• Part 1 – Milan to Como
• Part 2 – Como
• Part 3 – Como to Bellagio
• Part 4 – Bellagio
• Part 5 – Bellagio to Lecco
• Part 6 – Lecco to Varenna
• Part 7 – Varenna
• Part 8 – Varenna to Domaso
• Part 9 – Domaso to Dongo
• Part 10 – Dongo to Menaggio
• Part 11 – Menaggio to Tremezzo
• Part 12 – Tremezzo to Cernobbio
• Part 13 – Cernobbio to Milan

Here are three places that you can visit on day trips in your Malaga hire car:

1. Ronda. The historic and picturesque village of Ronda is situated to the west of Malaga and it will take you about an hour and 40 minutes to drive there in your Malaga hire car. Park your rental car and take a stroll through Ronda to see some of its historic buildings and ruins, such as the Arab Public Baths, the Palace of the Arabian King and the Palace of Mondragon. Ronda is also known as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, and you can visit its bullring and take a tour of the Bullfighting Museum.

2. Benalmadena. This Costa del Sol resort lies to the west of Malaga and is comprised of three areas: the Old Town (Benalmadena Pueblo), the beach resort (Benalmadena Costa) and the neighbouring commercial district of Arroyo Miel. It will only take you about half an hour to reach Benalmadena in your Malaga rental car.

Head for Benalmadena Costa and take a stroll along the beach or wander through the cobbled streets of Benalmadena Pueblo, where you can enjoy seeing the traditional Andalucian architecture, shop for souvenirs or stop for a meal in one of the restaurants. In the Arroyo Miel district, you’ll find some great family attractions, such as Tivoli World, which has a wide range of rides and shows.

3. Granada. The city of Granada is about an hour and a half’s drive from Malaga, but it’s well worth making the journey, as there is plenty to see and do there.

Granada has some beautiful architecture, with many of the city’s historic buildings showing a strong Islamic influence. Make sure that you visit the Alhambra, which was constructed during the 14th century and was the official residence of Granada’s Muslim rulers. Within the Alhmabra, you’ll find the Alcazaba, the oldest part of the site, and the Palace of Carlos V, which was constructed during the 16th Century on the orders of Emperor Charles V, as well the Casa Real, which includes the beautiful Court of Lions.

Other attractions in Granada include Granada Cathedral, the Archaeological Museum of Granada and Sacromonte Abbey.

Image: Elena Magaeva

Here are three ideas for day trips that you can take as part of a Nice car hire holiday:

1. Cannes – Most famous for its annual film festival, which is held in May, Cannes is a glamourous coastal resort and it can be expensive to stay here. However, if you use Nice as a base and drive to Cannes for the day in your rental car, you can explore the town without breaking the bank. Stroll through the narrow streets of the Old Town, gaze at the luxury yachts in the marina and window-shop in the designer boutiques in La Croisette. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive to Cannes in your Nice hire car.

2. Grasse – France’s perfume capital, Grasse, is under an hour’s drive from Nice, so it’s a perfect place to visit as part of a hire car holiday. Take a break from your rental car and explore the town by taking a walking tour, before heading to Fragonard’s Historic Factory, where you can learn about how perfume is made and explore the Museum of Perfumes.

3. Monte Carlo – Situated in the independent state of Monaco, which borders France, Monte Carlo is known for its wealth and as the venue for the annual Monaco F1 Grand Prix. It will only take you about half an hour to drive to Monte Carlo in your Nice hire car. Take a stroll through the picturesque Old Town district of Monaco-Ville, take a tour of the Prince’s Palace (Palais Princier), visit the Exotic Garden (Jardin Exotique) and explore the Oceanic Museum and Aquarium. If you’re feeling wealthy, you can gamble with the rich and famous at the Casino de Monte Carlo or go shopping in Monte Carlo’s designer clothing stores.

1. Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is only about an hour’s drive from Orlando, so it’s the perfect place to visit as part of an Orlando car hire holiday. Daytona Beach has more than 23 miles of white sandy beach and in the early history of motorsports, cars would be tested and raced on the sands here. Some parts of the beach are still accessible by car today, but it’s also a great place to go for a stroll.

Daytona Beach still has strong links with motorsports. It’s home to the Daytona International Speedway and hosts many motorsports events throughout the year. Other attractions in Daytona Beach include museums and galleries, several golf courses and some excellent shopping malls.

2. The John F. Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center is one of America’s most famous tourist attractions. It will only take you about an hour and a half to drive there from Orlando in your hire car, but make sure that you head off early, as it will take you a full day to really explore the centre.

