If you’re planning to travel to Europe in 2018, try taking the offbeat path for your vacation and exploring destinations that are uncommon yet exquisite nonetheless. After all, it is these hidden pockets that are home to the quintessential European vacation flavor that you’re after. So before you go packing your bags, take a look at the top 6 European destinations that you should be visiting in 2018:

1. Rovaniemi (Finland):

This city in northern Finland is considered as the official hometown of Santa Claus. Because of its remote location on the Arctic circle, this city also affords great opportunities for viewing the spectacular Northern Lights. This snowy town is a gateway to the Arctic region and looks like a picture-perfect town out of a fairy tale.

2. Santorini (Greece):

If there was only one Greek island that you could visit, make it Santorini. Once almost completely destroyed by a volcanic eruption, the island stands tall and proud today boasting of panoramic views from multicolored cliffs, stunning architecture, volcanic sand beaches, beautiful sunsets, gourmet wine industry, and more. July and August are the peak tourist months.

3. Bucharest (Romania):

Ever wondered how the combination of ancient and contemporary could look like? Bucharest will satisfy all your inquisitiveness. This capital of Romania has a lot of cultural and historical significance attached to it. You just can’t miss visiting the Palace of the Parliament, Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, and National Museum of Romanian History when in the city.

4. Tartu (Estonia):

Visit the spiritual and intellectual capital of Estonia, Tartu. Even though it’s the 2nd largest city in Estonia, it’ still very compact in size meaning that you’ll find much of the attraction sights, nightlife activities and eateries within short distances of each other. Great place if you want to enjoy a nice, quiet and relaxed short vacation.

5. Kraków (Poland):

Kraków city traces its origins to 7th century which makes it one of the oldest cities of Poland. Given its ancient status, there is certain mystical and alluring air about the city. The European Union named the city European Capital of Culture for the 2000 year. Kraków has abundance of museums, theaters, national art galleries, and music venues to allow tourists to indulge in rich European culture.

6. Sofia (Bulgaria):

Bulgaria is most noted for its extensive Black Sea coastline, that’s home to exotic beaches, quaint fishing villages, and ancient sites. Start exploring this wondrous country by visiting its beautiful capital city, Sofia. Sofia had been named as the most affordable capital city to visit in Europe for the year 2013. It’s not your typical metro city, but is still a modern, vibrant and culturally rich destination.

Choose the widely trusted car rental service provider, addCar car rentals, for your Europe vacation. Embark upon amazing travel adventures in countries like Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece, and have addCar car rentals offer convenience to you at every step along the way.

Read our last blog post: How to Avoid Some of the Common Travel Mistakes?

When you are starting a journey, there are some tips you should follow to avoid being in chaos. Traveling and hassle should not go hand in hand or you may end up ruining your trip. To avoid hassling while traveling, you should always keep your senses on and avoid common mistakes you have been making on your trips. Mistakes like overpacking, forgetting the budget, not buying an insurance plan, not knowing about foreign money exchange etc. are enough to give you a headache and can halt your whole plan.

When leaving for a new country, do your research and if possible take local’s advice for different things you are going to do there.

Here are some of the common mistakes people do make while traveling to new countries and some ways to avoid them:

Ignoring a Travel Insurance Policy: To deal with the medical emergency, cancellation and rescheduled flight fee, emergency accommodation or stays, stolen or lost luggage, car hire accidents etc. Travel insurance is important in case of any of the above mentioned emergency situations and handling them while traveling to new places.

Not Informing Your Credit Card Company or Bank: Inform your bank or credit card company about your travel plan and take advice for any of foreign transactions you are going to make. There might be some limitations or extra charges for the transaction in other countries or places. Better to be aware of the other charges and limitations.

Not Checking Your Mobile Plan: This point looks like very small thing but can make a big difference and you may end up feeling isolated and helpless. Check your cellphone plans to avoid any extra roaming charges in new countries and never run out of balance and Internet. Calls and Internet are very important to notify your loved ones that you are safe.

Not Checking Visa Requirement: It’s always important to double check your documents or visa requirements while visiting a new country. It is quite expensive to return from a new country just due to your silly mistake. Here you can check visa requirements for different European countries: ec.europa.eu

Not Keeping the Track of your Budget: One of the most important aspects to always consider when you are in a new country. Sometimes, you have to control your emotions while spending money on anything new in a new country. The budget is something which is going to take you to your home and you would really not want to repent after spending much money.

The above information is provided by addCar, a car rental company serving in different locations including Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Malta, Miami, California, and Nevada.

Stay tuned to us for more travel info and blogs.

Read Our Last Blog Post: 5 Important Tips for Your Europe Road Trip

Taking a road trip across Europe can often be found on the bucket list of many people. Packed with several scenic countries and sovereign states, the European continent offers a bounty of natural, cultural and historical attractions to be explored.  A road trip through the continent is one of the most liberating and adventurous experiences that you’ll ever undertake.

Read the below helpful tips to bear in mind as you embark upon this wonderful journey:

1. Hire Your Car Soon and Online:

First things first, book your rental car in Europe before even landing in the continent. Don’t delay this till the very last moment. The sooner you book, the better are your chances of getting discount offers.

2. Book Accommodations and Activities:

Hotel, motel or hostel, wherever you plan on staying, book the accommodation in advance to avoid the last-minute mess. Also if there are some tourist attractions and activities that you want to explore, try to see if their tickets can be booked ahead of time.

