Every great road trip starts with humble beginnings, be it waiting at the services for that one member of the group that’s late, or simply dealing with gridlock as you worry about making it to port in time to catch your ferry.
Picking the right ferry is the first step to organising a great European road trip, so here are all of the destinations you can set sail for from the UK.
France
Caen
Just west of Le Havre, Caen is a port city with a pair of spectacular abbeys, and a city centre dominated by the near-thousand-year-old Château de Caen castle.
It is also the most direct port for Le Mans, making it the ideal route to the iconic 24-hour race if you are based near the English south coast.
Journey Time: 5h 45mins from Portsmouth
Calais
Sailing from Dover, the trips from the east tip of England to Calais are the quickest choice at 90 minutes.
Between P&O and DFDS Seaways, there are almost 40 sailings per day, making it an ideal and less stressful option for travel to France, as you won’t be lacking alternative sailings if you miss your booking.
Journey Time: 1h 30mins from Dover
Cherbourg
Another western French port, Cherbourg is served by Brittany Ferries from both Portsmouth and Poole, the latter making it the only Ferry from Dorset to France.
Between the two UK ports, roughly 20 sailings are available from Brittany Ferries per week.
Journey Time: 4h 30mins from Poole, 3h from Portsmouth
Dieppe
With three sailings per day from Newhaven in East Sussex, and a four-hour journey time, the DFDS-operated route is another good choice for those in the south. Dieppe is also the home of the Alpine production plant, so anyone at the wheel of the rear-engined sportscar could schedule a homecoming photo for their car.
Journey Time: 4h from Newhaven
Dunkirk
With a dozen daily services from Dover, this DFDS route is secondly only to Calais for sailing frequency. It is also the second-quickest route at two hours.
If you have an interest in history or simply had your imagination captured by the film, a stop at the Operation Dynamo museum may be of interest before proceeding on your drive.
Journey Time: 2h from Dover
Le Havre
With a slightly less frequent sailing schedule than Caen, nearby Le Havre is a five-hour trip from Portsmouth. It is the closest port to Paris; not a driving mecca of course, but it may be a stop on your journey.
Journey Time: 5h 15mins from Portsmouth
Roscoff
The second most southern port, Roscoff is a good option if you wish to take in a more rural side of France.
Journey Time: 5h 30mins from Plymouth
St. Malo
South-east of Roscoff, St. Malo is a slightly more popular choice, and also serves several Channel Islands. The downside is the longest of the UK to France car ferry journeys, though it is a viable alternative to a Spanish port for a trip to southern France.
Journey Time: 8h 50mins from Portsmouth
Spain:
Bilbao
This is certainly one of the cities on the list that’s worth parking the car for a day. With some astounding architecture, sport and culture, it’s well worth setting aside some time here.
Being the most north-westerly port in Spain, this is the closest Ferry to the south of France, though it does mean a full day at sea.
Journey Time: 23hr 30 mins from Portsmouth
Santander
Just west of Bilbao, Santander benefits from a slightly shorter journey time than Bilbao if you travel via Plymouth. If you intend to drive towards the west of Spain or Portugal, this port may be the better option on balance.
Journey Time: 21hr 30 mins from Plymouth, 24hr 15mins from Portsmouth
Holland:
Amsterdam (Ijmuiden)
In reality, this ferry from the north east docks some 30 miles west of Amsterdam in Ijmuiden. In spite of this, it is still comfortably the easiest way to drive to the Dutch capital if you are based in the north.
For Formula One fans, this port is just a few miles down the coast from the rejuvenated Circuit Park Zandvoort, which is scheduled to host motor racing’s top category for the first time since 1985, this year.
Journey Time: 16hr 45 mins from Newcastle
Hook of Holland
The only truly viable way of travelling to Holland by boat for those in the south, this route sets sail from Harwich, east of Colchester.
This port puts you close to both Rotterdam and The Hauge, an hour’s drive from Amsterdam, and is also a good option for those wanting to travel to northern Germany.
Journey Time: 6hr 30 mins from Harwich
Rotterdam
Docking just across the harbour from Hook of Holland, the Rotterdam port could well be a better option than Newcastle if you live close to Hull. So long as traffic is clear in Rotterdam, the trip to the capital should take less than 90 minutes.
That said, do not overlook this city.
It is a beacon of modern architecture, with dabulous builds including the Erasmus Bridge, and the stunning Markthal building, which is a real treat for foodies with over 100 market stalls housed within.
Journey Time: 11hr 30 mins from Hull
Belgium:
Zeebrugge
This port village is just a few miles removed from the historic city of Bruges, which is well worth scheduling a day or two for if you are planning a road trip starting on this ferry.
Bruges is regarded as one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, and at times it can truly give a time-warp feel. A network of canals runs through and adjacent to the city, which features everything from gorgeous plazas to a great selection of museums, including one dedicated to the history of chocolate.
Journey Time: 14hr 30 mins from Hull
