To most Australians, Europe represents something familiar yet exotic at the same time. We think of culture, history, style and adventure without the risk in travelling to a third world country. Safe but stimulating anyway. For the seasoned traveller, Europe has so many attractions that you would need a lifetime to see them. For the first time traveller, Europe is an exciting place to visit but also easy to get around. Think London, Paris, Rome plus wine regions, plus gourmet food plus magnificent landscapes in a much smaller area than Australia.
If you’ve decided that Europe is the place to go for your next holiday, then a choice of how to get around and where to go is next on the agenda. It’s highly recommended that you take a tour if it’s your first time as your tour company and your guide can show you the ‘lay of the land’ before you venture out on your own. The next question is: Do you organise it all yourself with a mix of transportation, go on a coach tour, a river cruise or a driving tour. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Coach tours and river cruises have the advantage of little organisation on your part. You pay your money and just go with the flow. Coach tours are lower cost with generally a lower standard of accommodation (3 star usually). River cruises can be expensive, especially in the summer months, but your accommodation and meals are all provided (sometimes airfares with some operators). The main disadvantages of both are the lack of flexibility. Can’t go far from a river can you? Your coach tours are also tightly scheduled and you might be stuck on a bus with 48 other people you come to hate. Organising it yourself can save you a few coins, but think of the stress if it all goes tits-up in addition to the endless hours of research. It gives you more flexibility as the transportation options are better, but you can’t see much out of the windows of a TGV train travelling at 300 kmh and their timetables are as rigid as the coach tours.
For those that are a little bit more adventurous, like to see things outside of the major cities and like the flexibility of having your own vehicle, then a driving tour is for you. Driving tours are a new innovation in touring. You get a professionally designed itinerary, on road support and the flexibility and freedom to create your own experiences. You travel at your own speed, with the people you want to travel with and the sociability of a small group to catch up with each evening to share the tales of the day.
Tour de Europe is the first and only company to offer organised driving tours in Europe. The tours have a small (up to 20) group, with car provided, centrally located 4 and 5 star accommodation and a support car. Navigation is done by pre-programmed Garmin GPS and a detailed guide book is supplied. Each day’s route is chosen to be scenic and interesting where possible with a number of attractions along the way. The Autobahns and Autoroutes are avoided unless there is a need to get some mileage up or there is no reasonable alternative. Picturesque towns and villages feature a lot on the daily route on Tour de Europe as well as magnificent landscapes and historic attractions. Tour de Europe even has a celebrity host in singer/songwriter and Radio host Mike Brady. Mike travels with the tour in the tour support vehicle and has been known to talk to anybody in the bar during the evening.
A typical day on Tour de Europe involves a hearty breakfast followed by loading your luggage into your car, conveniently parked at the hotel, turning on the GPS, selecting the appropriate day (i.e. Day 2 etc) and following it through the day to the next hotel at the overnight stop. You decide which attractions to visit and where to get lunch, which could be anything from a village trattoria to Mickey d’s. Each days driving takes 3-5 hours, leaving plenty of time for sightseeing, souvenir shopping, exploring or even a roadside picnic. Some overnight stops also include laydays to look around as well. Cars are supplied from a choice of the French car companies and can be upgraded to larger models if required.