ROAD TRIP to Prague Rally
The 2013 "ROAD TRIP to Prague" starts on the 7th Sepetmber 2013. Unlike other rallies, Motoscape is not just about constant driving. It's about visiting 10 countries, in 7 days, having time to see a little bit of each country, visit some fantastic places such as the Nurburgring, Stelvio Pass, Lamborghini & Ferrari Museums and a whole host of interesting sites, as well as meeting great people up for good time and most of all having an unforgettable experience!
Check out the full itinerary of the route below:
Day 1
All the teams meet in St Omer and Motoscape registration will open from 1pm onwards; the organisers are around all day to ensure every body knows what's happening during this fantastic week. St Omer is 30 miles and 40 – 45 minutes from both Dunkirk and Calais.
Today is all about meeting the other teams, checking out the weird and wonderful cars, eating some traditional French cuisine and sampling a few "frothy bevies" in the many bars and brasseries (the Motoscapers usually gather in the Queen Vic) of this attractive little town.
St Omer is the perfect place to start the 2013 Motoscape Rally!
Day 2
All the teams are raring to go for the drive to Koblenz in Germany, which is situated in the picturesque Rhine valley.
The drive today is on the surprisingly clean, efficient motorways of France, Belgium and Germany where you will find driving a pleasure. You can even stop off at Luxemburg to make sure you tick off all 7 countries on the trip.
On route you can visit the Nurburgring. For those of you who don’t know what it is, well it is probably the greatest and most challenging race circuit in the world. It is 20.8km long and members of the public can take their own cars onto the track. You don’t have to take your car on the track; you can just turn up and gaze in awe at some of the fancy cars that will be there.
Not into the Nurburgring? Then why not come off the motorway at Eupen and head along the 258 through the Ardennes Forest to experience some fantastic scenery all the way to Koblenz. Alternatively you could head to La Roche and visit the museum of the ‘battle of the Ardennes’ where there is a section that studies in detail the British involvement in this battle of the Second World War.
Once you have arrived in Koblenz and checked in to your hotel, the majority of entrants visit the wine festival in the evening. A short taxi ride will take you to the pretty village of Winningen to experience one of the oldest wine festivals in Germany. This is a night not to be missed and it is just how you would imagine a German wine festival to be, with live music, an endless supply of wine and beer, and traditional German bratwurst (that's a hot dog to the uncultured!). The finale is a dazzling firework display which lights up the night sky above the river. This is one of the most amazing firework displays you will ever come across, and that is no exaggeration (think London Millennium night)!
A late night is guaranteed and it's a great chance for some team bonding.
Day 3
Today we head towards Lake Constance area (Feldkirch) in Austria, which is set in a beautiful corner of central Europe. It sits mainly in Germany and Switzerland but also in Austria to the east.
After a hearty breakfast and a pep talk from the organisers you will be ready to leave Koblenz and head down the Rhine gorge towards Bingen, to experience the finest scenery along the whole of the Rhine. Along this stretch you will find there are more castles than anywhere else in the world. One castle well worth visiting is Castle Rheinstein which was built in the early 14th century but has been completely renovated by the current owner.
Once you leave the Rhine you will head towards Lake Constance (Feldkirch). The easiest route is via the German autobahn (motorway), which if you have a need for speed is excellent. Why not consider breaking up the journey by visiting the Motor Sports Museum in Hockenheim. It features a collection of Formula 1 and sports racing cars as well as motorcycles and is located right on the motorway so is not out of your way.
If you fancy a steadier drive, an alternative is along the B500 between Baden Baden and Freudenstadt, better known as the Black Forest Highway. Along this 40 mile stretch of road you will experience some fabulous scenery. Continue heading south and you will hit Triberg where you will see Germany’s largest waterfall and also the world’s largest cuckoo clock.
Baden Baden is worth a look before you hit the B500. It is a beautiful spa town but also a rich man’s playground (remember the WAGS shopping trip during the world cup).
Upon reaching Lake Constance take a drive along the shore as this is much more enticing than travelling down the autobahn. Teams will be spending the night a short drive from the lake itself in the medieval city of Feldkirch.
Upon arriving in Feldkirch and after a heavy night out in Koblenz, some teams will grab a bite to eat in the hotel and have an early night, others will continue to party and venture into the medieval city where there's an unlimited choice of entertainment from restaurants to bars and clubs.
Day 4
Today's drive is the drive everyone has been waiting for. The journey to Bergamo in Italy, via the awesome Stelvio pass! Bergamo is built on two levels, with the lower modern city connected to the beautiful and historic upper city by a funicular railway. There are breath-taking views across the mountains from the top and Piazza Vecchia in the centre of the old city is simply stunning.
