War and Peace
If you're planning a weekend break or a summer holiday, why not do something a bit different this year? Take a tour round Europe in your car and celebrate the rich diversity of the European histories and cultures.
Having a car at your disposal allows you to explore Europe. So, here are some grown-up ideas for routes inspired by war-torn art, history, architecture and even literature.
Booking ahead
Perhaps you want to book a campsite. According to the 2009 edition of Caravan & Camping Guide for France, you may need to pay a booking fee in advance, especially peak season. While others may set a minimum length of stay.
Your deposit may double as a booking fee, so your cash will automatically become non-refundable. Be sure to check all this before you book.
If the thought of camping leaves you cold, but you fancy the drive and you're a Member of the AA, you can always take advantage of a 10% discount on thousands of villas in Europe through Cottages4U.co.uk.
Talking of AA Members, perhaps you're after a hotel? If you're heading to France and you're an AA Member, remember you can save 10% at Best Western Hotels, as well as other savings through the Show your Card! scheme.
Getting there
If you have an AA Membership card, we can help you reduce the costs of travel. Cash in on ferry crossing savings, whether that's with P&O or one of the other ferry companies.
If you're relying on your car to get you to your chosen destination, then it pays to be prepared. Perhaps you know what flat tyre is in French, but will your German, Spanish or Italian be up to the job?
If, like many, you'd struggle with the lingo in the event of a breakdown, consider taking out European breakdown. It's reassuring to know that you can give us a call and we'll take it from there. We can liaise with the locals to get a mechanic sent out to fix your car.
And if your car can't be fixed, we can arrange for it to be brought back to the UK.
Cover starts from just £9.05 a day – a small price to pay for peace of mind, especially as a tow back to the UK alone can cost more than £1,000.
So it's a good time to tell you that there's a special offer. Buy European breakdown cover online and you'll get up to 30% off.
Check out the range of benefits that come with European breakdown cover, or get a quote.
France
Everyone loves a beach holiday, but this is a beach holiday with an edge. The sandy stretches along the Normandy coast are beautiful, but let's not forget that they were central to the Allied invasion during World War II. And it's all a ferry ride away. Choose routes to and from Dieppe, Le Havre or Caen.
In fact, 2009 marks the 65th anniversary of the D-Day Landings – the life-changing Allied attack commenced on 6 June 1944, and was known as Operation Overlord.
So why not try our historic drive for size, with beaches identified by their code names as used in the War. The region is packed with memorials and museums brimming with military memorabilia and historical significance. Almost every town played a part in the liberation of France at the close of World War II and each has a story to tell.
On a lighter note, Normandy is also famous for Camembert, which makes for perfect picnic fodder en route, as well as cider and the apple-brandy Calvados, which makes for a tasty aperitif when you're done driving. Normandy is a wonderful region for food, thanks in part to its many fishing ports.
If you hold an AA Membership card, take advantage of a special offer with Best Western Hotels. You can save 10% off best available rates, and destinations in Normandy include Cherbourg, Dieppe, Le Havre and Rouen through the Show your Card! scheme.
You can sample some of the fantastic food on offer in the region. Plus it's the perfect place for camping and caravanning too, with plenty of campsites in the area to choose from.
Normandy
According to 'AA Best Drives France', there is a 3-day route that takes you through all the key D-Day Landing sites. The route takes you in a circle, which not only spans the Normandy coastline from Pegasus Bridge near Ouistreham and Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer in Caen, but also takes you through the Normandy countryside.
Beaches
The start point is near 'Sword Beach', which is sited near the Ouistreham-Caen canal. And with a name like Ouistreham, it can only mean one thing – oyster village.
True to form, the village is big on oysters, but if they don't grab you, there's always Tarte Normandie, which combines apples, crème fraîche and ground almonds with another local favourite, Calvados.
Alternatively, you might be interested to hear that it also features a thalassotherapy centre as well as a museum dedicated to the D-Day landings.
Just up the road is Juno Beach – the destination for the Canadian troops. The real names of the beaches include Bernières-sur-Mer and Courseulles-sur-Mer, but the real centre of attention focuses on Arromanches. This was the site of a prefab habour, which is referred to as 'the key to the invasion'.
For the building buffs among you, it may interest you to know there is a museum close by the beach, which explains how the harbour was constructed. The Musée de Debarquement tells how this man-made feat of engineering was operational within a mere 12 days.
Next on the list is Gold Beach, which linked Arromanches with the next landing site along the way. Gold was the landing site allocated to more Brits and their plan was to hook up with the Americans who'd landed just up the road at Omaha Beach, which is today popular with sunbathers and swimmers.
Bayeux
The star attraction in the area is Bayeux – said to be the first town liberated from German occupation in 1944.
