Soak Up the Sun on 5 Marvelous Mediterranean Road Trips

Cypress-lined motorways that curve around hidden bays, quaint little villages with timeworn cobbled streets, and long stretches of golden sand beaches are all waiting to be discovered on a Mediterranean road trip.

If you need some inspiration for where to go and where to stop, here are five drives that are ripe for soaking up the sun and soaking in the sights.

As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.

Italy: Amalfi coast

Italy‘s Amalfi Drive (SS163) is the 20-mile (32-kilometer) coastal route from Sorrento to Amalfi for those who love thrilling hairpin bends that give way to dramatic flashes of shrub-coated cliffs tumbling down to the Mediterranean. 

You’ll need to be confident navigating narrow roads (at points, just one lane each way) with blind corners; Italian drivers honk their horn before every turn to alert oncoming traffic.

Beginning in Sorrento, the inland portion of the drive (SS145) winds through hilly terrain with snowcapped mountains in the background as it meanders south toward the coast.

A stop at a hilltop restaurant like Zio Sam in Piano di Sorrento gives a taste of the coastal vistas to come. But it’s when you get onto SS163 that views of the Mediterranean and cliff-hugging villages really start opening up.

Stretch the hourlong journey with stops at marked viewpoints. Linger over espresso at roadside cafés and frolic in the aqua waters of beaches like Tordigliano and Fornillo.

Positano, with its pebbled beach and chic restaurants, is the main attraction on the route, but nearby Arienzo is equally charming and is the starting point of the scenic Path of the Gods hiking trail.

France: French Riviera

From expansive golden beaches to a glittering azure sea, the splendor of the French Riviera knows no bounds. Nice is the obvious place to start your road trip. Head east toward Monaco for an easy, 14-mile (22-kilometer) drive with mesmerizing views that’s doable in an hour.

Slow it down with a stroll through postcard-pretty villages like Beaulieu-sur-Mer, with its traditional farmers market and yacht-filled marina, or historic Eze, where you can try your hand at perfume-making at Galimard.

Lunch on the beach at Plage Paloma in St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is a mainstay for regular visitors, while a visit to the gardens of Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is essential for first-timers.

In Cap-d’Ail, the oceanfront trail is wonderful for a stunning sunset stroll. Finish the trip with a rally around the Monaco Grand Prix route, which laps around Monte Carlo Casino.

Spain: Barcelona to Valencia

The 217-mile (350-kilometer) drive between Barcelona and Valencia takes just under four hours nonstop. But with so many historic towns and villages along the way, splitting up your journey with an overnight stay will make the most of the trip.

Sitges and Tarragona are the most obvious places to stop overnight. Tarragona is the larger of the two and is peppered with Roman archeological sites.

Sitges, meanwhile, has a strong arts legacy — galleries such as Cau Ferrat Museum are well worth a visit — as well as a vibrant LGBTQ+ scene. Try Queenz Music Bar for a fabulous night on the town.

Other worthwhile stops on the journey include Tortosa for some of the finest historic architecture in Spain, like that of the Catedral de Santa Maria; and Reus, the birthplace of celebrated architect Antoni Gaudí. Pay homage at the Gaudí Centre Reus, which offers insight into his artistic process through original manuscripts.

Greece: Peloponnese Peninsula

For a Greek holiday away from the crowds but with all the trimmings of pristine beaches and shareable meze, head to the gorgeous Peloponnese peninsula just west of Athens.

It’s easy to budget a week or more here, but if you’re short on time, cut straight through the peninsula to Pylos, where whitewashed buildings with terracotta-tiled roofs are clustered along the coast.

Most of your time here will be spent on the beach, with Voidokilia Beach being particularly popular. History buffs won’t want to miss the Palace of Nestor, which was name-checked in Homer’s “Odyssey.”

From there, follow the coast to reach sprawling Patras. As the third-largest city in Greece, it has the same cosmopolitan feel as Athens — smart restaurants and bars are plentiful, and history abounds. The Roman Amphitheater and Agios Andreas Cathedral are two of the highlights.

Turkey: Istanbul to Bodrum

The route between Istanbul and Bodrum cuts through the lush green of Turkey’s rugged interior before opening up to the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. It’ll take more than eight hours nonstop by road, so make sure you break up the 433-mile (700-kilometer) trip to see more of the country.

Shorten the drive by taking the two-hour ferry from Istanbul to Bandirma across the Sea of Marmara instead of road-tripping around it. Then follow the motorway for three hours straight to Izmir. Here, bustling markets mingle with Greek archeological sites, all against the backdrop of the Aegean Sea.

Extend your trip a couple of days to explore nearby towns like Alaçatı for its bougainvillaea-draped buildings and cobbled streets. 

From Izmir, the journey on to Bodrum takes three hours — or longer if you want to stop off at coastal towns like Kuşadası, perfect for an alfresco lunch with a marina view. Bodrum is a classic “relax and feel pampered” destination, with Gümbet and Camel beaches among the most popular spots to do so.

As your road trip comes to a close, reward yourself with some time on the beach, shallow clear waters lapping at your feet.