Europe & Beyond

Switzerland Car Rental – Geneva

The city of Geneva, in Switzerland, is a great place for a holiday, but if you want to see more of what Switzerland has to offer, you can hire a car and drive to the nearby city of Lausanne.

Car Hire  Switzerland – Hiring a Car in Geneva It’s simple to hire a car in order to drive from Geneva to Lausanne – just visit online, low cost, car rental companies that offer some great cheap car hire deals and have car rental offices in more than 60 countries, including Switzerland. You can book a wide range ofwide range of rental cars, including compact cars and luxury cars online and pick it up when you arrive at offices for car hire at Geneva airport.

Car Hire Switzerland – Driving from Geneva to Lausanne

It will only take you about 40 minutes to drive from Geneva to Lausanne in your hire car and it’s easy to get there. Just head out of Geneva on the A1a and follow the signs for Lausanne.

Lausanne is situated on the banks of Lake Geneva and is the fifth largest city in Switzerland. It’s known as a city of culture and also the country’s Olympic Capital, as the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee has been located in the city since 1915.

Once you’ve parked your rental car, you can wander around Lausanne’s Old Town area, where you will find the beautiful Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame, with its carved choir stalls and 13th century rose window. Next door to the cathedral, you’ll find the Musée Historique, which is housed in the old Bishop’s Palace. This museum features displays of items relating to the history of Lausanne and includes a gallery of silverware from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Lausanne is also home to the fascinating Collection de l’Art Brut, a gallery featuring art works by people from around the world, none of whom have had any formal art training.

You can also explore Ouchy, the lakeside area of Lausanne, where you’ll find The Olympic Museum. The museum features exhibits relating to the history of the Olympic Games, including Olympic medals, Olympic torches and sports equipment used by Olympic medal winners such as Carl Lewis and Chris Boardman. You can stroll through the Olympic Garden and buy souvenirs in the museum shop.

Other museums in Lausanne include: the Musée de l’Elysée, where you can see more than 120,000 photos dating from the 19th century to the present day; the Musée Cantonal de Zoologie (Cantonal Zoological Museum), which features exhibits of vertebrates, insects and fossils; and the Lausanne-Vidy Roman Museum, which has a range of exhibits demonstrating what life was like in the area at the time of the Roman Empire.

You can also visit the Lausanne Vivarium, where you can see more than 200 animals, spiders and reptiles, including snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, lizards and crocodiles.

You can relax in one of Lausanne’s many parks, which include the Parc de l’Eysée and the Parc du Désert, go shopping or take a boat trip on Lake Geneva.

Cyprus Car Hire

Online car rental specialists have car hire offices around the world, including offices in Cyprus, and offers some great cheap Cyprus car hire deals. You can book your rental car online and pick it up when you arrive in Cyprus.

Driving from Limassol to Kourion and the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates

If you are planning a holiday to the popular tourist destination of Limassol (also known as Lemesos) in Cyprus, you can hire a car in Limassol and drive to the ruins of the ancient city of Kourion (also known as Curias or Curium) and the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates for a great day out.

It’s simple to drive from Limassol to Kourion and the Sanctuary of Apollo Hyates.

Kourion is only about 20km away from Limassol, so it’s easy to reach if you hire a car. You can pick up your hire car in Cyprus when you arrive at Larnaca or Paphos airport, or hire a car in Limassol.

Cyprus Car Hire Trip – The Ancient City of Kourion

The ancient city of Kourion is the perfect place to visit on a day-trip by car if you are staying in Limassol. Situated on the cliff-tops, the ruined city offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and you can see the remains of a number of significant Roman buildings. The city is believed to have been abandoned following a series of devastating earthquakes during the 4th Century.

The Roman Theatre, for example, was originally constructed in the 2nd Century and, although it was destroyed during the 4th Century, it has now been restored to its former glory and is used as a venue for concerts and plays during the summer.

You can also see the remains of the Roman Stadium, which is believed to have been constructed in the 2nd Century. The stadium would have been able to seat up to 6,000 people and would have been used for athletics events, such as the Pentathlon, where competitors would take part in running, high jump, long jump, javelin and wrestling, as well as for chariot races. The stadium at Kourion fell into disrepair during the 4th Century.

Other things to see at the ancient city of Kourion include the remains of the House of the Gladiators, the House of Achilles, the Agora (or market-place), the public baths and the Nymphaeum (a large building which contained baths, a meeting chamber, an atrium and fountains).

The Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates

One of the other most significant sites near the ancient city of Kourion is the Sanctuary of Apollo Hyates, which overlooks the city. The origins of the buildings that made up the Sanctuary are believed to date back as far as the 8th B.C., but most of the construction took place during the Roman period.

Legend has it that anyone who touched the Sacred Altar of Apollo would be flung from the cliffs into the sea, and you can still see the remains of the altar at the small Temple of Apollo. You can also see the Treasury of Apollo, where priests would have made votives to the Sun-God.

Another key part of the site is the Circular Monument, which is likely to have been dedicated to a woodland god and constructed before the site was dedicated to Apollo. Processions would have taken place here around seven sacred trees.

Car Hire London

Visiting London Theme Parks – Chessington

When you’re planning a trip to London, you might not initially think about hiring a car. After all, the centre of London is packed with attractions such as the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and many famous museums and art galleries.

However, if you book a hire car for your trip, you can explore some of the places on the outskirts of the city. If you are taking your family on a London holiday, you can visit several theme parks in the London area, each of which is packed with rides and attractions to keep everyone entertained.

In this article, we’ll be looking at what you can see and do if you visit Chessington World of Adventures as part of your London car hire holiday.

Chessington World of Adventures

Chessington World of Adventures incorporates a theme park, a zoo and a new Sea Life centre, and it’s easy to get there in your car. If you pick up your hire car at Heathrow Airport, it will only take you about half an hour to get to Chessington. You can park your rental car at Chessington World of Adventure free of charge.

The theme park at Chessington is divided into nine areas: Beanoland; Forbidden Kingdom; Land of the Dragons; Market Square; Mexicana; Mystic East; Pirates Cove; Toytown; and Transylvania.

Thrill-seekers will love rides like the “Rattlesnake” rollercoaster and the “Black Buccaneer” pirate ship ride. You can also take a trip on the “Runaway Train”, fly through the air on the “Vampire” coaster or take to the water on “Seastorm”. There are plenty of rides for young children as well and they will love the Toytown area, where they can ride flying elephants on “Flying Jumbos” or drive one of Toadie’s Crazy Cars.

Chessington Zoo opened in 1931 and is now home to more than 400 animals. You can see Sumatran tigers, Persian leopards, Asiatic lions and gorillas on the Trail of the Kings; watch Californian sealions perform at Sealion Bay; enjoy watching the monkeys in the Monkey and Bird Garden; or get up close to spiders, snakes and lizards in the Creepy Caves.

The Sea Life Centre at Chessington opened in 2008. Its 250,000 litre aquarium is home to many different marine creatures, including clownfish, stingrays and sharks.

There are a number of food outlets at Chessington World of Adventures and there are also souvenir shops throughout the park. If you are travelling with young children, you can also take advantage of the park’s new “Kidspotter” service, which allows you to hire a tag which will track your child via GPS and mobile tracking technology, making it simple for you to be reunited with them if they get lost.

The great thing about visiting Chessington World of Adventures as part of a car hire holiday is that you can visit the park when you want to, without having to rely on public transport. It’s easy to hire a car in London, as well.  Easycar the online, low cost car hire specialists offers some great cheap car rental deals and has car rental offices in cities and at major airports throughout the world, including car hire from UK Airports.

Naples to Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii – Italy Car Hire

Previously we offered suggestions about a driving tour around the Italian Lakes – Lake Como and how to get the best from your car rental whilst in Italy.

Here we present details about another great trip if you choose to tour Italy in a hire a car.
For a fantastic car hire holiday in Italy, fly to Naples and rent a car so that you can visit Mount Vesuvius and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pompeii.

Naples to Mount Vesuvius

If you’re staying in Naples, it’s easy to get to Mount Vesuvius by car, and it will only take you about 45 minutes to drive there. Take the A3 motorway towards Salerno and follow it until you have passed through the toll station at Torre del Greco. Leave the motorway at this exit and turn left to drive under the motorway bridge. Drive along the Via Boscocatene and the Via B. Cozzolino, and then follow the signs for Vesuvio. This will take you to Mount Vesuvius. You can park your car in the car park.

Mount Vesuvius is the largest active volcano in Europe and was responsible for destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum when it erupted in 79AD. It’s actually two volcanoes in one, with the active Gran Como crater sitting within the now inactive Mount Somma crater.

Once you’ve parked your car, you can walk to the summit to see the smouldering volcano, about 20 minutes’ walk from the car park. The crater also has cameras on it and you can see the footage from them at the nearby Vesuvius Observatory.

The Vesuvius Observatory also features exhibits relating the scientific study of volcanoes as well as to the history of Mount Vesuvius and the famous 79AD eruption.

