Lance said:
Taz x said:
is it easy enough to find digs when you are on your travels?
Yes, never had problems anywhere in Europe. Usually start looking around 5 ish, settle in, shower and then food/beer/wander
If you're planning on covering a lot of miles and you have just 14 days to do your trip i would suggest pre booking accommodation is not a bad thing. It's incredibly easy to find accommodation through the internet or via i-phone.
On my most recent trip around switzerland and italy turning up knowing i had a guaranteed room with a balcony in San Gimignano, being just where we wanted in Venice, having a gorgeous place to stay within walking distance of Florence city centre and safe parking all along was invaluable.
A choice of accommodation can actually be the highlight. The year before we drove to Verona and I had booked for us to stay in a castle North of Lake Garda, actually near Trento, the look on my wife's face was priceless as we drove into the castle grounds. I have posted details of the castle in another thread but if you're interested (anyone else for that matter) let me know, food and drink are fabulous and the hosts superb. Verona, if you don't make arrangements for parking and register your car then you can be fined for just entering the old city.
If you've driven 4-500 miles in a day trying to find somewhere to sleep isn't always a lot of fun and if you pre book at least you have an idea of the quality of accommodation you will end up with. If you pre book you can also plan the distances you will need to travel, it will give you a chance to plan down time and exploring time.
When i had three months to travel i didn't care where i drove, how long for or in what direction, i also was happy to sleep on the roadside or wherever suited.
When i have 14 days i want every moment to be perfect and don't want any of it wasted in needless tasks.
How you think you will enjoy your trip will dictate your choice obviously, for some seat of the pants accommodation searching can be one of those things that 'makes the trip' but it can ruin it. Check for the equivalent of bank holidays and fayres in the areas you are going to, i once turned up in Dijon when a classic car rally was going through, i loved the cars until i realised the drivers had taken all of the available accommodation and we ended up 10 miles outside of the city in a flea pit that the thought of still gives me nightmares.
You may not want to drive every day so make sure your final target/ turn around point is a realistic one and prioritise what you want to see. Driving to see how far you can get from the uk is ok till you realise that you have a mother of a drive to get back and you're in a sweat for time. Also don't forget that driving the mountains takes a lot longer than you think and the passes are not always convenient to get to where you want. Yes you can take a tunnel to speed things up but then why drive the alps for example if all you see is the inside of a 27 degree centigrade and ten mile long tunnel.
You may want to stop somewhere and spend a day driving around to get the best of the scenery. Interlaken is a great place in Swizerland and from there it is easy to drive the grimsel, susten and furka, a brilliant day for scenery and twisting roads.
Hmmm, now i'm making plans for my next trip, good fun isn't it
