Explore Europe With A Campervan

Campervan travel in Europe? You may think of vacationing with an RV (Recreational Vehicle) in the US, but Europeans have been caravanning for years too, as have Australians and New Zealanders.

There are many companies that rent Campervans (or Caravans)in Europe. In general they will be smaller than the motorhomes you see rolling down American highways.

If you like this kind of travel, Campervan travel in Europe is something you should check into. Seeing Europe by caravan will give you a whole different experience than driving or taking the train and staying in hotels. You probably will have more chances to make friends with holidaying Europeans.

Sure, you say, you can camp in the mountains. But what about the cities? Yes, there are loads of campgrounds out in the countryside but you may be surprised to find that you can find places in the cities too.

You can set up your Campervan in the Bois de Bologne overlooking the Seine in Paris. You can find a camping spot on the beach just outside of Venice. Roll out the awning for a panoramic sunset view of Florence. And to make it better, there is often a bus stop or metro stop close by! (They are on the edges of cities, so expect about a 30 minute ride to the center of town.)

With a Campervan, you can wander from campground to campground. You can shop in local markets for area specialties and cook yourself, or you can find small local restaurants if you don’t want to cook.

Most local tourist offices list area campgrounds for Campervan travel in Europe. Most countries in Europe also tolerate “free camping”. Just parking on the side of the road in a discreet spot. There are plenty of websites that will rent caravans and give you advice on what you need to know to experience European style.

If you own your Campervan, there are sites that will allow you to do a swap just like there are home swapping sites.

Whether you’re a visitor from abroad or a European looking for a new experience, it might just be fun to consider Campervan travel in Europe.

Cruising Europe – An Unforgettable Experience

Travel can be one of life’s great experiences. Especially traveling through Europe. For some, it is the joy of revisiting the land of their forefathers. Others may be intrigued by the diversity of cultures. Still others are drawn to the rich sense of history, Old World charm and romance that permeates every town square.
  
Europe is relatively small as continents go and since it is surrounded by water it makes sense to explore it by sea. Somehow Europe is all that more exciting from the deck of a luxurious cruise ship. The Mediterranean sun seems warmer, the Baltic’s northern lights appear brighter and each new day becomes more carefree than the last. Your ship becomes your hotel where you unpack your bags only once, dine, dance and dream the night away and in the morning they pull a new country up to your doorstep.
  
When was the last time you experienced stillness as awesome as a Norwegian Fjord? Caught a rhythm as compelling as the Greek bouzouki or gazed at masterpieces as priceless as those in St. Petersburg’s Hermitage? How else can you experience so much culture and history with so little effort? While the captain is at the helm of the ship you are in control of your European vacation. Today’s cruise ships allow you to experience the ultimate in small ship intimacy or big ship excitement with activities to suit as many tastes as there are passengers on board.
  
While at sea, your floating hotel is a destination resort itself, with pools, hot tubs, fitness facilities, casinos, nightly entertainment like Broadway shows, Las Vegas revues and late night comedians. Once you reach port, organized shore excursions in some of Europe’s most captivating cities relieves the pressure on you to plan for rental cars, subways, line-ups at museums. The stress of understanding bus schedules, driving on the right side of the road and the chance of ending up in a part of a city you should not be in are, all but eliminated.
  
You can dine 24 hours per day on your cruise ship, comfortable that all your meals are included in the price of the cruise. No need to make reservations, wonder how you are going to get to the restaurant, no need to figure out foreign currency or wonder about questionable service to trapped tourists. Many of today’s Europe bound vessels have 24-hour alternative restaurants, patisseries, pizzeria, ice cream sundae bars, outdoor hamburger grills, Italian trattoria, wine and caviar bars and bistro-style evening dining options and a daytime buffet style Lido Cafe, in addition to elegant main dining rooms where your table is reserved for the length of your cruise.
  
Visiting Europe can be stressful on your wallet and traveling by cruise ship can eliminate virtually all of your dining expense while delivering five star service, cuisine and value. Looking over your dining menu you’ll find specialties that range from the classic to the exotic, from tournedos of beef tenderloin to lobster tail. Creamy Italian pastas saut‚ed right at your table and fresh vegetables gathered in ports of call.
  
Regional specialties allow you to savour the flavor of the destinations you visit all topped off with sinfully caloric desserts. Best of all, always a sublime selection of vegetarian and Spa selections, which sacrifice nothing but calories.
 
If the above has not tempted you yet, consider that nothing stirs the imagination like the Mediterranean. Echoes of past glories are everywhere from the Coliseum in Rome to the ruins in Athens, Pompei and Ephesus. Overnights in Barcelona and Istanbul make the ship your floating hotel as you sightsee and shop at your leisure. And Florence, Capri and Monte Carlo are jewels no true romantic should miss.
  
Your choice can also include magical cities whose names alone inspire you to dream and to travel and fascinating places once hidden behind the Iron Curtain. Explore Scandinavia from its Viking past to its modern day charm. You can marvel at the wonders of Czarist Russia in legendary St. Petersburg.
  
Choosing your itinerary is the most challenging part. There is almost nowhere on the seven continents you cannot cruise to, from South America and Africa to the British Isles, Iceland and Greenland. And I have not even touched on European River Cruising!
 
Unrivaled ships coupled with the most magnificent cruise destinations in the world. It can’t get any better than this!

Planning A First Trip To Europe

So, you’ve decided it’s time to take your first trip to Europe. For many Australians this trip is a rite of passage. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old. It’s something special that first trip to Europe. You’ve finally arrived somehow.

You’ve saved the money, you’ve applied for the passport and you’re practically ready to pack. But wait – just having made the decision to get a passport and go to Europe is only the first step. There are more decisions to make. Let’s think through some of this.

How much time do you have? What part of Europe do you want to go to? It’s not like you can just go to Europe. That’s like saying you want to see the Australia. There are big areas to be covered, and you need to choose an area to see – even if you have several weeks.

Do you just want to see it? Visit the highlights like maybe London, Paris, Rome, and see the big sights? Or do you have a specific agenda? Do you want to find family roots and do a little genealogy research? Is there a festival you’ve always wanted to see like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or The Gathering and Highland Games in Edinburgh?

Do you concentrate on one or two countries or try to do a grand circle of Europe?

Do you take a tour? Set up a Custom tour? Or do you want to take your first trip to Europe all on your own and find your own way?

So how will you answer these questions?

If you only have one or two or three weeks, try for those shoulder seasons to maximize your experiences and minimize the lines. Try to limit yourself to a country a week. Even at that you’ll just be getting an overview of the area you choose to visit.

A tour can be a good idea and can take some of the anxiety out of your first trip to Europe. There are so many tours offered that you can easily choose one that goes to the area you want to visit for the length of time you want to spend, and you can even get tours that specifically go to those festivals or visit gardens or let you explore just castles. Your hotels will be taken care of and many of your meals too. It’s good way to build your confidence abroad.

If groups just aren’t your thing, being an independent traveler on your first trip to Europe is not difficult either. There is so much information on the internet that it’s easy to plan it for yourself and leave yourself more flexibility.

Just sit down with a pencil and paper and make the decisions one at a time, and that long awaited first trip to Europe will be a reality.