Attractions at the Kennedy Space Center include: the Shuttle Launch Experience, in which you can experience what a launch feels like for astronauts; Space Shuttle Plaza, where you can see a full-sized replica of the NASA Explorer space shuttle; the NASA Rocket Garden; the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where you can see a real rocket from Saturn V; and the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame.

You can also take a guided tour of the space center and, if there is a shuttle launch taking place during your holiday, you can book tickets to watch it (the next shuttle launch is due to take place on the 7 February 2010).

3. St. Petersburg

It will take you less than 2 hours to drive to the city of St. Petersburg in your Orlando hire car. St. Petersburg is situated on the coast, on the Tampa Bay peninsula, and the area is known for its white, sandy beaches.

Whilst in St. Petersbug, you can feed pelicans from the pier, visit the Salvador Dali Museum, explore the city’s Sunken Gardens or spend some time in the Great Explorations Children’s Museum. You can also take a boat trip or use your hire car to drive to the beautiful Fort DeSoto Park.

1. Lausanne. Like Geneva, the city of Lausanne is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is packed with cultural attractions, including many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for being the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.). You can visit the Olympic Museum, take a walk through the Old Town district, explore the lakeside district of Ouchy or head for the city’s shops. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive from Geneva to Lausanne in your hire car.

2. Montreux. The town of Montreux is about an hour’s drive from Geneva and is situated on Lake Geneva’s north-east shore. It’s most famous for its annual jazz festival, which is held in July, but there are also several other annual festivals in the town, and it also has an excellent Christmas market. Take a walk along the lakeside, see the Freddie Mercury statue in Place du Marche, or take a boat trip to the Chateau de Chillon, the castle which inspired Lord Byron’s poem, “The Prisoner of Chillon”. You can also take a break from your hire car with a train trip to Rochers-de-Naye, which overlooks Montreux, for fantastic views of Lake Geneva and the Alps.

3. Bern. The city of Bern, also known as Berne, is situated in the centre of Switzerland and it’s a popular tourist destination. The centre of the city has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bern’s attractions include Bern Cathedral, the Botanical Gardens, the Clock Tower (Zeitglocken Turm), the Bear Park and the Dählhölzli Zoological Gardens.

USA Car Hire Holidays

• Route 66 – find out more about this legendary American highway.
• California Highway 1 – learn about one of America’s most scenic roads.
• The Florida Keys – explore U.S Highway 1 on a trip from Miami to Key West.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway – learn more about one of the most beautiful drives in the U.S.A.
• The Seward Highway – find out more about this National Scenic Byway in Alaska.

You can also read about Florida’s famous A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway and the adjoining Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail in our in-depth series of posts:

• Florida’s A1A – Orlando to Ponte Vedra Beach
• Florida’s A1A – St. Augustine
• Florida’s A1A – St. Augustine to Flagler Beach
• Florida’s A1A – Flagler Beach
• Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail – Part 1
• Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail – Part 2
• Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail – Part 3

In the previous post in our series about  Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, we looked at some of the things that you can see and do in Tomoka State Park, if you stop off there during your Florida car hire holiday. In this post, we look at some of the attractions further along the route.

Once you’ve explored Tomoka State Park, if you head south and then drive across the Granada Bridge, you’ll arrive at Ormond Beach. The city has a number of attractions, and there are also hotels, shopping malls and restaurants, so it’s a great place to stay for a few days.

Ormond Beach is known as “the birthplace of speed”, as it was here that the automobile races that were the forerunners to NASCAR racing took place  more than a century ago. In 1906, Fred Marriott set the land-speed record for a steam-driven car in the Stanley Rocket on the sands of Ormond Beach, a record that still stands today. Although the racing later moved to Daytona, there are still many racing-related events held in Ormond Beach in order to celebrate its history and you can drive on the beach for a small fee.

Historic attractions in Ormond Beach include The Casements (25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach), which was the winter home of John D. Rockerfeller between 1918 and his death in 1937. The Casements was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was later bought by the City of Ormond Beach for use as a cultural centre. The building is currently undergoing extensive renovations.

Other attractions in Ormond Beach include the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens (78 E. Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida). The museum holds regular temporary art exhibitions and you can also explore the gardens. There is a parking lot at the south end of the gardens, so you can leave your hire car there while you are visiting the museum.

If you fancy wandering around the shops, head for one of the city’s shopping centres and malls, which include Trails Shopping Center (300 N, Nova Road, Ormond Beach, Florida). There are many restaurants in Ormond Beach, including La Crepe En Haut Restaurant (Fountain Square, 142 E. Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach), which specialises in French Nouvelle Cuisine, and the Charlie Horse Restaurant (810 South Atlantic Avenue, Ormond Beach, Florida), which is known for its “all-you-can-eat” crab legs specials.

