"Who" is European Roads?

Nicolas Bigosinski is a meeting planner and has worked in the incentive / tourism industry for 25 years. He is a member of the PCA (Porsche Club of America) and of the AAA310 (Alpine America A310). His passions: cars and travel!

So why European Roads? What better way to combine his two main interests than by organizing driving trips and escorting car enthusiasts overseas, sharing his passions with them and giving them the opportunity to make a dream come true and drive a sports car the way it was meant to be driven on European Roads by experiencing "The Trip of a Lifetime".

What makes a European Roads trip so unique?

All trips are almost fully inclusive and include the car of your choice (among the available selection) for the full length of the tour. Each itinerary is carefully designed for driving opportunities on all kind of european roads and environments; some trips with more driving and some with more sightseeing. However, all trips always include a variety of unique visits and excursions which can be enjoyed by all (men and women!). Some of the tours have an emphasis on a particular theme, making them more interesting for certain enthusiasts (such as the Castles and Wine).
The participants are independent with their own car, however, experience has shown that drivers prefer driving together from point to point with various opportunities for individual driving according to each participant's speed, on the Autobahn for example. Finally, taking part in a European Roads trip is a wonderful way to have a lot of fun and enjoy the camaraderie of new friends only a group event can produce.

Why should you go on a European Roads trip?

You may have been to Europe in the past, and/or driven there and wished things might have been easier with hotels, food, visits, communication in a foreign language, etc.. By taking one of our trips you will just concentrate on enjoying your vacation since everything is organized in every details and supervised! Most of all, you are traveling with a fun group of people who are there for the same reasons you are! Discovering Europe while staying in luxurious establishments, eating the best food and driving great sports cars in a relaxed and casual environment. Furthermore, the organizer travels with you making sure everything is just perfect!

Requirements to Participate

All drivers must be at least 30 years of age (25 in some cases) and have a minimum of 3 years of driving experience. The driver must have 2 credit cards in their name (for the rental of higher end cars). Of course, a valid driver's license is required!

Prices

Because the trips are designed and budgeted approximately 1 year in advance, fluctuations in exchange rates may occur when the trip takes place. Should it be the case, you will be billed a currency rate adjustment in your final invoice.

Your Itinerary

The trips have been carefully designed to enjoy the european driving experience and also give you time to explore and relax at your own pace on specific days. The tours cover between 900 and 1,800 miles depending on the trip you are considering. We suggest you look over the itinerary of the trip you selected, which will give you an idea of the overall pace of the tour. There are opportunities for you and your spouse/companion to visit, shop, play and rest on your own. Your tour director is always available to help with suggestions during free time.

Your Airline Transportation

Your air transportation is NOT included in the price of the trip.

Your Sports Car Rental

The rental of your sports car is included in the price of the trip as well as all the scheduled kilometers shown in the itineraries. You are responsible for payment of extra km should you use your car above the amount of scheduled kilometers. You will be driving the car you selected upon signing up. However, depending on the time of your booking, it is possible that the car you chose is no longer available or no longer offered. That is the reason why you will be asked for a second choice of preferred automobiles on the sign-up form. Furthermore, we are able to offer specific models or your choice depending on availability. Let us know if you would like to drive a specific car and we will do our best to accommodate your wishes.

Insurance For The Cars

Insurance on your rented sports car is fully included, except on race tracks. You are responsible for a deductible (from 800 Euros to 1,500 Euros for the Porsches and up to 15,000 Euros for the highest priced Ferrari and Lamborghinis). A deposit authorization will be secured (but not charged) by the rental car company on a major credit card upon pick up of your car. Upon return, the full deposit will be released back to you if no damage has occurred and if the amount of kilometers remained within the maximum already prepaid. Please keep in mind that as soon as you enter a race track such as the Nurburgring with the rented sports car, you become fully responsible for it, up to its full value. In regard to third party liability insurance, each car is insured for 50 million Euros per accident for personal injury, property damage and consequential losses, and limited to 8 million Euros per person in case of personal injury/death.

Your Accomodations

The hotels used by European Roads have been carefully selected to bring you the absolute highest level of comfort at the best negotiated prices. Deluxe 4 & 5 star properties and resorts, inns and Castles guarantees you the best sleeping arrangements. We mostly use small "boutique" inns where service is of upmost importance.

Driving in Europe

It is recommended that you respect all posted speed limits at all times. Depending on the selected trip, you will have the opportunity to drive portions of the "no-speed-limit" Autobahns and enjoy your sports car the way it was meant to be driven. France, Austria and Switzerland have tough speeding enforcement, (how about $700.00 ticket for going 20 km/h over the posted limit). Watch out for areas with speed limits in Germany usually due to constructions, maintenance or temporary heavy traffic.
One of the best thrill to experience on the Autobahn is to legally pass a Police patrol car while going 130 mph!

Drinking and driving as well as dangerous and / or erratic driving will absolutely NOT be tolerated. Those who do not respect those simple and obvious rules will see their trip end on the spot with no possibilities of a refund what-so-ever.

Reservations

The sooner you send your deposit of $1,500 per person ($2,000 for single), the greater your chances of having your reservation confirmed with the car of your choice. Your deposit is fully refundable up to 120 days prior to departure. Passed that date, it is non-refundable, but a portion may be applied to a future trip. We recommended you send your deposit in as soon as possible as space is sometimes limited by the number of rooms we hold.

Cancellation Insurance

We recommend you contract an insurance for trip cancellation via an independent companies as we do not offer this service. Ask your travel or insurance agent.

Your meals and drinks

All breakfasts and most dinners are included during the tours. Depending on the trip, some lunches are also included. Dinners consist of 3, 4 and 5 course meals from some of the best European Chefs. Wine is also included during all our scheduled group dinners. Several open bar / welcome cocktails are also included prior to dinner. Please refer to the day by day itinerary of the selected trip for details.

