16 weeks in Europe

thank you all so so much for your help!! very kind. I posted this a while back but it didn't seem to be picked up to much... and now we leave tomorrow!!:lol-053::wave:

We have a dethleffs advantage 2005 lhd and now have it fully packed. tried to be pretty minimal for weight.

first stop after the tunnel is Ypres and then wind our way down to Italy via the east of france. then hopefully it goes.. southern Italy. over to Croatia, Slovenia , Switzerland, southern france, spain (mid) algrave , up west coast to northern spain then back up through west france.

we really want to take in the black forest etc but not sure we will have time.

I wouldn't say money is no object but more it is no problem. we have a fair budget. We don't spend for the sake of it and not into big shopping etc but don't want to turn experiences down and the odd fancy restaurant!!

We are 28 and 23 and pretty fit and active( not very good at siting still), im very keen on mountain biking and want to do things like white water rafting etc. We are much more concerned about culture (museums art crafts) etc than big nights out/city life. hopefully meet lots of fun people that can point us in the right direction

I have got AutoRoute with lots of POI downloaded from europebycamper (seems an amazing source, thank you) we also have lots of books kindly donated by people. Apparently we will find a lot in tourist information as well?
 
16 Weeks - So Many Choices.

Hi,
We did a 13 week excursion as our first trip abroad, two years ago, with the main aim of seeing Scandinavia. We achieved this but not without some amendments to the plan due to bad weather hitting Northern Europe (remember Queens Jubilee), so headed through Berlin, North Poland (Ended up following European Championships) then through Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to get to Sweden. Here are some of our thoughts.

DRIVING DISTANCES
As this was our first adventure we had not considered the miles we would eventually cover. Planning to cover 6000, ended up to be over 10000 so fuel was a large expense for the budget.

Initially our daily journey's from town to town through Belgium, Holland, Germany and Denmark was fast paced for the first week - this was planned to allow us suitable time to enjoy Norway and Sweden. This was not a major problem until we got to Denmark when the weather struck as we knew we could return to closer countries on future excursions. We regret not slowing down our daily mileage so we could absorb all the surroundings of some towns we passed.

LAUNDRY
Wilding was good, but the occasional campsite for large items/laundry days, 2 day stops, and security so allowing us to tour the larger cities was taken every 10-20 days. Launderettes not easily found - need to learn more about how to accomplish this, a couple of campsites were not so co-operative as we were not booked in.

GAS
Luckily we have an underslung storage cylinder and a full tank lasts a couple of months.

DAILY ROUTINE
Got into a good habit initially when a pleasant sunny day was had of parking then cycling and returning late afternoon to then move on to the next location. We found that folding bikes do not suit us and the routine changed to more driving around, parking in supermarkets, then sight seeing with walking to break up the day.

FOOD
Most countries have similar food costs in general, local farm produce in towns were often very reasonable with in-season items very competitive.
We have a european vehicle so no UK cooker - which meant we had to learn how to be inventive with use of frying pan and saucepans. Making new meals of rice, spaghetti and soups was a challenge but enjoyable with different meats and fish.

CHOICES - AN IDEA
If you start out like us - Fast and Furious, we suggest as an idea, that you head quickly taking 3 to 5 days to get to a location some 2000 miles away (coast of Greece / Italy / Portugal / Spain), spend a week or two to recover/relax and enjoy the new scenery/terrain then take a slow journey back to the UK, and meander at a pace of no more than 30 miles per day - which is hard to do.

Plan and research this site. So much to learn from others.
 
Been back a couple of weeks after our 3 monthly yearly trip over the winter in Goa, India. End of May we do our European tour for around 15/16 weeks in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, back into France, Spain, Portugal, back into Spain and France again heading home for Calais. You should be able to do it in the 16 weeks you planned for. I say, just do it and take it day by day and enjoy your experience. Note and catalogue and take as many pictures to remind you in the coming years of those wonderful moments. Have a wonderful trip. I wish you well and enjoy the freedom ahead of you. ☺
 
David & Ann said:
Been back a couple of weeks after our 3 monthly yearly trip over the winter in Goa, India. End of May we do our European tour for around 15/16 weeks in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, back into France, Spain, Portugal, back into Spain and France again heading home for Calais. You should be able to do it in the 16 weeks you planned for. I say, just do it and take it day by day and enjoy your experience. Note and catalogue and take as many pictures to remind you in the coming years of those wonderful moments. Have a wonderful trip. I wish you well and enjoy the freedom ahead of you. ☺
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Welcome back, David. We have just spent 3 months in India (but not Goa) and are preparing for our summer trip to Scotland. Its France and Spain for us in the autumn and winter. Enjoy your trip.
 
