The journey took about 6,400 km and lasted one July. Temperatures shifted from heat waves to frost and back again depending on altitude. The highest road we drove was at 2.8 km, but unfortunately it lacked views due to cloudy and snowy weather.
At first, I drove from Germany to Venice, where my family arrived by plane. From there, our expedition continued to the Dolomites and then to our final destination for the vacation. Afterwards, we all drove back to Finland through Denmark.
The Route:
Finland - Germany - Austria - Italy. Back: Italy - Switzerland - Germany - Denmark - Sweden - Finland <3.
In detail:
Helsinki - Travemunde - Wezlar - Hohenzollern - Neuschwanstein - Stelvio passo - Sella passo/ring - Venice - Campolongo - Misurina - Sella passo/ring - Ronzone - Lago di Garda - Modena - Florence - Castiglione della Pescaia / Riva del Sole (final destination). And back: Como - Furka Pass - Stoos - Schwyz - Stuttgart - Hamburg - Helsingborg - Kappeslkär - Naantali <3.
On the way there I slept in the car on an air mattress, and from Venice onwards we stayed in guesthouses, hotels, and a villa.
The expedition consisted of three adults and three kids. We all fit comfortably in our seven-seater with a roof box. In fact, I saw other groups with the same car but packed much more tightly. Fuel consumption was about 10 L/100 km (≈23.5 mpg US / 28.3 mpg UK), due to the roof box, German motorways (where all 400 horses stretched their legs well), and the steep serpentine roads where all four wheels were biting the road. The car was perfect, of course, because our family cannot stop loving Volvos.
The kids adapted well, though the youngest one did not enjoy the serpentines. I took so many photos that it will probably take years to go through them all. But here are some picks I’ve already found.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Would we do that again?
Now that the box has been ticked, it might be enough for a while, and next time we might rent a car at the destination in the south. But because we love Lapland and Norway, I think we’ll be heading there again (by car). It is also relatively closer to us. Norway might be even more spectacular due to its proximity to the sea. On the other hand, it would also be nice to try caravan life in a motorhome someday. Someday we might find ourselves in Iceland, and once again reaching Italy via the Tour de France route (including Mont-Saint-Michel, Moselle river, some other French castles, Matterhorn and Who knows if Nordschleife…).
