What Is It Like To Drive From The U.K. To Austria?

I’ll just start by answering that question with a huge spoiler alert – a road trip from the UK to Austria is incredibly enjoyable! Although it may not be the most conventional road trip route (considering the UK is an island separated from mainland Europe), the experience proved to be absolutely fantastic at every turn!

There are several reasons for this excitement… 😄

1. The Road Trip Experience

First off, let’s talk about the vehicle! We partnered with BMW (the official sponsors of Snowbombing Festival), receiving a shiny BMW X3 to drive from the UK to Austria!

The BMW X3 has many exciting features – for instance, its touchless entertainment controls felt almost like using a magic wand. Moreover, there’s a wireless charger conveniently located up front. All passengers enjoy heated seats, not just the driver and front passenger. Additionally, if you unintentionally drift out of your lane without signaling, the vehicle’s safety technology gently nudges you back into the correct lane.

Most impressively, we enjoyed a seamless journey from the UK to Germany (our first stop) without needing to refill the tank. We did pause for a ‘rest’ though, simply as an excuse to grab some delicious waffles in Belgium.

2. The BMW X3 Features

There’s so much more to experience in this exceptional car as we made our way to Austria. I simply love features that enhance convenience and ease, making the BMW X3 a delight to drive.

3. The Snowbombing Festival

The second reason behind our excitement stemmed from our destination: the Snowbombing Festival. This event, nestled in the Austrian Alps, promises a week full of breathtaking scenery, memorable parties, and top-notch music!

In the UK, the festival is well-known, embodying the spirit of skiing by day and partying by night. Indeed, it has developed into a tradition for attendees to embark on road trips from the UK to Austria, creating excitement even before the festival begins!

This year’s theme was “The 90s.” Participants got into the spirit, arriving dressed in their favorite outfits from that era, from Spice Girls to Ninja Turtles and everything in between! Vehicles were also customized with vibrant paint and stickers to match the festival’s exuberance.

4. Visiting Belgium

As relative newcomers, we arrived unprepared, expecting only a handful of road-trippers. However, we quickly encountered a vibrant and colorful gathering!

Fortunately, soon after arriving, we made friends with fellow participants who generously shared costumes and accessories, allowing me to step into my own 90s-inspired “fringe-dressed rocker” persona. 😀

5. Exploring Austria

After a hearty breakfast and collecting our festival passes (not to mention engaging in a few impromptu dance sessions), we kicked off our journey from Canterbury towards Dover (around 40 minutes). Here, we would embark on the ferry to France to continue our drive through mainland Europe.

The ferry ride itself turned into a memorable occasion, packed with colorfully clad fellow road-trippers that brought smiles and unexpected joy to the other passengers onboard.

Once we reached France, we had several route options: either head south toward central France, or take the shorter, more scenic route toward Belgium. After some thoughtful deliberation, we opted for the latter and made a spontaneous stop in Ypres – a historic town I had little knowledge of beforehand (Lloyd was more familiar with Ypres than I was).

Despite our brief stay in Ypres, we were truly enchanted! It is a stunning Belgian town that reminded us how little we had explored Belgium, and certainly warrants further visits in the summer months.

Indeed, everyone in our group left Ypres feeling that summer is a must for exploring Belgium further!

Upon leaving Ypres, we briefly visited the city of Kortrijk (yet another spontaneous decision based on a glance at the map).

Our main aim was to explore the iconic Broel Towers, but we also couldn’t help but admire the beautiful architecture around us, further fueling our desire to return to Belgium during the summer.

With that, we finally set our sights on our evening destination, the German town of Saarbrücken! Although we arrived around 9:30 PM, we headed straight for dinner and promptly went to bed afterward. 😄

The following day, we awoke bright and early, excited for our journey towards Mayrhofen in Austria, the town where the Snowbombing Festival would take place. However, a lively detour led us to the charming German town of Augsburg.

Augsburg is one of Germany’s oldest cities and features stunning architecture. After a brief exploration, we decided to dine in a cozy local restaurant under the sun.

While there, Lloyd opted for schnitzel (because, why not? 😄), and I indulged in a hearty German meal of dumplings accompanied by pork with gravy and sauerkraut.

Following lunch, we continued our journey to Mayrhofen, arriving just as the rest of our group started to gather.

In the coming days, we experienced skiing in the mountains (it was late in the ski season, but we dove right into it! Even in the foggy weather we faced on the first day 😄).

Conclusion

Ultimately, this trip from the UK to Austria, enhanced by the beautiful BMW X3, was a thrilling experience that brought us joy and unforgettable memories during the Snowbombing Festival.