The Black Forest is a must you have Neuschwanstein castle which is the one Disney took inspiration for his fairy castle get there early as 2 castles and lots of walks, motorhomes are welcome in the car park of the supermarket in the town near there, Lake Bled as mentioned here before is lovely and there is a campsite right on the lake or you can park in the car park over night for €10. France a must is Mont St Michel.
 
bayneclan said:
The Black Forest is a must you have Neuschwanstein castle which is the one Disney took inspiration for his fairy castle get there early as 2 castles and lots of walks, motorhomes are welcome in the car park of the supermarket in the town near there, Lake Bled as mentioned here before is lovely and there is a campsite right on the lake or you can park in the car park over night for €10. France a must is Mont St Michel.
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Strictly speaking Neuschwanstein castle is in Bavaria about 100 miles or so east of the Black Forest but I agree its a lovely area. In fact the journey from the Black Forest along the German side of Lake Constance and through Bavaria is stunning.
 
update. two weeks in and in fussen, nr the Neuschwanstein castle. pretty fast pace but don't feel too fast. we have been through france to Geneva (and thankfully lusanne which saved the lake for me) then up through the black forest and onto munich. On return I shall post the full trip. lots has been great. Onto Austria for a week now, then Slovenia, Croatia... I think these maybe abit more tricky, seem a lot less campsites according to the trusty camper stop book. hopefully Italy will be easier for a few weeks then back to france (which was a dream)

Autotrail has been a god send and I would recommend it to anybody especially with the downloaded POI.

keep the suggestions coming folks!!

thanks Dan
 
Hi winky, don't hold back, go for it.
I am currently 4 weeks into a 12 week trip France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Germany and the Nederlands. Been great so far and have had no trouble finding places to stopover. I have used a mixture of Aires, Sostas, wildcamps and campsites. Unfortunately I have had to stop temporarily to get 2 front wheel bearings replaced but should be on my way again later today. I am currently in Katarini, Greece and should cross the Turkish border in a couple of days.
Good luck with your trip, happy to help if I can.
 
Glad its going well. Some useless info here Hank the tank 2012 Austria and Slovenia

The Austrian lakes are awsome as is the Triglav national park in Slovenia. Despite what people say there are some good wild spots in Austria and Stellplatz. The Triglav national park in Solvenia is a bit more tricky as wilding is officially banned and there are few aires but its well worth a visit.
 
winky said:
update. two weeks in and in fussen, nr the Neuschwanstein castle. pretty fast pace but don't feel too fast. we have been through france to Geneva (and thankfully lusanne which saved the lake for me) then up through the black forest and onto munich. On return I shall post the full trip. lots has been great. Onto Austria for a week now, then Slovenia, Croatia... I think these maybe abit more tricky, seem a lot less campsites according to the trusty camper stop book. hopefully Italy will be easier for a few weeks then back to france (which was a dream)

Autotrail has been a god send and I would recommend it to anybody especially with the downloaded POI.

keep the suggestions coming folks!!

thanks Dan
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Glad you are having a good time. Please keep us updated - we will be going via Fussen across Austria into Italy and then on to France and Spain in the autumn, so I would be interested in any advice you might have. :)

PS When I was there a few years back, Croatia was probably the most difficult country in Europe to wild in - especially near the coast, so take care.
 
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another quick update, the campsite on lake bohinj (Slovenia) is open but deserted, plenty of people camping there but no staff/ toilet etc... an amazing place to wild camp.

Fussen was very easy to park in... plently of space, but even very early in the season got very full. Munich was the best for wildcamping.seems just pick a street and park! Vienna we parked on the south side at a park that is listed in camperstop. lots of room. there was a sign saying not to about half a mile down the road but we had no bother atall.
 
now done Slovenia, Croatia and travelling back up north through Italy.

Tuscany is amazing but the rest of Italy(the bits we went to) did not do it for me. nice areas but to much rubbish and poorly presented .

Croatia was lovely. Plitvice being the highlight.

moving from Florence tomorrow towards france.
How so much to write about, but that can wait till I return.

the thing that is great is how friendly other motorhomers are. (some from on here!)

6600km in the van 340km on mountain bike, lots of amazing places and huge grins!!
 
