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On this publish, I share our sincere expertise doing a one-way RV rental in Europe. We weren’t requested to jot down this publish by the corporate we rented from, nor are we being paid to take action.
When folks consider visiting Europe, RVing in all probability isn’t the very first thing that involves thoughts.
Hopping trains or buses or different public transport? Positively.
Motorhomes? Not a lot.
And whereas RVing is simply as in style for Europeans as it’s for Americas—if no more!—you don’t usually hear of Individuals “motorhoming” overseas. Nevertheless, we simply accomplished our second prolonged RV rental in Europe and it was top-of-the-line experiences!
On this weblog, I need to share a few of what we’ve discovered about renting an RV in Europe.
What I’ll cowl on this weblog:
- Why Hire an RV in Europe?
- What It’s Like Driving an RV in Europe
- Why We Determined to Do a One-Approach RV Rental
- What Does it Price to Hire an RV in Europe?
- In what International locations Can You Do a One-Approach Rental?
- What Occurs If the RV Breaks Down?
Why Hire an RV in Europe?
Why would I need to drive an RV on tiny European roads?
This was considered one of my first ideas when Alyssa introduced up the concept of RVing in Europe. Additionally, whereas I’ve acquired you right here I’ll allow you to in on a not-so-little secret: no person truly says RVing in Europe. It’s also known as motorhoming or hiring a campervan, however by no means RVing. Nevertheless, for those who’re from the States then you definately’re in all probability used to the time period RVing. Identical idea, completely different use of phrases.
Shifting on. 🚐
So, why hire an RV in Europe? The norm when visiting main cities in Europe is to remain in an Airbnb or resort. This makes whole sense for those who’re solely visiting for just a few days. Nevertheless, for those who’re planning an prolonged journey overseas (two weeks or extra) and need to spend a while meandering by means of smaller villages and backroads, renting an RV is a good possibility.
For us, we choose to remain in walkable Airbnbs in main cities after which hire an RV for visiting the countryside. 2019 was the primary time we’d rented an RV in Europe and the expertise hooked us a lot in order that we went again once more and for twice as lengthy.
Why we’ve cherished touring by motorhome overseas:
1. How else would we discover hidden gems?
One of many first days of our Italian RV journey, we have been driving over a mountain cross and stumbled upon probably the most epic gondola. We had no concept it was there. If left to our personal planning, we’d by no means have seen it. Touring by RV offers us an opportunity to randomly come across gems like this (you possibly can see our reactions beneath within the video).
2. We choose sleeping in the identical mattress each night time—particularly with children!
Motorhome leases are small, however they’ve all of the conveniences of a house (besides air-con) and even with the tiny European roads, we will drive virtually wherever and at all times have all the pieces we’d like. Touring with children who nonetheless take naps on daily basis, having a mattress with us always is priceless. Plus we at all times have snacks + a toilet + a kitchen + a bathe for when somebody inevitably will get lined in mud and filth.
We stayed in Airbnbs whereas in Europe and used public transport as properly, which is one of the simplest ways to see European cities for certain. However for those who’re seeking to actually discover a rustic exterior of simply the vacationer stops, you’ll desire a car. We choose the motorhome as a result of it lets us see extra locations and nonetheless have the consolation of sleeping in the identical mattress each night time.
3. Hi there million greenback views that price $0 😍
The perfect a part of renting an RV in Europe is the attractive locations it takes you—like tenting on the sting of a mountain within the Pyrenees watching the dawn.
We’ve camped on mountainsides, on seashores, in nationwide parks, and in a number of the most lovely elements of southern Europe due to our motorhome rental. In distant locations particularly, you don’t have the choice of motels or Airbnbs, making campsites just like the one above accessible just for RVers.
4. You get to really go to a rustic.
Hear me out.
