The most affordable road trip destinations in Europe
Road trips can be a fantastic way to explore a new country, offering freedom, flexibility, and the chance to discover hidden gems, all on your own terms. But with countless destinations to choose from, where do you start, especially if you're on a budget?
To find out, our loans team carried out research revealing the best European road trip destinations for the summer. The research took into account factors like fuel costs, dining out expenses, sunshine hours, and traffic in each location. We also identified the most affordable countries for a road trip based on potential costs, as well as the most scenic locations.
The best countries in Europe for a road trip
| Rank | Country | Traffic index | Avg. Cost of a Meal Out | Avg. Cost of a Coffee | Avg. Cost of a Bottle of Water | Avg. Cost of Petrol (per litre) | No. of Instagram Posts | Avg. Sunshine hours (per year) |
| 1 | Portugal | 105 | £8.51 | £1.51 | £0.95 | £1.46 | 15,351 | 2,801 |
| 2 | Montenegro | 62 | £8.51 | £1.62 | £1.11 | £1.29 | 1,048 | n/a |
| 3 | Spain | 94 | £10.21 | £1.58 | £1.29 | £1.37 | 15,041 | 2,740 |
| 4 | Italy | 124 | £12.76 | £1.35 | £0.96 | £1.53 | 39,493 | 2,470 |
| 5 | Bulgaria | 100 | £7.83 | £1.46 | £0.65 | £1.18 | 466 | 2,223 |
| 6 | Turkey | 189 | £3.65 | £1.94 | £0.35 | £0.95 | 4,235 | 2,345 |
| 7 | Malta | 107 | £12.76 | £2.03 | £1.25 | £1.14 | 275 | 3,048 |
| 8 | Georgia | 144 | £7.04 | £2.17 | £0.34 | £0.89 | 2,529 | 2,048 |
| 9 | Croatia | 94 | £8.99 | £1.65 | £1.41 | £1.30 | 7,371 | 1,905 |
| 10 | Albania | 115 | £8.43 | £1.35 | £0.63 | £1.64 | 1,741 | n/a |
| 11 | Slovenia | 97 | £9.36 | £1.61 | £1.48 | £1.25 | 3,327 | 1,982 |
| 12 | Romania | 123 | £7.69 | £2.07 | £1.28 | £1.19 | 2,312 | 2,114 |
| 13 | Hungary | 127 | £8.31 | £1.55 | £0.80 | £1.34 | 117 | 1,980 |
| 14 | Cyprus | 107 | £12.76 | £2.88 | £0.71 | £1.19 | 933 | n/a |
| 15 | Czechia | 89 | £6.84 | £2.18 | £1.11 | £1.31 | 704 | 1,674 |
According to our research, Portugal is the top country in Europe for a road trip. It receives a decent traffic index score (which measures multiple factors to give insight into overall traffic conditions in a city and the lower the number the better) of 105, pointing to generally good conditions on the road. Prices are also relatively low across the board, with a cup of coffee costing just £1.51 on average – which means costs shouldn’t add up too quickly during a road trip.
On top of that, Portugal gets an average of 2,801 hours of sunshine per year, which is one of the highest amounts on the list. So if you’re particularly keen on a sunny trip, Portugal is generally a safe bet.
Montenegro comes in close second, with the best traffic index score on the list (61.7) and similarly affordable prices to Portugal. Petrol in particular is slightly cheaper in Montenegro, costing an average of £1.29 per litre, so you can keep your car topped up without stretching your budget too far.
In third is Spain, promising decent traffic conditions (scoring 94) and similarly sunny weather to Portugal with an average of 2,740 sunshine hours per year.
