Although the European politicians try to persuade us to leave our cars at home, who really want to listen to them. Driving in Europe is a very convenient alternative to the mainstream sight-seeing tours.

Driving in Rome, Italy / Photo by Claire for Europe Explored

Parking in Europe

The main problem taking your car with you is that you’ll have to encounter the ridiculously high parking prices. That’s one of the things Europe is popular for. Parking in capital cities like Berlin, Paris and London can cost anywhere between 3 and 10 EUR per hour. There is, however, a way around this. The best thing to do is to choose a hotel that offers free parking but you also have to find a hotel that is located within a walking distance to the city centre. Otherwise you’ll spend too much time walking. When booked early, those centre hotels don’t tend to cost very much.

Many tourists decide to stay in hostels – which allows them to save money during their stay. Although the network of hostels is quite developed in Europe, many of them come without parking. So, in the end it might make more sense to book a proper hotel and enjoy free parking.

Also, every city and town tend to have plenty of free parking. The only problem is that you have to be local in order to know where to find it. Or do you? There are plenty of websites out there sharing advice on how to find free or cheap parking. All you have to do is find the information upfront and mark the free spaces in your map.

Prague, Czech Republic by Claire for Europe Explored

Keep off the beaten track

The beauty of travelling in your own car is that you can escape the usual routes that the tour operators will have prepared for you. Surely, seeing the Eiffel tower in Paris can be a special experience, however, you will have to share this experience with hundreds of other tourists crewing around the tower, taking photos and making terrible noise. Being your own boss during your journey means you can visit the Eiffel tower very early in the morning – when there are virtually no tourists around.

And that’s only one example. Although the tour operators often do a great job assembling a sight-seeing tour, it often lacks any originality. That’s why many travellers make a shortlist of things they want to see by trying to avoid what’s recommended in the tourism books.

You can use this guide on car travel in Europe to pick up some ideas, and here are a couple of suggestions of less popular (but still very exciting) things to see while driving in Europe.

Esslingen, Germany

If you’re travelling through Germany, visit Esslingen – it’s a little town in the South and it’s a unique place for people interested in architecture. The old town is amazing – you can see houses that have been built in 4th century. You can also park your car and continue the journey on a Segway – it’s a popular pastime of the locals, and now many tourists use it to see as much of Esslingen as they can.

Traditional German house in Esslingen by Karlheinz Woschée via Creative Commons licence.

Essen, Germany

While in Germany, you can pop around Essen. Why Essen – you might ask – it’s a big industrial city. “Industrial” is the keyword – the huge sites of the post-war German industrial revolution are tremendous. You can hardly see anything similar in any other European country. The majority of industrial complexes were torn down as production moved to China, whereas Zeche Zollverein in Essen was preserved the way it was. Now it’s a UNESCO heritage site and it looks truly magnificent!

Szentendre, Hungary

While in Hungary, check Szentendre – it’s a small town and is rarely listed in tour guides. It’s a must-visit place if you want to learn more about the rich Hungarian cultural heritage – it’s got many museums and art galleries. A lovely little town.

Pag, Croatia

Visiting Croatia should be scheduled to summer months. That way you don’t miss the amazing Pag island with its famous beach. When I say famous – I mean famous amongst the locals. It’s all one big party – consider it an Eastern alternative to Ibiza!

What is your favourite little-known spot in Europe?

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