Judy

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Europe in August (24 days) Flying into Amsterdam and out of London (seats held but still could change) We would like to drive ourselves by renting a vehicle so we won't be on a rigid time schedule. Any advice regarding sights and countries we should not miss would be greatly appreciated. Also advice on lodging - as this is quite a long time to be away we want to go as inexpensively as possible - bed & breakfasts would be good or moderate hotels or castles (ha!), - any recommendations from all you experienced travelers? Thanks very much.

wes fowler

Judy, <BR>It's difficult to make recommendations for itineraries without knowing your interests and those of your husband. Travel by auto will be conducive to finding accommodations in villages and towns that will be less expensive than in cities; you'll also have greater opportunities to interact with locals. <BR> <BR>August is Europe's vacation month. The French head to the Riviera, the Germans to Italy and Greece. I'd consider spending your three weeks touring the Netherlands and Belgium, moving on to Germany's Mosel and Rhine Valleys, then Alsace, Champagne and Paris, drop the car and take the train to London for a few days sightseeing and your return home. A packed schedule but it offers you an exposure to varied cultures, languages and life styles. <BR> <BR>Email me directly if you'd like some suggestions regarding accommodations, sights to see and itineraries. Definitely come back to the Forum with some details about your interests and those of your husband, be they art, architecture, history, dining, whatall. Doing so will prompt some meaningful suggestions.

Elizabeth

Hello, <BR>I agreed with Wes totally. I just wanted to add from my own experience that picking a car up a Schipol is easy. You may be very woobly from the flight, so you may want to plan a few days in Amsterdam (which you probably want to see anyways) and then take the train back to Schipol and pick-up the car. DO NOT a car in the city of Amsterdam and try to drive out, it would be a total nightmare. You may have a hard time getting reservations in the city, if your plans are for August 2000. IMO you can see a lot more by car, and mix more with the locals.

elvira

I agree with Wes with staying in the northern part of Europe - not only lots to see and do, but the temperatures are more comfortable (think New Hampshire in the summer vs South Carolina in the summer). Why not rent a small house or apartment in the Netherlands for two weeks, doing day trips? Or one week in the Netherlands and one week in Belgium? You save money on food (cooking meals, keeping snack and picnic foods fresh, etc.) plus the fun of shopping in another language (thank heavens they put pictures on the package!). There's more room to spread out, plus if someone wants to stay up and read, there's another room so the sleepyhead isn't disturbed. Many places have their own washing machines, which saves money and time. <BR> <BR>Gasoline is very expensive ($4 a gallon) so the smallest car that will comfortably fit you is the only way to do it economically. If you keep your luggage to the bare minimum, you won't need a bigger car. <BR> <BR>www.visitholland.com is the official website for the Netherlands, and has a bunch of information on the various regions and upcoming events. <BR> <BR>I always get the impression that if you just drove around Belgium, you'd find a whole bunch of great places. Everyone talks about Brussels, Antwerp, Bruge and Ghent (and rightly so) but there's got to be lots more to the country than that - same goes for the Netherlands.

John

Hi, Judy, <BR>I agree with Wes and Elvira that Holland makes a great landing pad - few language issues, very attractive towns, nice people, good beer... <BR>One caveat. This August (it IS this August, isn't it?) Amsterdam is the finish line for the tall ships race across the Atlantic, so accommodation is incredibly scarce, and discounts, hah. <BR>I'd recommend considering Delft for a great alternative - not as inundated with tourists as some other towns like Brugge in Belgium, very cute old town with wee canals and a tipsy church tower, somewhat cheaper than Amsterdam. <BR>And save London for last - seems to be the exception to the "affordable Europe" year. Maybe consider staying outside the city and commuting in - maybe Cambridge or Brighton, great interest on their own, an hour or so from central London, cooler and cheaper. <BR>As to car lease v. rental, be aware that the big companies' prices are based on the country where you pick the car up, and the Netherlands is fairly pricey compared to, say, Germany. We've leased from Renault Eurodrive at Schiphol and found them very nice and, even with a pickup surcharge, quite affordable. It needs a coupe of weeks before it breaks even with the majors, but then, zoom. Free dropoff anywhere in France, so that might work with your itinerary. http://www.renaultusa.com/

Marsha

As this is your first trip to Europe, I would suggest incorporating some train trips into your itinerary. Driving in Europe can be quite stressful, especially if you don't speak the language of the country you are visiting. There are rail and drive Eurailpasses, as well as some good bus itineraries (the Romantic Road day trip in Germany, for example).

Bob

I'm with John. I've used Renault Eurodrive several times and had great success - you have to rent for a minimum of 17 days, but all prices are included and known up front (insurance, etc.). You must arrange it in North America, and by using the program end up saving on taxes. Last time I compared a month long trip, Renault was cheaper than typical rental companies. (No, I don't work for them, just pleased with their service!).

andi

Does anyone know if leased Peugeots from Auto Europe still have the red "I'm a tourist" license plate? We're leasing a car this July and hope to blend in and aviod car theft. I noticed this thread is about a year old and hoped someone had some recent report on this. Thanks!