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Planning to rent a car during your trip to Europe? Driving can be one of the best ways to explore the continent, especially if you want to visit smaller towns, scenic coastal roads, and countryside regions that are harder to reach by train.

In this episode we share practical tips from driving across Europe in countries including Italy, France, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom.

We talk about the things travelers often don’t expect, including international driver permits, highway tolls and vignettes, speed cameras, alcohol limits, roundabouts, parking rules, and differences between European and North American driving.

If you’re planning a European road trip or renting a car during your trip, this episode will help you feel more confident before getting behind the wheel.

For more destination guides and travel tips across Europe, visit TheGetawayz.com.

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We've been to Luxembourg City four times and it started as a total accident. In this episode, we explore the UNESCO-listed upper and lower city, walk the underground Casemates built in the 1600s, stop at the famous Chocolate House right across from the Grand Ducal Palace and share one of our all-time favorite hikes in Little Switzerland. We also talk about what Luxembourg does better than anywhere else in Europe (free, genuinely excellent public transit), what's still on our bucket list for next time and why this overlooked little country just keeps pulling us back. 

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This is Part 2 of our two-part series. After covering Giverny, Honfleur, Étretat and Rouen in Part 1, we head to the D-Day landing sites. The beaches, the history, and the places that make this region unlike anywhere else in France.

In this episode, we walk through Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery, Utah Beach and its museums, the craters at Pointe du Hoc, the airborne town of Sainte-Mère-Église with its famous church and we end on a high note at Mont Saint-Michel.

We share what each site is actually like to visit, what to expect, which museums are worth your time, tips for visiting with kids, and how to fit all of this into 2–3 days, whether you're adding it onto a Paris trip or making a dedicated Normandy getaway. We also have a special guest this week: Jonathan, who visited the beaches with Lisa and shares his experience seeing it all for the first time.

Whether you're a history lover, a first-time visitor, or planning a family trip to France, the D-Day beaches are an experience that stays with you long after you leave.

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We have been to Zermatt twice and both trips were completely different.

The first time we drove through a blizzard after a delayed flight into Milan, arrived at 3am, and learned quickly that cars are not allowed in Zermatt. The Matterhorn barely showed itself and wind shut down part of Glacier Paradise.

The second trip was calmer. Clearer views, hiking along the river, Dylan doing the Forest Fun Park ropes course, fondue, hay soup and Matterhorn-shaped chocolate.

In this episode we talk about what it is really like to visit Zermatt, how the car-free system works, whether Glacier Paradise is worth it and what can go wrong at nearly 4,000 meters.

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Milan is a city we’ve spent real time in. Living nearby meant it was never just a stop on a trip and that changes how you experience it.

In this episode, we talk about what it’s like spending time in Milan. The neighborhoods we kept going back to. The food. The design. How the city works day to day and why it feels different from other places in Italy. We also talk about why Milan makes sense when you give it time instead of rushing through it.

This is not a highlights episode or a checklist. It’s a conversation about Milan as a place to spend time, not just pass through.

Music: Seize the Day by Andrey Rossi via Uppbeat
License code: G7J4UDC0NAOFRJYL

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Erin hosts a fast paced European food trivia showdown with Lisa, Dylan and Meghan, and it got competitive fast. From iconic dishes to regional specialties and a few trick questions, this episode puts European food knowledge to the test.

We cover classic foods people think they know, regional details that spark debate, and questions guaranteed to make you second guess yourself. Play along and see how you stack up before the answers are locked in.

A fun break from traditional travel episodes and perfect for anyone who loves European food, travel trivia, or yelling answers at their phone.

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In Part 2 of our Rhône-Alps series, we continue beyond Chamonix and talk about spending time in Annecy, Aix-les-Bains, Chambéry and Grenoble.

We talk about what Annecy feels like once you’re there, how crowded it can get depending on timing and why it stands out compared to other lake towns we’ve visited. We also talk about Aix-les-Bains and Chambéry as quieter stops, how they felt in comparison and why they worked well without needing much planning.

We end with Grenoble and how different it feels from the alpine towns, shaped by its setting and the way the city interacts with the mountains around it.

usic: Seize the Day by Andrey Rossi via Uppbeat
License code: G7J4UDC0NAOFRJYL

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The Getawayz is a travel podcast about exploring Europe the way people actually do.

We moved from Los Angeles to Europe in 2017 and have spent years traveling by car, often with a teenager and a dog. We talk honestly about where to stay, what to skip, what’s worth planning around and what we learned the hard way.

If you’re planning a trip to Europe or thinking about living abroad, start here.

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In Part 1 of our Rhône-Alpes series, we’re starting in Chamonix, one of the most iconic mountain towns in the French Alps.

We talk about what Chamonix is really like beyond the photos, how the town feels when you’re walking through it and why it stands out compared to other mountain destinations we’ve visited. We cover the Mer du Glace glacier experience, the ice cave, hiking to Cascade du Dard, where we ate and where we stayed.

This episode is about slowing down, choosing the right experiences and letting a place like Chamonix set the pace instead of trying to do everything.

Next week in Part 2, we continue through the Rhône-Alpes with stops in Annecy, Aix-les-Bains and Chambéry.

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Spending New Year’s in Sweden, in the middle of winter.

We spent New Year’s in Gothenburg with fireworks everywhere, busy streets and just enough going on without overplanning the days. Winter was fully in place and the city felt active without being overwhelming.

In this episode, we talk about how we spent New Year’s in Gothenburg, from walking the city and spending time in Haga to visiting the World of Volvo and Universeum. We share where we ate, where we stayed and how the trip naturally stayed close to our neighborhood.

We also talk about New Year’s Eve in the city, from pre dinner drinks to a relaxed night at the apartment while fireworks lit up the sky outside. This episode is about winter travel in Sweden, choosing not to pack in too much and why Gothenburg worked so well for this time of year.

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