Euro tour recommendations (1 Viewer)

[cmb]

Hi All

We've got an 18 day trip planned for August and hope to get to Slovenia and back taking in France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland along the way.

It's our first European tour (in a motorhome - we did a slightly shorter route in the car last year) so we're looking for some recommendations of areas or sights to take in. Not fussed too much about the obvious tourist spots, I can find these in most books but I'm interested to know people's receommendations for natural beauty spots anywhere along this route? Great places to stay (more wild camping than camp sites)? Great routes to take?

Cheers in advance!

 

[cmb]

I'd like to take in as much of the Alps as possible. A very rough route would be something like this:

 

[normanandsue]

I'd like to take in as much of the Alps as possible. A very rough route would be something like this:

This seem a pretty lengthy trip for 18 days. OK if you like being constantly on the move, but you might need a holiday to get over it. However it seems a good European trip.
Norman

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[wivvy's dad]

This seem a pretty lengthy trip for 18 days. OK if you like being constantly on the move, but you might need a holiday to get over it. However it seems a good European trip.
Norman

I agree with my learned colleague above.

You will only get to see things as you whizz past them.

But good luck anyway.....:Cool:

 

[JeanLuc]

My thoughts are like Norman's - that looks like a four-week trip to me. I would want to spend 2-3 days in each of Nuremburg, Munich, Saltzburg, Venice and Verona. Then 1 or 2 days in the other interesting cities. That could easily use 18 days without considering driving time, or a break in Slovenia, let alone chilling out in the Alps.

A few practical observations follow.
Make sure you have plenty of insect repellant and anti-histimine cream for Venice - in August the mosquitoes will be rampant and you will want night-time ventilation as it's hot and humid then.
I guess you have realised you will need an Umweltzone Plakette for the German cities (if you plan to stop in them) - available when you get there from a Fiat commercial dealer or TÜV depot. This is cheaper (€5) than sending for one via the internet - take the registration document with you. I understand that some Italian cities are also now operating low-emission zones - I think Verona is one of them - but I don't know whether motorhomes are affected, or only commercials. I have not researched this but think you can buy the sticker locally.
For Switzerland and Austria you will need a highway pass to stick on the windscreen, or Go-Box tolling system if you are over 3.5 tonnes, which you probably are with a B544. I don't have experience of these countries but other funsters will have I'm sure.

If you have not already used it, this site may be of help
http://www.lowemissionzones.eu/

Good luck with the trip.

 

[hilldweller]

It's our first European tour (in a motorhome - we did a slightly shorter route in the car last year)
Cheers in advance!

First big shock might be how slow a MH can be. OK if you don't care about expense you can hammer down motorways but that does not qualify as "holiday" to the olde fartes round here. On non motorway roads you need to think an average of under 50.

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[cmb]

Thanks for your replies.

Unfortunatley I was also thinking we might be biting off more than we can chew. Unfortunately we're only in our 30's so anything more than a 2 week break is not really feasible with work commitments. I've been to Ljubljana before and the surrounding area is beautifiul, particularly Lake Bled. That was our aim as a turning point but I think it might be a coutry or two too far.

The Alps is my main attraction so I think we'll center our journey around there. Any recomendations for the Alps? The French side? Swiss side? Italian side??

Cheers

 

[lorger]

Hi CMB

We did Lake Garda a couple of years ago we had about 3 weeks to do it, we spent 9 days there and the rest slowly getting there and back. I would recommend Innsbruck lovely city and lovely campsite we stayed at called Nattersee where you could get bus from gate to city.

Hope this helps if you need any more info on where we stayed on way there and back feel free to ask.

 

[motorhomer]

I agree with the sentiments expressed here. Also its August so traffic will be heavy.

A few years ago I went on a day trip from S Slovenia to Venice by car, in August, about 120 miles all on motorway. It took over 5 hours. Traffic was the worst I have ever seen.

So I would go to Slovenia and then back. Parts of austria are super, someone else nemtioned Innsbruck. I would also suggest parts of Bavaria, the castles eg neuschwanstein for example.

On the way there or back try the Moselle. Beautiful, and with cheap german Stellplatz to stay in well worthwhile.

Have a good trip!

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[magicsurfbus]

I agree about Lake Garda, it's worth sticking around and visiting different parts, whereas you can do the highlights of Verona in half a day without much difficulty. Personally I wouldn't spend less than 3 days in Venice, and I'd never drive past it, but I love the place.

In Switzerland, Interlaken is a good base, and the train trip up the Jungfrau, whilst quite costly, is well worth it. Luzern's good for a couple of days, and it's worth a pause by Lake Geneva.

Don't use the Mont Blanc Tunnel - hideously expensive compared to buying a Swiss Carnet and using their tunnels for free.

Like others, I think you'll spend far too much time driving. When touring France we'll happily go the length of the country from Calais to Biarritz in 3 days, around 300 motorway miles a day, but after that we need to stop for a few days to draw breath.