Travelling through Europe isn’t just about ticking off landmarks or chasing Instagram shots. For those who enjoy the road, the thrill of the unknown, and perhaps a bit of calculated risk, Europe offers a more unusual trail: scenic casino routes. These journeys combine nature, culture, and historic gambling venues that still operate today. Unlike casino sites not on Gamstop UK, which offer remote access to international gambling, these casinos offer a chance to experience real spaces, wrapped in mountain air, Mediterranean light, or forest silence.
1. The Riviera Route – From Sanremo to Monaco
Distance: Approx. 55 km
Region: Italian and French Riviera
Highlights: Sea views, cliff roads, vintage casinos, coastal towns
Start your journey in Sanremo, Italy’s original city of flowers and home to the historic Casino Municipale di Sanremo. This elegant Belle Époque building has operated since 1905 and still opens its doors to both locals and travellers. It’s set among palm-lined boulevards just minutes from the Ligurian Sea.
The real magic, however, begins when you get on the road. Following the coastal highway west, hugging the cliffs and beaches, you’ll cross into France and roll into Monaco. The drive is short but packed with views of the Mediterranean, rocky outcrops, and postcard-perfect villages. End your trip at the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo, one of the most iconic gambling spots in the world. The casino stands as a reminder that luxury and landscape can still go hand-in-hand.
2. The Alpine Loop – Innsbruck to Lake Lucerne
Distance: Approx. 300 km
Region: Austrian and Swiss Alps
Highlights: Mountain passes, glacier views, lakes, high-altitude resorts
Begin in Innsbruck, Austria, where the mountains seem to rise straight out of the city. The small but polished Casino Innsbruck offers a sophisticated indoor experience — but don’t linger too long. The next phase of your journey is the drive itself: through the Arlberg Pass, around Lake Constance, and into Switzerland.
Head toward Lucerne, passing green valleys, snowy peaks, and grazing cows that look like they were hired for a tourism ad. End your loop at the Grand Casino Luzern, a venue right by the lake with mountain views from the terrace. It’s not about luxury here — it’s about balance. Cold mountain air outside, soft velvet inside. All framed by nature and Swiss engineering.
3. The Baltic Drive – Tallinn to Riga
Distance: Approx. 310 km
Region: Estonia and Latvia
Highlights: Forest highways, medieval cities, Baltic coastline
Start in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, known for its cobbled streets and digital smarts. The Olympic Park Casino is slick and modern, but the real reason to go is the road south, through dense pine forests, past wooden villages, and along stretches of untouched coast.
Cross the border into Latvia and keep heading south until you reach Riga, where old-world charm meets new-world energy. The Royal Casino Spa & Hotel Resort is a flamboyant building with a different feel from the Nordic-style Estonian sites. This route is quiet, clean, and full of space — perfect for travellers who like distance between stops, and who appreciate silence as much as stakes.
4. The Danube Route – Vienna to Budapest
Distance: Approx. 250 km
Region: Central Europe
Highlights: River landscapes, wine towns, castles, historical casinos
This route follows the Danube River, weaving through history, vineyards, and imperial legacies. Start in Vienna, where you’ll find the elegant Casino Wien in a Baroque palace. The interior feels more like an art gallery than a gambling hall.
From Vienna, head southeast toward the Hungarian border. The countryside here is gentle — fields, woods, old train lines. Stop at Esztergom, a town with a giant basilica overlooking the Danube, before continuing to Budapest. Hungary’s capital offers a string of casinos, but Las Vegas Casino near the river is worth visiting for its location alone. From the outside, it blends into the cityscape. From the inside, it offers views of the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle glowing at night.
5. The Black Forest Route – Baden-Baden to Lake Constance
Distance: Approx. 200 km
Region: Southwestern Germany
Highlights: Forest drives, spa towns, lakes, hilltop ruins
The Casino Baden-Baden is often called the most beautiful casino in the world — a building once described by Marlene Dietrich as “the most elegant.” But it’s not just about the tables. It’s about the setting. Baden-Baden is a spa town surrounded by the Black Forest, a region of dense woods, winding roads, and fairytale villages.
Drive south along the edge of the forest, passing through Freiburg, a university town with cobbled streets and a strong beer culture. Your final stop is Lake Constance, where Germany, Switzerland, and Austria meet. While the town of Lindau has no major casino, nearby Swiss venues like Casino St. Gallen make a quiet stop for travellers willing to cross the border. The journey offers forest calm, open waters, and a strong sense of old-world Europe.
6. The Adriatic Run – Venice to Split
Distance: Approx. 500 km
Region: Northern Italy to Croatia
Highlights: Coastal roads, Venetian towns, sea-facing casinos
Start in Venice, which may not be known for gambling today, but once hosted public lotteries and gaming houses as early as the 1600s. Head south along the coast to Rimini, where you’ll find the Grand Hotel and its modest but classy casino lounge.
Cross into Slovenia and pass through Piran, then into Croatia, stopping in seaside towns like Rovinj or Zadar. Your final goal is Split, where the Casino Platinum sits near the old town and port. This route offers turquoise water, red-roofed villages, and changing scenery — from Italian flatlands to rocky Croatian cliffs.
7. The Bavarian-Czech Border Route – Regensburg to Karlovy Vary
Distance: Approx. 240 km
Region: Southeastern Germany to Western Czech Republic
Highlights: River valleys, forested hills, spa architecture, borderland culture
Begin in Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the Danube, with medieval architecture and charming cobbled streets. While Regensburg itself doesn’t have a major casino, it’s a worthy starting point for a route that travels deep into historic spa territory.
Drive northeast through the Bavarian Forest, following quiet rural roads that wind along wooded ridges and small villages. Cross into the Czech Republic and head to Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), a famous spa city known for hot springs and grand hotels. There, you’ll find the elegant Casino Bellevue, set in a historical building close to the city centre. The casino has been welcoming guests since the early 20th century and offers a more relaxed, stately setting compared to the fast-paced urban ones. The whole town is a blend of nature, tradition, and art nouveau elegance.
Why These Routes Matter
These routes aren’t about high-stakes tables or extravagant shows. They’re about movement. They combine geography with human architecture, where people built spaces for pleasure in locations already rich with natural appeal.
In contrast to online casino sites, which give access from anywhere, these journeys require you to show up. To drive, walk, and see. You don’t need to play the tables at every stop — sometimes it’s enough to walk through the lobby, admire the chandeliers, and look out the window. The point is in the journey, and the way gambling architecture interacts with landscape, history, and local flavour.
Final Thoughts
There’s something unusual and memorable about combining a scenic route with a stop at a real casino. You pass through forests, cities, coasts, and borders — and at each pause, you get a different version of European design and hospitality. Some of these places are grand and ornate. Others are modest, tucked behind modern facades. All are shaped by their surroundings.
They’re journeys you plan on paper maps or GPS — with towns to stop in, roads to climb, and views to pull over for. If you enjoy movement, architecture, and a bit of strategy, this kind of travel gives you all three, along with a reason to pause, sit, and shuffle a few chips in places that have seen centuries pass by.