Advice - European tour best app or website
Motorhome: Hymer MLi 580
We are planning our first ever European tour after just over 5 years of touring in the UK.
Hopefully this year, but if not then definitely next year.
I, I now refer to I and not we, as my wife is happy for me to do all the planning 🤔
Anyway I have started collated a library of information for the ‘what’s needed’, the do’s and don’t’s etc for starters, and will also be looking at various routes and Itineraries for the trip. Our tour would be for a period of up to the maximum 3 months (within 180 days) so as to maximise our touring route, and to see as many countries in Europe as possible, narrowing down the likes and dislikes for a more focused future tour to fewer countries that then may become favourites.
I have read, and listened to much advice; some say plan, some say just go and don’t bother planning to much. I would consider either, however and although we have stopped at ‘all types of’ sites in the UK, from pub stopovers, to exclusive sites, I am concerned about taking the same approach to touring around Europe, especially when language and hence understanding could present additional issues in resolving any problems. I believe, especially with our first tour, is to find higher end, verified sites, with mostly excellent reviews, to help give comfort with our first tour.
One of my questions is, can anyone kindly recommend a website or app that that focuses on these type of sites, with excellent reviews. Of course I do realise as with any reviews, there will always be a mix, with some negative, which is often expected, as long as the majority are good. (Can’t please all)!!
Any suggested routes, itineraries and any other advice would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks in anticipation,
John
Comments
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Hi John, First off we have a caravan not MH so our planning basics will likely be different.
Our usual plan is get to the destination ASAP and then use that as a base to explore whereas you are likely to do far more “en route” stops to make the most of your MH.
Our friends do use sites but tend, when in France, towards Aires however, they have for some years now been telling us that the number that are now barriered and charged for is increasing.Our favourite site on Lake Garda has a “Sosta” nearby but it’s only about 1 or 2 € less than the site we use and light years apart in what if offers, but I guess that for a 90 day trip you may need to economise somewhere.
Re apps and guides, there are lots bailable and the ACSI website is very useful for planning, both the Camping Card site for those that take the card and the Eurocmpings site with over 9000 sites.
I also make great use of Google Maps and Streetview for route planning, fuel stops, rest stops and campsite locating.
If going via Switzerland or Austria you may need to look at the options for using their roads, such as the Vignette or GoBox.
Enjoy the planning, I am on about version 15 of our 2022 plan!
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I refer you to my answer on the other clubs forum
Search for sites is the best app/web site IMHO free to use but if you want off line data etc. then £5.99 a year so cheap as chips.
As for travelling abroad no need to book, most countries esp France/Germany/Luxembourg/Belgium/Italy/Spain have Aires/Stelplatz/Sostas etc. so just turn up and pitch. Assume travelling out of season so ACSI can help with campsite costs.
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John
In your planning I think I would give priority to the places you want to visit and then find sites that facilitate visiting those places. In nearly 30 years of visiting Europe I can't say that I ever stayed at a truly awful site. Obviously many have been better than the few but nonetheless its unusual to find really bad sites. Where you stay may depend on how long you will be staying. If its a few nights a basic municipal site will likely do but if its longer and you want swimming pools and restaurants you need the more commercial sites. As to reviews I still think that the UKCampsite website is good for reviews. Even my own reviews here might be worth a look.
David
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Go to Waterstones or public library. Get some guidebooks. Read them. Decide what you want to see. Choose where you want to go. Drive there. Then repeat for next destination. It’s so easy. Good wishes.
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