After spending two months in Tuscany this 12 months, we spent two nights at a resort in Florence earlier than flying to London. Strolling round Florence we noticed lovely historic buildings, ate scrumptious pizza, and savored one ultimate gelato. However we additionally a) didn’t discuss to any precise Italian folks, b) didn’t want to talk any Italian as a result of everybody spoke English flawlessly, and c) have been surrounded by vacationers the entire time.
Florence is considered one of our favourite cities on the planet—however after exploring extra of the nation of Italy, being within the metropolis didn’t actually really feel like Italy anymore. It was extra business and catered to Individuals like us.
To actually expertise a rustic—see the folks, expertise the tradition, eat the meals—you’ll have to get out of the cities someway. For us, a motorhome is one of the simplest ways to try this.
What It’s Like Driving an RV in Europe
The vast majority of autos in Europe are guide transmissions. And my first day of driving ANY guide car was our RV rental in Europe (circa 2019).
I’d practiced for all of ten minutes earlier than departing to Italy and determined I’d gotten the grasp of it (in all probability not my greatest concept). To say I used to be nervous was an understatement. My actual phrases whereas driving within the Italian Dolomites have been “I’m going to crap my pants”.
However, after that extremely traumatic first day, I acquired the grasp of driving a stick. Sure, the roads are small — nevertheless, extra stress truly got here from my lack of expertise driving a guide than the roads themselves.
Flash ahead to right this moment, I’ve pushed a motorhome in Switzerland, France, Andorra, Italy, and Spain. Listed here are my two cents.
Are the roads considerably smaller than what I’m used to within the US? Sure.
Do they often appear like I’m driving on a golf cart path? Sure.
Nevertheless it’s truthfully not been that dangerous. For one, the motorhomes and vans are a lot smaller in Europe. Second, you someway regulate to the roads. Much like the film Santa Clause the place Tim Allen contorts a chimney to enter a home and ship presents.
Okay, so the RV doesn’t get smaller however you do change into accustomed to smaller roads.
Plus, solely as soon as did we run right into a highway that was actually too slim for us to navigate.
We have been heading to a campground in Italy and the highway out of the blue acquired slim proper in entrance of us. I needed to again up 100 yards and make an 846-point u-turn whereas my spouse strategically moved the world’s largest assortment of garbage bins—all of which have been chained to the fence and solely moved just a few inches in both path.
Towards all odds, we escaped unscathed (and promptly walked one block over and dove into the Mediterranean).
A serious motive I don’t stress an excessive amount of over driving in Europe is that we use an app referred to as Park4Night. It not solely lists out free campsites however peak and size restrictions. Earlier than longer drive days or visiting a brand new city, I’ll analysis to search out the very best locations to park or drive our motorhome. If there’s going to be some form of restriction on parking or roads, we sometimes study it upfront. Park4Night is $30 for an annual membership and 100% paid for itself throughout our monthlong journey.
Why We Determined to Do a One-Approach RV Rental
There are fairly just a few choices for corporations who do RV leases in Europe . We’ve opted for a one-way RV rental on each of our journeys to present us the flexibleness to cowl extra floor versus having to loop again to the identical drop-off level.
Our first RV journey in Europe was a bit over two weeks from Venice to Rome.
The second rental was from Paris to Barcelona and we rented for 30 days. With the one-way rental, we have been capable of discover six completely different nations throughout this journey!
What RV Rental Firm We Used
Each occasions we did an RV rental in Europe we used the identical firm, Anyplace Campers.
They’re one of many few RV rental corporations that do one-way RV leases in Europe and embody sheets. They’ve 4.9 stars on Google opinions and most of their RVs are lower than one 12 months outdated.
We had an excellent expertise (that I’ll speak about extra beneath) on our first journey, so we opted to hire from them once more on our final RV journey.
A number of highlights for why we’ve loved utilizing Anyplace Campers:
- They do one-way leases.
- Easy reserving course of. The Anyplace Campers employees we spoke to have been skilled and straightforward to speak with, even with time variations and language limitations.
- The RVs come totally stocked with what we would have liked, together with linens, espresso maker, towels, bikes, grill, roadside help package, and so on.
