Italy (1 Viewer)

[critch]

Just back from Italy, thanks to member's tips had an uneventful trip apart from ending up in a very narrow street in Florence 100 metres away from the Cathedral. Roads will be great when they get down to finishing them, driving on the free motorways a bit like slaloming to dodge potholes,ordinary roads terrible. Weather and people, and sites great. Has anyone stayed at Zaragosa, as the site there gets a bit of a bashing from the usual reviewers, but we would like to visit the city, also any nice spots in Basque country, Aragon, and Catalonia would be a help.Hope the Summer is going well for you all.

 

[Abacist]

We went into Italy via Brenner old road and went to Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Maggiore. Non motorway roads are terrible, worst than Belgium. They say they are better in the north so they must be diabolical in the south! We gave up and used the motorways. Whilst we liked Italy the fuel is very dear at about 1.45 euros per litre compared to France at about 1.15 euros per litre. Campsites are dear - we paid 45 euros for a night by Lake Maggiore which I should have researched better but a nice one by Lake Iseo was 30 euros for a night. We found one new good MoHo stellplatz type camper stop at the bottom of Lake Garda. Popular places are not MoHo friendly with height barriers on most car parks. Lovely scenery, food, ice cream etc but prefer the south of France.

 

[DBK]

There are lots of really interesting places just in Aragon. Buy the DK guide to Spain and have a look!

We came across the Monesterio de Piedra by reading it. The amazing walk through the park there is worth the drive.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[EnGog]

We stayed at Zaragoza a couple of years ago and found it OK. The city is very interesting.

 

[Judge Mental]

@critch what site did you stay at on lake Iseo as we have booked Covelo there this summer but have not seen any reviews..

You can keep France and its awful expensive food. Italy everytime for us. And a big plus the people are wonderful!

 

[brynric]

I'm always a bit wary of writing (and reading) reviews because my likes/dislikes/interests may not match, kids grown up and sites vary so much as to times of year etc.

That said....

Critch: we stayed at Zaragosa on our way south a couple of years ago. It was in January and this was the first time it had stopped raining for three days. The sun came out and made everything look much better. There was fairly easy access to the site, the surrounding area being full of new development where we found a bank etc. Facilities on site were pretty good but with very small showers. It was quiet when we were there, not much open, lots of chalet accommodation and one or two vans looking as if they stayed long term. I seem to remember they spoke English and security was fine. We didn't visit the city. I'd be quite happy to stay there again.

Judgemental: We stayed at Camping Covelo in September 2013, It was one of the best sites we've stayed on. (See above disclaimer). The site is family run, brother and sister run the camping, Mum & dad run the restaurant. We were greeted with a handshake and an invitation to the bar whilst they sorted pitches, (we hadn't booked) If we were prepared to wait we could have a lake side pitch as they knew one was free later in the day. We waited and were rewarded with wonderful sunsets and a great setting. We had a good meal on site, facilities were immaculate with on-going cleaning and a very friendly atmosphere. The cycling into the town was straight forward and there's the promise of a little more adventurous biking further afield. (I've been interested in your comments on ebikes btw.) We were there late in the season when there were very few children, lots of Germans, pleasant weather and on of the most relaxing experiences I've ever had on a campsite. We'd go out of our way to go back.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[critch]

We went into Italy via Brenner old road and went to Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Maggiore. Non motorway roads are terrible, worst than Belgium. They say they are better in the north so they must be diabolical in the south! We gave up and used the motorways. Whilst we liked Italy the fuel is very dear at about 1.45 euros per litre compared to France at about 1.15 euros per litre. Campsites are dear - we paid 45 euros for a night by Lake Maggiore which I should have researched better but a nice one by Lake Iseo was 30 euros for a night. We found one new good MoHo stellplatz type camper stop at the bottom of Lake Garda. Popular places are not MoHo friendly with height barriers on most car parks. Lovely scenery, food, ice cream etc but prefer the south of France.

 

[critch]

Thanks for all the replies, and suggestions, to Judgemental it was Brynric who stayed at Lake Iseo,not us. Glad to hear about Zaragoza as it is one of the places we wish to visit, have only just started to read the DK book on Spain so advise on interesting places very useful. Tried the Spanish tourist office for info but they are worse than useless. We enjoyed Lake Maggiore , found the site outside Asissi quite good especially as they will take you into the city and back for a small fee. Arrezzo we enjoyed and found a site 300 yds from the bus which takes you into the city centre

 

[Robert Clark]

We love France AND Italy
We've had expensive food in both, and great inexpensive meals in both too
I find the roads in France better than those in Italy
Wherever we've travelled in the world we've found people to be welcoming

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[cruiser]

my wife has been to Italy yet. so will put some of those in my little black book. so thanks to @critch and @brynric .

