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 Julo for Best of European Union

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 Julo for Best of European Union

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?

The post Tips for Car Travel in Europe appeared first on Best of European Union.

Self catering accommodation / Photo by admin

It’s cheaper:

One of the most apparent advantages of lodging in a self-catering apartment/house is that it is far more cost-effective. Firstly, you can prepare your meals in the apartment, which will certainly save you money on eating expenses. Food is one of the main holiday expenses and can easily expend your holiday funds in a heart-beat. By being able to prepare al least some meals where you are staying, will save you a boat-load of cash.

Also, if you have been out and purchased a surplus of food – You can simply take the food back to the self-catering apartment, keep it refrigerated and eat it whenever you want to.

It’s secure:

Self-catering accommodation offers your family added security. Generally, hotels don’t offer rooms that have several bedrooms, which a large family requires. As a result, it is hard to book neighbouring hotel rooms in order to keep the whole family together. By opting for self-catering accommodation – every family member has their own space, while your family is still kept together.

The comforts of home:

Self-catering accommodation offers all the comforts of home while you are away. This makes it a relaxing and comfortable place for you to enjoy your family after a big day of sightseeing.

Unlike a hotel, a modern self-catering apartment offers you enough room for everyone. Thus, if you and your spouse want to relax by doing some reading – the children can play games or entertain themselves in the next room. It is essential for everyone to have a little of their own space. By staying in a self-catering apartment – you are also able to come-and-go as you please, since you have your very own front door.

Less hassle:

Arriving home after a family holiday usually entails washing mountains of dirty clothes. Many self-catering apartments have laundry facilities; therefore you and your family can do laundry as it accumulates. Instead of visiting the nearest dry cleaner – you can simply deal with your washing at your accommodation.

So whether you need Family accommodation in Cape Town, Sydney, Hong Kong or Tokyo, you are sure to find a suitable place for your entire family to enjoy a fun and memorable holiday together.

This article was provided by food-lover and travel enthusiast, ScribeZA.

The post The Numerous Benefits of Staying in Self-Catering Accommodation appeared first on Best of European Union.

You will appreciate that car hire providers in Tenerife offer some good and really reasonable service for customers, any time you solved the above mentioned difficulties. To reach their clients preferences, Tenerife Car Rental services offer an extensive choice of cars and brands. You could decide upon affordable cars, starting from as less as 7 Euros daily up to high priced luxury cars.

Not alone the major players, for example Dollars, Avis, Alamo or Europcar present an amazing service, you will additionally discover a lot of modest local car hire providers that provide professional quality. Before you’ll appear on the island, you can get a hold of the Tenerife hire car company, should you fancy. Tenerife car rental providers may well be more than willing to assist you, just get in touch with them either by phone or mail. Typically they can and tend to supply you with plenty of information on beach locations, parks, sightseeing venues and all the most important facts you want to know when traveling Tenerife. Despite the fact that all these informations will be really handy, be sure to inquire about a map of the island.

Tenerife Airport Facilities

Most commonly the car will wait for you at the airport, nevertheless for visitors who choose to not exit right away, Tenerife airport includes many various services. The airport Reina Sofia is linked with a great number of global locations and so the favourite entry point to the island. The airport is situated near the motorway within the beautiful south of Tenerife. Bypassing the airport is not possible because it is properly signposted.

Coffee shops, bookstores, bars, dining places, gift and duty free shops along with banking, ATMs or mailing services you can also find in the Tenerife airport.

Tenerife, the Island of Lasting Spring

Having an architectural and also natural beauty, Tenerife is usually a popular destination for a large number of visitors. The natural spots are really amazing and complete the human created architectural destinations. The island supplies extraordinary vacations because of its spectacular beaches, night life and delightful traditional meals. In summary, Tenerife is actually a must-see location for every traveler.

Rent a Car Spain researches and analyzes prices of car hire companies to get the lowest quote for you in all important destinations through Spain. Spain car rentals price is totally inclusive, with no hidden fees. Spain Car Rentals has the best price guarantee to ensure that you are getting the best prices accessible on your car hire Tenerife.

The post Rental Car Guide for Tenerife | Spain appeared first on Best of European Union.

Floriana has beautiful parks and squares and boasting the representative buildings occupied by the government ministry. But it is more appropriate for the serious history lovers, since it lacks a lively bustle streets of Valletta.

The main entrance to the fortifications of Valletta is City Gate, just behind that is the Republic Street, which stretches across the peninsula to its furthest end, to Fort St. Elmo, which is now a military museum. On the Republic Street there are major historical sights, most shops and the only two cafes in the city. Beautiful churches and palaces are in contrast with the military look of the city. Rising and falling streets are lined with houses that are decorated with beautiful bay windows and balconies.

What to see in Valletta?
When you go to Valletta, you should not miss its sights that are definitely worth seeing. Among the most interesting of them is one of the oldest buildings in town – Grandmaster’s Palace from 16th century. Today it houses the Maltese parliament, president and museum. Today it houses the Maltese parliament, president’s office and museum.

Another major attraction is fortification Fort St. Elmo, that played an important role in defending the island. It is now home to a voluntary army and a location of the National War Museum. St. James Cavalier is the strongest fortification of Valletta, now there is a cultural center with a cinema, theater and concert hall.

Memorial to victims of the second World War II we can see in the Lower Barracca Gardens. Another baroque building is the Co-Cathedral of St John, which dates from 1573 – 1578. Discreet Manoel Theatre building dates from 1732 and is the cultural heart of the island. One of the dominant features of Valletta is a the Church of Our Lady of Mount Caramel. This church was founded in 1573. The Upper Barracca Gardens offers a beautiful view of Grand Harbour, the marina and the “Three Cities” on the opposite shore of the Gulf.

View Valletta – lots of historical sights in the capital city of Malta in a larger map

The post Valletta – lots of historical sights in the capital city of Malta appeared first on Best of European Union.

Słowiński National Park is visited by thousands of tourists, fond of the beauty and variability of its landscape. In order to maintain one of the most precious tie of indigenous nature, which undoubtedly is The Land of Water, Wind and Sand, there have been allocated only selected areas of the Park for tourism practicing as well as special regulations have been introduced for sightseeing there.

Image made by michbet6464

View Słowiński National Park in Poland in a larger map

The post Słowiński National Park in Poland – the land of water, wind and sand appeared first on Best of European Union.