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These are the world’s most underrated road trips, according to a new study

Researchers have figured out the best lesser-known places to drive across the globe

Sophie Dickinson
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Sophie Dickinson
Freelance contributor
Causeway Coastal Route Northern Ireland
Photograph: Shutterstock
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There are some pretty iconic road trips out there. Route 62 in South Africa and Norway’s Atlantic Road, to name just two. But you know the big problem? Everyone else has heard of them too. And the last thing you want is a road trip stuck in traffic. 

Luckily, a new study by Confused.com has figured out the world’s most underrated road trips, which means you can be sure you’ll have the tarmac all to yourself. So, where came top? The Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland. More than 98 percent of its reviews on Tripadvisor are positive, but the trip racked up only 23,700 online searches in the last year. According to the price comparison site’s maths, that makes it the most underrated road trip in the world.

Next up is the stunning Route des Crêtes in France, a 89km route through the Vosges Mountains in the east of the country. It’s extremely beautiful, but for whatever reason, only 131,200 people searched for it last year. With nearly 99 percent of the reviews positive, it ends up with a score of 8.27/10. Pas mal. 

Positions three to six on the list are all taken up by American routes. There’s the Foothills Parkway, which takes you along the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee; the wildlife-filled Lamar Valley in Wyoming; Colorado’s beautiful Trail Ridge Road; and Montana’s epic Beartooth Highway.

Tempted to hit the road but really want to swerve the traffic? Here are the ten most underrated road trips in the world:

  1. Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland
  2. Route des Crêtes, France
  3. Foothills Parkway, USA
  4. Lamar Valley, USA
  5. Trail Ridge Road, USA
  6. Beartooth Highway, USA
  7. Route Napoléon, France
  8. San Juan Skyway, USA
  9. Needles Highway, USA
  10. Great St Bernard Pass, Italy

Got five minutes to spare? Want to tell us what life is like in your city? Take the Time Out Index survey here. 

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