Lots of manual transmission cars in Europe. Just got through looking at rentals there. They charge a premium for Automatics; my experience is that it mostly Americans that rent them. I can drive a stick, but I’m out of practice and don’t want to be refreshing myself while keeping track of signs in foreign languages in countries where speed limits are enforced.
I always use public transportation—trains, buses, ferries—in Europe. Always figured it would cost a lot more to have a rental car. I learned to drive on a stick shift but have driven automatics for so long I am badly out of practice.