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| When we're not travelling, we're reading about travelling! |
We are slowly re-writing the Country Guide in a new format!
<<<<< Use the navigation on the left to fast forward to a particular country of interest.
About this Icon - Countries which are not full EU member states are marked with this icon, the main reason for this is to draw your attention to the fact that there may be additional insurance considerations and also countries that are outside of the EU may well have different laws and requirements for vehicles (and people) entering.
Austria
Visited by us in 2008/2009
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| Salzburg in Austria, watch out for the steps! |
About Austria:
When I talk to people back home about Austria they think of it only as a Ski destination but Austria has a lot more to offer outside of the Ski season. We started our tour at Innsbruck with mutli-coloured houses set against a mountain backdrop which is truly spectacular. It is worth taking some time to plan your route around Austria since there are a lot of tolls on the tunnels which no alternative route. Depending on the type of vehicle you are taking the Gross Glockner (as seen on Top Gear) is worth a drive through - something we plan to do next time we are passing through.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Vienna (Wein), Country Code: A.
Full EU member state. German is the native language.
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Currency:
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Euro (€)
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Vignette Required:
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Yes. Provided your motorhome is under 3.5 tonnes the following charges apply: €7.90 for 10 days, €22.90 for 2 months, and €76.90 for one year. Vignettes can be purchased from the first fuel station you come to after crossing the border and at some border crossings. If you van is over 3.5t you will require a 'Go Box' and you will be required to pay per mile travelled. More info here.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Yes. There are several additional tunnel and road tolls in Austria which can make passage through relatively expensive, roughly between €6-8 euro. Expect to pay ~ €30 euro on a passage from Slovenia to Germany for example. If you wish to visit the legendary Gross Glockner Alpine Road the toll for one day is €28.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Diesel / Benzol / Autogas. There is limited LPG availability in Austria with just 16 stations so plan your route to include them especially during winter months if you rely on gas for heating. Some pumps are unmanned and require an type of debit card not available in the UK (if I remember I'll put it in here) so check before driving the distance. Failing that do as we did and offer a friendly, if slightly confused Austrian, to pay with their card and give them the cash! For a list of the stations click here.
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Standard of Driving:
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Generally excellent.
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Standard of Roads:
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Excellent, especially the tunnels. Makes the Tyne Tunnel feel like a third world!
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Mandatory in Austria between 1st November and 15th April. Snow chains may also be used, however main roads are likely to be snow-free.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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There are fair few, but limited by comparison to neighbouring countries.
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Belgium
Visited by us in 2008/2009
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| Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium. |
Belgium is one of those countries where you tend to pass through en-route to Germany avoid the toll roads of France. Bruges is as expected - a bit of a tourist trap since it is easily accessible by coaches from Calais however Belgium, Antwerp and Ghent are all worth a visit as is Brussels.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Brussles, Country Code: B.
Full EU member state. Dutch is spoken most widely followed by French.
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Currency:
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Euro (€)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Diesel / Benzine / LPG. LPG is widely available.
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Standard of Driving:
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Generally Good
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Standard of Roads:
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Excellent
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Winter Tyres Required:
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No
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Other Information
Links to our blog posts about Belgium:
Recommended Reading
I've rather tongue in cheek included Colin Farrell's In Bruges DVD in my recommended reading section if only for the line "If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn't, so it doesn't" which is probably a little harsh but if you are an avid Euro traveller you can safely leave Bruges off the list. The latest eyewitness guide comes out in June 2011 and is available for pre-order.
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I've rather tongue in cheek included Colin Farrell's In Bruges DVD in my recommended reading section if only for the line "If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn't, so it doesn't" which is probably a little harsh but if you are an avid Euro traveller you can safely leave Bruges off the list. The latest eyewitness guide comes out in June 2011 and is available for pre-order.
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Bulgaria
About Bulgaria:
We visited Bulgaria during our 2011/2012 trip in our Adria Twin. Bulgaria is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the West and finally, Greece and Turkey in the South. We entered into Bulgaria from Constanta on the Black Sea Coast in Romania. Whilst we were in Bulgaria, we found the landscape differed dramatically as you travelled from the coast to the central regions around the Rila mountains. There is something to see or do for most people, you can stay by the clear blue ocean or head inland to see the famous and most mesmerising Rila Monastery up the mountains. There are plenty of hiking trails to follow such as the 7 Lakes walk which turns into a fantastic ski resort in winter. We found plenty of free/wild camping opportunities in Bulgaria and probably the best campsite we have stayed on throughout our trip Camping Veliko Tarnovo loacted 15 minutes away from the impressive old capital of Veliko Tarnovo.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Sofia, Country Code: BG.
Full EU member state.
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Currency:
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Bulgarian Lev (лв)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Yes
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Bulgaria uses the Cyrillic alphabet, however diesel / petrol should be easily recognisable. There are 82 LPG filling stations as of June 2010.