Ormond Beach’s hotels include The Cove on Ormond Beach (145 S. Atlantic Avenue, Ormond Beach, Florida) and the Jameson Inn (175 Interchange Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida).

Once you’ve explored Ormond Beach, head north along the coast road back to Flagler Beach via the small town of Ormond by the Sea to complete your tour of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail.

Image: Ebyabe

In the previous post in this series, we looked at some of the things that you can see and do in Bulow Creek State Park, on the first part of Florida’s Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail. In this post, we look at some of the other attractions you can see if you follow this trail on your Florida car hire holiday.

Once you’ve explored Bulow Creek State Park, head south along Old Dixie Highway in your hire car and you’ll arrive at the entrance for Tomoka State Park. The park covers about 1,800 acres of land and there are more than 100 campsites there, so you can take a break from your rental car and spend a night in the great outdoors.

Tomoka State Park is a paradise for nature lovers. More than 165 species of bird have been spotted in the park, including pelicans, herons, loons, cormorants, cranes, vultures, bald eagles, hawks, kestrels, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and owls. There are also more than 150 species of plant in the park.

The Tomoka River runs through the park, which is on a peninsula, to the Tomoka Basin, and you may be lucky enough to catch sight of West Indian Manatees, bottlenose dolphins, river otters or American alligators in the water.

You can hire a canoe or kayak from the park store and explore the rivers and creeks, or go fishing in the Tomoka River for fish such as tarpon and spotted sea trout. Visitors to Florida need a license in order to go fishing, but you can get one from bait shops and shops selling sports equipment.

There is also a 0.5 mile nature trail in the park, which will take you to the site on which Nocoroco, a Timucuan Indian Village, once stood.

We’ll take a look at more things to see and do on the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail in the next post in this series.

Image: moultriecreek

In this, the next in our series of posts about exploring Florida’s A1A, we take a look at the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, a route that you can take if you want to extend your Florida car hire holiday.

The loop is slightly less than 34 miles long and you can get to it by heading south from Flagler Beach along the A1A in your rental car. You can find a map and a guide to the trail on the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail website and these will enable you to plan your trip.

Highlights of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail include Bulow Creek State Park, where you can take a break from your rental car and go for a walk. Bulow Creek State Park is home to one of the largest living oak trees in the south of the USA, the Fairchild Oak. Two nature trails start at the Fairchild Oak: the Wahlin Trail and the 6.8 mile Bulow Woods Trail.

If you follow the Bulow Woods Trail, you’ll eventually arrive at the Bulow Plantation Ruins, the ruins of an old sugar mill, now listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. You can visit the park’s interpretation centre in order to find out more about the history of the plantation.

The Bulow Creek Paddling Trail, one of Florida’s State Canoe Trails, also begins near to the plantation. This trail is approximately 12 miles long and is relatively easy to canoe along, although beginners may find that they experience some navigational difficulties.

Bulow Creek State Park is teeming with wildlife, such as racoons, deer and even diamondback rattlesnakes. It’s home to many different birds, including pelicans, herons, storks, peregrine falcons, bald eagles, ospreys and wild turkey.

If you decide to park your rental car in Bulow Creek Historic State Park’s car park while you explore, make sure that you return to it before the gates shut at 5 p.m. If you like the great outdoors, however, you can choose to stay in the park over night as it has a basic camping site. You’ll need a permit if you want to camp there, but these are available from the park office in Tomoka State Park, which is about 4.5 miles to the south of Bulow Creek Historic State Park.

In the next post in this series, we’ll be taking a look at some of the things that you can see and do further along the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail.

Image: Gamweb

In the next part of our series about taking a tour of the A1A as part of a Florida car hire holiday, we are taking a look at the resort of Flagler Beach.

Flagler Beach is a great place in which to relax for a day or two at the end of your tour of the A1A. This small, beachside community was originally known as Ocean City, but its name was changed to Flagler Beach in order to avoid confusion, as there were also places called Ocean City in Maryland and New Jersey.

The resort has six miles of beach and a fishing pier. Flagler Beach Municipal Pier opened in 1928 and is now one of the most popular fishing points in the area.

There are also  shops and restaurants in Flagler Beach, and you’ll find a number of places to stay. You can take a break from your rental car by hiring a bike and exploring the area, surfing, taking a stroll along the beach or visiting the Flagler Beach Historical Museum.

The A1A Scenic and Historic Byway ends just to the south of Flagler Beach, but if you want to extend your driving holiday, you can explore the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail. We’ll be looking at this in the next part of this series.

Image: Daniel Schwen