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3 months to travel Europe...

Posted by (Devon, UK) on

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are travelling Europe in May 2016. We have roughly three months (or more depending on how long the money lasts). We are in the middle of planning our route but need some advice on best places to visit etc.

We will be arriving by ferry into Calais so that will be our starting point. I should add that we will be travelling in our camper van so no need for trains or planes. Our route so far roughly looks like this:

France (northern) > Belgium > Netherlands > Germany > Switzerland > Austria > Hungary (maybe) > Czech Republic > Poland > Denmark > Norway.

This is just a rough guide we don't really have any destinations planned for when we're in these countries so any advice is very very welcome! Does anybody have any recommendations for places to visit? We won't be going as south as Italy so it will mainly be northern Europe that we're focusing on. We will be doing a lot of walking, mountain biking etc so we would love to visit some national parks but we also want to see some nice cities, especially historic ones! So we are open to anything really!

We will be mainly staying in campsites so if anyone knows of any good sites then that would be great too!

Thanks!

Posted by
8889 posts

Sophie, Do I have any recommendations? How long is a piece of string?
Each of the places you list has whole guidebooks written about it, and this post is limited to 4000 characters.
I suggest you go down your local library, or local charity shop or bookstall, and borrow / buy some guidebooks.
And often the best places are the ones you just chance on.

You can also check the official tourist websites for each town, which should help finding places to overnight with your camper van.
Enjoy your trip!

Posted by
16895 posts

For a shorthand, prioritized version of Rick's favorite towns, see the "At a Glance" section of each country page under Explore Europe (with further detail on some regional pages for France). These are well covered in the guidebooks, which also have some recommendations for scenic drives and national parks, but really don't focus on those, and only rarely include camp sites.

Posted by
7175 posts

Leave out Poland and travel back from Hungary thru Slovakia, Czech Republic & Germany to Denmark ?
Include Sweden between Denmark and Norway ?

France (northern) > Belgium > Netherlands > Germany > Switzerland > Austria > Hungary > Slovakia > Czech Republic > Germany > Denmark > Sweden > Norway.

Posted by
3398 posts

Same response as above...too broad for much specific advice...start researching guidebooks and then come back when you have more questions. All of the places you list are fabulous!
Make sure to educate yourself about the Schengen Zone rules...3 months puts you into the 90 day limit range! Make sure you don't overstay! You don't state your country of origin though and you also used the phrase "our camper van" so maybe this doesn't apply to you?? Just checking because many people on this forum are restricted by the 90 day limit due to their citizenship.

Posted by
3299 posts

Anita---not only is the word "campervan" a clue, but Sophiee lists herself as based in Devon, UK, so probably does not have to worry about Schengen rules.

Posted by
15798 posts

Do you belong to any camper clubs? I had friends who loved their camper and belonged to 2 clubs. That would be the best resource for you, as they are most likely to have done what you are planning . . . driving issues, staying in campsites and sightseeing from there. Will you have a motorbike to get around or will the camper be your only wheels?

Edit - to clarify, my friends live in Surrey.

Posted by
8889 posts

Anita, the poster says she is in Devon, so she is probably a British Citizen. She can stay as long as she likes in any other Schengen or EU country, or even get a job and live there permanently without having to get a visa. Her passport will not even be stamped.
The 90 day Schengen limit only applies to cititzens of countries of non-Schengen/EU countries.

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