You have your flight booked, your hotel reserved, and now all that’s left for you to do for your big European vacation is … rent a car.
Not so fast. Renting a car and self-driving through Europe could add more hassle to your vacation than it’s worth. Here are three big reasons you shouldn’t self-drive through Europe … and what to do instead.
1) It’s stressful—in uniquely European ways.
Of course, trying to navigate new-to-you terrain will always be at least a little stressful for a driver, but driving in Europe comes with its own set of complications. You’re likely to encounter obstacles you’re not used to stateside (like many, many roundabouts and street directions changing depending on the time of day).
But perhaps most importantly, the whole reason you wanted to rent a car is also the reason driving in Europe is especially stressful. Most travelers self-drive so they can get to the tiny, tucked-away towns that aren’t accessible via rail. Well, these tiny towns come with tiny, narrow roadways that can be very scary to traverse if you’re used to wide open highways. Plus, automatic vehicles (as opposed to manual) tend to be larger in Europe, so if you must rent an automatic, it will feel like you’re really threading the needle on narrow streets. Now throw in the need to parallel park and you’ve got yourself a stress fest!
2) You’re missing the view.
The other reason travelers often want to self-drive is to enjoy exploring the gorgeous countryside. There’s something so romantic about the idea of cruising country roads with the top down, winding past fields of poppies, golden vineyards, and castle ruins.
Of course, if you’re stuck driving, you need to have your eyes on the road, not the scenery! The driver ends up missing out on so much. And unlike on the scenic drives through the U.S. National Parks, there aren’t always easy pull outs where you can pull over to enjoy the view before you move on—you just miss it altogether.
3) You don’t explore off the beaten path.
I often hear that another reason travelers opt to rent a car is so that they can get “off the beaten path” on vacation. You can take your car pretty much wherever there’s a road, so what’s stopping you from exploring as deeply as you want to?
What often ends up happening, however, is that tourists driving in Europe end up sticking exactly to the well-trod path—the busy, wide, well-known motorways that connect cities. That’s because once tourists pick up their car and start driving, it is just too nerve-racking to explore those smaller backroads. That is, if you can even find them!
What to do instead of self-driving
There’s a simple solution to the self-driving conundrum: hire a private driver! Your driver will be a local who knows the roads (including the scenic backroads) and can take you exactly where you want to, when you want to go. Because this isn’t a bus tour, you get to set your own pace. Your driver will most likely have loads of recommendations for scenic routes, local restaurants, and hidden gems that are truly off the beaten path.
Plus, you don’t have to hire a private driver for your whole trip, it can just be a day or two (or more) here and there. Using a private driver makes sense if you also plan to explore the surrounding area you’re staying in by foot or train; otherwise, your rental car can sit unused—but still paid for—for multiple days of your trip.
Even if they have never had a private driver before, my clients often report that it was one of the BEST things they had done for their trip. Far less stress, far more time spent enjoying the destination, and an opportunity to get insider information from a local—it’s a win-win-win. Of course, I have many clients who still opt to self-drive, but I think going private is a great way to enjoy the country you have paid so much to visit, while getting from place to place.
Ready to plan your own custom-crafted European adventure? It all starts with a complimentary consultation call; simply click here to book your call with me to start planning.
