If you think it is time to branch out a little from how you normally feel comfortable travelling, you could simply opt to try one of the other four conventional approaches I mentioned in the first part of this series. However, if you would like to try something completely different, you might want to consider one of the alternative options suggested here.
If you are thinking they might be too much of a stretch for you, remember, many, many people just like you are doing them every year. And, there are many companies providing these services, so their apparent popularity should offer some encouragement.
As with the last segment, I will offer up what I consider be some of the pros and cons of each option. Again, these are the things that immediately popped into my head, and are not based on any survey I or others have conducted. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. Especially if you have had personal experiences with one or more of them.
Bike Tours
One fun way to tour Europe on a simpler and more local scale is by bicycle. I think. I say that because I have not actually done it yet, but it’s looking like we will give it a go this fall. Friends have done this several times, and have assured us that we are going to enjoy it. I will report in full; probably while we are in-the-midst of doing it.
If you want to try it, you don’t have to worry about taking your own bike(s) to Europe, as there are many companies set up who are more than happy to provide you with your rides and pretty much everything else you will need to have an enjoyable biking experience. You can join an organized group, and be led around on a guided route. Or, you can simply rent the bikes and follow the rental company’s directions for a route on your own, and avail yourself of the other services they provide for their customers.
If you are going to head out on your own, as we will be doing with some friends, most booking companies will arrange a different inn/hotel for you each night as you travel the route. And, they will transport your luggage between locations.
The trip we are planning to take follows a trail around Lake Constance. Lake Constance is bordered by three different countries; Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Apparently, we will bike 211 km in nine days. That averages about 20-30 km a day. Not terribly grueling, but then, we are not what you would call diehard bicycling enthusiasts. Our friends … hopefully not soon to be ex-friends … who suggested doing this, and have covered the route a couple of times themselves, assured us that this will be a moderately benign ride, and a good choice to start our bicycling adventures in Europe. So, this looks like it is something that could be enjoyed by riders of all skill levels … we shall see!
Here is a link to Velotours, the company that our friends recommended and have used a number of times for a variety of different routes. This second link is to their information about the Lake Constance package. They, and other companies (e.g. Outfitter Bicycle Tours ) that are easily found by doing a Google search, offer a variety of guided and self-guided tours. If you study the Lake Constance section you will see that they provide information about cost and other important issues. These may answer any immediate questions you may have.
I am definitely not endorsing Velotours or the information found on their website. We have never booked with them before, but we are going to give them a go. It is just an example of one of many such companies providing these types of services. As I said, I will report back on our experience.
If you are looking for more general information about biking in Europe totally independently, try the EuroVelo website. It is an organization devoted to biking in Europe, and the establishment of bike routes connecting the entire continent. Probably a good place to start your own investigations.
Pros:
• You get some exercise; electric bikes can be rented if you need some help getting up hills
• Experience a slower take on your surroundings
• You control your rate of travel
• There is a choice between easy and hard rides
• Available in most parts of EuropeCons:
• Bikes breakdown
• You might make the wrong route choice, i.e. too difficult for your level of skill
• There are some safety concerns when riding on roads, although many routes are partially on dedicated bike paths and lanes
• Bad weather may impact your trip
• You may get lost
Rent Your Own Boat
For boating enthusiasts there are a couple of alternatives to going on a cruise. The first is an option we hope to try ourselves in the near future, possibly around the time that we do the bike trip. That is, to rent a boat with some friends, and pilot ourselves along a waterway.
This is a choice that is widely available. There are many companies who rent houseboats or barges for self-use on canals, rivers, and lakes throughout the continent.
Here is a link to the “le boat” company, one such organization . Again, I am not endorsing them in any way, but I have been doing some of my initial fact-finding on their website. A quick Google search will find you lots of others (e.g. Locaboat ). We are thinking about doing a cruise down a section of the Canal du Midi in France.The “le boat” people, as I suspect most of the other ones do, offer a wide range of boats, accommodating groups of people of all different sizes. They also state that no previous boating experience is required when you rent from them. You pays your money, you takes your chances, apparently.
