A popular road trip around the most scenic parts of Scotland has been listed as one of the most underrated travel ideas across Europe in 2024.

Time Out has today released its list of 11 Underrated Summer Travel Ideas in Europe for 2024, and Scotland's North East 250 trip has made the cut.

The global brand compiled the list to "inspire travellers to Europe to experience the very best things to do". Also included in this list is an ice cream crawl around Copenhagen and an outdoor art trail in the south of France.

The stand-out, however, is the North East 250 in Scotland which is a trip similar to the ever popular North Coast 500.

Grace Beard, Time Out Travel Editor said: "We all like the idea of summertime in Europe – long, lazy days in the Mediterranean sunshine, whiling away an evening people-watching in local bars – but the reality is often much less romantic, with over-tourism, soaring prices and scorching temperatures blighting many a Euro Summer fantasy. But it doesn’t have to be that way – as our list of the best things to do this summer shows, a great summer holiday in Europe can take on many forms, from hopping around river beaches to road trips and outdoor art trails."

What is the North East 250?

According to the North East 250 website, this road trip is a full circle around the north east of the country, including the east coast, Aberdeenshire, Moray Firth, Speyside and the Cairngorms.

The website reads: "The North East 250 explores everything for which Scotland is famous in a unique Scottish road trip taking you through the whisky distilleries of Speyside, the spectacular mountain passes of the Cairngorms National Park, the famous castles of Royal Deeside, the Granite City of Aberdeen, the rugged North Sea coastline to the east, and the picturesque seaside villages of the Moray Firth Coast."

Where does the North East 250 visit?

Cairngorms National Park.
Travel through the Cairngorms National Park with the North East 250

The ultimate north east road trip takes you through the following locations:

  • Aberdeen
  • East Coast
  • Moray Firth and the Sunshine Coast
  • Speyside
  • Cairngorms
  • Royal Deeside

How long is the North East 250?

The North East 250 spans 250 miles in a loop far north of Scotland, hitting the east coast and driving through the likes of Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Banff.

Full list of the 11 underrated summer travel ideas in Europe for 2024

  1. Follow an outdoor art trail in the south of France

  2. Relax on central Portugal’s inland beaches

  3. Cycle the Balkans

  4. Spa away on Saaremaa island

  5. Tour Berlin’s sunset spots

  6. Hike a web of trails in Greece’s new Sitia Geopark

  7. Discover Albania’s Cold War bunkers

  8. Road trip Scotland’s North East 250

  9. Go on a Copenhagen ice cream crawl

  10. Sail around Croatia’s lesser-known islands

  11. Be a shepherd for a week in the Pyrenees

Visit the North East 250 website for more details on how to complete the road trip and all the sights you can see on your travels.

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