A Little Bit Of Everything Road Trip
Every adventure begins with a little spark.
Being the Europe addict that I am, I tend to brazenly return to the continent time and time again. I know, I know, I should always try new places. Be that as it may, I do venture out and seek new things every visit. Yet, there is something special about frequenting those special cities and places when given the opportunity.
So as it were, in 2018, it was time to attempt a road trip in a foreign country. This gave me control over the flow of travel that was second to none. Is it superior to trains, boats, Ubers, taxis, and more? It’s really difficult to say. If you’re solely used to that form of travel, I fully recommend adding road trips into the mix. For the casual traveler that prefers a relaxed pace and more solitude, it’s also ideal for you. If you tend to look for the ambiguity in traveling, then it may not be the route for you. All should give it a go at some point in time, however.
Without a doubt, the hardest part of traveling is not the money or time, it’s the planning. If you have the heart to do it, you will find a way for all aspects of the journey to fall into place. Excuses tend to be the most difficult to overcome, even if they’re to ourselves. This adventure guide is meant to lighten the load while providing motivation that you can do it.
This is a framework, of sorts, of a fully planned itinerary that only requires you booking accommodations of your own. If you’d like the absolute complete itinerary with an incredible amount of detail so you may copy and paste the entire journey, click HERE.
If you’d like to poke around these notes and devise your own, please do so. You, ideally, would book in the same locations in the same times. Some of the Airbnb’s and all of the hotels are still active, if you choose to duplicate every aspect. This trip allots times for the points of interest listed below so you can see all of them while simultaneously having the freedom to explore on your own.
Happy Traveling!
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Seine Dinner Cruise, 2019
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Sagrada Familia, 2018
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Eiffel Tower, 2017
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Blenheim Palace, 2019
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Cotswolds, 2019
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Chatsworth House, 2019
Quick Itinerary Summary
Week 1
Fly to Barcelona, Spain from your location (California, US)
Arrive in Barcelona the next day (if from the U.S.)
Explore Barcelona for a full day
Leave Barcelona on train, arrive in Paris, France
Leave Paris by train, arrive in London, UK
Explore London for a full day
Acquire rental car and go to Cotswolds, UK
Week 2
Explore Cotswolds, drive to Derbyshire, UK
Drive to York then drive to Stockton-On-Tees
Drive to Edinburgh
Drive to Loch Lomond for one day
Drive back to Edinburgh
Explore Edinburgh for a full day
Fly home from Edinburgh airport
Pack your bags, hit the airport, and let the journey begin!
Day 1
Make sure you have all your preparations set. Double check your packing list. Get plenty of sleep. Try to relax and enjoy the ride. Leave your city, onward to Barcelona!
Day 2
Land in Barcelona, Spain from your location (this is a great international airport)
Here We Go
Stop by the Plaza de Catalunya and immerse yourself in the people and the place. Continue your walk on to the Arc de Triomf for an architectural photo op.
If you get thirsty along the way, pop in to GiGi Von Tapas for a quick drink or snack, and relax in the quaint styling of Spanish pubs.
End the day in style
On to the beloved Basilica De La Sagrada Familia! While difficult to catch in a good photo, it’s an unquestionably marvelous structure. It is the most intricate architecture that I’ve ever seen. If you have time, you can wait in line to go inside, and even up to the top.
Finally, spend the remaining portion of your day exploring the Gothic Quarter. This is a large dedicated area with lots of places, art, people, and sometimes shows in between. You can plan a path or simply get lost in it, as we did. During Easter, there are parades, such as the Good Friday parade we were lucky enough to view.
Pending your energy level and accommodations, you can also swing by Casa Mila and Casa Batlló if you’d like another architectural photo op that’s sure to impress.
Day 3
Visit some of the greatest parks in Spain just before heading to the mountain above them
Start low, go high, finish on top
First stop, Park Güell! This places is beautiful, interesting, and packed full of options. Head to the top via the walking path and check out the views from above the city. Stop by some of the vendors or artists along the way. Browse a few of the indoor gallery offerings they have open to the public.
If you want to experience a cool place and not feel like a tourist, make your way to Parc Del Laberint d’ Horta. This is reminiscent of a secret garden with hidden sites all around it. Be sure to solve the small maze in the center before you take the steps to the upper level water features.
Last stop of the day will be high in the sky. Mount Tibidabo has plenty to do. The cathedral will be the focal point, but the amusement park may take your attention for the day. You can climb even higher into the fog by ascending the outer steps of the cathedral for ultimate views. There are also food and small shopping options here, though you may want to eat back in the city center.
After you’ve finished, spend the remainder of your evening nearby your hotel. La Rambla, the main thoroughfare and social hub should offer a broad selection to cater to the tastes of anyone. We chose Ristorante Margherita for it’s casual, cozy interior and delicious pizza. Then the short walk to Sante Gelato for some dessert made a perfect ending to a perfect day.