Eastern europe route to italy

winky said:
now done Slovenia, Croatia and travelling back up north through Italy. .....
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Awaiting to read your notes. In mid-July we are considering a trip through East Europe - Croatia towards Greece. What route did you take (Town names please) also curious what ferry route you took to get to Italy and cost. Am looking to get to Brisini from N. Greece as an option.
 
We crossed from Slovenia (where camping is somewhat limited so plan ahead here) and dropped down to senj. great cheap parking right on sea. (no beach) Then went in land. (plitvice) then worked our way down to split inland (interesting landscape but miles of nothing) Then Split (10/10 for camp Stobrec, you have to pay to camp so they may as well do it nicely!) then north from there (camp Jasavova a*) to Zagreb (loved the sea organ).. nice place poor camp. Nin. Senj again. up to Rijeka then Pula (new toll road not all maps show as such) Pula expensive to camp. Rovinj just north of it was perfect. then up to Trieste.

Croatia was nice, they are trying very hard I think to make it good. some of it is quite barren but that can add to its charm.

Chose not to ferry as like driving and didn't think it would enable us to see what we wanted in Italy.

look into your insurance for bosnia before you set off on your route.
 
16 weeks from dunkirk

[QUOTE=win. Just depends how far you want to drive daily and obviously include all the topics you personally like to see.......I just done the Rhine, Switzerland, north Italy, French Riviera, French alps and back same way in 16 weeks easy......have good time....Steve...bristol
 
GRWXJR said:
On motorcycle trips ive always dispensed with NE France pronto.. scenery and places get better imo once through this area.

Coming from west last time we went LD Lines Newhaven-Dieppe as it was a better run through Salisbury etc and we treated it as day one of the tour, and we could plan a nicer direct off Peage run straight SE toward the Alps with no more mileage on the France side and avoiding the NE. Calais crossing would be cheaper and shorter though.

Bits I've done on a trip include Brittany which is v nice, as is the Vosges forested region in the SE of the country. The only place I avoided mostly was Switzerland due to the cost and the fact that its just as nice in surrounding areas without their roads pass and the hassle.

Straight south through the Limousin region is lovely. Then worked down on the scenic routes to the Millau Bridge engineering marvel over the Gorges de Tarn. The bridge is fine, but its the Tarn Gorge underneath that what I was after. Followed it and the fantastic scenic D roads Eastwards towards the Ardeche region and around Gap on the Route Napoleon. Went on East into the Alps, then over the Col d'Iseran through Val d'Isere across the Italy border (think scenery out of the original Michael Caine Italian Job film).

Northern Italy Alpine / Dolomites region is possibly my favourite. Austria, maybe via the Timmelsoch Pass, but instead heading East toward the Stelvio Pass and onward East and up to Austrias Grossglockner is even better imo.

You have fantastic options and places open to you with 16 weeks - sounds blissful.

I'd suggest you decide what sorts of places and scenery are your thing, then plan a circuit visiting key places via routes that stay off the Peage, Autostrada etc... the roads are much better than ours and much more enjoyable, and you avoid tolls.
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You've got some really good spots in there. I'd go with that lot but add in at least Croatia and Slovenia, plus maybe bits of Hungary (Eger, Budapest).
 
megamonkeyman said:
We're looking to do this soon but for less time. Can't wait!

On our list is Amsterdam, Munich and Bulgarian Alps, Switzerland, North of Italy and Nice. Gonna try it in 2-3 weeks haha.

If you can't decide, get a map and through a dart at it to see where you are going!
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If you're taking this route you might want to visit a true 'Duty Free' Principality where you can buy cheap fuel, alcohol, tobacco etc to keep you going for a while.

Just look up 'Samnaun' on Wikipedia or similar, we went there ~40 yrs ago almost by accident. We were living in west Germany & holidaying around Bavaria/Austria/switzerland and whilst in Austria met some fellow travellers who enquired what our plans were. When we said that we were not planning to venture further South as we could get Duty Free (H.M. Forces) fuel in West Germany, they suggested a visit to Samnaun to 'top up our tanks'. well, we could not believe this, a short diversion through a few winding deserted mountain passes and 'Bingo!' a true Duty Free Principality emerged through a dark narrow tunnel.

And the beauty is, it's still totally 'Duty Free'!

Give it a whirl, you'll be amazed that a place like this can still exist in 2014 and its history is v.interesting....

Enjoy!


Captain Biggles :plane:
 
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