Ravenna to Goslar: Ultimate Road Trip Guide

Start in Ravenna, where 5th-century Byzantine mosaics glitter in dim baptisteries. End in Goslar, a medieval town huddled beneath the Harz Mountains. The 1,100 km highway route (A1, then E55) takes about 11 hours nonstop, but that would be a crime.

You cross the Apennines, the Po Valley, the Alpine foothills, and the North German Plain. The road itself is a museum: the A1 near Bologna was built on an ancient Roman road, the Via Aemilia. Your tires trace history.

For tips on finding the best stops and hidden gems between cities, see how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities. This guide answers: best stops Ravenna to Goslar, how long to drive Ravenna to Goslar, and is it worth driving Ravenna to Goslar.

Take A14 from Ravenna to Bologna, then A1 north through Milan. At Modena switch to A22 through the Brenner Pass (E45). In Austria, continue A12/A13 via Innsbruck. Then A8 in Germany to Munich, A9 to Nuremberg, and A7 north to Goslar.

Tolls: Italy (€30-40), Austria (€9.50 vignette for 10 days), Germany (free). Tunnels under the Apennines are lit and straight, but the Brenner Pass can have queues. Fuel costs vary: Italy €1.80/L, Austria €1.60/L, Germany €1.70/L (July 2024).

• Italy: autogrills every 30 km; good coffee, mediocre panini.
• Austria: Raststätten with clean toilets but no free water.
• Germany: Tankstellen with branded fuel; some have air pumps.

Night driving? The A1 near Bologna is well-lit, but the Brenner Pass at night offers starry skies and no traffic. In Germany, deer crossings are common between Nuremberg and Goslar from dusk to dawn. Use high beams on empty stretches.

German autobahns have no speed limit in places (A7 near Hildesheim), but beware: the A1 Italy segment has speed cameras every 5 km. Arad drones monitor average speed. Keep to 130 km/h in Germany; law expects you to adapt to conditions.

Rest zones: Italy has “Aree di Servizio” with playgrounds. Autogrill Fiorenzuola (A1) has a giant slide. In Austria, Raststation Zirl (A12) has a kids' corner. In Germany, “Raststätte” often have a McDonald's with play area. Pet-friendly: German stops allow dogs inside cafés; Italian ones sometimes require a leash.

• Fatigue: Stop every 2h. Use park4night app for spontaneous breaks.
• Hidden off-route: Castello di Torrechiara (40 min west of Parma), a pink castle with frescoes. Or the Lichtenstein Castle (1h detour near Reutlingen).

For families, plan a stop at Europa-Park in Rust (2h west of A5) but way off. Instead, Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg is 2h north. On route: Playmobil FunPark in Zirndorf near Nuremberg (€12). For pets: many German hotels are pet-friendly (€10-20 extra); check booking.com filter.

From Ravenna's flat pine forests to the Dolomites' jagged peaks, then the gentle hills of Franconia and the Harz massif. Each region has its own market. In Ravenna, buy handmade mosaic tiles (€20-50). In Bolzano, South Tyrolean speck (€12/kg). Near Goslar, Harz cheese from the local dairy.

UNESCO sites dot the route: Ravenna's mosaics, Modena's Cathedral, Verona's Arena, and Goslar's Old Town with its imperial palace. Worth a detour: the Wadden Sea (300 km north of Goslar) but too far for this trip.

• Ravenna: eight UNESCO monuments (€10 combined ticket).
• Modena: Piazza Grande and its Romanesque cathedral (free square).
• Verona: 1st-century Arena (€10).
• Goslar: Imperial Palace (€7.50) and 1,000-year-old mines (€12).

Climate varies: Ravenna 30°C July sun; Brenner 20°C with sudden rain; Goslar 18°C and cloudy. The best driving months are May-June and September-October when crowds thin. In autumn, the Franconian vineyards turn gold; in winter, the Harz is snowy and magical but requires winter tires.