The Bayeux Tapestry tells of the Norman invasion of Britain, so there is symmetry that it is connected with our next D-Day landing. Omaha was the site where some of the fiercest fighting took place, so it was a true breakthrough when Allied troops, who'd landed at Omaha, managed to advance as far as this historic town.
The Bayeux Tapestry still hangs in the historic town to this day. Meanwhile its British counterpart, the Overlord Embroidery, celebrates the actual D-Day landings and can be found in Portsmouth's D-Day Museum. And a faithful 70m-replica of the Bayeux Tapestry is on display in the UK at Reading Museum, in Berkshire.
Explore the narrow medieval streets of Bayeux and take in the Cathedral, the botanical gardens, the Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum and the moving Bayeux War Cemetery. Visit the city next month for the week-long D-Day Festival, which begins on 1 June.
A drive along France's North-west coast takes in other war memorial cemeteries honouring British and American soldiers. However, it's the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, near Omaha Beach, that many visitors to the region choose to see. Here 9,387 white crosses form a visual reminder of the many servicemen and women who lost their lives during Operation Overlord.
The last key beach landing was code-named Utah. It's the most westerly of the five and was the second arrival point for American troops. Visit the Utah Beach Landing Museum for the full story of the role this location played in history. There's also a museum and memorial at Pointe du Hoc – the coastal spot between Omaha and Utah beaches that was also significant in the liberation of France.
Nearby, Sainte-Mère-Eglise was one of the first French towns to be liberated, when American paratroopers descended on 6 June 1944. Its Airborne Museum tells how the drama unfolded. And a dummy paratrooper still hangs from the town's church spire in memory of John Steele, whose parachute got caught and trapped him there. He had to feign death until the town was fully liberated and he could be rescued. His story was told in the film 'The Longest Day'.
This is just a small fraction of the route, which takes you into Brittany too. So for more fascinating facts and information about particular points along the route, together with maps and directions, turn to 'AA Best Drives France'. You can even save 10% when you buy AA Best Drives online.
Italy
The Church has been central to battles throughout the centuries. From the Holy Wars to the Reformation, the Catholic Church has seen some troubled times. But it's easy to see what a powerful part it played in people's lives through paintings.
And where best to head for a wealth of art than the drive down the west side of Italy. The route takes you through Tuscany to the very hub of the Catholic Church, Rome.
The drive from Calais to Florence takes just over 13.5 hours – the most direct route takes you through Switzerland, so make sure you have all the road rules for these three countries. When you get there however, the actual drive from Florence to Rome takes just under two hours. But it's worth savouring.
'AA Best Drives Italy' Italy includes two 3-day routes – one of which takes you through Tuscany and the other allows you to explore Rome and its surroundings. Plus the food's pretty good too.
One of the routes focuses on the likes of Florence, Siena and Montepulciano, in what's known as the 'Cradle of the Rennaissance', which allows you to savour the richness of biblical art history throughout.
Tuscany
Florence is home to a rich canvas of famous names – Michelangelo, di Michelino, Lippi, da Vinci and Botticelli. Indeed there is a month-long annual celebration of the big names during May, in what's humbly known as the 'Florentine Genius'.
Walking round the Ufizi Gallery, it's humbling to be faced with wall-to-wall famous names. Turning a quiet street corner can lead you to hit upon a church casually covered in frescos featuring big names.
In particular, seek out the ultimate battle of heaven vs hell in di Michelino's Divine Comedy, inspired by Dante's book, which is housed at the Church of Santa Maria del Fiore.
Or there's the ultimate warrior, David – he who slayeth Goliath. Michelangelo captured his surprisingly statuesque body in marble, and this can be seen at the Galleria dell'Accademia. Alternatively, there's a less arresting replica in the Palazzo della Signoria, where the original formerly stood.
Siena is also on the route and after Florence it is the second most interesting city in Tuscany, according to 'AA Best Drives Italy'.
It was also a religious capital under the Lombards in the 5th to 7th centuries. Indeed Siena flourished during this period, following the demise of the Holy Roman Empire in Western Italy.
Architecture is the real focus here. Sadly, there is little left from the Dark Ages. However lots of gothic buildings still grace the streets, many courtesy of father and son duo, Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, which date back to the 13th century.
The route also takes you through Montepulciano, mentioned by Dame Judy Dench's character in the 1999 Franco Zeffirelli film 'Tea with Mussolini'. The town is also famed for producing wine, so make sure you ditch the car if you're keen to have a tipple.
Wines hailing from Tuscany include Chianti. So red wine is the speciality here. And Montepulciano produces Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Rosso di Montepulciano, the latter of which is 'best drunk young', according to the local Italian Tourist Board.
Montepulciano is just off the direct route from Florence to Rome, however, AA Best Drives Italy, recommends following the route round through Cortona and Arezzo, before winding up at Pratovecchio. Alternatively, Rome is just down the road.
