Seven of the World's Most Spectacular Road Bridges

Road Trips

Jan 9

In Detour’s book there’s no such thing as a bridge too far. Leaving solid ground to shoot across the span of suspension bridge is the closest thing to flying you can experience behind the wheel. (Well at least until those flying cars we’ve been promised for decades finally arrive). Here are seven of our favourite crossings.

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Detour #129: Llosa del Cavall, Catalunya, Spain

Imagine if all your favourite features were found on one single stretch of road. Twists, turns, climbs and falls, forests, tunnels, bridges and vistas to make you brake to standstill and grab your camera. It’s the smash hits of road trips: an incredible compilation album.

Detour #64: Grand Pacific Drive, Sydney, Australia

Australia’s Grand Pacific Drive is one of the most Instagram-friendly routes in the world. Honestly, just spend a few minutes on the planet’s most popular photo-sharing platform and you’ll find thousands of shots of this scenic Sydney adventure.

Detour Pit Stop #28: Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, China

The world's longest road link across open sea joins Hong Kong to Macau.

Detour #52: Florida Keys Overseas Highway, USA

Skimming the Florida Keys just metres above sea level, the Overseas Highway links Miami to Key West via a series of spectacular long low-slung bridges.

Detour Pit Stop #19: Oresund Bridge, Denmark-Sweden

Oresundsbron isn’t just a bridge - it’s a bridge, a man-made island and a tunnel that link Copenhagen in Denmark with Malmo in Sweden and is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year.

Detour Pit Stop #08: Millau Viaduct, France

Rising 1,100ft from the floor of the Tarn gorge this Norman Foster designed wonder is the tallest bridge on the planet.

Detour #08: Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway

Eight bridges span a series of small islands, some so low that you feel you’re skimming the sea, while fishermen catch cod from the side. Others a roller coaster ride into the sky and down again.

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Detour #355: Rolling Through The Blue Mountains, Australia

For stunning sandstone canyons draped in eucalyptus forest and a leisurely meander through heritage towns, few drives can match Australia’s Blue Mountains.

Detour #354: A Rollercoaster Ride on Timmelsjoch, Austria

Perhaps it’s a cliché to liken a scintillating stretch of road to a rollercoaster. But with Timmelsjoch, the toll road which straddles the Austrian-Italian border deep in the Tirol region, the comparison feels uncanny.

Detour #353: A Tunnel Run to the Only Undersea Roundabout in the World, Faroe Islands

Driving over 1,000 miles just to lap a roundabout might seem insane, but when it’s also an art installation over 250 feet beneath the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, this epic journey makes total sense.

10 Must-Drive Mountain Roads

It’s high time to head out on a high-altitude, high-octane driving adventure. To sweep through the switchbacks and climb to heights that will take your breath away.

Detour #352: Climbing Kop Hill, UK

The historic Kop Hill Climb tops out a day’s drive in the Chilterns.

The Road Trip World Cup

What if there was a World Cup of Road Trips, where each country’s best driving roads were pitted against each other to determine the greatest on the planet?

Detour #351: A Blunder on the Bruce Highway, Australia

Tracking the Queensland coast for over 1,000 miles from Brisbane to Cairns is the Bruce Highway. There’s little danger of getting lost, but it’s not always plain sailing.

Detour #350: An Alternative Lap of the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man may be synonymous with the TT, but coastal roads, open moorland and empty tarmac tell a wider story.

Detour #349: Drive Like a Dutton in the Montana of Yellowstone, USA

In Taylor' Sheridan’s Yellowstone the Dutton clan are forever driving across the breathtaking Montana landscape. Here’s how to follow them.

Detour #348: The Longer Way from the Nürburgring to Spa-Francorchamps, Germany-Belgium

Two of the greatest race tracks in Europe are less than two hours apart if you take the most direct route. There’s a longer way, however…

Detour to the Movies: 8 Blockbuster Road Trips

If you want to follow the stars of the silver screen on an unforgettable blockbuster road trip of your own then let Detour be your director.

Detour #347: Life is Sweet on this Alpine Salt Road, Italy-France

The Alta Via Del Sale isn’t for the fainthearted, but the payoff is worth it.

Detour #346: You’ll Have a Blast on the Bainskloof Pass, South Africa

A tight and twisty climb that’s rewarded with terrific views of Table Mountain.

Detour #345: Highway Hypnosis on the World’s Longest, Straightest Road, Saudi Arabia

With its seemingly endless vanishing point, Saudi Arabia’s Highway 10 is officially the longest, straightest road in the world.

6 of the Best European Mountain Passes Made Easy

Our guides to six of the best European mountain roads are now available for free on the MIVIA app , with accurate, turn-by-turn navigation for every one.

Detour #344: Taking Flight Across Gran Canaria, Spain

Detour journeys from relaxing Playa de Mogán to the spectacular Mirador del Balcón in Gran Canaria – retracing a World Rally Championship route along the way.