You can also take a break from your hire car to explore the Mount Vesuvius National Park. There are nine nature trails that you can follow there and they differ in length and difficulty, so you should be able to find one to suit you.

Naples to Pompeii

Once you have explored the Vesuvius National Park, you can continue your trip and drive to Pompeii.

To fully appreciate this UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s worth spending at least a day there, so you can break up your Naples holiday by staying in one of the local hotels or guest houses. Pompeii is an extremely large site and there is a lot to see, so it’s important not to rush it.

Pompeii was destroyed during the 79AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, but the city was preserved beneath the ash, and the air pockets that formed between the bodies of the citizens who died during the disaster and the volcanic debris around them meant that archaeologists could later construct plaster mummies. These mummies can be seen around the site and many people find seeing them extremely moving.

Once you have parked, you can take a guided tour of the site, or explore it using a guidebook or audio-guide. Highlights include the amphitheatre, the barber’s shop, the public baths, temples and gardens.

Herculaneum

If you have time, you might also want to explore the Scavi di Ercolano (Herculaneum ruins), which lie between Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. This Roman town was also destroyed during the 79AD Mount Vesuvius eruption, and many believe that the ruins make for a better day out than the larger and more commercial Pompeii.

Italy Car Hire – Renting a Car

easyCar, the low-cost online car hire specialist, offers car rental at Italian airports, making it simple for you to rent a car for your trip to Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. easyCar offers some great car hire deals and you can book online.

Car Rental in France – Holiday Ideas

The Mimosa Trail

For the perfect holiday using car hire in France, take the Mimosa Trail from Bormes-les-Mimosas to Grasse. The tour will enable you to see some of the country’s most beautiful scenery and learn about France’s famous perfume industry.

What is the Mimosa Trail?

The Mimosa Trail is an 80-mile route in the South of France which takes you through picturesque countryside where mimosa trees flourish.

The mimosa tree is a species of acacia which was imported to France by Captain James Cook during the eighteenth century, and the sweet-smelling, yellow blossoms soon became used by the region’s perfumers. The best time of year to see the mimosa trees in bloom is between January and March, although some varieties bloom several times a year.

Start of Mimosa Trail – Bormes-Les-Mimosa

The coastal village of Bormes-Les-Mimosa marks the start of the Mimosa Trail.  Park your hire car and stroll through the old part of the village to see its architecture and floral displays.

Highlights include the 16th century Saint Françoise de Paule Chapel, the 13th century castle ruins, the marina and the Fort of Brégancon, which became an Official Residence of the French Presidents in 1968. You can also visit the Parc Gonzalez, which has outstanding displays of Australian plants.

The Mimosa Trail – Le Rayol-Canadel

It will take you about 15 minutes to drive from Bormes-les-Mimosas to Le Rayol-Canadel in your car. Simply follow the D559 coastal road east to get there.

Don’t miss the Domaine du Rayol botanical gardens, just outside of the village, or the monumental Pateck Staircase, which leads from the sea to the Pateck Pagola in the town centre. You can also see the Massif des Maures mountains from the town.

The Mimosa Trail – Sainte Maxime

Sainte Maxime is a picturesque town with a number of attractions, including four beaches. Visit the town’s history museum, La Musee de la Tour Carree, which is located within the 16th century Tour Carree, or take a tour of The Gramophone and Mechanical Instruments Museum. Take a break from your hire car with a stroll along the promenade, or visit the nearby Parques Botanique des Myrtes (botanical gardens).

St. Raphaël

Sainte Raphaël is a pretty town with more than 30 beaches and five harbours. Highlights include the Prehistoric Underwater and Archaeological Museum and the 12th century church. There are also some great coastal paths nearby if you fancy a break from your hire car. It will take you about 35 minutes to get to Sainte Raphaël from Sainte Maxime in your rental car.

Mandelieu la Napoule

It will take you about 30 minutes to get to the seaside village of Mandelieu la Napoule from St. Raphael in your hire car. The main attraction is La Napoule Castle, but you’ll also find some excellent beaches, a golf course and good hiking trails.

Mimosa Trail – Tanneron

Tanneron is about 15 minutes’ drive from Mandelieu la Napoule and is situated in the Tanneron Massif, the largest mimosa forest in France. If you are staying here for a day or two, or you aren’t the one driving, make sure that you sample one of the mimosa cocktails available at one of the village’s bars.

Pégomas

The penultimate stop on the Mimosa Trail is the village of Pégomas. It will take you about 15 minutes to get there in your hire car. You can take a break from driving and explore this charming village.

