Driving a large Motorhome in Italy

[Mhambi]

I suppose this is a very broad question but I would like to hear the experiences and advice of people that have driven a large motorhome through Italy. I would like to drive from the UK to the bottom of Italy to the province of Sicily. Id like to visit some of the attractions in the cities Like Pompei and Rome, Naples....ect. I plan to park on the outskirts of the cities and use electric bicycles to get into the cities as I realize that it will not be advisable to drive a motorhome truck into the city but would like to get a feeling from other peoples experience if its just not worth taking such a large vehicle in to Italy.

 

[Wagoneer]

The only thing large about your truck is maybe the height. Other than that, you should be fine. Just keep a look-out for low bridges

Met a guy in Morocco with a truck very similar to yours. He tried to access a walled city via an arch but got stuck.

 

[Brains]

There is an article in the MMM monthly magazine (March or April issue) about a couple that drove to Sicily.

In summary they worked out the simple rule in Italy, "The car in front has priority"
The fact that the car in front has popped out of a side road means it still has priority.
And just because there is less than 1 meter between your front bumper and the rear bumper of the Artic you are following does not mean that is not enough room for a couple of cars to push in (using the car in front has the priority rule)

Personally I've only driven in northern Italy, where they are only mad, but I understand the driving gets considerably more 'middle eastern' the further south you go, I would not even consider driving a car into Naples, but you might be OK on a scooter!

 

[9526]

We’ve driven a full circuit of Italy (albeit in a panel van) it’s a bit strange when you first get there, but you soon get used to it (I enjoyed the different “rules”)

The Standard of roads is a bit more interesting the further south you go, but the main roads didn’t seen too bad.

city wise, we stayed..............

opposite Venice on a camperstop on the Punta Sabbioni (No prob with big van)

Florence - camperstop in town (would be tight in big van, though my mate did it with a 7m+trailer)

Rome Camperstop in the city (20 mins walk from Colloseum) plenty of room, but would recommend arriving/leaving late evening due to traffic.

Pisa Camperstop with loads of room 25 mins walk from tower

Pompeii Camperstop opposite excavations, a bit tight access, but pitches so big they doubled up when busy, in a bigger van I’d probably plan to arrive at quiet traffic periods (although I did manage a 3 point turn on the main road)

anywhere south of there we had no issues at all

there are also loads of Sostas (aires) throughout Italy, which are on Campercontact.

All in all, we loved it but you do have to have your wits about you, the best attitude is to expect to be cut up and accept it when it happens!!

on a side note, there is loads of LPG filling stations, but some will flatly refuse to serve campers, so keep topped up where possible.

 

[Puddleduck]

Have started a "conversation"

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[WJACC]

We went to Sicily last year, the roads other than around the coast are shocking, perfect to test your vehicle. 20 Mph would be excessive. We found Sicily a disappointment, southern Italy ie the foot and heel were much more to our liking.

As noted certainly on sicily, the driver with the most nerve/least fear has priotity.

 

[maison]

There is an article in the MMM monthly magazine (March or April issue) about a couple that drove to Sicily.

In summary they worked out the simple rule in Italy, "The car in front has priority"
The fact that the car in front has popped out of a side road means it still has priority.
And just because there is less than 1 meter between your front bumper and the rear bumper of the Artic you are following does not mean that is not enough room for a couple of cars to push in (using the car in front has the priority rule)

Personally I've only driven in northern Italy, where they are only mad, but I understand the driving gets considerably more 'middle eastern' the further south you go, I would not even consider driving a car into Naples, but you might be OK on a scooter!

Some years ago we were on our scooter near Lake Maggiore. Spotting a Police car three vehicles behind us I made sure I was sticking to the speed limit. After about five minutes the Police car moved up the queue till it was alongside us. He then signalled me to speed up!

The first time that has ever happened to me and shows the Italian approach to driving.

Mhambi
As stated by other posters, if you remember the height of your vehicle then the length and width shouldn’t be a problem in f you avoid the narrow side streets in towns and villages.

