European Road Trip

European Road Trip

European Road Trip

If you’re looking for a great way to experience more of Europe and to have a continental adventure, then there are few better ways than with a European road trip. If you can get a car into to Europe, or rent one out there, then this will give you the opportunity to quickly and easily see many of the highlights of these varied countries. Here we’ll look at how and why you should go on a European road trip.

If you live in or near Europe then getting your car over there might not be too difficult. However, if you are travelling from America or another country that’s a bit further away then this will be difficult. In this case you need to try and rent a car that you can take across various countries for your European road trip. Not all car rentals will include permission to take the car between different countries, so make sure that you have one that does. If you struggle to find such a rental then you can alternatively buy a new vehicle from a country while you’re out three and once you have insurance you should be able to drive this wherever you want to. This will cost you a little more up front, but at the same time it will save you money that you would otherwise have to spend on planes and trains and make the whole journey far more convenient.

There are other considerations to bear in mind when taking a car on a European road trip however, and there are different laws on the road depending on which European country you’re in. For example if you’re England you will be forced to drive on the opposite side of the road. If your car is from mainland Europe or from the US then you will need to get stickers to change the angle of your headlights when driving in England and vice versa. This is very important as countries where the drivers stay on the left side have cars that angle their headlights slightly left, and this can dazzle on coming traffic if driven on the wrong side.

There are also particular legal requirements for each country to take into consideration. For example if you are driving in Paris then you will need to ensure that you have in your car – and visible – a visibility jacket, a fire extinguisher and other similar items. You should ensure that you research the laws in each country before beginning your European road trip. Additionally you should ensure that you take with you other items that can be useful on a European road trip. You should stock up on supplies of food and first aid for instance and at the same time should make sure that you have things like a road map of Europe. These can be quite difficult to read while driving, and even a navigator is unlikely to be able to read it fast enough to advise you while you’re passing turnings on the motorway. As such a GPS device with the relevant European maps downloaded on it is also a very useful item.

If you want to include England in your European road trip then you will also need to find a way to cross the channel. There are many ways to do this whether you want to go by Euro tunnel on the Eurostar, or you want to take a ferry.

If you organise all of this in advance and plan a good route through all the main countries then you can expect a European road trip to be a highly fulfilling and exciting adventure that helps you see a greater variety of cultures and sites in a more condensed period of time than you would otherwise be able to. Thanks to the fact that these countries are relatively near, and often fairly small it’s easy to see lots of different cultures without travelling too far. At the same time, thanks to the fact that these countries are part of the EU, you can also travel through Europe without too much difficulty getting across the borders and with only the need for one currency across most of the countries.

16 Comments so far

  1. Farago   December 15, 2010 12:51 pm

    As far as I know, the visibility jacket, the fire extinguisher, the first aid kit and other items are mandatory in lots of EU countries. Make sure you have them before going for an european road trip.

    The best thing is to briefly read the law for every european country you will visit. After making sure you are ok, you can go for your european road trip.

  2. Patricia   December 16, 2010 12:15 pm

    I once was in an european trip in Italy. I loved the scenery there. Italian people were also great, so I also made new friends.

    I hope I will go in another european road trip this winter. Maybe Switzerland, who knows.

  3. smiley   December 17, 2010 5:36 pm

    it would be nice to have an european road trip all over the continent. i would love that. i wonder how much would it cost to see all the capitals on the continent. it would be the best european road trip one can imagine 😀

  4. Vali   December 18, 2010 3:57 pm

    What about an european road trip during winter? What countries would you recommend me to visit? I guess I will take an european road trip in January and I was thinking what should I choose. Any “expert” in this european road trip kind of things? 😛

  5. ela   December 20, 2010 11:45 am

    is there any website with european road trip ideas? it would be nice to have access to some nice european road trip maps. especially that, as i can see, there are people who like this kind of traveling. i would like an european road trip too. it is an interesting way to visit some countries.

  6. Gwen   December 23, 2010 1:01 pm

    I never knew that in England the headlights needed to be at a different angle. But it does make sense.
    I would suggest that if you do cross the channel to take a ferry ride. These are very exciting and I am sure depending on what time of year it is, very pretty as well.

  7. Michelle   January 3, 2011 11:44 am

    Nothing can compare to a european road trip. You always have the chance to see new things and to meet new people of different cultures. It is nice how things mix up in Europe. Although I have been in only one european road trip, I truly loved it!

  8. Joel   January 5, 2011 12:58 pm

    My last european road trip was a mess. Our final holiday destination was Bulgaria. There, someone has stolen our camera and wallet from inside the car. I don’t know how they did it, as it was parked in a safe place, but those burglars ruined our european road trip.

  9. Piper   January 8, 2011 12:21 pm

    I think that when you can take a road trip you get such a better experience. You do not have to be on a tight schedule if you do not want to be. And many times on road trips you discover some interesting sites that you may have never known existed. I am a big fan of road trips and love taking them.

  10. Morgan   January 10, 2011 2:28 pm

    An European road trip requires a good planification. That’s because you have so many destinations to choose from. There are so many nice things to see, you can barely decide where to have your european road trip. However, once decided, you will surely have a lot of fun!

  11. Diego   January 16, 2011 2:10 pm

    I have never been in an european road trip. It’s definitely a great idea. What destinations do you recommend? Or routes? Every piece of advice about where should I have my european road trip is welcome. Thank you!

  12. Sam   January 22, 2011 8:00 am

    I fancy that European Roadtrips are much like American ones. They can be well planned but some of the best ones are the ones that are just spontanious. Let the road lead you and you will for sure have a great time. Alls that matters is that you and your company are having a good time.

  13. alison   February 4, 2011 8:06 am

    In my opinion an European road trip to be good needs great and bold friends. Forget about GPS devices or maps, be spontaneous and you’ll have a great adventure.
    I have had an European road trip, with no preparations, neither planning. We just got in the car and left. It was the greatest adventure ever.

  14. Charlie   July 8, 2011 2:23 am

    2 of us have just got back from a european roadtrip. We went to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, Venice, Italian Alps and lakes, Milan, Monaco, Cannes, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, San Sebastian, Paris, Brugge back to amsterdam and then back to London. Best experience of my life. Done it in a BMW 330 Convertible. Get a good car and go for it!!

  15. Vanessa   August 9, 2011 9:34 pm

    Charlie, how long did you go for? Did you get to spend much time in each place or were you driving a lot most days? Did you pre-book your accommodation and what sort of accommodation did you mostly use? I am wanting to go with my family (4 adults) but in winter time… not sure if it would be just as much fun in the colder weather. Any tips / advice from anyone would be appreciated 🙂

  16. Robbie   August 10, 2011 10:31 am

    I’ve been planning a solo European Road Trip for the past few months, France, Italy, croatia, Germany. Have lot’s of preporation advice etc to offer. I’m going in a few days so, no time to give that advice now, {sorry} No doubt on my return to England I’m hopefully going to have experienced lot’s of things, some good, some bad and some indifferent! I’ll share all with you on my return.

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