First Trip to Italy with Motorhome (1 Viewer)

Nov 15, 2017
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Hi,
We're hoping to make our first trip to tour Italy (lakes /Tuscany/ Puglia) in our 7m Swift Bolero next April. We would be interested to hear how other forum members
Who have driven through Italy found the roads and camping, and whether they can offer any advice to us novices!
Thanks Graeme.
 
Feb 16, 2013
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Went to lido de jesolo and venice then down to Rimini this summer , went down though Germany and Austria , despite many reports of maniac Italian drivers we didn't find it any different than other European country's and we used park4night app to find sites and aires with no problem, btw we then traveled across the north into France .
 

magicsurfbus

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Take a look at some of the earlier threads in this (Continental Touring > Italy) section - no shortage of advice on the lakes and Tuscany.

As far as driving goes, I don't personally think that the Italians are technically worse than anyone else on the motorways but they push push push in larger towns and cities, and the scooters get every bloody where. Speed limits are treated as advisory in Italy. Bearing in mind they spent more time than most being governed by fascists they have a healthy disregard for rules from above :)

Aires (Areas da Sosta) tend to be privately owned MH-only campsites rather than the municipal type facilities you see in France. Campsites are pretty much the same as anywhere else.

For getting into Italy, the most expensive way is the Mont Blanc Tunnel or other French-owned tunnels. Far cheaper is to go via Switzerland and the Gotthard tunnel, which is paid for by the Swiss motorway vignette, or forget tunnels altogether and take the scenic route via Briancon and Montgenevre. There's also an impressively scenic route in via the Brenner Pass from Austria. I should add that driving down to the south of France and going along the Med coast motorway into Italy is our least favourite option - it's like being stuck inside a 1980s motor racing arcade game.

After France, Italy is our favourite destination - a friendly place if you bother to learn a bit of the language, but seriously dedicated to extracting your tourist Euros from you. Nice food too.

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hilldweller

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any advice to us novices!
Thanks Graeme.

Don't go if you don't want to go again and again and again.

You might need to choose your route carefully in April, still loads of snow possible between here and Italy. We'll be heading that way again in May. Peschiera del Garda definitely, where else, we don't know, so many choices.

The only place I am indifferent to is Venice. It's very nice but unless you are heavily into art other places are just as good. Like Florence, which is a must see place. Pisa, quite something but like Venice, old hype making a lot of a modest town.

Rome. Think London, a big capital city. But to stand in the Forum, where Ceasar stood 2000 years ago is quite something. The Colosseum and Circus Maximus are a mind blowing tribute to the genius of Roman architects.

If you magnificent sun and sand - Riccione.

There's just so much, go and enjoy.
 
OP
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Thanks Guys for your response. Any suggestions about a good route from Calais down to the lakes. We are not in any rush, our Swift Bolero is 7m.
 

PORKSTER

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Thanks Guys for your response. Any suggestions about a good route from Calais down to the lakes. We are not in any rush, our Swift Bolero is 7m.

When I go I am in a rush to get to the sun so its calais Lux fill with cheap fuel then enter Switzerland (toll free to here) stay at Lucern Overnight. then onto Lake garda next day. thats starting Calais or gravlines early sat morn arriving Garda Sunday mid afternoon easy peasy drive. Lots of info on here well worth doing a search just go and enjoy and ket us know how you got on.
 
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we went in July August this year. calais to Metz via Belgium and Luxemburg avoiding tolls then onto Lucerne then onto Lake Garda. loved it and will def be going back. nice drive and nice country. we came back on tolls through mont blanc tunnel damn expensive and glad came from Italy and from from France as the hill is v v steep from the France side. bad enough coming down didn't help was heavy rain and fog at the time. we came back via Geneva.
 
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I'm just north of Sicily right now, crossed from Calais September 22nd. I took the Simplon pass through Switzerland, outstanding, and no tunnel tolls of course. It's takes you straight to lake Maggiore and Como, Gardia are in a straight line east. The Dolomites are beautiful, but the scenery right through is outstanding. I have found the Italians to be good drivers, so don't worry about that.
Have fun.
PS - Snow chains might be worth carrying if you're leaving now....I haven't, but it's worth looking at route requirements.

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MillieMoocher

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We went to the lakes earlier this year, route down staying as follow

Campsite at Troyes

Campsite Les Rives du Lac/L'Epine aux Moines

rue de Fort St. Georges, RD43

10220 Géraudot

France

GPS: N 48°18'9" E 4°20'15"


Tel 33 325412436

This was a lovely site and we wish we’d had more time there as opposed to overnight stop.


Campsite at Geneva


Campsite Sites & Paysages La Colombière

166 chemin Neuf

74160 Neydens

France

GPS: N 46°7'11" E 6°6'19"


Tel 33 450351314

The Geneva campsite is on the French side so you can avoid vignettes for Switzerland. We cycled into Geneva from the site but it was a bit uphill coming back!

From there we went via Mont Blanc tunnel.

Coming back up from Rome we stayed at

Camping International Le Fonti

Via alle Fontane 54

14041 Agliano

Italy

GPS: N 44°47'48" E 8°14'31"


From A21 Torino-Alessandria, exit Asti-Est, dir. Alba. Then exit Turchino, route 456, then right dir. Agliano Terme. Keep right, campsite is clearly signposted. Don't use SatNav.