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of driving is similar to neighbouring countries such as Greece.
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Standard of Roads:
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The arterial routes such as the A1 running from the black sea coast heading west all the way to Sofia is in good condition. When you get off the beaten track, there are potholes which is still to be expected. Small villages are mostly made up of gravel/dirt tracks. We had to turn round on a few occasions in the Adria Twin Panel Van and we struggled.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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There is no legislation to our knowledge up to (June 2013) for winter tyres or snow chains. They advise using winter tyres and to carry snow chains during November through to March or you may be hit with a fine if you do have an accident.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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We found that wild camping was quite easy in Bulgaria. Quite a lot of campsites run my English and Dutch Couples across the country.
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Croatia 
So Croatia is on the European Continent and has been a candidate for the European Union since 2003. As of 1st July 2013 it is now a full member state, therefore you no longer get to experience the border crossing!
Croatia has an amazing coast line and is hugely popular with German's, you truly feel as if you have crossed over into another country as the soil turns red. The coastal roads which you'll likely want to travel down are all single carriageway as the only motorways is found further inland. When we visited in 2009 we didn't see another English registered vehicle during our time in Croatia and it was still warm enough to get sunburnt in September.
We are planning on going to Croatia in July/August 2013 for 2 weeks so this section will be updated again with any changes.
Croatia has an amazing coast line and is hugely popular with German's, you truly feel as if you have crossed over into another country as the soil turns red. The coastal roads which you'll likely want to travel down are all single carriageway as the only motorways is found further inland. When we visited in 2009 we didn't see another English registered vehicle during our time in Croatia and it was still warm enough to get sunburnt in September.
We are planning on going to Croatia in July/August 2013 for 2 weeks so this section will be updated again with any changes.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Zagreb, Country Code: HR.
Croatia is a EU candidate but has not yet reached the entrance requirements for full candidacy.
Croatian is the local language however roughly half also speak English.
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Currency:
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Kuna (Kn)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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LPG is increasingly popular with over 100 stations in Croatia now, it's also one of the cheapest places to buy it.
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Standard of Driving:
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Fair-Average
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Standard of Roads:
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Fair-Average, however on our entrance from Slovenia major works were visible for the whole distance to Pula converting the road into a motorway. Beware of frequent speed traps.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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No.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Discouraged, but not tested by ourselves.
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Czech Republic
I would say that Czech is probably the most accessible and worthwhile country to visit in Eastern Europe. Despite being a full EU member it still uses it's native currency the Kourna which only serves to ad to the foreign feel you become numbed to as a frequent traveller to France or Germany.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Prague, Country Code: CZ.
Full EU member state.
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Currency:
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Czech crown (koruna) - KÄŤ
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Vignette Required:
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Yes.10 day vignette €10, 1 month €14 or €47 for the year. You can purchase the vignette at the old border crossings and fuel stations.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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English is used on pumps. LPG is widely available with over 900 filling stations.
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Standard of Driving:
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Fair-Average
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Standard of Roads:
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Fair. Many of the main motorways are paved rather than tarmacked although sections have been replaced. The winters are harsh and this minimises the repairs, although on some section there massive spider webs of tar crack filler! This makes for a rhythmic ka-thump every other second which can get tiring on long trips (like driving from Prague to Budapest in one day like we did!)
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Compulsory from November - April and must have at least 4mm of tread. Czech just does not have in infrastructure to clear the roads like Germany or Austria so I would comply with the legislation.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
| Limited aires, Wild Camping possible but not tested by ourselves. |
Other Information
Prague is surprisingly accessible from England and can realistically be accessed with just one stop over in Germany. I would recommend stopping over in Aschaffenburg (GPS) on day one covering 400 easy miles from Calais through Belgium and German Autobahns. The are a further 200 miles to the Czech border and just 100 miles from the Czech border to Prague itself. There are a few camp-sites in Prauge, we found the cheapest to be CĂsaĹ™ská Louka (link) which is positioned on a short of island next to the Danube with an old boat race observation tower. It is BASIC but the price, views and located just 5 minute walk to the tram station.
Prague itself is best viewed out of season and during the week (use the ACSI Camping Card as a guide) since unfortunately Prague does attract some stag parties / male groups. That said, the main tourist areas are largely unpopulated with bars. There is a LOT to see in Prague, the Castle, Gardens, Town Square not to mention the clock tower and Charles Bridge.
Unfortunately we didn't get chance to explore much else of the Czech republic due to our very tight timings, but what I can say is that Budapest is just over 300 miles away and if you liked Prague you'll love Budapest!
Prague is surprisingly accessible from England and can realistically be accessed with just one stop over in Germany. I would recommend stopping over in Aschaffenburg (GPS) on day one covering 400 easy miles from Calais through Belgium and German Autobahns. The are a further 200 miles to the Czech border and just 100 miles from the Czech border to Prague itself. There are a few camp-sites in Prauge, we found the cheapest to be CĂsaĹ™ská Louka (link) which is positioned on a short of island next to the Danube with an old boat race observation tower. It is BASIC but the price, views and located just 5 minute walk to the tram station.
