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On this put up, I share our trustworthy expertise doing a one-way RV rental in Europe. We weren’t requested to jot down this put up by the corporate we rented from, nor are we being paid to take action.
When individuals consider visiting Europe, RVing in all probability isn’t the very first thing that involves thoughts.
Hopping trains or buses or different public transport? Undoubtedly.
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 typically hear of People “motorhoming” overseas. Nonetheless, we simply accomplished our second prolonged RV rental in Europe and it was among the finest experiences!
On this weblog, I wish to share a few of what we’ve realized about renting an RV in Europe.
Why Lease an RV in Europe?
Why would I wish to drive an RV on tiny European roads?
This was one among my first ideas when Alyssa introduced up the thought of RVing in Europe. Additionally, whereas I’ve received you right here I’ll allow you to in on a not-so-little secret: no person really says RVing in Europe. It’s also known as motorhoming or hiring a campervan, however by no means RVing. Nonetheless, should you’re from the States then you definitely’re in all probability used to the time period RVing. Similar idea, completely different use of phrases.
Transferring on. 🚐
So, why hire an RV in Europe? The norm when visiting main cities in Europe is to remain in an Airbnb or lodge. This makes complete sense should you’re solely visiting for a couple of days. Nonetheless, should you’re planning an prolonged journey overseas (two weeks or extra) and wish to spend a while meandering by way of smaller villages and backroads, renting an RV is a superb possibility.
For us, we favor 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 beloved 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 move and stumbled upon probably the most epic gondola. We had no thought it was there. If left to our personal planning, we’d by no means have seen it. Touring by RV provides us an opportunity to randomly encounter gems like this (you’ll be able to see our reactions under within the video).
2. We favor sleeping in the identical mattress each evening—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 nearly wherever and at all times have all the things we’d like. Touring with children who nonetheless take naps day-after-day, having a mattress with us always is priceless. Plus we at all times have snacks + a rest room + a kitchen + a bathe for when somebody inevitably will get coated in mud and filth.
We stayed in Airbnbs whereas in Europe and used public transport as nicely, which is one of the simplest ways to see European cities for certain. However should you’re trying to actually discover a rustic exterior of simply the vacationer stops, you’ll need a car. We favor the motorhome as a result of it lets us see extra locations and nonetheless have the consolation of sleeping in the identical mattress each evening.
3. Hiya million greenback views that value $0 😍
The most effective 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 stunning components of southern Europe due to our motorhome rental. In distant locations particularly, you don’t have the choice of resorts 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 yr, we spent two nights at a lodge in Florence earlier than flying to London. Strolling round Florence we noticed stunning historic buildings, ate scrumptious pizza, and savored one closing gelato. However we additionally a) didn’t speak to any precise Italian individuals, 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 one among 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 People like us.
To essentially expertise a rustic—see the individuals, expertise the tradition, eat the meals—you’ll have to get out of the cities by some means. For us, a motorhome is one of the simplest ways to do this.
What It’s Like Driving an RV in Europe
Nearly all of automobiles in Europe are handbook transmissions. And my first day of driving ANY handbook 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 thought). To say I used to be nervous was an understatement. My precise phrases whereas driving within the Italian Dolomites have been “I’m going to crap my pants”.
However, after that extremely tense first day, I received the grasp of driving a stick. Sure, the roads are small — nevertheless, extra stress really got here from my lack of expertise driving a handbook than the roads themselves.
Flash ahead to at the 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 generally appear like I’m driving on a golf cart path? Sure.
But it surely’s actually not been that dangerous. For one, the motorhomes and vans are a lot smaller in Europe. Second, you by some means 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 grow to be accustomed to smaller roads.
Plus, solely as soon as did we run right into a street that was actually too slim for us to navigate.
We have been heading to a campground in Italy and the street instantly received 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 a couple of inches in both course.
Towards all odds, we escaped unscathed (and promptly walked one block over and dove into the Mediterranean).
