As any seasoned road tripper will know, what you drive is as important as where you drive it. After all, nothing dampens a jaunt through a particularly spectacular stretch of scenery like a car that just can’t hack it – and nothing elevates it more than the roar of a next-level motor...
... Aside from a road trip where you drive a supercar, eat Michelin-starred meals, and stay in five-star hotels, which is what many brands have begun to offer. There are now more all-in luxury road trips than ever before – which is, Quintessentially Experiences’ Louis Ramsey explains, because car brands understand that the vehicles themselves are just one aspect of the supercar lifestyle.
‘Many brands are trying to move from the automotive space into the luxury lifestyle space,’ he says. ‘The car is the enabler for these trips, but the hotels, dining, and exclusive experiences are as much a part of that package as the cars are.’
So, if you’re ready to take your road trips up a gear, here are six to book this year.
Bentley’s Extraordinary Journeys
Imagine purring through The Pennines in a classic car. Sounds good, right? Now imagine that car is a Bentley and you’re on your way to a luxury treehouse, where you’ll dine under the stars and fall asleep in a treetop cabin. Now that sounds extraordinary – and is just the first day of Bentley’s aptly named Extraordinary Journey in the UK.
The luxury car brand launched its series of self-drive journeys last year, with locations including New Mexico, New Zealand, and China. You’ll need to get on the waiting list if you want to join the 2024 journey, which is five full days of driving and dining and includes lovely activities like a private tasting at The Macallan and a long-table dinner at the Bentley factory.
19th–23rd August and 2nd–6th September (waiting list only).
JLR’s Catalonia Travel Experience
Yes, it’s a cliché to say this driving experience will take you where few have gone before. But it’s actually true in the case of JLR, whose new three-day Range Rover experience will see you going practically off-piste through the Catalonian region of Spain.
When you’re not behind the wheel, you’ll be fed by Michelin-starred chefs, sleep in luxury hotels, and have the opportunity to try lots of special cultural experiences – from visiting a mountaintop monastery to sipping wines straight from a vineyard. All that whilst driving the latest model Range Rover PHEV – sounds bueno to us.
Dates throughout September.
Verve Rally
Since 2016, members of Verve Rally have been meeting up, supercars in tow, to travel in convoy across Europe. And this year, it’s hosting two more supercar drives for supercar fans – Italy in June (which is now sold out) and Croatia in September.
The team is so committed to creating a cool community that you have to apply for your place – and they’ll speak to you personally to ensure you’re a good fit. Once accepted, you’ll spend five days gunning past sparkling seas, pine-peppered hills, and UNESCO-listed towns, before resting your head in five-star hotels and chatting with fellow attendees over Michelin-starred dinners.
7th–11th September.
Grand Turismo Europa
Gran Turismo Europa is one of those experiences that can only be described using superlatives. You’ll be driving some of the world’s coolest cars along some of Europe’s most beautiful roads. You’ll be staying at some of the world’s best hotels. You’ll be eating some of the continent’s best food.
It’s a full seven-day trip starting in St Moritz and winding through the Alps before finishing in St Tropez. You’ll spend about four hours per day driving, with activities along the way like afternoon tea, spa visits, and – of course – luxury dining experiences. And if you don’t want to bring your own car, there’s also the option to rent a Ferrari or Lamborghini for the duration of the trip, too.
8th–15th September.
The Complete Drive
If you’ve ever wanted to star in your own episode of Top Gear, now’s your chance. Because the team behind Top Gear and The Grand Tour have created the road trip to end all road trips, starting in Saint Tropez and ending in Lake Como. The 600km drive is full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including a flat-out drag race in the foothills of the Alps and a head-to-head track battle with former world champion Jenson Button.
But the best bit? You’ll be followed by a tracking helicopter and high-speed camera vehicles, who will capture every moment of the action and then edit it into a short film for you to treasure forever.
18th–22nd September
AV on Tour – Spain
As you might expect from a members’ club for supercar enthusiasts, Auto Vivendi’s driving holidays are exceptional. Given that part of its membership includes access to the brand’s extensive collection of supercars, you’ll be driving up to 10 of the world’s best cars per trip through some of the world’s most gorgeous scenery.
This October, it’s heading to Spain, where you’ll explore 850 miles of stunning roads behind the wheel of cars like the Ferrari SF90 Spider, the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica, and the McLaren 720S Spider. All accommodation, meals, and insurance are included – and you’ll even get a film of the event after it’s wrapped up.
5th–10th October.
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