Prague itself is best viewed out of season and during the week (use the ACSI Camping Card as a guide) since unfortunately Prague does attract some stag parties / male groups. That said, the main tourist areas are largely unpopulated with bars. There is a LOT to see in Prague, the Castle, Gardens, Town Square not to mention the clock tower and Charles Bridge.
Unfortunately we didn't get chance to explore much else of the Czech republic due to our very tight timings, but what I can say is that Budapest is just over 300 miles away and if you liked Prague you'll love Budapest!
Links to our blog posts about Czech:
Denmark
Visited by us in April 2011
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| Skagen |
About Denmark:
Denmark is a clean and safe country and from the look of some of the improvements ongoing it stands to get even better. Every town has an excellent tourist information office with thick, full colour glossy materials available in every language. The reality when you scratch the surface is a lot of the attractions are man made and some of the towns offer little by way of history with any real narrative. The flat terrain is perfect for cycling and if beaches are your thing Denmark holds countless prestigious "Blue Beach" awards and the beaches are worthy of any Mediterranean destination (fingers crossed for the weather, 27c Easter Weekend 2011). Anyone under 40 will without doubt speak fluent english and many older people too, we heard very little other than English music on the radio during our time there.
Denmark is made up of three main Islands: Jutland, Funen and Zealand. The trip to the most northern point of the first island, Skagen, is a worthwhile visit to see the mysterious sight of the two seas lapping over each other but the journey there and back is largely unrewarding save for a handful of nice bits and pieces. Ribe, Arhus (if you're under 40) and the mysterious dune covered Ringkobing Fjord were our personal highlights, not forgetting Lego Land - worth a whip round and free to get in 30 minutes before the rides close where the park stays open for a further 2 hours.
The pace picks up on the cross over to Funen with Castle's (or Slots) becoming a more frequent occurrence and the towns of Faaborg and Svendborg are worth a visit. The small southern island of Langeland could easily be missed, we visited it but discouraged us from doing southern Zealand.
Northern Zealand contains much more Castles: Holbeak, Roskilde, Helsingor and Fredensborg are some of the memorable ones and we spend several hours exploring the grounds of each. Entrance fee's are reasonable at around 50DKK per person (£6) for the castle and free for the grounds - and this stands for most of the major attractions in Denmark, save for Legoland.
Copenhagen is good for a couple of days exploring. The 'Round Tower' has the best views and instead of steps you make your way to the top up a spiral stone ramp. The botanical gardens (free) were excellent, don't forget the Danish Pastry shops! While it doesn't share the pace of some of the other cities with visited it does have a distinctly European cafe-bar culture with lots of food on offer.
The pace picks up on the cross over to Funen with Castle's (or Slots) becoming a more frequent occurrence and the towns of Faaborg and Svendborg are worth a visit. The small southern island of Langeland could easily be missed, we visited it but discouraged us from doing southern Zealand.
Northern Zealand contains much more Castles: Holbeak, Roskilde, Helsingor and Fredensborg are some of the memorable ones and we spend several hours exploring the grounds of each. Entrance fee's are reasonable at around 50DKK per person (£6) for the castle and free for the grounds - and this stands for most of the major attractions in Denmark, save for Legoland.
Copenhagen is good for a couple of days exploring. The 'Round Tower' has the best views and instead of steps you make your way to the top up a spiral stone ramp. The botanical gardens (free) were excellent, don't forget the Danish Pastry shops! While it doesn't share the pace of some of the other cities with visited it does have a distinctly European cafe-bar culture with lots of food on offer.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Copenhagen. Country Code: DK. Full EU Member State
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Currency:
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Danish krone (kr)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No, but tolls on bridges.Oresund Bridge joining Denmark to Sweden costs €40 upto 6m and €80 over 6m. Storebaelt Bridge (linking eastern and western Denmark) costs €31 upto 6m and €47 over 6m.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Diesel / Bifyl. Fuel prices vary depending on the time of day, the only pattern I could muster is it seems cheaper in the evenings. Be wary of Automatic stations which charge a surcharge. Practice filling up where you see it cheapest rather then when you are nearly empty as the variation can be as much as 25p!
LPG is rare and expensive but is available if required - click here. |
Standard of Driving:
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Excellent, be wary of right turns as pedestrians have right of way.
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Standard of Roads:
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Excellent
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Not law, but recommended.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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A handful of aires but the ones publicised in 'All the Aires' as being free now largely charge so beware. Wild Camping opportunities are frequent and is perfectly legal to do so, especially around beach and marina locations. There is a 'grey area' between the 'No Camping' signs and what constitutes as 'Camping' - ie getting your chairs out etc, if you don't fancy risking it you'll be sure to find somewhere else to stop just down the road.
