Planning a Europe trip..

[Si.]

I'm looking at my first driving venture into Europe and just wanted some comments on my proposed route

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...rc=0&mra=ls&via=2,3&t=h&z=6&fb_source=message

We will be driving from Newcastle so not sure if it's best to just hike it down to Calais to get into France, or to get the ferry from the North east to Amsterdam and save the days drive down south. Any thoughts?

Also interested to hear from anyone who's done a similar route and get some recommendations on accommodation.

i'm not sure if I'm making it too long for a 5-7 day trip..

 

[megakid]

It's do-able in 5-7 days as long as you like driving. Assuming 5-6 hrs driving a day, you should have enough time in the afternoons to explore and have a nice relaxed dinner and breakfast the next day.

Without factoring in your lengthy drive through England, my recommendation is to get northern France out the way pronto (scrap your stop in Reims) and get to Strasbourg or Stuttgart straight from Calais. This will give you far longer in the interesting parts of Europe such as Switzerland. Scrap your route through Basel and head into the German Black Forest (Freiburg) and onto the famous D500 route there down to Lake Konstanz or Zurich (or both - they're close).

See my other post here for more details: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=21561890&postcount=18

 

[Hilly]

Personally I'd get the Ferry, less time travelling through England means more time exploring Europe.

You're looking around 6 hours from Newcastle to Dover, which there and back is half a day. That doesn't include stopping for fuel, breaks and such.

Ferry it over, have a day in Amsterdam. Head into Germany next morning, take a trip to the ring and head south to a german city (stuttgart perhaps - don't know much about Germany!!). Stay the night there, then head towards Italy. The ring to Milan is around a 7 hours drive, if you drive through Switzerland. Stay in Milan, then head towards Turin perhaps, then past Lyon onto Paris? Or back up through Switzerland / Germany, into France and through to Brussels then Ferry it back.

Europe is surprisingly close together really. If you come up with a list of places you'd like to see and things you'd like to do, you can then plan a route around it. That's the best way to do it in my eyes

Edit: Oh, also don't forget to look up into the local driving laws in each country you go through. France is very strict when it comes to drink driving, something like 0.05% alcohol in the blood stream will get you fined / worse.

You'll also need to carry a warning triangle, chains, high vis jacket and if you go after July (I think that's when it comes in), you'll need to carry a breathaliser with you.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Seems optimistic for 5 days?

 

[Hilly]

Seems optimistic for 5 days?

You think? 5-7 days OP said.

Ferry to Amsterdam, a day there. Morning to the ring is what 3ish hours? Then to a German town / city somewhere. So 2 days total.

Then down into Italy, so early afternoon arrival. Day in Milan, so 3 days. Then to another Italian city or head into france, stay there for another day (4 days). Then onto Paris and a day there (5 days), then chunnel back over - 6 days total, if you made it 7 days you can forgo the extra Italian city and head back north to Belgium and Ferry it back over?

Not sure that's massively optimistic, it's certainly do-able whilst taking at least half a day in the big cities along the way.

 

[Si.]

5-7 is just an estimate, I could add a day on if needed.

Not really fussy about the ring, defo not interested in driving it, would rather see the sights.

 

[rossk26]

I would ditch Reims too, get into Germany and keep heading south towards Austria and Croatia, some epic scenes to be had there.

I am also from around the Newcastle area, and when planning the route I did consider whether to ferry or drive to calais. Depending how many of you are going (it was 2 + 1 car for me) The ferry was ~£300 return to Amsterdam. And the Calais ferry was ~£80 return. So depending on your fuel costs, you may wish to drive the 6 hours. We decided we would make a mini holiday out of the drive to dover, and stop somewhere nice on the way down, and likewise on the way back. So it's not a waste of a 12 hour round trip.

 

[Si.]

Probably 3-4 cars, 2 in each car. I did look at the costs which was why I considered the drive to Dover. Even factoring in fuel and maybe a hotel in Dover its a lot cheaper. I thought maybe drive down to Dover and stay there to catch the early ferry in the AM leaving us all fresh and ready to go in the morning.

 

[Hilly]

5-7 is just an estimate, I could add a day on if needed.

Not really fussy about the ring, defo not interested in driving it, would rather see the sights.

Fair enough, remove the ring out then and take a trip to Berlin or somewhere instead?

Ideally what places would you want to see?

Going through Switzerland is a must really, some stunning scenary and views.

 

[Hilly]

Probably 3-4 cars, 2 in each car. I did look at the costs which was why I considered the drive to Dover. Even factoring in fuel and maybe a hotel in Dover its a lot cheaper. I thought maybe drive down to Dover and stay there to catch the early ferry in the AM leaving us all fresh and ready to go in the morning.

Rent an apartment in London then perhaps? Have a few drinks around there and head out in the morning to Dover?

 

[[TW]Fox]

You think? 5-7 days OP said.

Ferry to Amsterdam, a day there. Morning to the ring is what 3ish hours? Then to a German town / city somewhere. So 2 days total.

Then down into Italy, so early afternoon arrival. Day in Milan, so 3 days. Then to another Italian city or head into france, stay there for another day (4 days). Then onto Paris and a day there (5 days), then chunnel back over - 6 days total, if you made it 7 days you can forgo the extra Italian city and head back north to Belgium and Ferry it back over?

Not sure that's massively optimistic, it's certainly do-able whilst taking at least half a day in the big cities along the way.

Sounds like a massive rush with more time sat on the motorway than actually seeing anything. Half a day in the big cities? Just seems like a bit of a shame. The same route over 2 weeks would be much nicer.

