Take the great American road trip this 4th July… European-style

At Ford, we take great pride in our American heritage so this Independence Day (4^th July) we wanted to mark the occasion for our colleagues across the pond with a European take on the great American road trip.

 
With many American towns and cities named after the European cities their founders or settlers came from, we planned some epic trips across America between places with famous European namesakes. So, get the roof of your Mustang GT down, crank up the tunes and feel the breeze in your hair as we show you how you can road trip across Europe, American style. Or perhaps the great American road trip, European style.  
 
LONDON TO NICE (USA – 3,957kms, Europe – 1,408kms)

USA: Head west from London, Kentucky to Nice, California and you’ll be on the road for days making up the 3,957 kms distance, with hundreds of kilometres through the Arizona desert.  You can even stop off at Lyon, Mississippi on the way with a mere 373 kms detour.

EUROPE: For city slickers in England’s capital looking to drive to the south of France for some Mediterranean sun, it’s a decent 1,408 kms jaunt to beautiful Nice. Take in the lush green countryside and historic city of Lyon on the way.

MADRID TO LISBON (USA – 2,377kms, Europe – 625kms)

USA: Travel down the length of the east coast of the USA and tick off some big hitters with a stop at the Big Apple and the nation’s capital on the way. It’ll take a few days if you want to see all the sights though.

EUROPE: From the world’s oldest restaurant in Spain’s capital you could drive to the impressive Monument of Discoveries in Portugal’s capital in just half a day as you complete a history-laden, and Instagram-friendly trip.

AMSTERDAM TO GOTHENBURG (USA – 1,320kms, Europe – 1,099kms)

USA: Two towns established by the railway expansions of the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific Railway, this trip will take you from the forests and mountains of Montana to the plains of Nebraska as you revisit the frontier days and reach the only other place named Gothenburg on the planet.

EUROPE: From the canals and cafes of Amsterdam through Germany and then by ferry across to Denmark, past Copenhagen and another ferry before travelling up the scenic west coast of Sweden. A northern European adventure for the intrepid with plenty to explore. 

PRAGUE TO BUDAPEST (USA – 1,238kms, Europe – 532kms)

USA: Whichever route you take from Prague, Oklahoma to Budapest, Georgia you’ll cross the famous Mississippi River. You’ll also pass through Birmingham, which would be an unenviable detour on the European version, even for the most avid of road-trippers.

EUROPE: A central European odyssey. Head to Vienna from Prague and then follow the direction of the River Danube to Budapest. Or you could always try to follow the actual river if you don’t mind taking a detour of about 100kms. It’s about the journey not the destination after all.

PARIS TO BRUSSELS (USA – 1,065kms, Europe – 313kms)

USA: One of the great lakes will keep the views to the east huge as you make your way south toward the windy city of Chicago. Once you’ve filled up on deep-dish pizza head  through Indiana, to Paris, Kentucky… home to the world’s tallest three-storey building, apparently.

EUROPE: A lightning quick road trip if you go the quickest route from Paris, but why not amble through the natural parks on the French side of the border. Then treat yourself to a slap-up feed of waffles and French fries in the capital of the European union.
 
ROME TO ATHENS (USA – 1,569kms, Europe – 1,299kms)

USA: From south to north on Route 75, you’ll pass one Athens in Georgia first as you head through the tree-filled states towards New York. You’ll also pass Scotland and Leeds before arriving on the banks of the Hudson River in Athens, NY.

EUROPE: Two of the great cities in European history with so many stories to tell, it’s a fascinating jaunt via Naples and a ferry that passes Corfu. For hardcore road-trippers though, stay on the road the whole time via the north of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia. If you’re driving something fun the 2,390kms will be a trip to remember.

COLOGNE TO VALENCIA (USA – 2,931kms, Europe – 1,704kms)

USA: From Minnesota to California, there’s classic American scenery around every corner. If you fancy a four-hour detour you could visit the iconic Pikes Peak before trying your luck at Las Vegas on the way to Valencia, north of Los Angeles.

EUROPE: A route travelled by many of our colleagues, from the German manufacturing site and home to new state-of-the-art Ford Cologne Electric Vehicle Center, to the seaside city of Valencia and our innovative Ford Almusaffes plant. Maybe stop off somewhere in France for a break though. Or take a quick detour leaving Cologne for a few laps of the Nürburgring instead. 

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