A Driving Holiday In Europe

Most Americans dream of a holiday in Europe, the history, the food, the people, and the excitement of experiencing something new in an old place. But many fall into the trap of the organized tour or cruise, sure you might see the sights, but you will not have an adventure or experience the culture. This is why a driving holiday is the only way to go, and it is cheaper than you might think.

If you are going to Europe on a driving vacation, give yourself at least 3 weeks, if not longer. Europe is a lot smaller than the US, where we have countries larger than some European countries. Determine what your goal is to see, but don’t make too much of a plan. There are lots of hotels, motels, and hostels, and with today’s smartphones, you can find somewhere to stay no matter where you are. My first major foreign road trip was before the smartphone era, and we had to discover our hotels along the way.

Car companies in Europe have excellent short-term lease programs that allow you to have a car for at least 21 days and as long as 6 months. These are brand new cars with 0 miles; on our driving holiday in Europe, we went with Peugeot’s Open Europe program, and I chose a 206sw with a manual transmission. Renault also has a program called Euro Drive, currently, you can get a small car including all insurance, roadside assistance, and unlimited mileage for a month for about $1,200 all-inclusive. We loved the unlimited mileage since we racked up over 12,000 miles on our car in just over 30 days. Believe me, we did stop a lot and saw more.

Cassis Southern France

From Barcelona to Pompeii to the beaches of Normandy, we got our money’s worth. Another option is always buying a car, but I don’t recommend it since you are not a resident. Some countries have no problem with you buying a car and insurance, but others don’t allow non-residents to purchase vehicles unless they are for immediate export so check the rules before buying a car for a driving holiday in Europe.

A Driving Holiday In Europe: The Peugeot

I have had friends who have done European delivery, which is an excellent option if you are buying a new car anyway and can live without your new car for a few weeks after your trip. Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, and many other companies offer a European delivery program.

Overall, I would suggest that you plan your trip, find a good friend who can read a map, and go exploring. Having driven in Central America, Europe, Asia, and the US, I know there is nothing like a road trip.