 

[rossk26]

Probably 3-4 cars, 2 in each car. I did look at the costs which was why I considered the drive to Dover. Even factoring in fuel and maybe a hotel in Dover its a lot cheaper. I thought maybe drive down to Dover and stay there to catch the early ferry in the AM leaving us all fresh and ready to go in the morning.

Sounds like a good idea. I would get to dover ASAP, and probably stop in a trvelodge/premier inn around the area and blast through France in the AM. And make the most of the good scenes for the PM.

On the way back however, I would stop somewhere nicer in the UK, and make a day out of it. I'd hate to travel back through France (boring) and then 6 hours up to the North East via dull motorways in the UK.

It will extend your holiday too...

 

[Hilly]

Sounds like a massive rush with more time sat on the motorway than actually seeing anything. Half a day in the big cities? Just seems like a bit of a shame. The same route over 2 weeks would be much nicer.

Agreed, the route over say two weeks would be much nicer. But wouldn't the same route over three weeks be even nicer?

It's do-able. Especially if you take out the ring. Travelling between those city's will only take 3-4 hours per trip, so you'd get lots of time aound the city.

As I said, it depends as to what the OP wants to see and the places he wants to go.

For me, I'd love to do: London - Dover - Calais - Brussels - Dam - Ring - Berlin - Milan - Rome - Florence - South of France - Home. But over the space of 2 weeks, making sure I drive through Switzerland and northern Italy properly.

 

[megakid]

Next Monday I'm doing Alicante to London in 6 days with a night stop in Barcelona, Monaco, Portofino, a French Alps ski resort, Zurich and the Black Forest. It averages out at about 3-4 hrs driving a day (some days just 2hrs, others 5-7 hrs) which imo isn't much. Sure I won't get to see everything I want but it's far better than spending 1-2 weeks at one place imo - not as relaxing thou

 

[Si.]

Sounds great.. get lots of pictures taken...

 

[paradigm]

Whatever you do, don't choose Reims as a stop-over. It's a boring dump!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Agreed, the route over say two weeks would be much nicer. But wouldn't the same route over three weeks be even nicer?

True but there is an optimum minimum dont you agree? What is the point in doing all that travelling without stopping to see anything? I'm sorry but an afternoon in a city like, I dunno, Berlin just isn't enuogh. I'm not advocating a week but you want at least a full day surely?

It's do-able. Especially if you take out the ring. Travelling between those city's will only take 3-4 hours per trip, so you'd get lots of time aound the city.

It's often going to be than 3-4 hours driving, especially depending on traffic, stopping for a break, stopping to see something, etc etc.

It just all looks like a blaring rush trying to cover so much in so little time.

Either remove half the route or double the time, IMHO. You really dont want to waste an opportunity to see great things by tearing around as quick as you can. IMHO you are going to want at least two nights in the big cities - arrive, bed, wake up and have a full day in the city and enjoy the evening there, bed again, then set off the next day.

Not get up, drive for 5 hours and then cram a visit to somewhere like Milan into 34 seconds before setting off again.

 

[Booner!]

Are you taking the M? I just did Belgium and back in mine, was amazing and really easy. The Z4M is a brilliant car for Europe. I am now in love with it again after 2 years of ownership and was on the verge of changing..

I am currently toying with the idea of a trip through France, Belgium, Nurburg, Stuttgart (Porsche museum), Munich, Black forest, Straubing -all in the ideas stages and need to really think through the route through and back.

 

[Si.]

Yea, one of the reasons I changed was a Europe trip, never had the confidence in the TVR to do it.

 

[Hilly]

True but there is an optimum minimum dont you agree? What is the point in doing all that travelling without stopping to see anything? I'm sorry but an afternoon in a city like, I dunno, Berlin just isn't enuogh. I'm not advocating a week but you want at least a full day surely?



It's often going to be than 3-4 hours driving, especially depending on traffic, stopping for a break, stopping to see something, etc etc.

It just all looks like a blaring rush trying to cover so much in so little time.

Either remove half the route or double the time, IMHO. You really dont want to waste an opportunity to see great things by tearing around as quick as you can. IMHO you are going to want at least two nights in the big cities - arrive, bed, wake up and have a full day in the city and enjoy the evening there, bed again, then set off the next day.

Not get up, drive for 5 hours and then cram a visit to somewhere like Milan into 34 seconds before setting off again.

Absolutely agree there is an optimum minimum. But who says the OP couldn't stop to do anything? The time scales are do-able. The longest jaunt would be from Germany to Italy. So stop over there for an afternoon and a night, which is perfectly adequate in most cities to see a couple of attractions, have a few beers and some lunch and have a decent sleep in a hotel.

You'd want to stay a full day within some cities, agreed. Some even more. I want to go through Europe (as I posted up before) but staying a couple of days in Rome for example, a day in Milan, a day in Paris and so forth. However, the smaller types of city like Marseille in the south of France, you can do in a day as it's pure relaxing. It depends on the OP's opinions of each place and the places he really wants to go.

If he said: I want to travel through Europe next year, but really want to go to Rome and Monaco, then we'd be able to say right, full day in each of those. Start in Amsterdam, down to Berlin, down to next stop, then spend a day or two in Rome, across to Monaco, antoher day there. Then up through France for the last couple of days.

Based upon the 5-7 day time scales, I thought it might be better to try say 4 places, than to stick to 2. That way if it whets his appetite he can plan another trip later on spending more time with those cities. It's not as though he's travelling across America like you did, it's not as expensive or as far to travel.