I have boating experience, and my friend who will be coming with us has experience piloting the large family commercial fishing boat on Lake Superior. So, a lack of boating experience will not be an issue for us. Hmmmm … we should probably keep in mind that others we meet on the canal might not be so experienced.
This does look like a very interesting way to experience parts of a region you wouldn’t normally get to see, and from a unique perspective as well. You make all the decisions as to where you will get off and explore. And, you have a choice of making your own meals, or dining in local restaurants in the villages and towns where you stop.
Pros:
• Get to see rural areas and small towns and villages
• Generally, you go at your own pace
• You have your own floating accommodation
• Probably suitable for all levels of boating skill if companies are willing to rent them to non-boaters
• Time to hop off your boat and do some local sightseeing; you choose where you stop and what you seeCons:
• You have an end date, so you need to travel at a pace that gets you to the destination on time
• Travel may be impacted by bad weather
• Driving the boat and docking may be an issue for some
• Slowed down by a lot of locks on some routes
• Lack of an understanding of the local language may be an issue in some small villages
Ferry Hopping
I have many friends who enjoy going on cruises, but I will have to admit a bit of a personal bias against them. This may stem from the fact that my own experience with cruising was very corporate. While I was working in the private sector we offered them up as a premium incentive to our customer base across the company. I and other members of the company had to go with them to make sure they had a good time, so maybe I associate them with work. You’re right, not so tough work, but work nevertheless.
Being “forced” to go on a cruise notwithstanding, I did gain an appreciation, or lack thereof, of the fact that the primary cruise experience is about what happens on the ship, not what happens at the ports of call. When travelling, my primary interest is experiencing the local culture, history, aesthetics, and people. So, my interest in cruising is extremely limited, OK nil.
Having said that, I did do some thinking about cruising recently because of chats I had with friends about their recent experiences. I had to agree that there were probably some situations which dictated that a cruise was the best travel option.
One such trip that came to mind immediately was an Alaskan cruise. If you’re going to travel from Vancouver up to Alaska to see our west coast in all its full glory, the best way to do it is by ship. The second situation where I thought cruising might be the preferred solution was around the Baltic Sea area. This gets you easily to sea ports like Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Oslo, and Copenhagen amongst others.
You can travel between many of these cities on the Baltic overland, but it is very tough, and time consuming. You would probably end up flying if you didn’t take the cruise option. All of this got me thinking, is there another way to do it? I realized, of course, these are major ports, and the ones that aren’t readily linked by road or rail are probably linked by ferry. I was struck with this idea when I recalled that while we were in Stockholm last year, we saw a Viking Line ferry that travelled the route between Stockholm and some other major port, pulling into port; it is pictured above.
There are many ferries operating throughout Europe, linking a variety of different cities and countries together. A number are on longer routes (e.g. Ireland-France) that provide overnight sleeping arrangements. The ones that appear to provide a boating alternative to the Baltic cruise (for us) is to take the overnight ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki , and then after spending a few days there, taking another overnight ferry to St. Petersburg ). These are the two places we are most interested in visiting on the Baltic. We would then retrace our steps back to Stockholm.
Here is a link to an article by Rick Steves , my favourite European travel guru, about travelling between Stockholm and Helsinki on the overnight ferry. He identifies a second cruise line that provides a similar service, and offers some thoughts on how to properly enjoy the experience.
Pros:
• You get to enjoy a nautical experience
• Travel with a view
• Relaxing way to travel
• Go to bed and wake up at your destination
• Lots of amenities on the boat; restaurants, entertainmentCons:
• Rough seas can make for an unpleasant experience
• No assigned seating … I am assuming; you compete with others for seating or spots in the restaurant(s)
• Some ferries may operate on limited schedules
• Takes longer than flying
• Possible noise on overnight trips disturbing sleep
So, there you go. Some alternative ways to check out Europe. I am honestly looking forward to giving them all a try. But, if you don’t see one that appeals to you immediately, not to worry, there are more to come in my next update!
Next up – Some Alternative Ways to Do Your Exploring Continued
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