A significant cause I don’t stress an excessive amount of over driving in Europe is that we use an app known as Park4Night. It not solely lists out free campsites however top and size restrictions. Earlier than longer drive days or visiting a brand new city, I’ll analysis to search out the most effective locations to park or drive our motorhome. If there’s going to be some type of restriction on parking or roads, we usually find out about it prematurely. 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 a couple of 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 slightly 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 in a position to discover six completely different nations throughout this journey!
What RV Rental Firm We Used
Each instances we did an RV rental in Europe we used the identical firm, Wherever Campers.
They’re one of many few RV rental corporations that do one-way RV leases in Europe and embrace sheets. They’ve 4.9 stars on Google opinions and most of their RVs are lower than one yr previous.
We had an awesome expertise (that I’ll speak about extra under) 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 Wherever Campers:
- They do one-way leases.
- Easy reserving course of. The Wherever Campers workers we spoke to have been skilled and straightforward to speak with, even with time variations and language boundaries.
- The RVs come absolutely stocked with what we would have liked, together with linens, espresso maker, towels, bikes, grill, roadside help package, and many others.
- The floorplan of the motorhomes might match our household of 4 simply.
- Automobile seats! I didn’t should haul a automobile seat by way of airports and practice 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, Wherever Campers has not too long ago added computerized motorhomes to their fleet! Yay for People like me who can perhaps drive a handbook, however really feel 100% extra assured with out having to recollect how the clutch works.
What Does It Price to Lease 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. Wherever 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 shall be dearer throughout peak summer season months.
Exterior of anticipated journey prices, campground charges are very affordable (particularly within the low season) and not less than in France, Spain, and Italy we discovered loads of free tenting choices. Our most costly campsite value $45/evening in Andorra, however most campgrounds charged $30 max per evening for a household of 4.
One of many largest sudden bills we bumped into in France was the toll roads. We cut up our time between the sooner toll roads and the winding nation roads and nonetheless spent nicely over $300 in tolls over the course of a month. In the event you aren’t on a decent timeframe, avoiding these will prevent a lot of cash. Plus, you’ll see some wonderful French villages you’d seemingly miss on the freeway. (The largest 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 way of Switzerland!)
What Nations in Europe Can You Do a One-Approach Rental?
Wherever Campers particularly covers 35 nations they usually function year-round.
(However you’ll be able to see a extra complete record of which nations supply RVing right here.)
What if the RV breaks down?
Whereas there are undoubtedly cheaper alternate options to Wherever 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 might have assist if we broke down someplace in Europe.
On our first two-week journey by way of Italy, we had a problem with our AdBlue sensor. Although 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 might not have the ability to activate the engine. We went backwards and forwards with Wherever Campers to assist us discover a service station that would assist however to no avail.
In the end, Wherever Campers allowed us to go away the RV parked at a campground a couple of 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 in a position to carpool in our buddy’s RV rental).
Right here’s a video that reveals our expertise trying to find a service station whereas speaking with Wherever Campers.
On our most up-to-date journey, our pals skilled a problem with their RV brakes. Wherever Campers made an appointment for them they usually have been out and in in a few hours.
A significant cause we’ve loved renting with Wherever Campers is their responsiveness to those issues after they pop up. Along with being obtainable for assist, they supplied 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 street journey, it’s good to know the corporate you’re renting from will maintain you.
Renting an RV In Europe
If we hadn’t began RVing in America, we in all probability by no means would’ve realized about RVing in Europe. However now it’s our de facto mode of journey after we go overseas. We’ve received 4 extra nations we’re hoping to RV throughout throughout 2023 (throughout three continents!).
There are a variety of questions with regards to renting a motorhome overseas and hopefully this weblog put up answered a couple of of them. For extra data on RVing in Europe, see under 🙂
Creator’s Word: In the event you’re occupied with an RV rental in Europe and attain out to Wherever Campers, allow them to know we despatched you and we’ll get a couple of {dollars} in direction of our subsequent RV journey overseas.
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