🚐 The 5 Best Summer Road-Trip Routes in Europe 🌞

If you’re thinking about heading to Europe this summer, a campervan is one of the smartest ways to do it. Hotels are expensive, the Euro can be unpredictable, restaurants add up fast and sightseeing during peak season makes the budget wobble. Combine your transport and accommodation into one tidy rolling home and suddenly things look a lot more manageable.

And for Aussies and Kiwis, it’s often cheaper than a fortnight of hotels, trains and restaurant meals. For North Americans, it’s a way to get off the big-city circuit and explore Europe’s countryside with real freedom.

Below are five two-week road-trip ideas that give a taste of what’s possible — enough inspiration without locking you into a rigid itinerary.

🌍Why Consider a European Campervan Road Trip? 💶

• Hotels in July/August can be eye-watering — a campervan saves you hundreds.

• Restaurants and sightseeing add up fast; cooking some of your own meals keeps the trip balanced.

• Transport costs drop when you combine car + hotel into one.

• You’re not tied to timetables, check-in times or sold-out rooms.

• Holiday parks and Hipcamp-style farm stays make it easy to stay somewhere beautiful every night.

• It’s a brilliant way to explore smaller towns most tourists miss.

• The freedom is addictive — you choose the view from your bedroom.

🏔️ 1. Norway’s Fjord Country: Oslo → Bergen

Why do this trip?
Summer gives you huge daylight hours, dramatic scenery and some of the world’s most beautiful drives. Norway isn’t cheap, so a campervan softens the blow.

Suggested route stops:

• Oslo

• Lillehammer

• Geirangerfjord

• Ålesund

• Nordfjord

• Sognefjord

• Bergen

⛺ Campground ideas:

• Geiranger Camping

• Oldevatn Camping (Nordfjord)

• Bergen Camping Park

Official links:

• Visit Norway

• Fjord Norway

🌿 2. France’s Provence & Côte d’Azur: Marseille → Menton

Why do this trip?
Lavender fields, sun-soaked beaches and gorgeous markets. Hotels on the Riviera in summer can cost the same as a domestic flight home — a camper keeps things sane.

Suggested route stops:

• Marseille

• Aix-en-Provence

• Valensole

• Verdon Gorge

• Nice

• Èze

• Menton

⛺ Campground ideas:

• Camping Ste Victoire (Aix)

• Camping Verdon Parc

• Camping Saint-Michel (Menton area)

Official links:

• Provence Tourism

• Côte d’Azur Tourism

🏰 3. Germany’s Romantic Road: Würzburg → Füssen

Why do this trip?
Castles, cobblestone towns and picture-perfect countryside. It’s an easy route with excellent facilities and very campervan-friendly infrastructure.

Suggested route stops:

• Würzburg

• Rothenburg ob der Tauber

• Dinkelsbühl

• Nördlingen

• Augsburg

• Landsberg am Lech

• Füssen

⛺ Campground ideas:

• Camping Tauberromantik (near Rothenburg)

• Camping Augsburg

• Camping Bannwaldsee (Füssen)

Official links:

• Romantic Road

• Germany Tourism

🛶 4. Italy’s Northern Lakes & Dolomites: Milan → Garda → Dolomites → Venice

Why do this trip?
Because northern Italy in summer is magic — lake swims, mountain passes, tiny villages and pasta on repeat. Lakeside hotels in July can be shockingly expensive, but campgrounds offer incredible value.

Suggested route stops:

• Milan

• Lake Como

• Lake Garda

• Val di Fassa

• Dolomite passes

• Cortina d’Ampezzo

• Venice (stay outside, ferry in)

⛺ Campground ideas:

• Camping Village Città di Milano

• Camping La Riva (Lake Garda)

• Camping Olympia (Dolomites)

• Camping Fusina (Venice ferry access)

Official links:

• Italy Tourism

• Dolomites Tourism

🌊 5. Portugal’s Atlantic Coast: Porto → Lisbon → Algarve 

Why do this trip?
Laid-back surf towns, coastal viewpoints, pastel tiles and brilliant seafood. Portugal offers excellent value for money compared with much of Western Europe.

Suggested route stops:

• Porto

• Aveiro

• Nazaré

• Peniche

• Sintra

• Lisbon

• Alentejo Coast

• Lagos (Algarve)

⛺ Campground ideas:

• Orbitur Angeiras (Porto)

• Peniche Praia Camping

• Camping Lisboa

• Turiscampo Algarve

Official links:

• Visit Portugal

• Visit Algarve

✨Thinking About a European Campervan Adventure? 🚐

Hiring a campervan gives you flexibility, freedom and a more relaxed way to see Europe — especially during the busy summer stretch.

Compare and book European campervans with DriveNow:
https://www.drivenow.com.au/campervan-hire/europe
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📩Ready to plan your European road trip?
Save on hotels, skip the rigid schedules and explore Europe your way.
👉 Compare campervan rentals with DriveNow.com.au and lock in your summer road-trip wheels early.

Shelley Richardson

Shelley has been working in the travel industry for over 30 years, in aviation, for tour operators and since 2016 for DriveNow. Having travelled extensively worldwide, alone, as a couple and with her family, Shelley has experience to share about how to make the most of your holiday, especially road-trips to amazing destinations.