Best Classic Car Events in Europe 2026

There is something deeply satisfying about the European classic car calendar. It stretches from the frost-bitten glamour of a frozen Swiss lake in February all the way through to the warm glow of autumn concours season, and every month in between offers a reason to get in the car and go somewhere wonderful. Whether your thing is pre-war Bugattis on manicured lawns, Group B monsters tearing through Italian mountain passes, or simply wandering through a hall full of beautifully restored machinery, the continent delivers like nowhere else on earth.

What follows is the full picture for 2026, laid out chronologically so you can plan your year. Some of these events are bucket-list affairs that sell out months in advance. Others are hidden gems that reward the curious. All of them are worth your time.

Retromobile Paris | January 2026

Paris in January may not sound like the most appealing proposition, but Retromobile transforms the Porte de Versailles into the warmest place in the city for anyone who cares about old cars. This is where the serious dealers bring their finest stock, where auction houses stage their opening salvos of the year, and where you can lose an entire afternoon studying the details of a 1930s Delahaye. The club displays alone are worth the trip, and the sheer density of quality on show makes it the perfect antidote to the winter blues.

ICE St. Moritz | February 2026

There is no event quite like ICE. A curated concours held on the frozen surface of Lake St. Moritz, surrounded by the Engadin Alps, with cars ranging from pre-war grand tourers to 1960s racing prototypes sitting on the ice like jewels on white velvet. The setting is absurdly beautiful, the standard of entries is world-class, and the whole weekend has the atmosphere of a very exclusive house party. Book early, dress warmly, and prepare to take hundreds of photographs.

Salon Prive | April 2026

Salon Prive has quietly established itself as one of London’s most refined automotive gatherings. Held in stunning grounds with a carefully curated mix of concours entries, supercar debuts, and luxury lifestyle elements, it strikes a balance between exclusivity and accessibility that few events manage. The judging is taken seriously, the hospitality is excellent, and the whole affair feels like a proper occasion without being stuffy about it.

Goodwood Members’ Meeting | April 2026

The Members’ Meeting is Goodwood at its most intimate. Smaller crowds than the Revival, a more relaxed atmosphere, and racing that is every bit as thrilling. The grid for the high-speed demonstrations reads like a museum catalogue, except everything here is being driven in anger. Saturday evening brings demonstration runs as the light fades, which is genuinely one of the most atmospheric experiences in motorsport. You need to be a GRRC member or know one, but the effort is absolutely worth it.

Tour Auto | May 2026

The Tour Auto is what happens when you take several hundred of the most beautiful competition cars from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, point them at a route from Paris to Biarritz, and let them loose on some of the finest roads in France. Part rally, part circuit race, part rolling concours, it is five days of pure automotive joy. The roadside spectating is free, the sound of a 275 GTB echoing through a French village at dawn is priceless, and the whole event captures the spirit of the original Tour de France Automobile better than anything else running today.

Targa Florio Classica | May 2026

The original Targa Florio was the most dangerous and romantic road race ever devised, threading through the mountains of Sicily on roads that were barely fit for donkeys. The Classica revival brings the spirit back without the mortal peril, taking a field of gorgeous historic cars through the same Madonie mountain landscape. Sicily in May is glorious, the food is extraordinary, and watching a 1960s Alfa Romeo Spider negotiate a Sicilian mountain hairpin is about as good as life gets.

Villa d’Este | May 2026

If you had to choose one concours d’elegance in the world, Villa d’Este would be a very strong contender. Held on the shores of Lake Como at the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este, it combines an impossibly beautiful setting with a field of cars that represents the absolute pinnacle of automotive design and craftsmanship. The selection committee is famously selective, which means every car on the lawn has a story worth hearing. The public day on Sunday at Villa Erba is more accessible, but the Saturday event at the hotel itself is where the magic really happens.

Historic Zandvoort Trophy | May 2026

Zandvoort’s sweeping dunes and fast, flowing layout make it one of the most exciting circuits in Europe for historic racing. The Historic Trophy weekend fills the grid with everything from pre-war sports cars to 1980s touring cars, and the atmosphere in the paddock is wonderfully approachable. The Dutch fans are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the circuit’s location right next to the beach means you can combine a day of racing with a very pleasant evening by the sea.