 

[Kool Kroozer]

We are off to Italy this year to visit the Lakes and stay on some sites but as of yet i have not found a site that suits us, they all seem to be overcrowded and parked on top of one another, a bit like a overcrowded Butlins, thats not a holiday to me, more like a holiday from hell, give me peace an quite over crowded any day, isn't that what a holiday is meant to be ? get away from all that ? Going to Italy is not my choice but its Mrs Ts Birthday an thats what she wants

 

[Judge Mental]

the lakes are among the most expensive real estate in Italy..you want large pitches go to rural France where land costs nothing..... want peace and quiet visit out of season. but even in high summer its no way as busy as on the coast and why we go every year.

Fornella has massive super pitches but you pay for them. the standard fully serviced ones are OK but more crowded. have visited Italy for over 25 years and never had a bad experience yet

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kool Kroozer]

Not interested in the cost of land/real estate or large pitches, just want to find somewhere that doesn't resembles Butlins

 

[Abacist]

We stayed at
Camping Iseo
Via Antonioli Ippolito, 57
25049 Iseo BS
Italy

This was a small quiet family campsite right on the lake edge run by a brother and sister in a beautiful wooded and shady garden. The shower, washing and toilet facilities were spotless. The lakeshore offers swimming and the lakeside pitches are set back so that everyone can take their chairs down and enjoy the lakeside. There is a small cafe/bar. We cycled into Iseo and had a meal out and the town was also lovely, scenic and interesting. I would happily go back tomorrow - my kind of campsite, town, views and lake. I will post some pics of the site and from the front of the site out over the lake.

 

[Judge Mental]

Not interested in the cost of land/real estate or large pitches, just want to find somewhere that doesn't resembles Butlins

stay away from Bella Italia and you will be fine...have never experiended the kind of site you describe in Italy..that's why we go every year..monster sites are not in the Italian DNA except maybe on the coast

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abacist]

 

[Abacist]

 

[Abacist]

Some who like the Italian lakes might also appreciate knowing about an air that opened in April 2015 at the bottom of Lake Garda at
Via Milano, 34
37019 Peschiera del Garda Verona, Italy
45.440110, 10.684789

The site can be seen clear as a bell on Google Earth.

Again this is a great new facility with showers and washing cubicles at extra cost.

We walked down to the town centre and had a very pleasant evening in a lovely town right by the lakeside.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[missmollie]

We would like to go to italy around the lakes but, we have 2 dogs and the sites don't seem very dog friendly ( try and tell a hot Bearded Collie that she can't go in the water). We tend to stay in France and Spain near lakes and rivers, has anyone got any advice on dog friendly sites around the Italien lakes?

 

[Judge Mental]

Some who like the Italian lakes might also appreciate knowing about an air that opened in April 2015 at the bottom of Lake Garda at
Via Milano, 34
37019 Peschiera del Garda Verona, Italy
45.440110, 10.684789

The site can be seen clear as a bell on Google Earth.

Again this is a great new facility with showers and washing cubicles at extra cost.

We walked down to the town centre and had a very pleasant evening in a lovely town right by the lakeside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How much plse...

 

[Gaston aires]

We went into Italy via Brenner old road and went to Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Maggiore. Non motorway roads are terrible, worst than Belgium. They say they are better in the north so they must be diabolical in the south! We gave up and used the motorways. Whilst we liked Italy the fuel is very dear at about 1.45 euros per litre compared to France at about 1.15 euros per litre. Campsites are dear - we paid 45 euros for a night by Lake Maggiore which I should have researched better but a nice one by Lake Iseo was 30 euros for a night. We found one new good MoHo stellplatz type camper stop at the bottom of Lake Garda. Popular places are not MoHo friendly with height barriers on most car parks. Lovely scenery, food, ice cream etc but prefer the south of France.

When we camped on the same lakes as you last September we used ACSI and never paid more than 16 €. Worth its weight in gold.
Phil

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abacist]

When we camped on the same lakes as you last September we used ACSI and never paid more than 16 €. Worth its weight in gold.
Phil

We were on the cusp of high season and neither site were ACSI and as I said I should have taken more care over the Lake Maggiore site. Had no real quibble over the Iseo site which was €30 all in.

 

[Abacist]

The Lake Garda new Stellplatz at Peschiera caters for MoHo parking as well as operating a 24 hour overnight rate so I remember the overnight 24 hour rate was €15 but don't remember the parking. The charge included electricity, water, toilet and grey dump but showers and washbasins were extra per cubicle on a slot machine basis and I wasn't interested in those. You get a ticket on entry and when you leave you put the ticket into a machine and pay by credit card and then have 10 minutes to leave using your coded paid ticket. We were there on 25th June 2015.