Bergen to Benidorm – Winter Road Trip 2026

BLOG POST: A New Road Trip From Bergen to Benidorm – January 2026

Departure date: January 12th or 13th

Companions: Traveling together with my sister – just like on the trip this spring

Route: Same route as the January 2025 winter journey

⸻

Planning Has Started – Join the Journey!

After an unforgettable winter road trip from Bergen to Benidorm in January this year, preparations are now underway for a new adventure in January 2026.

This time I’ll combine daily blog updates with a fresh filming style, giving a more detailed and personal look at the entire journey.

Just like in the spring, my sister will be joining me again, which makes the trip even more enjoyable.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll share updates on planning, packing, filming gear, and everything that goes into a long winter drive from Norway to Spain.

Planning Update: The January Road Trip to Spain Is Taking Shape

The planning for the January road trip to Spain is now well underway, and some important pieces are finally in place.

Ferry Booked – The Journey Begins at Sea

Back in November, the ferry tickets were booked with Fjord Line for the crossing from Bergen to Hirtshals.

🛳 Departure: January 13th, 2026 – 14:00

🛳 Vessel: M/F Bergensfjord

🛳 Route: Bergen → Hirtshals

This overnight crossing is always a calm and atmospheric way to start a long journey south, and it really marks the beginning of the adventure.

⸻

Hotels Secured for the First Stages

On the same day, the first hotel stays were also booked – taking advantage of Black Friday offers, which made the planning even more satisfying.

🏨 Stage: Hirtshals → Ladenburg

Hotel: Leonardo Hotel Ladenburg

🏨 Stage: Ladenburg → Montpellier

Hotel: Campanile Hotel Montpellier

Having these key stops secured makes the route feel much more real, and it gives a solid framework for the journey through Denmark, Germany and France.

⸻

Next Stop: Christmas, New Year – and Then South

With ferry and hotels booked, the main planning is now done.

All that remains is to enjoy Christmas and New Year, and then start counting down the days until it’s time to head south toward Spain.

There will be more updates along the way, both during the final preparations and throughout the journey itself, shared here on the blog.

The road trip is getting closer — and the excitement is starting to build.

⸻

⸻

The Route

The route remains the same as last winter – familiar, scenic, and great for filming.

⸻

Stage 1: Bergen → Hirtshals

The journey begins with the ferry from Bergen at 14:00, arriving in Hirtshals at 07:30 the next morning.

A calm and relaxing start, perfect for capturing the mood of the trip.

🎥 Video from January 2025:

See it at the bottom of the pages

⸻

Stage 2: Hirtshals → Ladenburg

This is a long driving day through Denmark and Germany.

In January we didn’t make it all the way to Ladenburg because there was heavy snow in Denmark, which slowed everything down.

We ended up staying the night in Melsungen, south of Kassel, which turned out to be a nice stop.

This year, unless winter weather surprises us again, I expect we will reach Ladenburg as planned.

Ladenburg is also home to the Karl Benz Museum, which I visited and filmed in the spring. That video will be published later.

🎥 Video from January 2025:

See it in the Botton of the page

⸻

Stage 3: Ladenburg → Montpelier

A varied and beautiful day of driving from the colder regions of central Europe towards the warmer south of France.

Plenty of opportunities for great footage.

🎥 Video from January 2025:

See it at the Botton of the Page

⸻

Stage 4: Montpelier → Benidorm

The final stretch to my second home in Playa del Finestrat - Benidorm.

This day always feels special – warmer weather, palm trees, Mediterranean colours… you know you’re getting close.

🎥 Video from January 2025:

See it at the Botton of the page

⸻

What Will Be New This Time?

For this upcoming trip, I’m planning to:

🎥 Use a more storytelling-driven filming style

📸 Capture more short, spontaneous moments along the way

📝 Publish a daily blog post for each stage

🚗 Share behind-the-scenes content: packing, route planning, camera gear

🌍 Include daily route maps and driving information

👫 Travel with my sister again – just like in the spring

❄️ And hopefully avoid the snow delays we experienced last January!

⸻

Watch Last Year’s Journey

Warm up for the new trip by watching last winter’s road trip here :

👉 YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/@halita1960

A brand new video from the Karl Benz Museum in Ladenburg is also coming soon.

⸻

Do You Have Questions or Tips?

If you have questions, suggestions, or travel tips, feel free to comment on the blog, send a message on Facebook, or write on YouTube.

I really appreciate any recommendations — especially from those who have done long-distance drives or know good places to stop along the way.

More updates will follow as the departure date approaches!