End of the Mimosa Trail – Grasse

The Mimosa Trail ends in Grasse, the perfume-capital of the world, where the mimosa blossoms are made into luxury fragrances. You can visit a number of perfume factories in the town, including Parfumerie Galimard and the Fragrond Perfumery. You can also take a self-guided tour of the town, which dates back to the Middle Ages.
Car Hire in France – Car Rental
easyCar, the low-cost, online car hire specialist has car rental offices in more than 2,400 locations, including many in France. The company offers some great cheap car hire deals.

Car Hire in Spain

Barcelona

Barcelona is famous because of its links with Gaudi, its museums, its shops and its nightlife, and is a great place for a holiday or short break. However, if you hire a car when you are in Barcelona, you can also visit some of the great attractions that lie outside of the city. Here we make suggestions to get the most out of your Car Hire -  Barcelona

Barcelona to the Monastery of Montserrat

If you’re on a car hire holiday in Barcelona, you can take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city by jumping in your hire car and driving to Montserrat, one of the highest mountains in the Prelitoral Catalana range. The mountain is named after its jagged appearance, with Montserrat translating as “Saw-toothed Mountain” or “Serrated Mountain”, and one of its main attractions is the Monestir de Montserrat (Monastery of Montserrat).

Driving from Barcelona to Montserrat

It will take you about 90 minutes to drive to Montserrat from Barcelona in your hire car. To get there, head out of Barcelona on the Avinguda Diagonal and take the B-23 motorway. Take the A2 motorway and leave at the Manresa exit. Take the C-55 to Monistrol de Montserrat and then either park your hire car there and take the cable car or railway to the sanctuary, or take the BP-1103 to Montserrat. There is limited parking available at the sanctuary.

The Monastery of Montserrat

The Monastery of Montserrat was founded by Olbia (the Abbot of Ripal and Bishop of Vic) in 1025 in order to mark the location where the religious icon of Our Lady of Montserrat (also known as La Moreneta, or “the Dark One”), now the Patron Saint of Catalonia, was discovered.

Legend has it that this statue of the Virgin Mary was brought to Montserrat by St. Peter and hidden in a cave. It was discovered by shepherds in 880, following a series of visions, and although the Bishop of Manresa ordered that it should be taken to Manresa, it became too heavy to carry as soon as anyone attempted to move it. He took this as a sign that the Virgin Mary did not wish the statue to be moved, and so ordered a chapel to be built to honour her.

The statue currently housed in the shrine in the monastery’s basilica is a 12th century Romanesque carving.

You can take a tour of the monastery’s Open Air Museum using the audio-guides and maps available. There are four routes available: the first will take you around the monastery’s most significant buildings, including the basilica; the second will take you along the path that pilgrims used to use to reach Montserrat; the third will take you to the Holy Grotto where Our Lady of Montserrat was discovered; and the fourth will take you on a tour of some of the monastery’s buildings and enable you to see a number of monuments.

You can also visit the Museum of Montserrat, which includes six permanent art collections; see the interactive “Inside Montserrat” exhibition; visit the Montserrat Library, which houses more than 300,000 books and manuscripts; take a break from your hire car with a trip on one of the two funicular railways; or hike in the surrounding area, which is a designated nature park.

Hiring a Car in Spain

You can arrange car hire in Spain for your holiday, or visit easyCar.com, online low cost car hire specialist. easyCar has car hire offices in more than 60 countries, including Spain, and you can find low cost car hire at Spanish airports.

Car Hire in Portugal: Lisbon to the Palácio de Queluz

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a fantastic holiday destination and has something for everyone. You can explore the city’s museums and galleries, visit Lisbon Zoo, and see the world-famous Statue of Christ the King and the Monument of Discoveries.

You can shop for designer clothes in the Bairro Alto and for traditional goods in the Baixa Quarter, or have a fun family day out at the Parque das Nações, which includes an Oceanarium, an interactive science centre, the Vasco de Gama Tower and beautiful water gardens.

However, if you hire a car, you can really make the most out of your Lisbon holiday. Hiring a car will allow you to explore the area at your own pace and in comfort, and you won’t need to rely on public transport.

Car Hire Portugal

The Palácio de Queluz

One of the attractions that you can visit if you hire a car in Lisbon is the Palácio de Queluz. This palace was constructed during the 17th century and was used as a summer residence for Portugal’s royal family. It is still sometimes used for State occasions.

The building stands in the cobbled Largo do Palácio square, and is an excellent example of Rococo architectural style. Its pink exterior walls are striking, and it is set within extensive formal gardens, where you will find attractive fountains and statues.