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Other Information
Campervans are not common in amongst Danes, due in part to the 180% tax on 'luxury' vehicles, which unfortunately also includes motorhomes. There are no shortage of vans from other nationalities though, expect to see plenty of Sweedish, Norweigan and of course German registered vans on the roads. We saw just one UK registered van during our time there and that was at Legoland.
When it comes to campsite these are geared up to cater for the Danish obsession with Caravans, although stopovers are encouraged through the 'Quick Stop' scheme. That said, Denmark is an expensive place to visit and in our view the best way to offset that cost is to Wild Camp - which is perfectly legal and practised by all the visiting nationalities. There are plenty of signs emerging specifying "No Camping" in some popular locations as to be expected, but finding somewhere to stop close by is not hard.
Fresh water and waste disposal is available at a number of dedicated service points on the main motorway networks (click here for link) as well as at the aire at Ribe. We also found both fresh water and chemical toilet disposal at many marina's, check with the harbour master before doing so to avoid ruining it for future visitors.
City Camp is available for central Copenhagen or there are lots of Wild Camping opportunities, see our blog posts and summary's below for more info.
You'd be wise to stock up with food and alcohol prior to entering, the Lidl's in Germany are excellent for doing so. If you have the capacity to bring enough food and alcohol for your visit then do so, we found bottled water especially hard to come by (due in part to the 35p refundable deposit you pay on bottles, vs 8p in Germany) and a strange absence of fresh fish. If you're making your way to other Scandinavian countries afterwards, you'll be wondering why you didn't stock up with more food!
Much of Denmarks parking is free but limited by time, you will need a Parking Disc displaying your arrival time so best get one before you set off.
Link to the Summary of our tour of Denmark:
http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/05/denmark-in-motorhome-summary-of-our.html
When it comes to campsite these are geared up to cater for the Danish obsession with Caravans, although stopovers are encouraged through the 'Quick Stop' scheme. That said, Denmark is an expensive place to visit and in our view the best way to offset that cost is to Wild Camp - which is perfectly legal and practised by all the visiting nationalities. There are plenty of signs emerging specifying "No Camping" in some popular locations as to be expected, but finding somewhere to stop close by is not hard.
Fresh water and waste disposal is available at a number of dedicated service points on the main motorway networks (click here for link) as well as at the aire at Ribe. We also found both fresh water and chemical toilet disposal at many marina's, check with the harbour master before doing so to avoid ruining it for future visitors.
City Camp is available for central Copenhagen or there are lots of Wild Camping opportunities, see our blog posts and summary's below for more info.
You'd be wise to stock up with food and alcohol prior to entering, the Lidl's in Germany are excellent for doing so. If you have the capacity to bring enough food and alcohol for your visit then do so, we found bottled water especially hard to come by (due in part to the 35p refundable deposit you pay on bottles, vs 8p in Germany) and a strange absence of fresh fish. If you're making your way to other Scandinavian countries afterwards, you'll be wondering why you didn't stock up with more food!
Much of Denmarks parking is free but limited by time, you will need a Parking Disc displaying your arrival time so best get one before you set off.
Link to the Summary of our tour of Denmark:
http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/05/denmark-in-motorhome-summary-of-our.html
Link to our blog posts about Denmark:
Estonia
About Estonia:
We plan to visit Estonia in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Tallin, Country Code: EST.
Full EU member state.
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Currency:
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Euro (€) (as of 1st Jan 2010)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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To be completed on our return
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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To be completed on our return
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Standard of Driving:
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To be completed on our return
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Standard of Roads:
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To be completed on our return
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Winter Tyres Required:
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To be completed on our return
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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To be completed on our return
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Finland
About Finland:
We plan to visit Finland in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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To be completed on our return
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Vignette Required:
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To be completed on our return
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Tolls on Motorways:
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To be completed on our return
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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To be completed on our return
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Standard of Driving:
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To be completed on our return
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Standard of Roads:
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To be completed on our return
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Winter Tyres Required:
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To be completed on our return
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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To be completed on our return
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France
Visited by us in 2008 & 2009 and passed through in 2011
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| Mont St Michel |
About France:
The French seem to be pretty laid back and we really enjoyed travelling round different regions and sampling the wines and delicacies they have on offer. The French Passion scheme is well worth a look if you want to get in and mix with the locals as much as possible (read more about it here. We met some lovely people who were very welcoming and could speak perfect English!
We found that there are so many places to stop in your motorhome – everywhere you look there is an Aire of some sort with fresh water and WC facilities. In the larger towns and cities there is usually allocated motorhome parking, so if you roll up to somewhere you don't like you can be sure there will be somewhere else less than 15 miles away.
There are tolls on some motorway networks which can be hefty is some regions, but can be avoided by using the 'B' roads. There are some beautiful views when you leave the motorways and found that the standard of the “side roads” were mostly spot on. The standard of driving is moderate, motorway driving is good but in some smaller villages it can lack in road discipline.