3. Plan Out Your Route

Think about the little details like which destinations you plan on visiting, what would be the best road ways to navigate through those destinations, what in-between stops you should be making, etc.

4. Learn the Road and Traffic Rules

Study the driving and traffic laws of the countries that are on your road trip itinerary. From learning what side of the road you should be driving on to the basic road signs, read up on everything you can.

5. Save Emergency Numbers to Speed Dial

Since you’ll be spending considerable time in unfamiliar surroundings, it’d be wise of you to save the necessary contact numbers for each specific country, that could come in handy in case of an emergency.

addCar is a renowned international car rental brand, present in various popular European locations like Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Netherlands. Giving you the comfort of high-quality cars and the relief of affordable pricing, addCar car rentals is the best car hiring company to partner up with for your Europe road trip.

Netherlands is one of the most popular European countries to explore among tourists from the US, the UK, and even from the rest of the world. Boasting of lovely canal networks, historic town centers, palatial museums, iconic windmills, beautiful art galleries, quaint towns and spectacular fields of flowers, Netherlands has rightly earned its place in top-notch international tourist destinations. The country receives a big chunk of its tourism from countries like Germany, Belgium, UK, USA and France. In fact, the number of tourists from UK and USA has only increased through the years 2014 to 2016.

Source: wikipedia.org

Let’s explore three of the five largest cities of Netherlands, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Eindhoven. Each of these cities should be on your list when visiting this magnificent country.

Amsterdam:

When in Amsterdam, you have to explore the wonderful crisscross of canals that mark the landscape of the city. Other attractions include the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh museum, Madame Tussauds, Vondelpark and Natura Artis Magistra. There are many art galleries, museums and gardens sprinkled across the city. The city is known for being very bicycle-friendly. You can even take boat rides on the canals. Other public transport options include metro, tram and buses. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the main international airport of the country and lies 9 km southwest of Amsterdam.

Rotterdam:

This city is mostly known for maritime heritage, cultural attractions and riverside landscape setting. Kinderdijk’s Windmills, the Euromast, the Cube Houses, Maritime Museum Rotterdam, Diergaarde Blijdorp Rotterdam and Great St. Lawrence Church are some of the best attractions of the city offering deep insights into the city’s rich historical and cultural significance. Buses, trams and metro form important parts of the public transport system within Rotterdam. Rotterdam airport is the 3rd largest airport of Netherlands and lies at a distance of 5.6 km from the city.

Eindhoven:

This 5th largest city of Netherlands has much to offer in terms of stunning historic sights and landmarks, museums, recreational opportunities and music and theatre. When in the city, you have got to pay visits to attractions like Van Abbemuseum, Philips Museum, De Blob, Sint-Catharinakerk, Eindhoven Museum, Genneper Park and Stadswandelpark. Eindhoven Airport is the 2nd busiest airport of the country and lies about 8 km from the city’s town center. Cars, taxis, buses and bicycles are some of the best ways to get around the city.

An internationally renowned car rental company, addCar services are offered in various locations across Europe like Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and across U.S. in Florida and California. Present across the popular Netherlands cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Eindhoven, addCar car rental offers tourists the best and most convenient way to commute around and explore.

Capital of the Baltic state Latvia, Riga is the biggest metropolis of all the Baltic states and a melting pot of the ageless traditional appeal and the contemporary chic cool. The stunning Art Nouveau architecture style is evident across the facades of plenty of buildings around here, including intricate carvings and elaborate detailing. Because the country had been occupied by various European powers at different points in history, Riga offers a reflection of different European cultures. Apart from architecture and rich culture, Riga also has a buzzing and glittering night life to offer to the tourists.

Quick Facts About Riga:

• The Old Town of Riga, also known as the historic centre, is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. This part of the city has the largest collection of buildings, over 800, featuring Art Nouveau architecture in the entire Europe.
• People in Riga commonly speak Latvian (the official language of Latvia), Russian, English and German.
• About one-third population of Latvia resides in Riga.
• Forests, hills, lakes, rivers and lowland plains are the key geographical features of Latvia. It’s deemed to be one of the greenest countries of Europe.
• The Internet connection speed in Latvia is among the fastest ones in the world.

Cuisine in Riga:

Gourmet food lovers will be in for delight in Riga, since Latvian cuisine is just as distinctive as Latvian culture and architecture. You should definitely take a trip to the Central Market of Riga to taste smoked fish, sausage, black bread, cheese among other delicacies. Pork is an essential component of the traditional Latvian meal. The food here is generally a little bit on the fatty side so you may want to let go of your diet for a few days!

Getting Around in Riga:

Hiring a car rental Riga is the best way to get around in Riga at your convenience. Since the city is well-connected by road with the countries like Russia, Estonia, Belarus and Lithuania, you can very well leverage cheap car hire Riga for exploring these countries as well in addition to Latvia.

Living and Traveling Costs in Riga:

Expatriates living in Riga often find that the costs of living and utilities are rather low as compared to other places in Europe and world. If you just have travel plans for Riga, then you should know that you can plan a short as well as a long vacation here without spending a lot of money. In fact, the budget-friendly hotels, restaurants, bars and hostels available in Riga attract crowds, those who are looking for short and cheap weekend vacation, from nearby European countries.

addCar is an international car rental company that offers cheap and high quality car hiring services to travelers in European countries of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, etc.