A slight detour at the start of today’s journey provides an opportunity to tick off another country, the tax haven of Liechtenstein. It is a tiny country measuring around 62 square miles. It is very pretty and well worth a photo shoot.
As mentioned, today is probably the highlight of this awesome road trip with the chance to test those bangers on the 60 hairpin bends of the gargantuan Stelvio pass. This year it is all change, as we will be traversing the pass in the opposite direction to previous years. Teams will head east along the E60 through some of the many tunnels before heading south towards the ‘world’s best driving road’ as featured on Top Gear. A stop at the top, which at 2758 metres is the second highest paved mountain road in the Alps, is a must. It’s then all downhill towards Bormio before heading on to Bergamo to give the cars a much needed rest in this historic city.
Day 5
Today is the final day for those doing the "ROAD TRIP to Venice" and a great day for anyone who is a car or motorcycle enthusiast or if you want to visit a majestic city.
The actual destination that teams will be staying at is San Dona' di Piave, which is just a short hop from both Venice and the beach resort of Lido di Jesolo. This provides the best of both worlds. You can visit Venice, stop for some lunch in St Mark's Square, and take in the unique atmosphere of this city on the water.
Alternatively you can just chill out on the beach or take a walk along the 10 mile long promenade of Lido di Jesolo. San Dona' di Piave is a city in it’s own right with a population of around 40,000 people where there are plenty of places to eat and drink.
As you are in Italy and this is after all a rally, there is the opportunity to visit Maranello, the home of Ferrari which attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year. Here you can drive the latest Ferraris with prices starting from just €50 (this has got to be the bargain of the trip!). After the Ferrari museum, teams can also visit the Panini museum in Modena which houses the entire Masserati factory’s historic collection, completely FREE of charge. The Lamborghini museum is another obvious port of call where you can pay for a tour round the factory if you wish.
Back to the destination and if you have never visited Venice, it’s certainly worth taking the time out to do so. The city on the water sits on millions of wooden piles pounded into marshy ground and has been slowly sinking for the last 1,000 years. It stands on 117 small islands and has some 150 canals and 410 bridges. It is so beautiful that it defies description. There is barely a building in the city that isn’t a unique monument of some sort and millions of visitors pile into the city every year. This historic city has so much to offer from the famous St Mark’s square and Gondolas to the fabulous array of restaurants serving the best in Italian cuisine. A visit here is an absolute must.
In contrast, Lido do Jesolo, which is situated just a few miles north of Venice is a purpose built resort. It has miles of sandy beach, rows of sunbeds, watersports and night-time entertainment that attracts thousands of holidaymakers every summer. A great place to party or to just chill out and catch a few rays.
Day 6
The drive today sees teams heading for Sopron in Hungary. The journey to Sopron can be made a number of ways; the best by far is by going through the Triglav national park in Slovenia taking in the Vrsic pass. This is the highest mountain pass in Slovenia, with a series of 48 hairpin bends, all of which are numbered. You can expect to pass through cliff like faces and see magnificent waterfalls and in the opinion of many previous ‘Motoscapers’, it is ‘better than Stelvio’.
Thinking the car might not make another pass, then why not call in at Bled, which is situated on the edge of the same national park. It has to be one of the most beautiful tourist spots in Europe as it sits on a small lake surrounded by some absolutely stunning scenery.
Sopron lies only a few miles from the Austrian border, and sitting at the foot of the eastern Alps means it is set in beautiful countryside. It is regarded as one of the most important tourist towns of Hungary, famous for it’s wine and cheap dentistry. It is rich in culture with some wonderfully preserved old buildings making it one of Hungary’s most attractive towns.
Day 7
Today is the final leg to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.
Prague probably doesn’t need any introductions; it has a wonderfully preserved old town which helps to make it one of the most beautiful cities in the world and one of the most visited in Europe. There is so much to see the list is endless. It is also a great place to party with cheap beer and beautiful women!!!
Before you get to Prague though, there's still the drive to do which at around 4 hours gives you ample time to cross over the border back into Austria to experience the Neusiedler sea. It is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Austria and also a UNESCO world heritage sight. The lake is surrounded by a reed belt, which gives shelter to a unique paradise of birds. So if you’re a secret twitcher, today is the day for you. On the edge of the lake is the pretty town of Rust (place of the Storks), which wins visitors over instantly with its charm and wonderfully colourful buildings. The cobblestone centre is a real treat, and perched atop almost every chimney is a stork’s nest.
The last night of Prague rally see's all the Motoscapers meet up for the excellent 3 course meal arranged by Motoscape, which will put the finishing touch to a momentous 7 day road trip. After that, the teams hit the town where there are numerous drinking dens, discos, (nightclubs for the gents), where everyone can have an awesome night out to celebrate the end of the rally!!!
Map of the Route: