Our Ultimate Guide to Touring Europe in a Motorhome

Are you interested in travelling to mainland Europe in your motorhome? Meeting new people, gaining new knowledge, and seeing nature are all experiences that will build memories that will last a lifetime. Although travelling to distant countries with various cultures and languages might be intimidating, there are lots of things you can do to prepare yourself and in the end, the memories you make will be worth it!

Creating the perfect itinerary

Creating the perfect itinerary for you and any travel companions requires thorough planning and may take a little time, but it shouldn’t be too difficult, especially with our tips to help you out.

Firstly, it’s important to determine how long you’re planning to travel for, as this will help determine your budget, your realistically achievable destinations, and the places to go to and things to do when you arrive that you’d like to prioritise.

From this point on, you will want to locate places that you are interested in visiting and do research on them. Think about the places you absolutely have to see, along with some more that you should include based on your own interests. From here, you can plot out your journey.

Mapping out your journey can be done in a number of ways. On Google Maps, you have the ability to route the journey on your computer and drag the dots on the pathway of your journey to other locations or routes you’d like to visit. For instance, if you would like to take a more scenic route between your locations.

To get a general sense of how your vacation will play out, you should schedule time for travel, decide how long you want to remain at each place, and determine when you need to begin your journey home. However, you should also leave room for some flexibility in your plans because things may change very rapidly while you are on vacation. Check for any travel limitations and rules that may change between nations, such as the types of documentation that may be necessary.

Our Top 5 Trips and Destinations

Europe has an enormous amount to offer - far too much too much to talk about in a single blog. So we've picked five of our favourite trips and destinations to travel to in Europe for you to consider;

France: France is, in our view, one of the best places in the world to take a motorhome vacation because of its amazing road system and abundance of campgrounds where travellers may choose to stay while on the road. It's unlikely you'll have any trouble finding what you're looking for in almost any part of France due to its popularity among motorhome holidaymakers.

Switzerland to France then Italy: How about a multi-country trip? Europe is perfect for this with a high number of countries in a relatively small geographical area. On this route, you're able to cross into France from Geneva in Switzerland, travel around or even under the Alps, and then make your way back up to the surface of the continent through Italy. This journey will take you on a variety of breathtaking byways and provide a plethora of stunning vistas, so make sure the camera or smartphone always has charge!

Slovenia to Croatia: Perhaps a lesser travelled journey for many motorhomers, but the route from Slovenia to Croatia is a hidden gem, filled with rustic old towns and cities and beaches galore by the Adriatic sea. There are a variety of activities and tourist destinations to visit along this route, including visiting the locations where Game of Thrones was filmed in Croatia!

Fairy Tale Road, Germany: Famed throughout Europe this road, celebrating the lives of fairytale creators The Brothers Grimm, begins outside Frankfurt, and heads north into the countryside of Germany, going through a number of different towns all epitomising German culture. It truly is a fairy tale.

Algarve, Portugal: If sun and sea are more likely to be your thing, then you’re going to absolutely adore the Algarve coast of Portugal. Not only is this route suitable for motorhomes, but it also features a wealth of sights and activities, including an abundance of beaches and numerous sites for overnight camping.

What not to forget

On any motorhome tour there is always a long list of items that people take with them, some of which never get used! But here's a list of things that you shouldn't forget to take with you, as doing so could make your trip stressful, which isn't what you want on your dream vacation:

Passport: According to www.citizensadvice.org.uk you are required to have a passport that is currently valid, has at least three months left on it before it expires and which is not older than 10 years when you enter either the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein. If you're planning a multi-country holiday, be sure you know what the entry requirements are in each destination by visiting the Foreign Travel Advice section of the UK government's website.

Driving Licence: A valid internationally recognised driving licence is required to travel through Europe in a motorhome. If you have a valid, in date, photo-ID UK licence, it will permit you to drive in all countries registered within the EU, as well as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein. Holders of the older paper-type licence may need to take an international driving permit with them. Be sure to check the UK government's website here for the latest guidance.

UK Sticker: If your motorhome does not have a number plate in the UK style that features the Union flag on it, you are obliged to display a "UK" sticker on the back of the vehicle. If you are travelling to Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you are still required to have a UK sticker on your vehicle, even if your number plate features the Union flag. [1]

Insurance: In order to drive your vehicle in Europe, you will need to hold a valid insurance policy for the vehicle and bring the documents with you.* Whether you’ve purchased temporary motorhome insurance for a rented motorhome or American RV insurance, don’t assume your policy automatically covers you for travel abroad. Check with your insurer and make sure you've got the right protection in place.

V5C Document: The V5C document, often referred to as a logbook, registers your vehicle with the DVLA and contains all the information about it within. It is recommended that you bring your V5C documents with you on a European vacation.*

Tax and MOT: You'll be needing to drive your motorhome to and from a ferry terminal, and whilst it may sound obvious, you should make sure it's both taxed and mot'd in the UK at all times.

European Breakdown Cover: Having breakdown cover that helps protect you in Europe could save you a lot of time and hassle in the event that something happens to your motorhome while you are travelling through a different country. Speak to your insurer about putting the right cover in place for you.

Thousands of motorists travel to Europe from the UK every year so the UK government has set up a helpful online step-by-step guide of things you need to think about before going. Check it out in good time, get everything in order well before you go, and you'll be on the road to helping make motorhome memories that last a lifetime!

[1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/driving-in-the-eu

Our Ultimate Guide to Touring Europe in a Motorhome

Creating the perfect itinerary

Our Top 5 Trips and Destinations

What not to forget

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