Mille Miglia | June 2026

A thousand miles across Italy in cars built between 1927 and 1957, following the original route from Brescia to Rome and back. The Mille Miglia is perhaps the most famous classic car event in the world, and for good reason. The Italian towns along the route turn out in force, the atmosphere is electric, and the sight of a 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR replica thundering through a medieval piazza at dusk is something that stays with you forever. Even if you are just spectating from a cafe terrace, it is an unforgettable experience.

Bohernabreena Classic | June 2026

Tucked into the Dublin Mountains, the Bohernabreena Classic is one of those lovely discoveries that makes the European classic car scene so rewarding. A hillclimb and gathering set against proper Irish scenery, it draws an eclectic mix of machinery and a friendly crowd. It is not the biggest event on this list, but it has genuine charm and the kind of relaxed atmosphere where you end up having long conversations with owners who are clearly in it for the love of their cars.

Arlberg Classic | July 2026

Starting from the picture-postcard Alpine village of Lech, the Arlberg Classic sends a field of exquisite classic cars over some of the most spectacular mountain passes in Austria. The Flexenpass, the Arlbergpass… the scenery is relentless in its beauty. The entry list tends towards the refined end of the spectrum, with elegant grand tourers and sporting machines from the 1950s through 1970s well represented. It is a proper driving event in one of the most beautiful corners of the Alps.

Ennstal Classic | July 2026

The Ennstal Classic is often spoken of in the same breath as the Mille Miglia, and while the scale is different, the quality is not. A three-day rally through the Austrian Alps with a hand-picked field of historically significant cars, it combines serious regularity competition with jaw-dropping mountain scenery. The Schoeckl hillclimb section is a particular highlight. If you appreciate both driving excellence and natural beauty, the Ennstal is essential.

Le Mans Classic Legend | July 2026

Le Mans is hallowed ground for anyone who cares about endurance racing, and the Classic Legend weekend transforms the full Circuit de la Sarthe into a living museum of motorsport history. Cars that raced at Le Mans through the decades take to the track in period-correct grids, running through the day and into the night just as they did in period. The atmosphere in the camping areas and the village is wonderfully convivial, and hearing a Ford GT40 at full chat down the Mulsanne Straight after dark is a near-religious experience.

Classic Days Dusseldorf | July 2026

Held in the grounds of the magnificent Schloss Dyck, Classic Days is a German classic car festival with a distinctly Continental flavour. The schloss itself provides a stunning backdrop for the concours lawn, while the surrounding roads host demonstrations and parades. There is a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, excellent food and drink, and a genuinely impressive range of cars from every era. It is the kind of event where you pack a picnic blanket and settle in for the day.

Silverstone Classic | July 2026

Silverstone Classic is the big one for historic racing in the UK. The grids are enormous, the variety is staggering, and the racing is genuinely competitive. You might see a grid of fifty E-type Jaguars followed by a pack of Group C prototypes, followed by a field of historic Formula One cars. The infield car club displays are vast, and the whole weekend has a festival atmosphere that works brilliantly for families and hardcore enthusiasts alike.

Classic Car Week Rattvik | July 2026

Sweden’s Classic Car Week in Rattvik is one of Europe’s largest gatherings of classic American cars, which might sound surprising until you learn about Sweden’s deep love affair with American iron. The shores of Lake Siljan fill with thousands of lovingly maintained cruisers, hot rods, and muscle cars, and the whole town embraces the event completely. It is unlike anything else on the European calendar, wonderfully atmospheric, and a genuine cultural experience.

Concours of Elegance Germany | July 2026

Set against the stunning Alpine backdrop of Tegernsee in Bavaria, this concours brings together a carefully curated selection of the world’s most significant automobiles. The lakeside setting rivals anything in Italy or Switzerland, and the standard of entries reflects the growing ambition of the event. It is still young enough to feel fresh and exciting, but the quality is already firmly established at the highest level.

Romo Motor Festival | August 2026

Beach racing on a Danish island. That alone should be enough to get your attention. The Romo Motor Festival takes place on the vast, hard-packed sand beach of Romo, with historic cars and motorcycles racing along the shoreline in a setting that feels like something from another era entirely. The combination of sea air, engine noise, and the sheer visual spectacle of cars spraying sand at speed makes this one of the most unique events in Europe.

Oldtimer-Grand-Prix Nurburgring | August 2026

The Nurburgring needs no introduction, and the Oldtimer-Grand-Prix fills both the Nordschleife and the GP circuit with some of the finest historic racing machinery in the world. The entry list typically reads like a who’s who of motorsport history, and watching cars from Formula One, sports car racing, and touring car championships attack the fearsome Nordschleife is both thrilling and slightly terrifying. The paddock access is excellent, and the German fans bring real knowledge and passion.