Have a good trip.

 

[Jenka]

Last year toured Italy and Sicily with no problems van size at 8meters even in the cities. Agree entirely with all comments regarding standard of driving . I was also shocked at the amount of rubbish just dumped it looked like the local council was using the verges as a tip! Sicily I felt was very overrated but I guess as potential scam victims (we told them where to go and phoned police) did not help and around the ferry ports lots of beggars and sellers. The known tourist areas of Italy are better.

 

[DBK]

We've been to Italy twice and would agree with what has been written. You will have no problems if you stay outside the busy towns. I wrote up the trips in the links below. Get a good alarm fitted if you are going to leave the MH unattended.

Three Go Adventuring Again

Just four more sleeps to go before we set off on our biggest adventure yet. In anticipation of the royalties rolling in, the book cover has already been completed: The plan has been worked out in detail although it probably needs a little more work as it only covers the first 24 hours after...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Two Go To Sicily

Our delayed trip to Sicily is only a few days away now. We board the ferry to Roscoff on Tuesday evening and the following morning we will commence the 1600 miles, or thereabouts, trek to Sicily. The plan is to take 10 to 14 days to get there, we won't be rushing but we won't be doing a lot of...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Diabalo]

If you haven't already got one then a dashcam would be useful, I believe they are still allowed in Italy.

The Italian style of driving and the roads are interesting to say the least.

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[John Barrett]

I took my SL500 to Pisa, Rome and Florence and hated every minute of it. Reason being even the moped next to me at the lights wanted a burnup!
The next time I took our B640 Starline from Ancona through to France and most of them got out of my way...
John

 

[tacr2man]

In 2017 a group from RVOC took several Large US RVs to Venice with out any real problems , so you can relax

 

[tribalbrit]

Two years ago we drove full width of northern Italy East to West, no motorways, stopping off at the lakes as we went.
The roads are terrible, worse than ours, if you can believe that. Needed fillings replaced on return to UK as most had fell out.
The only trouble we had was that on two occasions and without prior warning we'd come across a road width restriction preventing passage of hgvs I assumed. These were concrete blocks on either side narrowing the road to 2.2 metres and no way around them. Our MH is 2.3 metres wide. Took hours and many miles to scout round these, and as I said no advance warnings. Apart from that no problems. Drive like a loon and you'll fit right in.

 

[Mhambi]

Perhaps South Spain would be better......lol

 

[Hymerbell]

Watch out for slow moving cars on country roads...many years ago I overtook one that was going about 25 miles per hour...turned out it was an unmarked police car....€30 on the spot speeding fine....probably more these days.

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[pandas]

Perhaps South Spain would be better......lol

Don't let people put you off Italy, Sicily etc - no problems driving a large motorhome and as somebody said earlier the only real issue would be the height. If you are travelling around Sicily travel anticlockwise ie on the coast side of the road as firstly you don't have a barrier blocking the view although less of a problem with your vehicle and secondly when you approach a blind hairpin bend you have more 'vision' of what might be coming the other way. Sounds odd but it works. Go for it - we have spent a couple of months a year touring mostly Italy for nearly ten years now.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Do go. My only advise is to use the very good local train services in the hotspots like Naples, Pompei etc rather than your electric bikes. Try and leave them secured inside your van when out for a day trip where you will not be able to keep them with you. This is not just for Italy though !

 

[busby]

I suppose this is a very broad question but I would like to hear the experiences and advice of people that have driven a large motorhome through Italy. I would like to drive from the UK to the bottom of Italy to the province of Sicily. Id like to visit some of the attractions in the cities Like Pompei and Rome, Naples....ect. I plan to park on the outskirts of the cities and use electric bicycles to get into the cities as I realize that it will not be advisable to drive a motorhome truck into the city but would like to get a feeling from other peoples experience if its just not worth taking such a large vehicle in to Italy.

44 tonne attics drive from Southern Italy to the UK with no problems.BUSBY??

