I have done quite a few long road trips throughout my years of travelling, and I always like to choose routes with interesting stops along the way. Where could I go this time? After all, there isn’t always a rush to reach the final destination. Thankfully, this journey was much more relaxed. After my holiday in Poland, I decided to drive back to Germany through the Czech Republic and Austria. The result? 24 hours in four countries and one very memorable European road trip.
Whether it is a long or short road trip, visiting new places along the way is a must for me. And my first, completely unexpected stop was Mikulov. A gorgeous town in Czech Republic.
Mikulov, Czech Republic
The drive through the Czech Republic was pretty quick, with only a little traffic. Then, as I approached the Austrian border, an unbelievably grand castle suddenly appeared above me. Wow, what a view! I certainly wasn’t expecting that.
Should I stop or keep driving? Well, I needed a break and a little walk, so I decided to explore the old town of Mikulov.
And what a beautiful town Mikulov is! Located in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, its well-preserved historic centre is protected as an urban heritage reserve.
Mikulov also has a fascinating history. The Liechtenstein family developed the town and its estate between 1249 and 1560, followed by the Dietrichstein family from 1575 until 1945. You can read more about its history on the official Mikulov website.
As for me, I was really glad I stopped here. It was the perfect surprise during my 24 hours in four countries, and I can now add Mikulov to my list of favourite places to visit in the Czech Republic. You can read my previous post about the other top destinations here: Best Towns in Czech Republic.
What a great start to my European road trip!
I love those surprising stops that come out of nowhere.
I also considered to stop in Brno originally, but didn’t want to waste the time to get into the city, finding a car park and getting out of Brno again. In addition, it seemed there was lots of traffic that day. So I gave it a miss. Maybe next time? On my next European road trip.
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My 24 hours in four countries continues…
Braunau am Inn, Austria
Next border, next stop. I had already driven 600km and was definitely ready for an overnight break. Braunau am Inn was a convenient stop, as I could stay at the home of a friend’s parents.
Walking through the town just before a big storm arrived, I discovered that Braunau is a cute little border town, with a bridge leading across the River Inn to Germany. It isn’t somewhere I would usually consider visiting, but then I googled its history, as I do with most places, and something piqued my interest…
Braunau am Inn is the birthplace of Adolf Hitler. He spent only a short time in the house where he was born, although he lived in Braunau until the age of three. Understandably, the town has long had to confront this difficult part of its history. You can read more about how Braunau addresses its past on the official town website.
For me, it remains an important part of history. After all, we are all born somewhere, right? It was certainly an interesting overnight stop during my 24 hours in four countries road trip.
There was also a quick stop at the oldest city of Austria, Enns (near Linz). But besides the tower, and a big square that was pretty, but not very picturesque, it wasn’t really worth the stop.
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The next morning, I was up early and ready to continue the final part of my road trip.
There were a few places where I could have stopped along the Austrian-German border. Burghausen Castle, the longest castle in the world, was only 10km away! However, it was cold and rainy, and I was looking forward to being back in my little apartment. I will have to return one day. I think?!
Ulm, Germany
I wasn’t sure whether to stop in Ulm until I was almost there. It was still a little cold, especially after the hot days in Poland, but at least it wasn’t raining. I needed a break and knew I probably wouldn’t be driving this way again anytime soon.
Located only a few kilometres from the Autobahn, Ulm made an easy final stop on my European road trip. I parked in the city centre, walked over to Ulm Minster, took a few photos, stepped inside and then left again. Quick and easy!
But wow, what an amazing church it is. At the time of my visit, Ulm Minster was the tallest church in the world, reaching 161.53 metres. It was so tall that I couldn’t even fit the entire building into one photo! There was also a market in the square, making it difficult to find the perfect position. You can see some better images here.
Ulm Minster held its world record until 2025, when the Sagrada Família in Barcelona finally surpassed it.
The city itself looked quite cute as well, so perhaps I will have to return to Ulm after all.
For now, I was very happy with my stops, especially the unexpected discovery of Mikulov, and ready to get home. What an adventure: 24 hours in four countries!
Until the next road trip…
(post 161)