Vienna Classic Days | August 2026

Vienna’s Ringstrasse becomes the backdrop for a rolling display of automotive history during Classic Days. The imperial architecture of the Austrian capital provides a suitably grand setting for a weekend of exhibitions, parades, and general celebration of the automobile. It is a wonderful way to combine a city break with a classic car fix, and the Viennese know how to put on a show.

Concours of Elegance Hampton Court | September 2026

Hampton Court Palace is one of the most magnificent venues imaginable for a concours, and the Concours of Elegance lives up to the setting. Around sixty of the rarest cars in the world are invited each year, and the standard is breathtaking. The main display in the Fountain Gardens is complemented by curated special features, a Gooding & Company auction, and a supercar display that draws some seriously exotic modern machinery. It is a properly world-class event.

Goodwood Revival | September 2026

The Revival is, quite simply, the greatest historic motorsport event in the world. Goodwood is transformed into a perfect recreation of its 1948 to 1966 heyday, the crowd dresses in period costume, and the racing is so close and so committed that you regularly forget these are priceless vintage machines. The St. Mary’s Trophy touring car race alone is worth the trip, but every grid is packed with legendary cars driven by people who clearly have no intention of finishing second. It is utterly magical.

Chantilly Arts & Elegance | September 2026

The Chateau de Chantilly provides perhaps the most aristocratic setting of any concours in the world. The Arts & Elegance event combines a prestigious concours with a concept car competition, set against the chateau’s formal gardens and reflecting pools. The French flair for combining art, fashion, and automobiles is on full display, and the whole weekend has an air of effortless sophistication that is hard to replicate anywhere else.

Techno Classica Dortmund | September 2026

If Retromobile is the connoisseur’s choice, Techno Classica is the enthusiast’s paradise. Held in the vast Westfalenhallen complex in Dortmund, it is simply enormous, with hundreds of dealers, manufacturers, and clubs filling multiple halls with everything from barn-find projects to concours-ready masterpieces. You need comfortable shoes and a full day, minimum. The parts market alone is worth the trip for anyone with a restoration project underway.

Retro Motor Show Poznan | September 2026

Poland’s answer to the major classic car shows has been growing in stature year after year. The Retro Motor Show in Poznan brings together Polish collectors, international dealers, and a fascinating mix of Eastern and Western European classics. It offers a different perspective on the hobby, with cars you simply would not see at Retromobile or Techno Classica, and the enthusiasm of the Polish classic car community is infectious.

Zoute Grand Prix | October 2026

Knokke-le-Zoute on the Belgian coast hosts one of the most stylish classic car rallies in Europe. The Zoute Grand Prix combines a concours, a rally through the Flemish countryside, and an auction into a weekend that feels like a very well-dressed house party. The Belgian passion for fine automobiles is well known, and the Zoute delivers on every level. The RM Sotheby’s auction that accompanies the event regularly produces headline results.

Classic Expo Salzburg | October 2026

As the European season winds down, Salzburg’s Classic Expo offers a final opportunity to browse, buy, and dream before winter arrives. The show fills several halls with a well-curated mix of classic cars, parts, and automobilia, with a particular strength in Austrian and Central European marques. Mozart’s hometown provides a cultured backdrop, and the surrounding Salzkammergut region gives you an excuse to extend the trip.

Milano AutoClassica | November 2026

Milan brings Italian style to the classic car show format, with a mix of concours-quality cars, dealer stands, and club displays in the Fiera Milano exhibition centre. The Italian entries are always strong, naturally, but the show has an increasingly international flavour. It is a good excuse to visit one of Europe’s most dynamic cities, and the proximity to some of Italy’s most storied automotive locations adds an extra layer of appeal.

Epoqu’Auto Lyon | November 2026

Lyon’s Epoqu’Auto closes the French classic car season with a show that punches well above its weight. The combination of high-quality dealer stock, excellent club stands, and a thriving parts market makes it a favourite with serious collectors and casual enthusiasts alike. Lyon itself is France’s gastronomic capital, so the opportunities for combining automotive and culinary pleasures are considerable, which is really the most civilised way to end the year.

Planning your classic car season across Europe? Corsa helps you discover and track every event worth attending. Download the app and never miss a concours, rally, or historic racing weekend again.