With spring upon us and better weather around the corner, many road trip enthusiasts will be planning their automotive odysseys for future months. One particularly challenging but rewarding trip is the London to Istanbul route.

This journey takes you from the British capital, through the heart of Europe and onto the edges of the Middle East. Indeed, Istanbul itself is in both Europe and Asia – making it a melting pot of cultures that will prove a very enjoyable city to visit at the end of your first leg.

Heading down to Kent, you can take either the ferry or the Channel Tunnel before entering the autoroutes of northern France and Belgium. From here there are a multitude of routes to choose from, depending on how much of central Europe you wish to see. The most direct route takes you through central Germany, where Frankfurt and Cologne are on your way.

Next up is Austria, where a stop in Vienna is most recommended, and then on through Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and finally the Turkish capital, Istanbul.

If you decided to drive without stopping, it would take around 30 hours. However, this is not practical and you would miss out on some incredible cities on the way.

The London to Istanbul route is popular because it offers the chance to see a vast swathe of Europe, which demonstrates how much the continent has to offer. And once you’ve enjoyed Istanbul, you get to experience the whole journey again, in reverse.

Don’t forget to take out your short term European Breakdown Cover before you go.