From Yorkshire’s wild moors to the mountains of Slovakia and Spain’s dramatic Atlantic coast, these are the under-the-radar European road trips to discover this autumn.
Ciao, Amalfi Coast. Au revoir, French Riviera. Europe’s best autumn road trip might not be where you expect.
As summer crowds disperse and temperatures cool, autumn is becoming an increasingly attractive time to explore Europe, particularly for travellers who want to avoid packed resorts and discover somewhere different.
Interest in lesser-known destinations is growing too. Recent travel data found that flight searches for under-the-radar European cities, including Poznan, Tirana and Bucharest, had risen by as much as 95%, as travellers seek better value and alternatives to traditional tourist hotspots.
And for those who would rather take to the open road, Kia has analysed scenic routes across Europe to uncover some of the continent’s best hidden driving gems for autumn 2026.
The research considered factors including scenery, average driving distance per hour, hotels, restaurants and attractions, autumn temperatures and EV infrastructure.
Here are the five routes that came out on top.
1. North Yorkshire Moors, UK
Britain takes the number one spot, with a 70.84-mile route from Harrogate to Whitby named Europe’s best undiscovered autumn drive.
Taking around two hours and four minutes without breaks, the route has more than 394 amenities – 5.56 per mile – and passes through some of Yorkshire’s most recognisable landscapes.
But this is one journey where stopping is very much part of the experience. Spain also recorded 47,069 EV charging points in the research, making it the second strongest of the five countries for electric vehicle infrastructure.
The rise of the electric road trip
Exploring Europe by electric car is also becoming easier as charging networks continue to expand.
Kia’s research considered EV infrastructure alongside scenery and practical factors such as amenities, while its own electric range includes the EV6 and seven-seat EV9.
Whether it’s navigating the Yorkshire Moors, driving through Slovakia’s mountains or following Spain’s rugged Atlantic coastline, the research suggests some of Europe’s most memorable road trips can be found away from its busiest tourist routes.
And with fewer crowds and landscapes transformed by autumn colours, there might be no need to wait until next summer to hit the road.
The complete ranking, routes and methodology can be found in Kia’s guide to Europe’s best undiscovered road trips.