Paris is a wonderful city and has so much to offer – we stayed at Camping Paris – it has good links to the buses and metro systems.
We found that there are so many places to stop in your motorhome – everywhere you look there is an Aire of some sort with fresh water and WC facilities. In the larger towns and cities there is usually allocated motorhome parking, so if you roll up to somewhere you don't like you can be sure there will be somewhere else less than 15 miles away.
There are tolls on some motorway networks which can be hefty is some regions, but can be avoided by using the 'B' roads. There are some beautiful views when you leave the motorways and found that the standard of the “side roads” were mostly spot on. The standard of driving is moderate, motorway driving is good but in some smaller villages it can lack in road discipline.
Paris is a wonderful city and has so much to offer – we stayed at Camping Paris – it has good links to the buses and metro systems.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Paris. Country Code: F.
Full EU Member State
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Currency:
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Euro (€)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Yes, 554
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Diesel = Gazole. Petrol = SP95/98 or Sans Plomb
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Standard of Driving:
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Moderate. Standard of parking however is another matter, you have been warned!
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Standard of Roads:
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Excellent.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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No.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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With the amount of Aires available, Wild Camping isn't really necessary but is tolerated.
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Other Information
Links to our blog posts about France:
Germany
Visited by us in 2008/2009
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| Brandenburg Gate - Berlin |
About Germany:
We love Germany, whether it is the Rhine Valley, Bavaria or the Saxony regions Germany has a lot to offer the motorhomer. English is spoken very frequently and we've found nearly all German's to be very friendly. A lot of Germany has been rebuilt and not always empathetically, some areas are heavily industrialised but the town centres have a lot to offer. Dresden is especially nice as is Nuremberg and Munich, even more so in October during Oktoberfest!
A visit Berlin is a must visit (bare in mind it does get VERY cold in winter). There are two excellent places to stay, Steinbock & Son which is essentially a recovery yard with water and electric is located right smack in the centre of Berlin - there is no better location for seeing the city. Booking is advised and make sure you check out before 1pm to avoid getting charged extra. http://www.steinbockundsohn.de/wohnmobilstellplatz.htm
If you want to stay a little further out of town Stellplatz Berlin are also very accommodating, a short S-Bhan (train) from the centre: http://www.stellplatz-berlin.de/Home.2.0.html?&L=1
| Country Facts: | The capital is Berlin, Country Code: DE. Full EU member state. |
| Currency: | Euro (€) |
| Vignette Required: | No. However an emissions sticker is required to enter most major cities, scroll down for more info. |
| Tolls on Motorways: | No |
| Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation | Diesel / Benzol / Autogas. LPG is available throughout Germany. |
| Standard of Driving: | Excellent – best in Europe. German’s use maximum lane discipline at all times and always move over to allow the fastest car to pass. Join a motorway with ease and smile as drivers anticipate your intention to overtake the vehicle in front. If you enjoy driving, you'll enjoy Germany! |
| Standard of Roads: | Excellent |
| Winter Tyres Required: | No, but advisable in some areas. Expect a fine if you fail to make progress (get stuck) by virtue of incorrect tyre choice. Main roads are generally snow free, no chaos here. |
| Aires / Wild-Camping Availability: | Germany is full geared up to allow for campers/motorhomes to stop and park safely at most towns and cities, purchase a copy of Bordatlas for the official list of approved aires in Germany. |
Other Information
In order to enter the majority of major cities in Germany you need to have an emissions sticker, or Umwelt-Plakette, positioned in the bottom right of your windscreen. These can be purchased in Germany on production of your V5 certificate, however it is possible to order one for just €5.
http://www.europebycamper.com/search/label/Germany
In order to enter the majority of major cities in Germany you need to have an emissions sticker, or Umwelt-Plakette, positioned in the bottom right of your windscreen. These can be purchased in Germany on production of your V5 certificate, however it is possible to order one for just €5.
Visit the link below and fill in the information request, omitting the attachment of a file. Once done send with a copy of your V5 certificate to:
Stadt Koln, Kfz - Zulassungsstelle,
Stadt Koln, Kfz - Zulassungsstelle,
Max - Glomsda - Strabe 4, 51105 Koln, Germany
Links to our blog posts about Germany:
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Greece
New Style Country Guide for Greece Available HERE:
http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/11/visiting-driving-greece-motorhome.html
http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/11/visiting-driving-greece-motorhome.html
Hungary
Visited by us in 2009
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| Budapest |
About Hungary:
As we set off to Budapest from Prague, a journey of just 350 miles, we didn't really know what to expect. Another country, another currency and using Czech as a standard we thought that Hungary would be less developed and much more backward. After the paved motorways of Czech it was a relief getting into Slovakia and a large Tesco store beckoned as we filled up supplies before heading to Hungary. We need not had been so apprehensive, Hungary's motorways rival anything found in Western Europe and the journey to Budapest was much easier on the spine! Budapest really is a city you must visit, like Prague but without the Stag Parties and somehow even the Japanese tourists seemed in lesser numbers. The city is split into two by the Danube like so many cities in Europe, 'Buda' on the westenside and Pest on the east with Marget Island in the middle. The old town of Buda with it's cobbled streets and magnificent views over the river and Pest can't be missed and likewise the Memento Park where the remnants of the socialist era remain. Hungary has a lot more to offer than just it's capital and Lake Baliton where we visited in 2009 so we hope to re-visit one day and explore some of the countries rich countryside.
