To mark the launch of our latest Best Trips guide, we asked iBestTravel staff to share their stories of times spent on the road. Ever the adventurous bunch, these daring drivers recall time spent navigating tricky mountain paths, drifting down coastal roads in search of beautiful beaches, and driving into the downright bizarre on off-the-beaten track adventures.
A well-deserved picnic in the Pyrenees, France
I can confirm, hand firmly on the steering wheel, that the craggy beauty of the Pyrenees is unimpaired by vertigo and a carload of terrified loved ones. As a student living in the south of France, I was the naive host of a family road trip through the range. Setting off from my hometown of Pau, picnic blankets in tow, we climbed through the foothills breakfasting on local pâté and bread, and remarked on the farmers drinking red wine at 9 am.
Rising higher, we spotted marmots gambolling in the grass, bought sheep’s cheese at a roadside stand, and began to see patches of snow. Even higher, as an eagle hovered alongside our car, my mother closed her eyes and started clinging to the seat belt. Crawling around the switchbacks, the mountain dropping away below me, I had my own moment of doubt: ‘What if I just turned the wheel?’ Somehow we made it over the border to Spain. The landscape opened up in a glorious green valley and we had our picnic, delicious chunks of cheese trembling in our hands.
Dora Whitaker – Destination editor for Southeast Asia.
Searching for the edge of the world on the Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye is a challenging place for a road trip; every five minutes or so, you must pull over… to gawk at the grandeur of your surroundings. If you’re a fan of such stop-start journeys, however, the most myth-steeped island of the Inner Hebrides delivers Game of Thrones-style spectacle at every turn.
At a push, you could drive around Skye in half a day; but that would be a mistake. While a quick tour would give you a glimpse of the major sights—such as the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, Uig Bay, and the stunning Cuillin Hills—you would forgo numerous lesser-known marvels. Far better to linger, as we did for three days, exploring every back road in changing light as we searched for the edge of the world.
James Kay – Editor, ibesttravel.co.
Sweaty palms and scenic routes in Sicily
Driving through Sicily’s golden-tinged landscapes, past sweeping valleys of Greek temples and Roman ruins, feels like travelling back in time. Majestic monuments, along with understated historic towns, stunning national parks, and coastal hilltop towns, all offer scenic stop-offs along your journey.
The driving experience is breathtaking due to the diverse landscapes and the cliff-hugging coastal roads that literally steal your breath for a moment as sweaty palms grip the wheel tightly. One of the most memorable experiences was driving up Mount Etna. You could have heard a pin drop in the car as gentle sweeping turns suddenly transformed into very steep roads. We all breathed a collective sigh of relief upon reaching the public car park near the top—until we spotted the enormous off-road vehicle we would take for the rest of the journey.
Louise Bastock – Assistant editor, ibesttravel.co.
Gear up for a peculiar ride around the Ring of Kerry
A highlight of navigating the Ring of Kerry was witnessing a dog sat on top of a donkey in Dingle. This encounter compensated for a failed attempt at seeing Fungi, Dingle’s resident wild dolphin for over thirty years. Before this bizarre meeting, we drove through Killorglin, where they crown a goat to reign over the town for three days each year. This certainly adds a unique flavor to a road trip.
As expected, each hairpin bend revealed another panoramic seascape and a reason to stop the car. One of our pit stops was Cahersiveen, a town on the northern tip of the Iveragh Peninsula and home to crumbling castles that we cautiously explored due to the liberating lack of restrictions in this part of the world.
Joe Davis – Online marketing coordinator.
Travelling back in time along England’s A30
Heading west from London, I’d planned the perfect British must-see road trip to Bath via Stonehenge. However, before we even left the capital, we had to pause because of car sickness. Astonishingly, that was outside Chiswick House & Gardens, a classic neo-Palladian mansion, the perfect bookend for our final destination: Bath. After a 45-minute pit stop, we resumed our road trip—skipping the motorway for the A30, because we’re here to witness England (and I hadn’t yet mastered The Highway Code).
Thanks to a thoughtful redevelopment in 2013, Stonehenge now possesses significant ‘wow’ factor as we summited the hill on foot. Yet, the kids loved exploring the mock Neolithic village more. We arrived in Bath after dark, but the city center lit up with a fairy tale atmosphere and bustling streets made for a vibrant Saturday night. Even the swans on the River Avon seemed to be in high spirits.
Tasmin Waby – Destination editor for Australia and the Pacific.
Riding the coastal roads of Portugal’s Algarve beaches
In a beat-up, run-down hatchback, rented from a questionable out-of-town car hire company, my companion and I rolled down the windows and cranked up the music as we headed west from a forgotten Faro backstreet to the furthest southwesterly crag of Portugal’s Algarve region. We avoided the toll roads and trailed smoke-choking tractors down bumpy lanes, enjoying the sense of freedom this road trip offered: we could second-guess a route that ambled between the area’s stunning beaches.
We drove at dawn to have the limestone cliffs of Praia de Marinha to ourselves, only to be outrun by a barefooted sun lounger seller. We even ditched the car atop wild-looking cliff tops, searching for safe passages down to the sands below. Like modern-day adventurers, we skirted the state line between sea and civilization until we reached the dramatic splendor of the Atlantic at Cabo de São Vicente.
Dan Fahey – Destination editor for Western Europe.
Chasing castles with the kids in tow in the Loire Valley, France
One way to keep small children entertained on a road trip is to turn the journey into an ‘adventure’ or a ‘fairy tale’. This is particularly easy when you’re traveling through the Loire Valley, known for its beautiful countryside and astonishing châteaux. Blois served as our base, and our first stop was Château de Chenonceau, where my daughter was thrilled by the resemblance between the turret and Rapunzel’s tower in Tangled.
In Amboise, we visited the home of Leonardo da Vinci, Le Clos Lucé. Here, we faced endless questions from our daughter about every invention and prototype displayed. Hooray for the peace of the playground! At Château de Chambord, we ditched the car and hopped into a horse-drawn carriage for a delightful tour of the estate—this truly brought the fairy tale to life.
Claire Naylor – Senior editor.
