Europe
I am currently planning a trip to England and Amsterdam. I may get to Ireland as
well, time permitting I can't wait until October when I hit the dusty trail for these countries.
So, on this page, you'll find most of the references to places I've been researching
or have researched in the past. Also listed are those recommendations from the
travel-dykes list. Enjoy!
France
Greece
Holland
Italy
Portugal
Scotland
Spain
Train Travel
Norma wrote:
If anyone is in need of an European train timetable, there is a useful
web
site that will help you plan your journey - even across frontiers.
Simply enter ANY station in Europe, and you can plan your journey. You
can
establish intermediate stations and times along the route, as well as
view
a map
and print the train times. Pricing for some routes is also available.
Renting Cars in Europe
Kathryn wrote:
This is about renting a car in Europe. You do not need an international
drivers license in western Europe. Make reservations in advance in the
US. It is less than half the price of waiting til you are there. All the
major rental companies have cars to rent in Europe. Last spring we used
"Europe by Car" (which is on the Web) and they were very good and
reasonably priced. They even refunded me when the model car I wanted
wasn't available. If you are renting in the summer be aware that more
European rental cars do not have air conditioning; you would have to pay
extra. You cannot take a western European rental car into many places in
the former Soviet countries; it is either prohibited or you have to pay a
big surcharge. Don't rent a car the same day you arrive from the US; give
yourself a day to acclimate and be alert when setting out in a car as
driving there is different. Avoid driving in any of the major cities;
best just to park the car and use public transit.
Hope this helps.
Norma wrote:
I have not driven in either Spain or Italy but I have driven in England,
Denmark, Germany, France, Amsterdam and Belgium. The only real
difficulty I had was in deciphering some of the signs as they tend to be
written in the language of the country only.
I much prefer driving around the countryside rather than in the cities.
I tend to explore the villages, towns & countryside by car...and then
park the car in the city and then rely on my feet or the local
transportation to get around. I enjoy the freedom that a car gives you.
Also...if you start out in the countryside..then by the time you enter
the city...you'll be more familiar with the signs and "local habits".
If you do decide to rent a car in Europe... do shop around for price as
it can vary from company to company. Make sure you understand the terms
and conditions of the rental agreement, some will be written with
multiple languages and some only in the language of the country. If
this is the case, then make sure you've got a copy of the english
translation. Do get yourself a recent map...and familiarise yourself
with the local rules & traffic signs...i.e. speed limits, headlight
requirements, making a turn on traffic lights, roundabouts, how they
mark roads, highways etc. Most of the countries I've driven in will
have a little handout that explains their "rules of the road".
Travelling by car is a great way to "discover" a country...
Mary wrote:
Colleen -
it's been a while since I rented a car in Europe, but as I remember, some
companies accepted an American license and some required an
"international" driving license. I got mine (years ago) at AAA for a fee
of $5-10. Rentals are much more expensive than here in the states, and
gas is as well (in Germany, gas is 4 times the price in the US - don't
know about Spain or Italy).
It's hard to decide when the convenience is worth it. A car is more
convenient and fun, but the train system all over Europe is so extensive,
too, that the added cost may not be worth it.
© 1999 colleen_c@mindspring.com
