we arrive at approx. 6PM we will find a hotel then explore the beautiful city at night for food and to take in the sites.

DAY 05 [25/07] – Manarola & Drive to Pisa

Hotel, Pisa – night 1/1

Drive: 1 hour 30 minutes

Another early start to explore the beautiful town of Manarola. There’s not lots of sites to see per say, just a beautiful town to walk around and take pictures, this is a coastal town so a dip in the sea is recommended here!

The drive to Pisa is only 1hour 30mins so we can leave at about 5PM today. The drive to Pisa is on the coastal roads of Italy so some gorgeous views that we may want to stop off at! Once we arrive in Pisa we will grab some dinner at night and take in the city but we will save the leaning tower of Pisa till tomorrow morning.

DAY 06 [26/07] – Pisa & Drive to Slovenia

Hotel, Slovenia – night 1/1

Drive: Approximately 6-7 hours

This morning we will explore the leaning tower of Pisa along with the other historical buildings that are set in the same grounds, all for free entry and then head off to Slovenia at about 4PM to find a hotel to chill in for the night.

Pisa Highlights:

• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Pisa Cathedral
• Baptistery
• Piazza dei Miracoli

NOTE: Buy some snacks on the way to Slovenia because there aren’t many restaurants etc about in the area near the Lipizzaner farm we are visiting tomorrow.

DAY 07 [27/07] – Lipica Stud Farm & Drive to Vienna

Hotel, Vienna – night 1/1

Drive: 4 hours 40 minutes

This morning we will visit the Lipica Stud Farm where some of the most famous, valuable and well-known horses in the world live. They are a special breed called Lipizzaner’s, a horse traced back to the 8th Century, they were bred by the royal family of Hungary and raised in Spain and Slovenia. Access to the farm costs 12 Euros each for Students and if you want a 15 minute carriage ride for the both of us it is 20 Euros.

Once we’re done at the riding school we will drive on to Vienna in Austria. The drive to Vienna takes 4hours 40 minutes. In Vienna we will find a hotel then do the usual of taking in the city at night and trying some food and drink.

DAY 08 [28/07] – Vienna & Drive to Bratislava

Hotel, Bratislava – night 1/1

Drive: 1 hour

You’ll be relieved to know that we only have 1 hour of driving to do today so we can get up in the morning, go out and enjoy the following sites of Vienna. Our drive to Bratislava is only 1 hour so we can leave in the afternoon, 4PM maybe?

Vienna Highlights:

• Schönbrunn Palace
• Hofburg Palace
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral
• Belvedere Palace
• Vienna State Opera
• Ringstrasse

There’s not many big sites to see in Vienna per say, it’s more of a walk around city and just have a look, similar to Lithuania.

Drive to Bratislava in Slovakia at a later time today and explore the city at night to take in some sights and enjoy some food and drink.

DAY 09 [29/07] – Bratislava & Drive to Krakow

Hotel, Krakow – night 1/1

Drive: 4 hours 40 minutes

This morning we will wake up and explore Bratislava and then head off just after midday for our 4 hours 40 minutes drive to Krakow, Poland. The majority of this drive is along a Czech motorway so be sure to buy our vignette at the border!

There’s also not many big sites to see in Bratislava per say, it’s more of a walk around city and just have a look.

Bratislava Highlights:

• Bratislava Castle
• Old Town
• St. Martin’s Cathedral
• Michael’s Gate

We will arrive in Krakow at about 6PM, again we will find a hotel and then explore the city at night.

DAY 10 [30/07] – Krakow, Auschwitz & Drive to Prague

Hotel, Prague – night 1/1

Drive: 1 hour 10 minutes to Auschwitz, then 4 hours 50 minutes to Prague

This morning we will stay in Krakow exploring the following sites until 1PM. Then at 1PM we will drive to Auschwitz, the drive to Auschwitz is 1 hour 10 minutes. Our tour of Auschwitz is booked for 3PM and takes 3.5 hours so tonight will be a late one. Once we are done at Auschwitz we will drive to Prague, which will take about 4 hours 50 minutes.

Krakow Highlights:

• Main Market Square
• Wawel Castle
• St. Mary’s Basilica
• Cloth Hall
• Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz)

Once we arrive in Prague we will enjoy the city at night with some food and drink.

DAY 11 [01/08] – Prague & Drive to Bamberg

Hotel, Bamberg – night 1/1

Drive: 3 hours 40 minutes

This morning we will explore the following sites of Prague and then head off to Bamberg in the afternoon, which is a 3 hour 40 minute drive away.

Prague Highlights:

• Prague Castle
• Charles Bridge
• Old Town Square
• Astronomical Clock
• St. Vitus Cathedral
• Jewish Quarter

Once we arrive in Bamberg we will do the usual of enjoying the city at night with some food and drink.

DAY 12 [02/08] – Bamberg & Drive to Cochem

Hotel, Cochem – night 1/1

Drive: 4 hours

This morning we will wake up early and explore Bamberg before heading off in the afternoon to Cochem, it’s a 4 hour drive but takes us to the other side of Germany thus making going home tomorrow easier! Bamberg is just a small town so there’s no sites to see really just walking around to enjoy.

Once we arrive in Cochem we will explore the city at night for some food and drink!

DAY 13 [03/08] – Cochem & Drive Home

Ferry: Depart Calais 17:15, arrive Dover 17:25 local time

Drive: 5 hours to Calais, then 4 hours home from Dover

Today is going home day! We will wake up early (about 6AM) to go out and explore Cochem before heading back to the dock to go home on our ferry which is booked for 17:15PM however we have a flexible ticket for 4 hours each way again. We will need to leave Cochem at noon for the 5 hour drive back to Calais. The ferry takes us back to Dover where the local time will be 17:25PM and we can start the 4 hour drive back to Derby to see all the squeakys again! Cochem is just a small town so there’s no sites to see really just walking around to enjoy.