 

[TM59]

Just make sure your horn works.

 

[Dorwyn]

Don't go up any mountain roads that start narrow. They'll just get narrower, and you can't turn round!! Good luck!

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[bobandjanie]

Motorways are reasonably priced, places like the dolimites are lovely, cities we almost always parked on sostas or campsites, lots of beggars around, the only place I've had one swear at me, ? the car drivers motorcyclist and people on scooters have a death wish, stop at traffic lights, your surrounded by scooters by the time they have gone the lights have changed again,? at times I thought Janie had tourettes ? apart from that we like Italy. ? Bob.

 

[Glandwr]

Another vote for local trains, particularly on the Liguarian coast where the Cinque Terre, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure and Genoa are on the regular and cheap railway plenty of campsites and sostas along it. . In the bay of Naples the campsite next to the entrance to Pompeii is adjacent to the station with day tickets (usable on buses as well) you can take in an enormous number of destinations between Naples in the north to Amalfi in the south. You could easily spend 2/3 weeks there.

One other thing an uptodate truck SatNav with your dimensions in is a great confidence prop.

One thing I did on Sicily was to hire a small car for a couple of weeks sharing it with another brit on the site. That enabled us to visit places that we would never do in out 6 ton van

 

[Arthur01]

2017 we went as a group of 10 RV’s to Venice where we all stayed for a couple of weeks after that we all went in different directions for other adventures. We - with 3 other RV’s- then travelled back along the med then turning North to head back to Calais. No problems with sites or vehicle size. Last year we again went as a group this time to Northern Spain and travelled through some ‘very’ adjacent villages really without any issues.
a good up to date satnav with height length & weight options will help you along the way.
this was us all arriving a one of the sites.

 

[Mhambi]

Another vote for local trains, particularly on the Liguarian coast where the Cinque Terre, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure and Genoa are on the regular and cheap railway plenty of campsites and sostas along it. . In the bay of Naples the campsite next to the entrance to Pompeii is adjacent to the station with day tickets (usable on buses as well) you can take in an enormous number of destinations between Naples in the north to Amalfi in the south. You could easily spend 2/3 weeks there.

One other thing an uptodate truck SatNav with your dimensions in is a great confidence prop.

One thing I did on Sicily was to hire a small car for a couple of weeks sharing it with another brit on the site. That enabled us to visit places that we would never do in out 6 ton van

I have the Garmin overlander sat nav, Which is amazing as it does all the calculations on how wide the truck is and whether it will fit in the street or under the bridge. It also for warns you about steep hills, decents and corners that are approaching.

 

[Mhambi]

44 tonne attics drive from Southern Italy to the UK with no problems.BUSBY??

Don't really want to sit constantly on a motorway, especially with a Unimog. Would prefer to take the back roads where possible and enjoy the scenery and local atmosphere.

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[Glandwr]

I have the Garmin overlander sat nav, Which is amazing as it does all the calculations on how wide the truck is and whether it will fit in the street or under the bridge. It also for warns you about steep hills, decents and corners that are approaching.

That's interesting, it does it through sensors in real time rather than a database?

 

[Mhambi]

Road condition is less of a worry for me as I have 50" offroad tyres on a Unimog, which is built for off road. More like narrow roads with no turn or passing points and low bridges.

 

[hblewett]

We’ve been to Italy several times and love it. Our van is 7.3 metres and we’ve had no real problems. As with every country, there’s no point having a crash and then saying ‘I had right of way’ , so just keep signalling, give way whatever and they’ll miss you. (Well, we’ve been ok for 11 years - maybe just lucky!

We loved Sicily. We stuck mostly to the coast, but a trip up Mt Etna and overnight with the views is well worthwhile.

You should go for it!

 

[Mhambi]

That's interesting, it does it through sensors in real time rather than a database?

I assume it is from a database, which is only as reliable as the data. But touch wood its been really accurate so far in the UK.

 

[DBK]

Just drive slowly and maintain a sense of humour. ?

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