Italy 2014 (1 Viewer)

[cliffanger]

Evening All,

We are currently planning a trip mid May to mid June 2014, to the Italian Lakes and maybe beyond. We have no firm thoughts as to a route as yet, so would welcome any ideas from those who have gone before! We intend to travel via the Eurotunnel, so will be starting from Calais.

Also what are the aires like in Italy (if any?) Although we have travelled extensively in France, we have no experience of Germany, Switzerland, or Italy so any information would be gratefully received.

Happy New Year to all

Geraldine

 

[Rapide561]

Italy

Hi

Have been to Italy and have limited experience with aires - known as "sosta" in Italian. The reason we do not use them is due to cost - some cost more than a campsite! For example, it is currently 20 euro per night at Peschiera del Garda for nothing more than a tarmac carpark with a tap. You can get on ACSI sites for less than that!

Google "sosta" and you will get various links to websites etc.

I'm in Italy April/May and late Aug/September and will rely on ACSI or the Best Deal Card for places to stay.

Russell

 

[cliffanger]

Hi Russell,

Thanks for the information. Have you stayed around the Italian Lakes? We have Acsi card so will look into that instead of aires. What are Best Deal Cards?

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[hilldweller]

Hi

Have been to Italy.

Russell

That's like saying the Pope is a Catholic !

 

[hilldweller]

Link Removed

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

The reason we do not use them is due to cost

Russell

Then don't stay on those that charge - simples.

We were only in the Tuscany area and only during September and October. We used ACSI guide for sites and two guides, Guida Camper (now out of print) and Camperstop for Sostas but I only paid once to stay on a Sosta - (that was in Pisa following dropping my wife off at the airport.)

Elsewhere we only stayed in Sostas clearly identified as free. We moved about the north of the area for a full month without having to pay. One place even had EHU for free and there was rarely any indication of any time limit. This was during our first summer on the road and we were unsure about protocols so inquired at the local tourist information office about how long we could stay. The response was clear stay as long as you wish - one two or three weeks if our holiday was long enough. They simply wanted us to stay (and spend) in their town rather than anywhere else.
In October we stayed on a site at the coast where (in order to keep the place viable during the last month of the season) we were only charged 4 euros per person = 8 euros - nothing for the van - and that included EHU. When I was waiting for my wife to get back I stayed on the same site for only 4 euros per night and all facilities were fully operational.

Rail travel was amazingly cheap. Consider staying near a railway station even in the carpark. Some are very quiet on branch lines which only have electric trains that don't run at night. Then breakfast at the station - inexpensive good coffee and croissants - and use the train to visit the large tourist towns/cities. Cheaper than using fuel and paying to park.

Enjoy the trip :thumb:

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[The Dudess]

Trasimeno

Not sure how far you want to travel but we stayed here this year both on way to Crete and on our way back and we really like it. Just don't forget to take your mozzie plug ins and spray!

http://www.campingkursaal.it/campsite-umbria.php

 

[Rapide561]

Sostas

Hi

Could you list some of the sostas you have stayed on please?

Russell

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Hi

Could you list some of the sostas you have stayed on please?

Russell

Would be happy to but this trip we do not have those guides with us. I don't carry items that won't be used before we go home again - just to keep the weight down.

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