European Motorhome Adventure: Designing a Journey Across Europe in a Recreational Vehicle
Embarking on a motorhome tour of Europe, Marcus Leach and his family aim to visit 25 countries across three continents, a journey that has become more complex due to the impacts of Covid and Brexit. As they prepare to set off at the start of May, the family shares their travel planning experiences and offers valuable advice for those considering a similar multi-country trip.
One crucial consideration for tourists planning extended stays within the Schengen Zone is the 90/180 day rule. This rule stipulates that as a tourist, you can stay in the entire Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within any rolling 180-day period. This 90-day limit applies collectively to all Schengen countries combined, not per individual country.
The rolling 180-day period means that each day you either enter or remain in the Schengen Area, authorities look back at the previous 180 days to count how many days you have been inside Schengen countries. Both entry and exit days count as full days.
To calculate your stay, add up all the days you have physically been inside any Schengen country during the last 180 days from the date you plan to enter or stay. If the total exceeds 90, you cannot legally enter or remain unless you have a valid visa or residence permit. Entry and exit days are each counted as full days in the Schengen Area.
Fortunately, several free online tools help travelers track and plan their stays. These calculators automate the complex rolling calculation and instantly show how many days you have already spent in the Schengen Zone within the last 180 days, how many days remain available for your current or future trips, and whether your planned travel dates comply with the 90/180 rule.
Popular free calculators include Schengen VisaInfo, Ninety180, and Schengen Simple. These tools are invaluable for ensuring compliance with the Schengen Zone's 90/180 rule and avoiding legal complications during your travels.
The Leach family has found these calculators particularly useful in planning their trip, which will include countries they might not have otherwise considered, such as Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. They encourage being open-minded and doing one's own research for travel, emphasising the importance of having the right paperwork for countries outside of the Schengen Area.
As they embark on their European adventure, the Leach family will be sharing their trip planning and journey experiences in a new series, documenting their experiences on their social media channels @marcusleachglobal and @our.roaming.odyssey on Instagram, @MarcusGLeach on Twitter, and @OurRoamingOdyssey on YouTube. They look forward to visiting these new destinations and hope their experiences can inspire others to explore the rich diversity of Europe.
- The 90/180 day rule, applicable to tourists in the Schengen Zone, limits stay to a maximum of 90 days within any rolling 180-day period, across all Schengen countries combined.
- To comply with the 90/180 rule, travelers must carefully track and plan their stays, ensuring they do not exceed the 90-day limit.
- Several free online tools such as Schengen VisaInfo, Ninety180, and Schengen Simple, help automate these calculations and ensure compliance with the Schengen Zone's rules.
- Marcus Leach and his family, embarking on an extended motorhome tour of Europe, have found these calculators useful in planning their trip, considering countries like Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Macedonia.
- As they share their travel planning experiences, the Leach family encourages open-mindedness and personal research for travel, emphasizing the importance of having the right paperwork for countries outside of the Schengen Area.
- You can follow their European adventure on their social media channels @marcusleachglobal, @our.roaming.odyssey on Instagram, @MarcusGLeach on Twitter, and @OurRoamingOdyssey on YouTube, as they document their experiences and aim to inspire others to explore the diverse destinations of Europe.