Country Facts:
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The capital is Budapest. Country code: H. Native Language is Hungarian.
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Currency:
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Fornint (Fn)
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Vignette Required:
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Yes. 4-day vignette €6, 1 Week €10, 1 Month €16 or 1 Year €140. If you Vehicle is over 3.5t or has a trailer these prices roughly triple. Hungary have a much more advanced and stricter system than other countries where you do not purchase a windscreen sticker but hand over your registration number to the cashier and the routes are manned by ANPR cameras and enforcement officers (we saw several). Ideally purchase your vignette from the old border crossing or the first fuel station you come to. It is worthwhile writing your registration number clearly on a slip of paper prior to payment and checking your receipt before leaving that it has been entered correctly. In addition it is possible to purchase a Vignette online upto 30 days before entering Hungary, just ensure you take your printed receipt with you. Click here to be taken to the payment and information site.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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While the road network might be excellent the standard of driving can be unpredictable, it is not uncommon to see Lada's and Tribants on the roads (that said there was plenty of three wheeled 50cc pickups in Italy) so exercise caution.
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Standard of Roads:
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The motorways are excellent and put many more advanaced countries to shame. Live traffic information is available in English with cameras on all major routes - visit the highways website http://www.motorway.hu/ (select English top right). The M7 > M70 now extends into Slovenia making passage much easier but was not on any of the Maps or GPS when we travelled through. It is shown overlayed on top of other roads at present.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Advisory.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Possible, but not tested by us yet.
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Other Information
Camping Haller (link) could not be in a more perfect and central location for the capital, although don't let the website fool you into thinking about green pastures it's basically a compound overlooked by towerblocks but nevertheless clean and secure with free wifi and showers.
Links to our blog posts about Hungary:
Italy
Visited by us in 2008
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| Colosseum, Rome |
About Italy:
Ok so we enjoyed visiting Italy, although we have some some fairly conflicting views probably fuelled in part by the time of year we visited (Oct/Nov). We did most of the main tourist attractions which are in no particular order Lake Garda, Venice, Pompeii, Rome and San Marino. There are also hot springs, which we missed out unintentionally.
Venice was fantastic but believe the guide books when they say Venice is flooded for 200 days of the year. Pack wellies! By far the best way to see Venice is to "get lost" in all the tiny back alleys or to navigate the waterways in a gondola to try and get away from the hordes of Japanese tourists. We stayed at Camping Fusina which while relatively expensive has great views and a boat just 2 minutes walk away. It is possible to Wild Camp outside in the parking for the foot ferry.
Rome was breath taking, although slightly spoilt by the sheer volume of "Looky Looky Men" - foreigners (to Italy at least) trying to sell you imported tat. That aside, there is easily 5-7 days worth to see and do and we're pretty fast in getting round things usually! We stayed at Camping Roma which has good access to the centre and a small supermarket across the road. It's a quiet site but I imagine it can get quite busy in peak season.
Pisa was next on the list and again, plenty of tourist tat and inflated prices to be had here. Did I say Japanese tourists? Millions of them, get there early! It is essential to have your photo taken propping up the tower as everybody does but there are lots people trying to sell you fake brands and pushing it in your face constantly – if felt a bit dodgy in some places and we were quite glad to get back to the camper after a while.
Pompeii is one of those places that everyone learned about in history but for us once you take in the sheer scale of the place, one ruined road looks very much like another. Someone on one of the motorhome forums once liked driving in Pomoeii to "playing a computer game" - I personally can't think of a better analogy, practice defensive driving and keep your wits about you!
Nothing to report South of Pompii down to the south of Italy and back up East Coast which was bare in some regions; places like Rimini and Bari were like holiday resorts and didn’t have anything to offer us. I can see the attraction to the golden beaches and holiday lifestyle but only for a couple of days at the most – We also found that a couple of the Towns in the South East of Italy where very industrial.
We did try the Italian version of French Passion which didn’t go down very well. 3 of the properties we turned up at were deserted and boarded up and one property didn’t even know that they were in the book, so I won't be recommending it.
One place you must visit is San Marino which was excellent, a principality like Monaco but set up a mountain in a very fairytale setup. All carparks are numbered on the approach and a couple cater for motor homes overnight or there is an ASCI campsite close by.
