Car Hire in Europe and Mini Guide to the top destinations

Over the last 15 years Europe has been pulled together by the European Union (EU) in an effort to create greater harmony and move on from the conflicts of the past.

Some of those countries which are not in the EU such as Switzerland, Iceland and Norway have signed up the Schengen Agreement which abolished border controls between them.

Among the countries which are keen to become EU members and take advantage of the benefits membership brings are Turkey and Croatia.

The foremost powers of the EU are Germany and France, while other large European countries are Italy (and the island of Sicily), Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Spain and Portugal share the Iberian Peninsula. Spain has the island colonies of the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands while the Azores Islands and Madeira are considered part of Portugal. Though Gibraltar lies of the coast of southern Spain it is actually an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

Top of the Top Spanish Car Hire Locations:

Car Hire Murcia
Car Hire Barcelona
Car Hire Madrid
Car Hire Malaga Airport
Car Hire Alicante
Car Hire Valencia



Russia is the biggest European country, to the extent that the country is actually spread out over Asia too. However, Russia is not part of the EU and has had strained relations with the rest of the continent over recent years. Russia recently went to war with Georgia over the region of South Ossetia.

Some of the smallest countries within continental Europe are the most powerful in terms of wealth and influence in the EU. These include Belgium and Luxembourg while Holland has many of the international courts which preside over serious matters of crime and justice.

Although Great Britain is an EU member the country has not taken on its currency the Euro and still used the Pound as its currency.
Within the United Kingdom (UK) are the countries of England, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland while the separate country of Ireland is part of the EU as well. London is home to the largest airport in Europe, Heathrow, and car hire Heathrow is an excellent way to start your journey across the UK. Frankfurt in Germany, Paris in France (Paris Charles de Gaulle) and Madrid (Barajas) in Spain are the other cities with the major European airports.



The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is an EU member, though the island has been divided since the Turkish army invaded the north of the island in 1974. The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus is not an internationally recognised country and this unsettled state of affairs is one of the things preventing Turkey from joining the EU.

One of the main European countries groupings is known as the Balkans states and includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Romania, Montenegro, Kosovo and Croatia.
After years of conflict in many Balkan countries the area is becoming increasingly popular with holiday makers as a cheaper alternative destination.
Within Europe there are plenty of low cost flights through companies such as Ryanair to the main Balkan cities and airports such as Zagreb, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Budapest and Bucharest. The latter cities have seen a sharp rise in dental tourism as Europeans head there to take advantage of cheap medical treatment.