During the summer of 2021 it became obvious that many travelers had chosen their own cars, campervans and motorhomes to tour Europe instead of flying to a remote island faraway from home. Camper parks, camping sites, and motels had customers to an extent that one of our writers decided to drive to the mountains and find out if there was room for his entourage. There was. Here is a small selection of travel photos from our writers taken during 2021 on mountains and in other places in Europe.

Traveling in Europe in 2021 required constant polling of changes in the rules for entering a country (if you wanted to visit another country). Travel plans had to be flexible because rules could change overnight. This meant that it was easier to explore large countries like Germany, France and Spain where you can find exciting sights and nice places to stay for as long as you like. That’s why this photo gallery features images from these three countries. Let’s go from north to south.

Rostock town center in Northern Germany. Rostock is one of the medieval Hansa League towns on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The ancient town center is simply beautiful. Extra bonus is the port that provides frequent car ferry connections to Nordic countries.

Col de Puymorens, France. A ski resort so close to Andorra that it might be possible to ski to the neighboring country from the French side of the mountain. There is a tunnel below the place where the picture was taken that vehicles larger than campervans must drive instead of the scenic mountain road.

Bagneres de Luchon, France. A pretty old town in a valley that became famous as a spa resort during the last two centuries. Now, cyclists, hikers, and outdoors lovers flock to the town in summer and skiers in winter.

For those travelers who want beaches and Mediterranean climate, Nice at the French Riviera is the destination we recommend.

Col du Tourmalet, France. One of the iconic mountains in southern France. A good road allows even the largest motorhomes to ascent to 2000 meters and roll down to the other side.

Bareges, France. A neat and tidy town that grew as a spa town, but is now a destination for people who seek outdoors activities on mountains.

Oloron Sainte Marie, France. Oloron has a small old center where the picture was taken. A decent road with majestic mountain scenery leads from Oloron over the Pyrenees to Spain.

Col d’Aubisque, France. Bicycle statues at the top of the climb honor The Tour of France bicycle race that frequently passes through these roads.

Hautacam ski resort in France. During summer months cyclists and hikers navigate the roads and paths on the gentle slopes of the mountain with local cows.

Saint Jean Pied de Port, France. The charming and very popular tourist town has some of its ancient walls and ports still standing. The old town is magnificent destination to visit (with thousands of other visitors during the summer). This is an important town for pilgrims who aim to Santiago de la Compostela in Spain. An office for pilgrims is located in the old town center.

On the road near Saint Jean Pied de Port. We stopped for coffee here, and when we were leaving, police had arrived to the same car park. The police is writing fines for drivers who have taken liberties with speed limits.

Penella village in the Province of Valencia, Spain. Morning mist behind the crumbled tower of the village.

Car park for a bread shop and bank in Spain, Valencia Province. The main road that leads across a village is used as a somewhat unconventional car park by residents as they shop for fresh bread. The driver of a car behind the parked car didn’t rush or indicate that it wasn’t a perfect place to park, but patiently waited.

An incident in a village in Spain, Valencia Province. One of our writers walked with her travel companion along the street when a pitbull attacked them. Fortunately, a tripod that she had in hand for taking photographs saved her. The dog retreated to a terrace where a woman was standing. The woman obviously was the owner of the dog, although she didn’t do anything to stop the attack, nor had any intent to close the gate to keep the dog away from the street. Our writer raised her camera to take a picture, thinking she might visit a police station. Instantly, the woman on the terrace jumped into action. Shouting something about death and photos, she threw her bag at the photographer. The travelers briskly walked away avoiding confrontation with young men who appeared to the street.