- The floorplan of the motorhomes may match our household of 4 simply.
- Automotive seats! I didn’t should haul a automotive seat by means of airports and prepare stations as a result of our rental included them.
- They’ve taken care of us when small service points have popped up.
As a bonus, Anyplace Campers has lately added automated motorhomes to their fleet! Yay for Individuals like me who can perhaps drive a guide, however really feel 100% extra assured with out having to recollect how the clutch works.
What Does It Price to Hire an RV in Europe?
In 2019 we rented a motorhome in Italy for 16 days and paid roughly $162 USD per day. In 2022 our RV rental was 30 days and we paid $158/day. Anyplace Campers contains all the add-ons and there aren’t any additional charges for mileage. We traveled in September and October for each leases, which is shoulder season for RVing. Leases can be dearer throughout peak summer season months.
Exterior of anticipated journey prices, campground charges are very affordable (particularly within the low season) and no less than in France, Spain, and Italy we discovered loads of free tenting choices. Our most costly campsite price $45/night time in Andorra, however most campgrounds charged $30 max per night time for a household of 4.
One of many greatest sudden bills we bumped into in France was the toll roads. We break up our time between the quicker toll roads and the winding nation roads and nonetheless spent properly over $300 in tolls over the course of a month. In the event you aren’t on a good timeframe, avoiding these will prevent a lot of cash. Plus, you’ll see some superb French villages you’d probably miss on the freeway. (The most important offender was a $60 toll tunnel connecting France and Italy within the Alps…nevertheless it was that or a three-hour mountain terrain detour by means of Switzerland!)
What International locations in Europe Can You Do a One-Approach Rental?
Anyplace Campers particularly covers 35 nations and so they function year-round.
(However you possibly can see a extra complete listing of which nations supply RVing right here.)
What if the RV breaks down?
Whereas there are undoubtedly cheaper alternate options to Anyplace Campers, a serious consideration for us was assist for service points. RVs break. We full-time RVed for years and that’s one fixed we’ve at all times skilled. RVs break.
We wished peace of thoughts to know we’d have assist if we broke down someplace in Europe.
On our first two-week journey by means of Italy, we had a difficulty with our AdBlue sensor. Despite the fact that we’d added extra AdBlue within the diesel engine, it wasn’t registering. We had a message on our dashboard that stated in 50KM we’d not be capable of activate the engine. We went backwards and forwards with Anyplace Campers to assist us discover a service station that would assist however to no avail.
Finally, Anyplace Campers allowed us to depart the RV parked at a campground just a few hours from our drop-off level the place they got here to retrieve it (fortunately, this was on our final day of the journey and we have been capable of carpool in our good friend’s RV rental).
Right here’s a video that reveals our expertise trying to find a service station whereas speaking with Anyplace Campers.
On our most up-to-date journey, our pals skilled a difficulty with their RV brakes. Anyplace Campers made an appointment for them and so they have been out and in in a few hours.
A serious motive we’ve loved renting with Anyplace Campers is their responsiveness to those issues once they pop up. Along with being obtainable for assist, they offered us with three emergency numbers in case of a breakdown (fortunately by no means wanted them). In the event you’re going to spend the money and time to e book a global highway journey, it’s good to know the corporate you’re renting from will deal with you.
Renting an RV In Europe
If we hadn’t began RVing in America, we in all probability by no means would’ve discovered about RVing in Europe. However now it’s our de facto mode of journey after we go overseas. We’ve acquired 4 extra nations we’re hoping to RV throughout throughout 2023 (throughout three continents!).
There are numerous questions relating to renting a motorhome overseas and hopefully this weblog publish answered just a few of them. For extra data on RVing in Europe, see beneath 🙂
Creator’s Be aware: In the event you’re fascinated about an RV rental in Europe and attain out to Anyplace Campers, allow them to know we despatched you and we’ll get just a few {dollars} in direction of our subsequent RV journey overseas.
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