The overlooked towns within two hours’ drive from Europe’s biggest cities

With extensive public transport networks, walkable streets and tourist taxi ranks, having a hire car isn’t always a city break priority in Europe.

But, there are hilltop villages, forest trails and sparkling coastlines to be discovered – if you dare to drive on the other side of the road.

Not sure where to start? Skyscanner’s Europe road trip planner looks further afield, guiding motorists to charming corners of the continent as little as 30 minutes from city centres.

Sirmione, Italy

Drive time from Milan: 2 hours

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

Sirmione on Lake Garda charms with medieval castles (Getty Images)

Two hours from Milan’s metropolis, Sirmione on Lake Garda charms with medieval castles, lakeside promenades and thermal baths. Make things medieval with a visit to 13th-century Scaliger Castle for turret views of Italy’s famed lake, or hop on a boat to see Sirmione from the water before (passengers) savour a glass of the area’s white lugana wine.

Besalú, Spain

Drive time from Barcelona: 1 hour 40 minutes

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

Besalú is a step back in time (Getty Images)

Booked Barcelona and want a break from the crowded Catalonian capital? Just under two hours' drive north, Besalú is a step back in time, with a 12th-century Romanesque bridge, an ancient Jewish Quarter and traditional Catalonian cuisine. There’s also nearby access to hikes along the Fluvia River to stretch your legs after the journey.

Polonezköy, Turkey

Drive time from Istanbul: 1 hour 10 minutes

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

Polonezköy was originally a Polish village (Getty Images)

Polonezköy offers a peaceful reprieve from the bustle of Turkey’s largest city. Originally a Polish village, the peaceful neighbourhood near Istanbul has a nature park primed for picnics, forest trails, a lake for boat rides and echoes of its Polish settlers in its church, cuisine and guesthouses.

Anzio, Italy

Drive time from Rome: 1 hour 15 minutes

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

The laid-back beach town of Anzio (Getty Images)

Travellers who find themselves overwhelmed by the ruckus of Rome can take a one-hour and 15-minute drive south to the laid-back beach town of Anzio. With its own World War II ruins, long sandy beaches and seaside staples from seafood to sunloungers, this road trip is a great way to combine a “don’t stop” city break with a fly and flop holiday.

Mafra, Portugal

Drive time from Lisbon: 1 hour

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

Mafra is home to a monumental baroque palace (Getty Images)

Get in the car in Lisbon and make for Mafra if a huge baroque National Palace, hiking trails and weekly Saturday markets are more your speed. Just 25 miles from the Portuguese capital, this town offers everything from forest hikes in the Tapada Nacional de Mafra to wine tasting with a side of pão de Mafra bread.

Antequera, Spain

Drive time from Malaga: 1 hour

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

Antequera sits an hour from Malaga (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Steer away from Spanish hotspot Malaga to Antequera for hillside castles, El Torcal hiking trails and adventures on the Caminito del Rey walkway. Here you’ll also find a restored Moorish fortress, a Unesco-listed site of three megalithic monuments and a lively town centre an hour from the Malaga coastline.

Sceaux, France

Drive time from Paris: 30 minutes

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

Sceaux’s centrepiece château (Getty Images)

It may feel impossible to get grander than Paris, but for groomed gardens, shaped trees and a centrepiece château, Sceaux is well worth the 30-minute drive for a film-set worthy picnic. Get in the car to visit a cemetery of famous French figures, leisurely walk the canal and manger a croissant on Rue Houdan.

Glyfada, Greece

Drive time from Athens: 30 minutes

Sirmione, Italy , Besalú, Spain , Polonezköy, Turkey , Anzio, Italy , Mafra, Portugal , Antequera, Spain , Sceaux, France, Glyfada, Greece

You’ll find a sea breeze 30 minutes from Athens (Getty Images)

Athens has a habit of sweltering in summer, but fear not, a sea breeze is just 30 minutes away if you journey out of the Greek capital to Glyfada. The glitzy seaside resort features sandy stretches, chic cafes, high-end shopping and an 18-hole golf course with tavernas serving souvlaki and tzatziki, easy to stumble across after a long day at the beach.

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