In summary, we really enjoyed Italy but it seemed a country of extremes. I think we'd like to re-visit it
Country Facts:
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The capital is Rome, Country Code: I.
Full EU member state.
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Currency:
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Euro (€)
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Yes.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Poor, practice defensive driving on rural roads. Expect to be overtaken on blind bends, motorists will usually sound their horn to let you know their intention to overtake or their presence on the outside of you. Unlikely to pull out to let you join a motorway from a slip road. We spent a month in Italy and can safely say the standard of driving was the worst in Europe!
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Standard of Roads:
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Beware of lots of 50cc three wheeled scooters on rural routes mixed in with plenty of 1980's Fiat Panda's! Roads get noticbly worse in southern Italy and especially Pompeii.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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No.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Latvia
About Latvia:
We plan to visit Latvia in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Lithuania
About Lithuania:
We plan to visit Lithuania in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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To be completed on our return
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Currency:
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To be completed on our return
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Vignette Required:
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To be completed on our return
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Tolls on Motorways:
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To be completed on our return
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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To be completed on our return
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Standard of Roads:
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To be completed on our return
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Winter Tyres Required:
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To be completed on our return
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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To be completed on our return
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Luxembourg
Visited by us in 2008
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| Luxembourg |
About Luxembourg:
Text here
Country Facts:
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..
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Currency:
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.
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Vignette Required:
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...
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Malta
Sorry, no plans to visit Malta at present.
If you are interested in visiting I recommend reading Mag Baz's Malta 2010 Trip Summary
If you are interested in visiting I recommend reading Mag Baz's Malta 2010 Trip Summary
Morocco
About Morocco:
We plan to visit Morocco in 2012 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Netherlands
Visited by is in 2008
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| Amsterdam |
About Netherlands:
The Netherlands is largely flat and if embarking on a large European and like your scenery as we do I would visit it early on, we did so after the likes of Switzerland found the largely flat landscape uninspiring. That said, everyone has to go to Amsterdam at some point and despite reservations from Sophie about the seediness we embarked on a days sightseeing.
We visited Amsterdam and stayed at Camping Zeeburg which was about a mile from the nearest Metro System. We found that the Metro system links were very good in Amsterdam and had no problems with transportation. There were a lot of sites to see in Amsterdam and by far the best way to avoid the drunken Geordies on a weekend bender is to hop on a Canal Cruise. Prices are reasonable and it gives you a different view to Amsterdam
Unless you like to smoke and drink you may find yourself quite limited to where to eat and drink throughout the day and night so we opted to eat in the campervan on the night. Road systems were not a problem in The Netherlands, most of the roads were very flat. We stopped by at Rotterdam but it seemed to very industrial so didn’t stay for long.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Fuel
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Norway
Visited by us in May 2011
About Norway:
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| Alesund |
Coming soon...
Country Facts:
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Not a full EU member, but have signed up to the Schengen agreement so there are no border checks (although there are import restrictions for Alcohol and Food Stuffs - see here.)
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Currency:
|
Norwegian Kronor (Kr)
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Vignette Required:
|
No
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No - but Toll Roads are frequent and ferries are frequently required when accessing the Fjord Region. For more information see my blog post Norway on a Budget.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
| |
Standard of Driving:
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Generally excellent, although in some situations drivers emerge from minor to major roads without looking. This has given rise to the curious situation of some drivers being cautions and stopping to allow you out of a minor road - even on roundabouts! Driving standards seem to improve off the main roads.
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Standard of Roads:
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Generally excellent, although repair works are under way as soon as the thaw
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Yes - October-March. Snow chains are also required on some roads.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Wild Campers dream - Aires are almost redundant as there are so many places to stop and park. Water is available from service stations and emptying points are well signposted and plentiful.
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Poland
About Poland:
We plan to visit Poland in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Portugal
Visited by is in 2007 (but not in a Camper!)
About Portugal:
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Romania
New Style Country Guide for Romania Available here:
Slovakia
Driven through by us in 2009
About Slovakia:
We plan to visit Slovakia in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Slovenia
Visited by us in 2009
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| Lake Bled |
About Slovenia:
We've been to a lot of countries but none have we fallen in love with as much as Slovenia. The country is incredibly clean and well kept and the capital Ljubljana is likened to our home town of York but with the added addition of a Castle on top of a hill! There is an incredible young vibrant feel to the capital and since most of Slovenia's teenagers aspire to going to University there it only adds to the culture. The real jewel in the Slovene crown however is Lake Bled (pictured above). Surrounded by the Trigav National Park, the Lake itself has a small island which is accessible by rowing boat or water taxi with a camp-site right on the edge. We always get itchy feet within a couple of days but we could have stayed at Lake Bled for weeks!
Country Facts:
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The capital is Ljubljana, Country Code: SLO.
Full EU member state. Slovene is the native language.