The most affordable countries in Europe for a road trip
We’ve taken a look at the best road trip destinations in Europe overall, but which are the best for those on a budget? To find out, we ranked countries according to various cost metrics, including the average cost of a meal out, a bottle of water, a coffee, and petrol.
| Rank | Country | Cost of a Meal Out | Cost of a Coffee | Cost of a Bottle of Water | Avg. cost of petrol (1 litre) |
| 1 | Turkey | £3.65 | £1.94 | £0.35 | £0.95 |
| 2 | Georgia | £7.04 | £2.17 | £0.34 | £0.89 |
| 3 | Bulgaria | £7.83 | £1.46 | £0.65 | £1.18 |
| 4 | Hungary | £8.31 | £1.55 | £0.80 | £1.34 |
| 5 | Montenegro | £8.51 | £1.62 | £1.11 | £1.29 |
| 6 | Romania | £7.69 | £2.07 | £1.28 | £1.19 |
| 7 | Czechia | £6.84 | £2.18 | £1.11 | £1.31 |
| 8 | Slovenia | £9.36 | £1.61 | £1.48 | £1.25 |
| 9 | Portugal | £8.51 | £1.51 | £0.95 | £1.46 |
| 10 | Croatia | £8.99 | £1.65 | £1.41 | £1.30 |
| 11 | Albania | £8.43 | £1.35 | £0.63 | £1.64 |
| 12 | Malta | £12.76 | £2.03 | £1.25 | £1.14 |
| 13 | Poland | £6.94 | £2.56 | £1.14 | £1.31 |
| 14 | Spain | £10.21 | £1.58 | £1.29 | £1.37 |
| 15 | Cyprus | £12.76 | £2.88 | £0.71 | £1.19 |
In first place is Turkey, with some of the most affordable costs on the list. Petrol is priced at £0.95 per litre on average, so filling your tank won’t break the bank. Plus, an affordable meal out usually costs around £3.65 per person, meaning you can stay well-fed throughout your trip without worrying too much about funds.
Georgia ranks as the second-most affordable country for a road trip, offering the cheapest petrol on the list at £0.89 per litre. It also boasts the cheapest bottled water at an average of £0.34, which is great for staying hydrated while you drive.
Bulgaria takes third place, followed by Hungary and Montenegro.
The most scenic countries in Europe for a road trip
If photogenic scenery is your number one priority when it comes to a road trip, we’ve got you covered. We ranked countries in Europe according to how many Instagram posts they have under the hashtag ‘#[country]roadtrip’, revealing which are the most scenic to explore by car.
The United Kingdom takes the top spot, with a huge 43,944 Instagram posts tagged ‘#UKroadtrip’. From doing the North Coast 500 in Scotland to touring the Lake District, there’s no shortage of breathtaking sights to take in on a road trip across the UK.
Italy comes in second with 39,493 posts, followed by Norway with 27,030.
| Rank | Country | Number of Instagram Posts |
| 1 | United Kingdom | 43,944 |
| 2 | Italy | 39,493 |
| 3 | Norway | 27,030 |
| 4 | France | 17,038 |
| 5 | Portugal | 15,351 |
| 6 | Spain | 15,041 |
| 7 | Croatia | 7,371 |
| 8 | Germany | 4,920 |
| 9 | Turkey | 4,235 |
| 10 | Sweden | 3,659 |
| 11 | Slovenia | 3,327 |
| 12 | Greece | 2,947 |
| 13 | Switzerland | 2,739 |
| 14 | Georgia | 2,529 |
| 15 | Romania | 2,312 |
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Methodology
To identify the best road trip destinations, Compare the Market pulled together a seedlist of the 30 most visited countries in Europe. The destinations were then ranked according to the following metrics:
- Traffic Index Score
- Cost of Petrol - 1 litre
- Cost of a Meal Out (inexpensive restaurant)
- Cost of Coffee - Cappuccino (regular)
- Cost of a bottle of water
- Average Hours of Sunshine (yearly)
- Number of Instagram posts tagged ‘#[country]roadtrip’
To identify the most affordable road trip destinations, the same method was used but only cost-related factors (cost of petrol, cost of a meal out, cost of coffee, cost of a bottle of water) were considered and ranked. For the most scenic road trip destinations, countries were ranked according to the number of Instagram posts tagged ‘#[country]roadtrip’.
Please note, these calculations are estimates and may change, depending on the travel style of each person. These calculations serve for information purposes only.
The latest available data was used and was accurate at the time of the research in May 2024.
The Editorial Team - Compare the Market
Experts in personal finance, insurance and utilities
Compare the Market’s Editorial Team is made up of industry experts with decades of experience in personal finance, insurance and utilities. Each of our authors has an area of expertise, where they can share their extensive experience to help you get a better deal, by finding the right product and saving money.