Germany has the world’s most romantic road trip

For those looking to marry a loving Valentine’s Day with a sense of adventure, new research from Confused.com reveals the most romantic road trips for couples to explore. 

Motorists can head to Germany for the ultimate romantic drive, while Italy boasts the most idyllic locations in the world. That’s according to the study by Confused.com, who analysed hundreds of thousands of reviews from popular venues that you may encounter along each route. This was then used to calculate an overall ‘romance score’.

The Results

Rank	Road Trip	Country	Romance Score/10	Length (km)
1	German Alpine Road	Germany	9.56	525
2	Puglia	Italy	9.13	180
3	Amalfi Coast	Italy	8.69	61
4	North Coast 500	United Kingdom	8.26	800
5	Tuscany	Italy	7.82	311
6	Wild Atlantic Way	Ireland	7.39	151
7	Icefields Parkway	Canada	6.95	291
8	Lofoten	Norway	6.52	129
9	Highway One	USA	6.08	985
10	Romantic Road	Germany	5.65	381

Confused.com can reveal the most romantic driving location in the world is the German Alpine Road. With a romance score of 9.56/10, the historically-enriched route is accompanied by stunning heaven-kissing landscapes. At 525km long and almost nine hours of sightseeing, drivers can stop at the Linderhof Palace or Neuschwanstein Castle for a real-life fairy-tale experience. Of all hotels and restaurants analysed, 42.77% of reviews were romantic: 3.54% more than Puglia in second place. 

Meanwhile, Italy is home to three of the top 10 locations. Routes in Puglia (9.13/10) and Amalfi Coast (8.69/10) take second and third place respectively, highlighting the beauty of Italy’s seafront. Puglia provides 180km of rarely-explored coast set against a backdrop of caves and cliffs. Venues you may discover along Puglia were described as romantic by 39.23% of visitors, only 1.36%more than Amalfi Coast. These include Masseria Cervarolo, the highest-rated location of all hotels and restaurants analysed in the study, with an astounding 64.3% of reviewers finding its romanticism worthy of note.

Meanwhile, the Amalfi Coast is an opportunity for a shorter, but equally beautiful journey, at just 61km – the shortest in the top 10. This trip from Salerno to Sorrento emphasises adventure with thrilling, zig-zagging roads and the option to visit the historic ancient ruins of Pompeii. Amalfi Coast’s venue reviews indicated 37.87% of visitors feeling romantic, 3.48% more than Italy’s final route in the top 5: Tuscany, with 34.39% of its restaurant and hotel reviews including romantic language. 

Scotland’s North Coast 500 is the fourth most romantic road trip earning a score of 8.26/10. This 800km circuit highlights not only Scotland’s heritage, but its natural beauty along the coastline. With checkpoints at four castles, whiskey distilleries and a waterfall, the North Coast 500 is ideal for couples looking to make unforgettable and thrilling memories. Reviews for hotels and restaurants on the North Coast 500 left a romantic impression on 35.51% of visitors, 1.96% more than the Irish Wild Atlantic Way (7.39/10) in sixth, which 34.39% of reviewers describe as romantic.

Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at Confused.com, comments: “Taking a road trip, at home or abroad, can make for an unforgettable experience. And if you’re travelling along some of the most romantic or idyllic routes the world has to offer, take turns behind the wheel. This offers you both the chance to enjoy the scenery while avoiding tiredness. Though, if you do go down this route, it’s important to remember that whoever’s driving must be insured in line with the laws of the country you’re travelling in. And this could vary depending on if you’re taking your own car, or hiring. 

“Knowing what you need to do or buy before driving abroad can be confusing. So we’ve compiled everything you need to know about driving abroad, including a checklist of the essentials you need. But always check with your insurer if your policy allows you to travel abroad before setting off.”