6 European Cities in 6 Days
/After partying in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava for New Years Eve 2014. Instead of flying back to London, we decided that we would drive back through Europe, stopping off in various cities on the way.
The plan was to start off with breakfast in Bratislava, lunch in Vienna and dinner in Prague. Then spend a couple of days exploring Berlin and Bruges, and finally taking the Eurotunnel from Calais and drive up to London.
In total, we drove through eight countries and covered just under 2000km, all in six days! This is the beauty of Europe. No border checkpoints to cross and no separate visas. This is one of the most spontaneous trips I’ve ever done. We booked accommodation on the way and explored the cities with no plan.
This was our route - I’ve included the roads and highways we used plus the hotels we stayed in. If you have longer than six days to do a Euro trip, you can easily add other cities to your list including Budapest, Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva and Zurich to name a few. Enjoy!
Bratislava
Bratislava in January is snowy and freezing! Some of the roads and paths were like a skating rink. The city has a true, old European feel about it. The Slovaks know how to party but there is nothing new about the city… apart from the UFO Tower which you can see here. Inside there is a restaurant and two bars which boast the best views of the city.
This was the shortest part of the trip. From Bratislava take the A6 and A4 to Vienna, which should take you just short of an hour. Hence breakfast and lunch in two different capital cities.
Bratislava to Vienna
Vienna (Wien) has produced renowned artists and world-famous architecture, including Mozart and Beethoven, Schönbrunn Palace and St. Stephen's Cathedral. A city full of class and history. Walking around Vienna, I was given the sense that it’s a grandparent to all of the other European cities. A capital that doesn’t need to prove anything as their history has secured its future.
From Vienna, follow the A5 north which turns into Route 52 as you enter Czechia (1.5 hours). Follow Route 52 to Brno, then take the E50 north-west all the way to Prague (2 hours). This part of the trip should take 3 and half hours in total.
Vienna to Prague
We finally arrived in Prague (Praha) just in time for dinner which ended up being a huge hot dog from one of the Christmas market stalls - needed! I immediately fell in love with the city. Maybe that was because it was wayyyy livelier and more picturesque than Vienna and Bratislava. We stayed at the NH Prague hotel which was pretty close to everything we wanted to see. Also, there was a tram stop just a few minutes away. Top tip: a phrasebook will come in handy! The Czech language is difficult…
After a full 24 hours of exploring Prague, it was time to head to Berlin! We joined the E55 north which turns into the A13 as you enter Germany. You will drive on the outskirts of Dresden, keeping on the A13 to Berlin. The journey should take another 3 and a half hours.
Prague to Berlin
Berlin, my second home! This was approximately the tenth time I’d been to Berlin, and it felt like the first time. Well, first time in the winter… it was freezing! Again, we had another 24 hours or walking aimlessly around the city, stopping off at the Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz. We stayed at the super-cool nhow Berlin hotel - everything is pink!
After eating and drinking our way around Berlin, it was time for the longest part of the trip… 8 hours to Bruges! On our route, we drove past Hanover, Dortmund and Antwerp (places to stop to break up the drive!) We followed the A2 west for nearly 500km eeek! It felt it was never going to end, however, this road is FAST! There are parts of this highway which have no speed limits so you can guess what happened! Just past Dortmund, we joined the A40 and then briefly on the A67 through The Netherlands. As we entered Belgium, we joined the E34… finally to Bruges.
Berlin to Bruges
We reached Bruges past midnight, exhausted and starving! We found a Christmas market stall (just about to close) in the Plaza Gran Mercado. Luckily, we were also staying just next to the main square at the Hotel Bourgoensch Hof - one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed in (pictured here!) Bruges is quaint, picturesque, quiet and should definitely be on your bucket list!
After a wonderfully relaxing day in Bruges, it was time to head home. We joined the E40 towards France and the A16 to the Calais Eurotunnel. This part of the journey should only take an hour. The train cost us around £40 for a one-way ticket to Folkestone (I believe prices have doubled since then… BREXIT!)
Bruges to London
After the 35 minute Eurotunnel journey, we joined the A20, M2 and the A2 into London - an easy hour and a half to England’s capital.