This was a well located site in a lovely village

Then into France and stayed at

Campsite Ferme de la Croisée

3 route de Auberive

52250 Flagey

France

GPS: N 47°47'43" E 5°13'57"

This site was a bit functional and remote from anything other than the main road, but well located for the night stop.

Then we went to Blankenberge in Belgium as we sailed back from Zebrugge.

We absolutely loved Italy, and plan to return. Although we will spend longer on the trip down and back, it was a bit of a slog from Rome to Zebrugge in 3 days.

To whet your appetite I put a photo montage video in the showcase section of the site.
 
Mar 23, 2012
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Went to lido de jesolo and venice then down to Rimini this summer , went down though Germany and Austria , despite many reports of maniac Italian drivers we didn't find it any different than other European country's and we used park4night app to find sites and aires with no problem, btw we then traveled across the north into France .
Looking at going there next year did you use a site in Lido de Jeslo and was it easy getting into Venice ?water taxi (with a dog!). Any advice welcome


David
 
Feb 16, 2013
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Looking at going there next year did you use a site in Lido de Jeslo and was it easy getting into Venice ?water taxi (with a dog!). Any advice welcome


David
Yes we did and yes it is simple, at the camp site or at any tabac or any ticket sales place you get a ticket for the number 5 bus, can't remember how much think it was about twenty euros , anyway this takes you to the ferry boats and your boat fare is included in the same ticket and you can use it all day on any of the boats, NOT Gondolas :)

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Don't go if you don't want to go again and again and again.

You might need to choose your route carefully in April, still loads of snow possible between here and Italy. We'll be heading that way again in May. Peschiera del Garda definitely, where else, we don't know, so many choices.

The only place I am indifferent to is Venice. It's very nice but unless you are heavily into art other places are just as good. Like Florence, which is a must see place. Pisa, quite something but like Venice, old hype making a lot of a modest town.

Rome. Think London, a big capital city. But to stand in the Forum, where Ceasar stood 2000 years ago is quite something. The Colosseum and Circus Maximus are a mind blowing tribute to the genius of Roman architects.

If you magnificent sun and sand - Riccione.

There's just so much, go and enjoy.
If you go to Riccione, don't use the central sosta! That's where we lost our kitchen window on a protruding scaffolding pole. If you do go to the sosta take care, the route in is difficult!!
 
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We stayed in Peschiera del Garda for a couple of weeks this year, a very nice place at the southern end of the lake. We stayed in Camping Butterfly, nice clean site. There is also an Aire within walking distance of the town, but looked very full.
As for the roads, some of the roads in Italy are in a poor condition, we avoided all the toll roads, and had no problems with traffic etc, even travelling in August.
We travelled from SW France over the Alpes, and really enjoyed the journey.
Will definatley go back, but not in August!! This was due to school holidays of the grandchildren/family who we met there.
Beautiful place and lots to explore around the lake using the ferry boats, and a 10 min walk to the train station for Verona and Venice.

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Mr B

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We stopped at Camping Vela Blu on Lido de Jesolo. Very good, but book in advance..
Also, stopped at a nice site on the way down at Brescia, €10 a night, water, waste and leccy, very secure and a pizza restaurant next door :)
Don’t wear nice footware when/if you go to Venice. It floods
09C005DB-CBC1-4AE7-85B8-403377D344E5.jpeg
 

Mr B

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Bit of both I think.
It was mid September, we had one day of torrential rain whilst there.

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Mar 23, 2012
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Any recommendations for campsites that are nice but a bit less family oriented with easy acess to Venice?
 
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We stayed at Venezia Camping Village, Mestre (it’s an ACSI site). You can get a bus for a short ride from just outside the site to Venice (bus tickets available at campsite reception)

Cheers

Trevor

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Mar 23, 2012
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Looked at the website says pets not allowed so not for us but thanks for the suggestion.
 

DBK

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Hi,
We're hoping to make our first trip to tour Italy (lakes /Tuscany/ Puglia) in our 7m Swift Bolero next April. We would be interested to hear how other forum members
Who have driven through Italy found the roads and camping, and whether they can offer any advice to us novices!
Thanks Graeme.
We were beginners to Italy and after two trips still consider ourselves beginners. :) There is just so much to see there.

This was the first trip. Don't be put off by the map, we never got to Croatia.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/three-go-adventuring-again.130193/

Then this year we went back.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/two-go-to-sicily.159019/

We have so far missed all the obvious places like Venice, Florence and Rome. We may have to go back. :)
 
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We have cycled extensively throughout Italy and Motorhomed around the lakes and through Sicily.

We love Italy and would recommend you visit Lucca ( no cars in city, but car parks outside) Sienna, Montogreggorio, and Florence in Tuscany, Venice , Rimini, San Marino and Riccione on the East Coast and the drive from Ricionne to Umbria is beautiful and Umbria has the oldest University in Italy.

But honestly the countryside is just fantastic and we tended to spend our time cycling through the quiet lanes.

Go enjoy, you will not be disappointed!!!!

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