Rome
You can't mention Rome without mentioning the Vatican – the hub of the Roman Catholic Church. Whoever's driving could probably do with a break, so this is a good time to ditch the car and do some exploring on foot.
Rome is full of fascinating landmarks. Naturally, the Vatican and St Mark's Square are the main focus of the town, along with the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. But that's not all. Behind all the beauty there's a dark side too, and what better to help you discover the hidden history of Rome than 'AA History & Mystery Rome'.
According to author Jennifer Griffiths for example, during the Counter-reformation in the 16th century a Papal bull was issued ordering the Jewish population to be holed up in a 'walled ghetto and forcing [them] to attend Catholic sermons. The walls of the ghetto would not be torn down until 1888'.
And did you know that the Capuchin crypt is decorated 'entirely from monks' kneecaps, ribs and skulls'?
On a lighter note, head for Via Veneto (Vittorio Veneto), which is twinned with New York's Fifth Avenue, and with good reason. Lavish hotels and lush restaurants line the street, plus shopping, of course.
Remember, if all that art and history gets too much, we hear the local footie team is pretty passable too…
This is based on just a few extracts along a couple of routes, which take you into Tuscany and Lazio too. So, for more fascinating facts and information about particular points along the route, together with maps and directions, turn to 'AA Best Drives Italy'. You can even save 10% when you buy AA Best Drives online.
Spain
We stick with fighting, but this time we head to Spain for this year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Spanish Civil War. And one of the most famous people connected with the 1936–1939 war was Ernest Hemingway.
Hemingway loved Spain, not least Andalucia and it often featured as a stop on his visits to Spain. But if you've ever wondered when he first fell in love with the country, it was as early as the 1920s, not least thanks to his fixation with bullfighting.
So we head to the north of Spain for details of where the story starts. 'AA Best Drives Spain' takes you through the Navarra region, whish is known primarily for its wine.
Pamplona is roughly 11 hours' drive from Calais. Alternatively head to one of the northern ports along the top of the Spanish coastline to shave off some driving time.
Navarra
The north of Spain is where Spanish holidaymakers head to get away from the yearly tourist invasion down south. And it not hard to see why. The hilly scenery and unspoiled townships have managed to preserve a lot of their identity and culture. Needless to say, the tradition for bullfight festivals is big in this area.
Indeed Hemingway's interest was fuelled after he was asked to cover 'mano a mano' (which means 'hand to hand'). These bullfights involve two matadors who go head to head not only with the bull, but with each other to confirm their supremacy.
But perhaps the most well-known bullfighting tradition is the bull-run at San Fermin (Sanfermines) – indeed it was Hemingway who was part-responsible for making the festival famous. He was inspired to write his first novel – 'The Sun Also Rises' – in 1926, which centred around the Pamplona festival.
According to 'AA Best Drives Spain', Sanfermines 'is one long round of music, dancing and drinking'. Midday on 6 July the week-long celebrations kick off.
The daily fiesta starts rudely with an 8am run with the bulls – one of the many events that captivated Hemingway. Of course, following the morning jog, those same bulls are then left to fend for themselves in the bullring.
Wine country
There is no getting away from the fact that bull fighting is a barbaric sport. Nonetheless it is a part of the Spanish heritage.
That said, if you'd prefer to steer clear, there is another aspect to Spanish heritage, which may be more to your taste, and that's wine.
One of the routes featured in AA Best Drives Spain focuses on this mountainous part of Spain and takes you on a two-day wine tour.
For Navarra is wine country – part of La Rioja (or Rioja Baja to be exact). It is made from a blend of three grapes of which Tempranillo is one.
The route starts off from a medieval town – the 13th century Iglesia de San Saturnio in Artajona takes the stage and looks out over this Navarra town.
The drive then takes you through Navarra and Soria to Logroño – the capital of La Rioja. September is a key time of year for this region, mainly because it's harvest time, but also because that's when a local wine festival takes place. The town is also famed for being on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella in the top left of the country.
AA Member savings
Wherever you're going, remember your AA Membership Card could save you money. For example, find out how you can save using the Arc Europe Show Your Card! Scheme, plus there are ferry crossing savings too.
For all you non-camping AA Members, there's 10% off thousands of villas in Spain with Cottages4U.
Driving to Europe
- European breakdown cover
- Plan a route
- European toll roads
- Local road rules and advice
- Compulsory equipment
- Tips for driving in Europe
- 90 days' European cover with AA Car Insurance
Other self-drive breaks
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But before you head off, here's a word of caution. European breakdown cover could save you a lot of grief and expense. Take advantage of our online discount. You can get up to 30% off when you buy European breakdown cover online. Why not get a quote now?
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Last updated: April 30 2009