Everyone knows about the famous Route 66 in the United States of America. The route is an important part of pop culture history and its fame extends throughout the world. The image of the vagabond biker riding along the open road has inspired many people to get on a motorcycle. The road has been featured in many novels and films as well, whether it’s Hunter S Thompson’s “Hell’s Angels”, or the numerous road trip movies produced by Hollywood every year. The road’s fame and significance is undeniable.
A little less famous are the numerous roads that are loved by travelling bikers across Europe. It’s hard to imagine that such a scenic and encapsulating continent could lack an answer to America’s famous highway. In fact, there are many routes that lovers of Route 66 wax lyrical about.
Make sure you take your camera along with you to snap all of the beauty that you pass along the way – when you’re home you will be thankful you did. You could even get creative when you’re missing your travels by bringing to life a photo canvas from hello canvas to remind you of the wonderful memories you’ve made…
Normandy beaches
The Normandy beaches are perhaps some of the most famous beaches in the world. Juno, Gold, Sword, Utah and Omaha are names that resound through the annals of military history. These famous D-Day landing grounds were the sites of one of the most pivotal days in modern European and world history! In fact, to this day the gun embattlements built by the Nazi Wehrmacht to defend against the combined American, British and Canadian forces can be seen looming over the long beaches. Looking out from the beaches towards the English Channel and the Atlantic is a sobering, poignant experience. Nonetheless, for those not of a military persuasion, the route still has much to offer. Starting at the city of Rouen, its itinerary terminates at the medieval monastery of Le Mont Saint-Michel. At 288km it’s not the longest route in the world, but it has many beautiful views and beaches along the way, not forgetting the excellent French cuisine.
North Coast 500
Another exciting road is the North Coast 500, which snakes around the north coast of Scotland. Situated in the rugged Highlands, the road runs along the wild Atlantic west coast of Scotland’s north before looping round towards the east and the North Sea. With winding roads and pristine, majestic views, the North Coast 500 is every biker’s dream. At 500 miles (800 km) long (the clue is in the name) the route is a manageable length for those looking for a shorter trip. Nonetheless, it’s a case of small is beautiful, with the Scottish Highlands regularly being included on lists of places with the most attractive scenery in the world. The panoramas are not to be missed!
Moscow-Vladivostok
The final entry on our list isn’t actually entirely in Europe. In fact, much of its 11,000 km are situated in the Asian part of the vast Russian expanse. It should be said that this road is not for the light-hearted, with much of it only recently opened to foreigners after years of neglect by the authorities. However, if you’re after a sense of adventure and a trip to remember for a lifetime then this is the one for you. And if that’s not enough, then you can take the ferry to Japan after reaching Vladivostok!
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