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I was having lunch the other day with Michaela, one of the guides with Edelweiss, who is here in Australia to run a tour. One subject that came up was the regrettable clogging of Europe’s traffic arteries and sightseeing veins. I mentioned that I had found the car parks of some lookout points in the Alps so packed – with motorcycles – that I could not even find a spot to park my bike. She lives in Austria, and she’s reached the point where she simply doesn’t ride in the Alps on weekends.
The traveler/tourist avalanche all over the world except perhaps in the US was slowed by COVID, but it’s on its way back, and this might be a good time to look at ways of coping with it. By the way, while some condescending people like to differentiate between travelers and tourists, the truth is that we are all a bit of both. Let’s just use “traveler”. So how do we, as travelers, avoid being crowded out by other travelers?
There are a few ways to achieve this. Some are more practical than others, but they all have something to recommend them. Keep in mind that while motorcycles offer opportunities to go where a lot of other travelers, such as bus passengers, cannot go – other motorcyclists can still go there. See my point about parking in the Alps, above. The list below applies to just about every country you might want to visit – you will want to avoid busy times on Going to the Sun Road just as much as on the Stelvio Pass.
Is your chosen accommodation in “Europe on Fifty Bucks a Day”? Photo: The Bear
Use guidebooks
Why is this suggestion the first? Because it potentially informs all of the others. Use guidebooks – to work out where to stay away from. From where to stay away? If some place gets top billing in Fodor’s or Lonely Planet, remember that you are not the only one reading about it. Literally thousands of other are, too. Not only does this ensure crowds, but it can also mean that the proprietor has decided to cash in on fame by raising prices, cutting service and rushing people through. Ask me how I know.
To be fair, guidebooks can be useful too. They will tell you opening and closing times of attractions, ferry schedules and public holidays, among other useful things.
Go in the off- or shoulder-season
Like so many tips, this seems obvious – but few travelers seem to act on it. Let’s face it, otherwise there wouldn’t be off- or shoulder-seasons. Mind you, in places like Florence there is no off season any more as travelers crowd the streets and museums like the Uffizi. The only thing you can do is give these places a miss. There are many other beautiful cities in Italy that are far less crowded.
Yes, this is the Stelvio Pass. And yes, these bikes are queuing to turn the corner. Photo: The Bear
Choose your route
There are many things to consider about the route you take. Let’s start with this one: remember that you’re on a motorcycle. Even if you are hoping to see, say, the great Romantic cathedrals of Europe, plan your travels between them to take in some great riding roads. Don’t be tempted by the autoroute or whatever; you can ride freeways at home, and for free. Paper maps are good for this. Once you have made the selection, use a GPS to follow it.
Research your destination
Just for basic stuff; I’m not suggesting you over-plan. But did you know that trucks are banned from the German Autobahn on weekends? Or that hotel rates in Germany always seem to be significantly lower on weekends? The Italians take a siesta, just like the Spanish; the Portuguese don’t, as far as I can work out. It is easy to find dates for school holidays in the countries you want to visit. Read up, especially my stories!
Camper vans are a common road hazard during school holidays—everywhere. Photo: The Bear
Get the timing right
The earlier an art gallery or an historic building opens, the better. You can probably count on the masses not being there at 7 AM, giving you a chance to miss the crowds. If opening time is 10 AM instead, the buses have had time to get there and you will probably be faced by a long queue. Some places might even be open on one evening a week, and that may not be universally known. Do your homework, but don’t go on free admission days. They are a recipe for overcrowding, as I discovered in New York.
Fuel price is not as significant for a motorcycle as for a car, but it is still going to chew up a substantial part of your budget. In Europe, the best time to fill is supposedly late in the evening but the day of the week is not vital; in the US the best day is Monday, but time of day is not so important. Mid-week and early morning are probably best in Australia.
If I can, I try to find accommodation in mid-afternoon. There are still plenty of options for me, but providers are beginning to worry about filling their rooms. My preferred method is using local tourist offices, which are free in most countries and can usually be relied on to give you good tips. In one Louisiana tourist bureau, the kind lady behind the counter gave me a list of New Orleans hotel telephone numbers. “Ring these in the morning if you want a hotel for that night,” she said. “They will be trying to fill the place that night, and offer good discounts if they have rooms that look like being empty.”
Evaluate the weather
By this I don’t mean matching your visit to the sunniest days. The opposite, in fact. Not only does the threat of bad weather keep a lot of other travelers away, but rolling clouds make for dramatic photos. Don’t take this too far. If you know that somewhere is in for a week of solid rain, reconsider plans to visit. For instance, stay out of northern Italy in November. Unless you fancy riding through foot-deep muddy water.
Just as many locals as tourists patronize this place, so it’s a good bet for value. Photo: The Bear
Find out where the locals go
To paraphrase a popular saying, “Never play cards with a man called Doc; never eat at a place named Mom’s; and never sit down at an overseas restaurant where the menu has been translated into English.” If you can manage this, good for you. It is obviously not always possible. In that case, look for places that are patronized by locals anyway. A restaurant can get away with stiffing travelers – after all, they’re here today, gone tomorrow – but it can’t do the same with locals.
Another opportunity to tap locals is for suggestions for beaches, picnic spots and even places to buy stuff. I think I saved a lot of money on one occasion in Hong Kong because I asked my landlady where she shopped for gifts.
No matter what I say, luck does play a role, like in my finding this amazing market. Photo: Uwe
Serendipity is all very well…
Try not to rely on dumb luck or a general sense of direction. If you don’t have a route planned out, you will soon find that all road signs point you to motorways or at least main roads. A GPS can help here, but there are problems with the little man in the box – he doesn’t look far enough ahead, for one thing.
Tools
I like Michelin maps very much. Indeed, I occasionally spend time reading my Tourist and Motoring Atlas of France with its 1:200,000 maps like a novel. The places you can find… Be warned, however. Like all tools, these maps have their limitations. One of those is the green strip you will find along supposedly scenic stretches of road. Whoever draws this on the maps really likes forest, and occasionally I have found myself following a green strip in the hope of some views, only to pass impenetrable greenery instead. The green strip is still useful.
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