Day 4
Paris in a day, can we do it?
Where to begin…
Wake up, pack up, depart Barcelona by train. Leaving by a decent hour gives you much of the day left to explore. Our hotel being near Luxembourg Gardens, we strolled through the scenic park on our path toward our final destination. Its a massive park that you could traverse all day with plenty of options for activities. As you move on, you’ll have a photo op next to Le Pantheon, which is an 18th century mausoleum. Nearing the river, you’ll get to see Notre-Dame de Paris. This is the large cathedral that, at the time of 2019, had fire damage. It is still well intact though, luckily. If you get the chance to go inside, it’s equally impressive as it is outside, especially from the tower. Finally, on to the bridge to meet our tour of the Seine guide.
Sit back and enjoy the ride
If a candlelit dinner and 3 hour boat ride of Paris isn’t your style, try stopping by the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph before the night is over. However, if you want to condense the many sites into a relaxing dinner escapade, then make sure to pre-book some, relatively affordable, tickets to a dinner cruise on the Seine. Tripadvisor is a safe place to do so. This cruise gave us an entire upper deck to ourselves. We watched the sunset, got closer to the cathedral, sailed past the Eiffel Tower in both directions, and saw the other most famous Statue of Liberty (Île aux Cygnes) and the Louvre (museum with Mona Lisa in it) among other things.
If you’re up to it, you can end the evening with a direct visit to the Eiffel Tower. There is a show of lights, quite often, and it’s stunning at nightfall. Take a few photos, and be satisfied of how much you crammed in such a short period of time. All the while, you didn’t feel rushed a bit.
Day 5
London here we come!
Underwater train? Yes Please
Hop aboard the Eurostar, the famous underwater train from Paris to London! It’s a quick 2 hour trip, so be ready to go when you arrive. You may first want to snap a photo at Platform 9 3/4 (Harry Potter fan here) which is located in the adjacent station from where you exit your train. It’s quite easy to spot, just follow the line.
Take a peak at Westminster Abbey, the famous church, while you make your way to Big Ben, England’s large clock tower. You’ll also see the London Eye (the large observation wheel) but it’s much better looking at night. Being a great hub, there are many options here if you divert on your own path. Food, drinks, museums, shops, etc. are very nearby. We moved on to St. James’ Park. This is one of several amazing parks that London has to offer. You may just want to sit and take in the ambiance, I don’t blame you.
Heading through the park leads you to Buckingham Palace. You may catch the changing of the guard, if that’s your goal. However, the street usually yields really fun photos. Don’t forget to glance at the adjacent gardens as well as the water feature in front.
Whether you’re into shopping or not, Harrod’s is something to see. This is a massive department store with just about anything you can think of. Beware, they cater to the very high end items, but there is a nice toy store inside to entertain the child at heart.
Lastly, take the slightly longer journey to Tower Bridge. This is my favorite site to see, especially at night. You may walk along it, relax in the middle of it, or view it from afar. You’ll also be able to walk through the small park in the middle to access the other side. The Tower of London, which has tours during the day, will be located next to it for a quick photo op as well.
If you’d like to catch dinner over here, try the Coppa Club. Dine inside of an igloo (or bubble) while having perfect views of the bridge.
Get your tranquility on… and then party
Day 6
Sleep in, then casually move on to the Camden Market. Here you’ll find opportunities for many types of food via the street vendors. You can shop, dine, and enjoy the sites. It may be a bit busier than you’re used to.
Board a train, or tube (the underground subway), and get ready to spend the day in a spacious park full of beauty. Bushy Park, near Kingston Upon Thames (where I used to live) will surely make you wish lived there too. There is wildlife, lakes, greenery for miles, and hidden artistic touches. In the middle, you can access Hampton Court Palace which has its own very well maintained gardens and grounds. You will go from a busy town center to an absolute solitary experience.
The restaurants nearby are plentiful and suited to any style. We somehow always choose The Ram. Maybe it’s nostalgic, maybe it’s the relaxed vibe, but the food and drinks are always a win-win here.
Now it’s time for some night life. London has an awesome availability of places to go in the later hours of the day. You may want to play it safe and join a pub-crawl via a Facebook group. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can check out some spots liked such as Be At One (Covent Garden Lyceum location) or The Dirty Martini. Now is also your chance to view the London Eye, and adjoining sites, all lit up.
Did I forget something?
Day 7
Finish up anything in London that you really wanted to see. We realized we missed Trafalgar Square, so we lounged in the courtyard for a while before picking up our rental car. We also made our way back to Big Ben, again. There are several small gardens nearby, often near underground entrances. You may also wish to walk around some of the museums now. This day is open to interpretation by design. Lastly, grab some food, then get ready to drive. You’ll now do an evening drive to the next destination.