Don’t make this mistake when renting a car in Europe

Do UK car rental companies accept a digital Australian driving licence on a phone or do any require a physical driving licence? A letter in Traveller on May 27 reported troubles with UK car rentals with a slightly damaged plastic driving licence. Is a digital driving licence a safer option?
A. Smith, Lane Cove NSW

Almost without exception, car hire operators in Europe require a physical licence, not the digital version stored on your smartphone. In June I picked up a hire car in Italy. I’d misplaced my physical NSW driver’s licence and the replacement didn’t arrive before I departed. The agent at the car hire desk accepted my wife’s physical licence, and he allowed me to sign on as the second driver using my digital licence. He was amazed at the sophistication of the NSW digital licence. “The Italian digital licence is just a copy, it’s nothing like this,” he said. “That’s why we need the actual licence, it’s to guard against forgery.” If your licence shows signs of wear and tear, better to be on the safe side and get a replacement.

My husband and I are spending a week in Seville, Granada and Cordoba in September. There are Renfe fast trains between each city but after the recent Traveller article by Gary Nunn about Rail Ninja ticket rip-offs, we are now looking at booking with OMIO, Renfe or Trainline. However, these direct/fast services are not appearing on any of the sites.
L. Hailey, Norwest NSW

It’s true that Renfe, Spain’s state-owned national rail operator, often releases tickets in blocks rather than on a rolling schedule, but not in this case. Tickets aboard AVE high-speed trains are usually available 90 days before travel and on the Renfe website I’m seeing AVE tickets for the route you’re travelling available to the end of September. Rather than booking tickets through a third-party operator, I prefer to book on an official rail website, Renfe in this case. My last booking with Rail Ninja, for the high-speed train from Casablanca to Tangier in Morocco, was not a happy experience.

I am retired and wish to go to Ireland for a three-month stay. Somewhere on the coast, preferably over Wexford way. I have been to Ireland several times but only for holidays. I would like to stay in one spot and then travel. Do you have a suggestion of a website where I could look for accommodation?
H. Fanning, Thornbury VIC

Rent.ie has a number of furnished, short-term rentals available in County Wexford and prices are reasonable, starting from around €1000 ($1645) per month, although this would apply in the off-season. You might also try some of the house-sitter websites such as MindMyHouse and housecarers.com. You could also check websites used by locals rather than holiday accommodation websites, which tend to offer better value, although they might not be furnished to the same extent as properties listed in dedicated long-stay holiday websites. Daft.ie is Ireland’s largest property website and it has filters that let you search for furnished short-term rentals. MyHome.ie is another major Irish property site, though it has fewer short-term listings than Daft. Another way to go about this is by direct contact with local estate agents. In smaller Irish towns, many furnished properties never make it online, particularly during the quieter months. A simple email explaining that you’re a retired Australian seeking a three-month furnished rental can produce surprising results. See the myhome website for a list of estate agents in County Wexford.

We are a group of about fifteen 50-year-olds and we would like to travel to Slovenia, Croatia and possibly Kosovo in October next year. Can you recommend a travel agent or company that specialises in this area? Also, possibly followed by an add-on tour of Puglia. Would a ferry from Dubrovnik to Bari be the best option? C. Papachristos, Melbourne VIC

Undiscovered Balkans is a UK-based travel agency specialising in this region. They get excellent reviews for their expert local guides, authentic local food, comfortable stays and a balance of activity and downtime. October is an ideal time to visit this region. The crowds of summer have mostly gone, accommodation is less expensive and easier to find, especially for such a large group, and you can expect mild weather and gorgeous autumn colours, particularly around Lake Bled and Plitvice Lakes National Park. Since you’re considering Kosovo, you might add Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. This would stretch your itinerary to about three weeks, but you’d get a super variety of scenery, history and some of Europe’s best-value food and accommodation. Jadrolinija operates ferries between Dubrovnik and Bari, departing on Wednesdays and weekends. The crossing takes about eight hours. For a tour of Puglia, you might contact Apulia Slow Travel, I’ve travelled with them in the past and they’re excellent.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances