Advice for Planning a European Road Trip

(Photo credit:Stocksnap)

Making the journey over to Europe is a big event. Flying from the US can cost a lot of money, and it can take at least seven or eight hours to get there. But once there, you will want to make the most of your time. The great thing about Europe is that a lot of the countries are quite small and they are close knit so you can easily fit in visiting a few destinations during your trip. One of the best ways to see a few countries is to plan a road trip. You can visit the places that you want to, travel through gorgeous routes and countryside and have a blast. Here are some tips to help you plan your next road trip in Europe.

This might sound obvious, but it is a good idea to plan the car rental in advance. It will be expensive if you just turn up on the day of and ask for a car. If you are going to be arriving in London and then finishing up in Madrid, you need to look for a rental company that has offices in both places. This is an easier option so just check the best company to go with. Depending on how many people you have in your party, consider the smallest sized vehicle that can do the job. Roads and parking spaces are much smaller than they are here in the States.
 
A lot of countries in Europe drive on the same side as we do. So those countries will be fine. Some drive on the other side though. Look up which countries do which and read up on the road rules to be safe. France has a lot of strict rules for driving there. A lot of rental cars will come with all of the right things (like a red warning triangle). But before you drive off, make sure you check that it does.
 
The next thing to plan in advance is the route that you want to take. You could rent a car GPS when you are there but do have a rough idea of where you want to go. If you are starting off in London, you will need to book a ferry or Eurotunnel crossing. Cars don’t swim too well, unfortunately…Can you drive a stick shift car? In Europe, these are the majority rather than the minority like here. Automatic cars will cost more to hire and sometimes, they might not even be available. So get practicing before you go, if you are a bit rusty. When you are driving and parking in cities, make sure that you have plenty of change with you. A lot of the parking spots in prime areas will need cash up front, so have all the currency you need available.
 
Have you ever planned a road trip around Europe? It would be fun to hear some of your experiences and stories? Where were your favorite destinations? Let me know in the comments!