Round Trips in Europe – Things to Consider

With the arrival of the European Union and Commission came one really wonderful opportunity and this is that many of the countries in Europe are now extremely easy to travel to. Many border crossings have all but disappeared and you often don’t realize that you have crossed a border until your satellite navigation system informs you that you are in a different country. Whilst this is undoubtedly a vast improvement from the old days of border queues and passport checks there are still some pitfalls that can catch you out when you take round trips in Europe that can be easily avoided with a little research.

Photo by admin

If you are yourself driving around Europe it is important to make sure that you, and your vehicle, are properly insured. This is usually a pretty easy thing to do as holiday insurances are now far more prevalent and easy to obtain and many vehicle insurers will offer Europe wide cover for no extra cost. That said you should still check with your providers that you are covered in the countries that you are planning to visit.

On top of this it may be worth checking that you are covered in any countries that you might be visiting by mistake on your round trips in Europe. With the open border policy that is in effect throughout much of Europe it is very easy to suddenly find yourself in a country that you weren’t expecting to be in. Many of the motorways you are going to go on during your round trips in Europe (in Danish rundrejser i Europa) will cross over borders with little warning and it is easy to find yourself in Belgium when you thought you were in France or Holland.

Just because you have insurance and you didn’t have to show a passport it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to pay road tax for some of the countries in Europe. Whilst many countries do not require visitors to purchase a road tax certificate, some do. Austria and Hungary are classic examples of this fact and if you are caught without the correct tax certificate you could find yourself on the receiving end of a hefty fine.

There are some fantastic bus tours that can be taken throughout Europe and the Christmas Markets in Germany or a Wine tour of France can be an extremely enjoyable experience. It is important to realize that travel times can, however, be quite lengthy and it is better to wear sufficiently comfortable clothing to make the journey enjoyable. If you are travelling by bus to see the Opera in Vienna then leave the posh dress in your luggage until you arrive, you will have a far more pleasant journey.

River cruises along the many amazing waterways of Europe are a great way to see the continent at a relaxing pace and rivers such as the Danube offer some wonderful cultural experiences. However, just because you are on a river it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t suffer any effects of motion sickness. It is extremely unlikely that you will experience any turbulence that could compare with ocean travel, but just the gentle motion of the boat can upset some people. So make sure that you have some sort of sea sickness medication just in case. It would be a terrible thing if your holiday were to be ruined because of an easily avoidable illness.

Tags: Belgium, border crossings, border policy, borders, checks, countries in europe, danish, european union, holland, Hungary, insurances, mistake, motorways, open border, passport, pitfalls, queues, research photo, satellite navigation system, tax certificate

Category: Travel Tips