Sounds a gruelling trip, maybe best for someone who views driving as an end in itself. When aiming for Nice via western Liguria, follow guidance I have even seen in a guidebook and avoid the narrow, hazardous coast road, the track of the old Roma via. I travelled it several times between Ventimiglia and Imperia a few years ago and found it terrifying, even though I was in a bus. The A10/E80 takes you over the top and should be safer and a lot faster. I agree that the Route Napoleon is splendid.

Hello. Feedback time.

I wish we'd had time to take in some of your great comments and ideas. Thanks tho.

Last minute change meant we had to do course in reverse. We were also led to believe that the Nurburgring is only open to public at nights, 1pm saturday and all day sunday; we simply coudnt make those times fit with the journey.

Due to the distances involved, 2700 round trip in 8 days, meant we were driving 6 hours per day. This meant we could just about spare 2 hours each day - either morning, lunch or dinner time to see an attraction. This meant hitting motorway most of the time, at a good pace too. Shame. Very poor planning on our part and would suggest people who plan on doing a road trip try and plan every road, and allow for instances of road blocks etc.

Motorway down france wasn't bad; used N roads afrer dordogne; went over the Milau; not bad; good view; nice rolling hills. As you come down the road leading towards Nimes, you soon notice change in countryside. Nimes is worth a visit and we hit a cracking hotel opposite the ampitheatre.

Wasn't fussed by Monaco; sea mist had crept in - shame. Motorways across Italy were boring; flat towards Parma. Imagine the A roads to be much worse; I guess you're covering some distance there.

Got to Bolzano, towards Alps, where things should get interesting. Rather than motorway, we wanted to explore, so took the SS508; so rather than sit in the valley like the E45, this S road snakes it way over the mountain there. Rather than 39 minutes, this road should take 60 minutes. We got stuck in a traffic jam in a tunnel for roughly 20 minutes. But the total road took us 2 hours; admit we stopped once to admire the view... in the cloud, lol, with horizontal snow. Pretty spectacular to see snow when we'd had 30c heat on the coast the day before.

The road was a bit mad, and maybe a tiny taster of what the better/real mountain roads in Austria would be like. Although nice and clear for most of it, the top was a blanket of snow; the armco barriers were missing at most harepins, which was odd, freaky. Slow progress. The SS44 looks equaly interesting.

I think those same clouds were supposed to be depositing rain on the lower lands of Germany, Austria and Italy that day; so assume altituted gave us snow. So be mindful if you plan your trip over some mountains - lesson learnt.

The Satnav let us down at this town; we considered the motorway to make up time. It said good idea; then within 10 yards hit a toll; and then a further 50 yards hit a traffic jam, where the satnav pipes up and says : traffic jam alert, for next 6km, approx 45 minute delay..... great!! Rubbish TomTom. We could've stayed on the SS12, which looked a nice main road within this valley, just for one junction.

Past Austria, hit a bit of south germany, then Switzerland. OMG, how expensive was it there. We opted for a co-op, rather than an expensive service station. Lunch consisted of a small sandwich roll, bag of crisps, 4 chocolate bars and big bottle of water, oh and Banana. This cost us about £25. So made sure I made best use of their immaculate toilets - nice they were indeed.

So would defo look at going back to Austria - loved it.

The alfa averaged 20mpg whole trip.