Visits & Sightseeing

99% of all visits and excursions are included in the trips. Please refer to the day by day itinerary of the selected trip for details. Other excursions can be booked on an individual basis during your free time. The overnight cities selected offer a selection of things to do for all tastes.

The Road Book

You will be provided with a road book package highlighting the specifics of the trip with a day by day itinerary. Are included: Emergency phone numbers, meeting points, hotel addresses, mileage and estimated driving times among other things. We ask that you pay close attention to the instructions and recommendations as it will help you and the other participants making the journey more enjoyable. You will be asked to bring along a small 2 way radio (can be purchased in major stores for less than $20) in order to communicate with the other participants while on the road.

Custom Designed Trips

Unfortunately, the dates of our organized tours do not coincide with your schedule. No problem ! We can duplicate an existing trip at your preferred dates or even taylor a custom trip just for you according to your tastes.

What Now?

So, you just can't wait to drive on the autobahn or relax in a beautiful Chateau ! Then, fill out the Sign Up form posted on each home page of the selected trip (auto-fill in PDF format), print it, sign it and mail it to the Event Organizer along with your deposit check(s), or for the full amount, made out to: European Roads. It is recommended you reserve as early as possible as space is limited for those fantastic events. Bookings will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. You will receive a confirmation soon after along with an information package.

We'll see you on the European Roads !

FAQ?

Q: How many miles will we be driving?
A: It depends on the trip you select. Look the itineraries over and see day by day how much driving is involved.

Q: How old do the drivers need to be?
A: All drivers must be at least 30 years of age and have at least 3 years of driving experience. However, in some cases the minimum age can be reduced to 25 years old, even 21 under certain circumstances.

Q: Is there a fee for an additional driver?
A: Yes. Should a non-related travel companion wish to drive, an additional $150.00 will be added to the price of the trip. There are no extra fee for husband / wife sharing the driving.

Q: What is included and what is not?
A: Please read the section "What's included" on the home page of each trip. Your airfare, gas and tolls for the car as well as your personal expenses and some meals are not included in the price of the trip. Pretty much everything else is.

Q: How much money will I need there?
A: Well, it really depends on your shopping and driving habits! Count between $500 and $700 in gas and tolls depending on your driving style and the car you will be driving! Most meals and wines are included in the price of the trip (except for some lunches and a dinner or two). Any extras at the hotels such as massages and spa treatments are not included . We suggest you secure a Visa / Mastercard for your personal expenses and limit the amount of cash you bring with you to a minimum. Those cards are widely accepted in Europe. Furthermore, your debit bank card will allow you to withdraw cash from your regular US checking account from 24 hours ATM machines in Europe in the local currency. Experience has shown this to be the best way to get cash while overseas. Please check with your bank prior to leaving to make sure your debit card has the proper affiliation with European banks. Most major US banks do.

Q: Can I / we pay for the trip with a credit card?
A: No. Credit cards are not accepted at this time. However, you can use a Paypal account which will let you use a credit card to pay for the trip. In this case, we will invoice you back for the Paypal commissions.

Q: Do we have a luggage truck following us? How much should I pack?
A: In order to keep trip prices affordable, there is no luggage truck. If you own a similar car to the one you have selected, you can easily estimate how much you can take with you. If you do not own a car similar to the one you have chosen for the trip, we suggest you visit your local dealer with some bags and see for yourself. Furthermore, experience has shown how surprising the amount of bags you can fit in a 911 or a Ferrari when packing smart. During the Castles and Wine trip, your Tour Director will be able to help with the transport of your wine purchases if needed...

Q: Is the airfare to Germany included?
A: No. It is the responsibility of each participant to book their own airfare. Participants will be asked to provide their airline information prior to leaving the USA.

Q: When does the trip officially starts and ends?
A: The trip starts when you check- into our base hotel. Participants meet early evening that day for a welcome drink reception followed by our first group dinner.
The trip ends the morning of the check out of our base hotel on the last day of the itinerary.

Q: Can we / I arrive a few days early in the city where we will depart from and / or stay over at the base hotel once the trip is over for a few more days?
A: Yes, reservations will be made on your behalf. You will also benefit from a negociated rate. Please mention your desire to reserve more nights at the base hotel upon booking the trip and we will take care of it.

Q: What kind of accommodations may we / I expect during the trip?
A: All the hotels are rated a minimum of 4 stars but the majority are 5 stars "boutique" properties, some belonging to prestigious luxury chains. On occasion, European Roads even reserves the whole place just for us ... You will stay in amazing properties and enjoy the best european accommodations.

Q: What kind of foods may we / I expect during the trip?
A: A variety of pre-set menus have been selected. Most dinners consist of 3, 4 and 5 courses of "Haute" gastronomic cuisine by some of the Top European Chefs, including a variety of local foods representing the region of Europe you are visiting. Not only, the European Roads trips are for people who enjoy driving but are also for fine gourmets. You will taste unbelievable food while on the trip since the organizer is also a demanding gastronome.

Q: What if we / I have dietary restrictions?
A: The question will be asked in your complementary questionnaire that will be mailed to you once you have signed-up. The discovery of regional foods is also part of the fun. However, when possible, restaurants will accommodate special dietary needs at no extra charge(vegetarian, Kosher, etc.).

Q: What kind of liability do we / you have during the trip?
A: A release in liability will be mailed to you once your deposit and sign-up form are recieved.

Should you have any other question or concern, do not hesitate to ask!

Contact Nicolas Bigosinski, Event Organizer: 407 767 9055 (EST)

Or email: info@europeanroads.com