Caravan and motorhome holidays continue to become more and more popular amongst Brits looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. However, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice international travel altogether.
New research, collected by travel brand Pocket Wanderings, revealed the most popular European city breaks based on search data in the UK. Our own cities fared well in the rankings, with London and Edinburgh both taking a place in the top ten destinations.
The historic city of York managed to beat out the likes of Milan and Lisbon, but the number one spot was taken by Amsterdam, followed closely by Paris in second and Barcelona in third. See the full top ten below:
- Amsterdam
- Paris
- Barcelona
- London
- Rome
- Edinburgh
- Dublin
- Budapest
- Prague
- Venice
Notable omissions from the list include Bavaria’s capital of Munich, terracotta-tiled Florence and Scandinavian favourites like Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo.
For those who live in Europe, we’re lucky enough to have a wealth of beautiful and cultured cities on our doorstep. Travelling in a caravan or motorhome means you can access a wide variety of destinations without being restricted to airport travel, following absolutely any route you want to. Who wouldn’t love that kind of freedom?
Travelling overseas with your caravan or motorhome
If you’re planning an international trip, or even just considering one, here are some important factors to think about. Just like flying abroad, the first hurdle will come when leaving the UK. In this case, you’ll be at a ferry port.
At the ferry port
If you’re heading to Europe’s most popular city among Brits, you’ll be pleased to know there’s a direct ferry from Newcastle, lasting for just under 17 hours. For the majority of other destinations, you’ll be heading from Dover to either Calais or Dunkirk and setting off on the road from there.
If you’ve made a direct booking with Eurotunnel, you can access the self-check-in lane at the terminal. It’s a simple process and all you need to do is input your reference number at the kiosk and follow the on-screen instructions.
Otherwise, just keep your booking reference number handy so you can show it to the staff at the crossing. They’re always friendly and will direct you to the correct lane to queue in.
Before you arrive
Congratulations, you’re officially on holiday abroad! But there are a few things you’ll have to plan for. A bit of research ahead of your trip will sort out almost any problems you could face at this point. Some points to consider include:
- Some campsites won’t allow long swimming trunks. Yes, you might need to pack your budgie smugglers
- Campsites won’t always supply toilet roll, so do bring extras
- Receptions often close around lunchtime, so try to arrive either before or after this period
- Many sites have entry and exit barriers, which means you may need to put down a deposit for a key
At the campsite
Once you’re set up at your site, you can start unwinding and making the most of your holiday. Here are a couple of things we’d recommend, as a rule of thumb, to avoid any interruptions:
- Keep cash on you – some sites don’t accept card payments
- Check with reception if your site has metered electricity
- If you’re heading to a new destination, check online for local laws, regulations and speed limits to avoid an uncomfortable misunderstanding
The Caravan and Motorhome Club also has a useful index of pages outlining overseas driving regulations and guides for travelling abroad.
Photo credit: Chait Goli / Pexels