Once you’ve parked, you can take a tour of the palace. Highlights include: the mirror-lined Throne Room, with its chandeliers and statues; the Ambassador’s Room, which was used to receive foreign dignitaries during the nineteenth century; and the Royal Bedroom, which features murals depicting scenes from “Don Quixote”.

The building which used to house the Royal Guard of the Court has now been converted into a hotel (the Pousada Dona Maria I), so you can spend a day or two here if you fancy a break from your hire car. The old kitchen is now a restaurant (the Cozinha Velha), which serves French-Portuguese style cuisine and is particularly well-known for its desserts. There is also a café in the palace.

If you visit the Palácio de Queluz on a Wednesday morning during May, June, July, September or October, you will be able to see a display of Portuguese horsemanship in the grounds, and the palace also stages events during the Sintra Music Festival, which is held during June and July each year.

Portugal Car Hire – Getting to the Palácio de Queluz

Once you’ve found your Car Hire Lisbon depot it’s easy to reach the Palácio de Queluz. Head out of Lisbon on the Auto-Estrada da Costa do Estoril and take exit 3 to merge onto the N117, heading for Sintra.

Use the ramp to merge onto the IC19 and follow this road for 2.3km. Take the exit signposted for Quelez and merge onto the N117. Turn right to get onto the R. Conde de Almeida Araújo, and then turn left to reach the Largo do Palacio de Queluz. The journey from Lisbon to the Palacio de Queluz will take you about 20 minutes in your hire car.

If you want to book a hire car for your Lisbon holiday, visit easyCar is a low-cost online car hire specialist, with hire car offices in more than 2,400 locations, including Lisbon

Car Hire in Italy: A Driving Tour around Lake Como

Although there are many lakes in Italy, the most famous are those in the Italian Lake District in the north of the country. The 50 km long Lake Como, with its two “legs”, is a perfect destination for an Italian hire car holiday.

If you fly to Milan’s main airport (Malpensa International Airport), you can hire a car there, and it will take you less than an hour to drive to the town of Como, which lies at the southern end of the western branch of the lake and makes a great starting-point for a driving tour.

Here are details of just some of the places that you can visit if you hire a car when visiting Lake Como.

Car Hire Italy Tour of lake Como

Como is a great place to stay for a day or two. Its historic attractions include the Duomo, Como’s Cathedral, which dates back to the fourteenth century, and the nearby Broletto, which was originally used as Como’s town hall but was later used as a theatre.

Como’s museums include the Museo Didattico Della Seta, which traces the town’s silk-making history, and Tempio Voltiano, a neo-classical temple which houses items related to the work of physicist Alessandro Volta, who lived in Como.

You can also take a break from your hire car by relaxing in one of the cafes in Piazza Cavour or taking a boat trip on Lake Como itself.

Car Hire Italy – Como to Bellagio

Once you have explored Como, head north-west to Bellagio, nestled in the fork of the southern part of Lake Como. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive from Como to Bellagio in your Milan airport hire car.

Bellagio was one of the first internationally-known tourist resorts in Italy and is known as “the Pearl of the Lake”. Park your hire car and stroll through the cobbled streets, wander along the lime tree and oleander-lined promenade and stop for a bite to eat in one of Bellagio’s many restaurants.

The famous Hotel du Lac, which overlooks the piazza on the lakefront, and the historic five-star Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, will give you a taste of the opulence and glamour traditionally associated with Bellagio.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Bellano

On leaving Bellagio, you can drive southwards along the eastern leg of Lake Como and then north, back up the other side of the lake, or you can take your hire car on the ferry from Bellagio to Varenna.   The town of Bellano is about five minutes’ drive from Varenna.

Bellano is a pretty village, situated on the lakefront, and you can wander through its streets and alleys, and see some beautiful examples of medieval and Baroque architecture. There are also some excellent restaurants in and around Bellano.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Menaggio

You can either continue to drive north from Bellano to the far end of Lake Como and then drive southwards along the west shore of the lake, or you can take your hire car on the ferry to Menaggio.

Menaggio is a small, but popular, tourist resort, which has hotels, restaurants and a beach. It has an attractive town square and you can take a stroll along the lakeside promenade. There are also plenty of sporting activities available in and around Menaggio.

If you’re planning a driving tour of the Italian Lake District, low-cost online car hire company easyCar offers some great deals. easyCar car hire operates in more than 2,400 locations in more than 60 countries, including Italy. You can hire a car from easyCar’s offices at Malpensa International Airport in Milan and drive to Lake Como.