Camping Europe: Includes Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe

Since 2004,we've loaded up our tents, sleeping bags, pots, pan, bikes, etc. and car-camped in Europe on three separate occasions. The first two times, we took our three sons with us (they were ages 11, 14 and 16 on our first trip). In 2009, it was just my husband and myself. We've camped in France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and probably a few other places that I can't remember off-hand. For all three trips, Carol Mickelsen's book was our main guide on where to camp. I used other guide-books as well--Mike and Terry Church's RVing in Europe, plus the British Auto Club guide, but Carol's was the best. We've learned to trust her. The next time we go, we'll probably just take Carol's guide. By the way, I share the same last name as Carol, but alas, we are NOT related and have never met. But perhaps we're soul mates. My husband and I are fairly experienced campers---and unlike an earlier reviewer, we LOVE Carol's opening pages on what to pack, how to set up and take down sites and suggestions for harmonious travel. She says it all very simply, but I'd say she hits all the essential points. Mickelsen has a lovely spirit about her and it shines through the book. The 3rd edition is her most comprehensive guide and covers a whole bunch of countries. Carol also has a knack for picking the most rewarding regions of each country and covering those. Unlike one of the earlier reviewers, we actually found the directions/little maps to the campgrounds to be accurate and easy to follow. Obviously, you'll still need a local map, or even better a GPS in your vehicle to be able to get around---as you would for traveling in the U.S. or anywhere else. Carol is mostly a tent camper. So are we. I would recommend tent camping in Europe rather than trying to rent an RV because 1) you'll save a ton of money; 2) you can set up camp some place for a few days and still use your car to get around. The problem with an RV is that every time you want to go some place, you have to take the whole house with you. And it's a real hassle to try to park a RV in the narrow little streets in European towns. Camping is how many middle-class families in Europe travel---they can't afford the hotel rates either. So there are actually far MORE campgrounds in Europe than in the U.S. They're in almost every town in areas where tourists go. I would camp in Europe if I was staying for two weeks or longer. If I was staying for less than two weeks, I'd use youth hostels, hotels or Vacation-Rental-By-Owner apartments. My husband and I can actually afford to go the hotel route. But if we won the lottery, we'd still camp in Europe because it's such a civilized, easy, and relaxing way to travel. (Except when it rains for days, which is God's way of telling you to Get A Room and/or spend a lot more time in museums, movie theaters and eating long languid meals in restaurants, the last of which is not recommended if you're traveling with rambunctious teen-a

Library Journal April 2008 What better way to see Europe than by staying where most traveling Europeans do, i.e.,not four-star hotels but at campgrounds scattered from Ankara to Zempinska! Mickelsen provides detailed information on each campground: how to get there, what amenities are offered, and what local sights should not be missed. The author has spent over 30 years "car camping" in Europe (that is, driving to a campground and using it as a base for adventures), and her enthusiasm for the "relaxed and unpretentious" Europeans she has encountered comes through. This book takes readers beyond the ordinary and opens up vistas that will enhance their visit. Her advice: bring a bike, look for out-of-the-way adventures, and rub elbows with Europeans "who enjoy laughing and talking with you at the common cooking and washing up areas. You will share with them the experience of pouring over maps together [and] exchanging funny travel stories." Sounds like a truly memorable experience. Essential

An inexpensive and unique way to see Europe, Car Camping may just be the way to see Europe for many readers. "Camping Europe: Includes Scandinavia, Central, and Eastern Europe" promotes Car Camping as the ideal way to see all the sights of Europe. Unbound by the beaten path of most travelers, one can use car camping to see all the beautiful natural sights of the continent, share experiences with the countryside locals and not just the big city tourist areas, and the ability to bring your bikes from home, saving money in the process. "Camping Europe" is a complete and total guide to the continent, leaving no region out unlike many books about Europe which only cover the western half. Highly recommended to travelers seeking a unique experience and to community library travel shelves alike.