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Currency:
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Euro (€)
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Vignette Required:
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Yes. 1 week vignette €15, 1 month €30 or €95 for the year available from fuel stations, maximum permissible weight of 3.5t
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Prima / Euro / Avtoplin. There are an increasing number of LPG stations in Slovenia, with 50 listed at this website here.
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Standard of Driving:
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Generally excellent.
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Standard of Roads:
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Generally excellent.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Compulsory between 15 November until 15 March.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Other information:
Camping Bled (link) is located on the Eastern shore of the lake and extends back deep into the valley and is reasonably priced considering it is the only campsite by the lake with free Wifi and excellent facilities with a discount if you stay 3 nights or more out of season. The walk around the lake is easy with several climbs to viewpoints if you want to spice it up a bit!
The Trigav National Park is half an hours drive from the site and is a must, the Ski Lift which continues to run out of season allows for spectacular views over the park. For the capital we used Ljubljana Resort (link) which was a central location with a bus stop right out side directly into the centre. The Postojna Cave is the largest network of underground caves in Europe is worth a mention as the train journey underground is an experience in itself, it is however horribly commercialised and thus expensive so I'd say unless underground caves particually impress you then miss this one out. Predjama Castle again is worth a look, but it's nowhere near as big as it looks in the Photos!
We will be visiting Slovenia again and spending a week or two around Lake Bled and Trigav park.
Links to our blog posts about Slovenia (lots of Pics!):
Camping Bled (link) is located on the Eastern shore of the lake and extends back deep into the valley and is reasonably priced considering it is the only campsite by the lake with free Wifi and excellent facilities with a discount if you stay 3 nights or more out of season. The walk around the lake is easy with several climbs to viewpoints if you want to spice it up a bit!
The Trigav National Park is half an hours drive from the site and is a must, the Ski Lift which continues to run out of season allows for spectacular views over the park. For the capital we used Ljubljana Resort (link) which was a central location with a bus stop right out side directly into the centre. The Postojna Cave is the largest network of underground caves in Europe is worth a mention as the train journey underground is an experience in itself, it is however horribly commercialised and thus expensive so I'd say unless underground caves particually impress you then miss this one out. Predjama Castle again is worth a look, but it's nowhere near as big as it looks in the Photos!
We will be visiting Slovenia again and spending a week or two around Lake Bled and Trigav park.
Links to our blog posts about Slovenia (lots of Pics!):
Spain
About Spain:
We plan to visit Spain in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
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Vignette Required:
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Tolls on Motorways:
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Sweden
Visited by us in May 2011
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| Stockholm |
About Sweden:
If you are visiting Sweden, the chances are you are doing so from Denmark, if that is the case - fill up your tanks and your cupboards before you leave because things get more expensive from here on in. If you are travelling to Stockholm the coastal routes make for a more rewarding journey - our own route traveled up the west coast to Göteborg and then across to Stockholm. More soon...
Country Facts:
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The capital is Stockholm, Country Code: S.
Full EU member state. Swedish is the native language, but English is widely spoken.
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Currency:
|
Swedish Krona (SEK) - Kr
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Vignette Required:
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No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No.
|
Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
| |
Standard of Driving:
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Generally excellent.
|
Standard of Roads:
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Main roads are excellent, but watch out for gravel roads if you wander too far from the beaten track.
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Required by law between 1st December - 31st March.
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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There are 100's of 'Rastplatskartan' or rest stops dotted around the country, some are little more than laybys but some could be considered fully fledged aires with water and toilet ('latrin') disposal points. For GPS POI's of these click here. For printed info pick up a map as you cross the border or at any good tourist information point. Wild camping is perfectly legal and practiced by the majority of Swedish motorhome owners. Water is available at service stations in a heated cabinate marked 'luft / vatten' (air / water).
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Switzerland
Visited by us in 2008
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| Chur |
About Switzerland:
We plan to visit Switzerland in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
| |
Vignette Required:
|
Yes. If your entry to Switzerland is on a motorway you will be stopped and told to purchase one, if not you must do so before using a motorway. Prices are about £30 for a 12 month ticket - but tickets are valid 1st Jan 11 - 31st Jan 12 for example so even if you are only there for a matter of hours you need one.
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Tolls on Motorways:
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No.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
| |
Standard of Driving:
| |
Standard of Roads:
| |
Winter Tyres Required:
| |
Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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(European) Turkey
About Turkey:
We plan to visit Turkey in 2011 so will update this page with more information.
Country Facts:
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Currency:
| |
Vignette Required:
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.
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Tolls on Motorways:
| |
Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
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Standard of Driving:
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Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
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Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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GB
About England:
Country Facts:
| |
Currency:
| |
Vignette Required:
|
No.
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Tolls on Motorways:
|
Generally no, some bridges and the M4 toll aside.
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Diesel / Petrol / LPG Translation
|
123
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Standard of Driving:
| |
Standard of Roads:
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Winter Tyres Required:
| |
Aires / Wild-Camping
Availability:
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Other Information
Links to our blog posts about England:
