14 April 2025

For those planning a trip to the continent any time soon, there is often a temptation for drivers to visit a European circuit or two.

While the likes of Spa, Imola, and the Nurburgring are regular destinations for automotive fans, there are plenty of other great spots either to simply visit, or take your car for a spin. Here, we round up some of Europe’s lesser-known race tracks.

Bilster Berg – near Bielefeld, German

This corner of north-west Germany is not only one of the most first patches of the country you are likely to come across while driving, but it’s also steeped in Cold War history.

Built at a former British Forces ammunition depot, the site was returned to Germany in 1993, and the location’s previous owner – a motorsports-mad Count. Opened in 2011, Bilster Berg flows around a hillside, and is hidden from view by a pine forest, which makes it secluded and dramatic. Filled with climbs and drops, the track might be relatively new, but it’s got a real old-school feel to things.

Circuit de Charade – near Clermont-Ferrand, France

Photograph Courtesy of "Tripadvisor"

While Bilster Berg is thoroughly modern, ‘Charade’ is anything but. Originally an eight kilometre circuit built around two lava domes near the city in 1958, it hosted the French Grand Prix a handful of times in the late 1960s and early 1970s, before losing the rights to Paul Ricard.

With its dramatic location came its downfall, with no space for run-offs and gravel traps that aided safety, instead the track was often surrounded by concrete walls. Last hosting a competitive race in 1988, the track is still in use as a driving facility using the lower loop, while the mountainous section is now open roads. Definitely worth a visit.

Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar – near Barcelona, Spain

Photograph Courtesy of "Detour Road Trips"

Not available to be driven on by visitors, Sitges-Terramar is a fearsomely banked track that opened in 1923, and closed in 1955. One of the world’s oldest custom-built race tracks, Sitges-Terramar should be talked about in the same conversations as Brooklands in the UK, Monza in Italy, and the United States’ Indianapolis.

The concept is similar to all of the above, with an oval-ish shape – here almost kidney-bean rather than Brooklands’ more triangular effort – with banking that reaches 66-degrees in parts for some truly spectacular racing. Before it closed, it held the Spanish Grand Prix on many occasions, and can still be visited today.

Circuit de Reims-Gueux – Reims, France

Another early racing circuit, Reims-Gueux is probably the most famous track here, simply because it’s en-route for many driving south through France. Near the town of the same name, the track is no longer a fixed racing circuit; instead it is simply made up of public roads, as it was when first conceived.

Like Le Mans, there is plenty of the track that is open to the public, and the old start-finish straight has a number of buildings marking the spot of what was once one of the most famous racing circuits in Europe. Featuring two ling straights, it was one of the fastest tracks in use between 1926 and 1972 when open and, although an attempt at recreating the same speeds in your car will likely lead to a disagreement with the local Gendarmes, it is certainly possible to drive much of the track as it would have been more than 50 years ago.

Targa Florio – Sicily, Italy

Photograph courtesy of "Ruote Leggendarie"

It’s the furthermost circuit – if circuit can really be used here – so few will be able to ‘pop by’ in their car, but if you venture to southern Italy than a spin along at least some of the Targa Florio course is well advised.

The bonus is that, like Reims above, the track was all put together from public roads, closed during the race, which ran from 1906 until 1977. Which means it’s easy to drive, in a law-abiding fashion of course, the course, whichever variant you like most. The first run covered almost 150km of the island each lap, run over three laps, but shorter sections were used at various times over the years. In fact, it’s an ideal way to see some of the more remote parts of the island, so if visiting – even without your car – it would be worth taking a hire car around at some point.