Caravanning into Italy
Thinking of towing my caravan down through France and into Italy to visit Pompeii etc. next May, any advice tips etc.? All the photos show campers. Has anybody undertaken this trip with a caravan?
Comments
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Jean and Neil
We have caravanned in Italy many times although we have since changed to a motorhome. With a bit of planning nothing difficult to worry you. We have only been as far south as Rome in the caravan and our last trip is recorded
here which might give you a few pointers. This is a
campsite used by the Kontiki Kid at Pompeii if it helps, you could also stay in Sorrento and catch the train which is not far from the ruins.David
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I'm off to Italy a week today towing the caravan but will be travelling alone. Going via tunnel and routing through Switzerland as I'm only going to just south of Milan to (Pavia). My return will be through Germany as I will catch the ferry at Hook of
Holland. We came across some Italian caravans whilst in Austria and the Czech Republic last month.0 -
To know anything about Italy Russell, who practically lives there, is the man to ask. This is his website
http://www.motorhomevoyager.co.uk/
I know he is a motorhomer but I am sure he will answer any questions caravan related
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To know anything about Italy Russell, who practically lives there, is the man to ask. This is his website
http://www.motorhomevoyager.co.uk/
I know he is a motorhomer but I am sure he will answer any questions caravan related
Just for information Russell is ls also known at the Kontiki Kid and it was his site report that I linked to above for Pompeii.
David
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Hi
Took my van last year down through France, up and through Monte Blanc and then only Lake Garda. It was an awesome epic adventure and Im looking to do it again soon. So many various routes to choose from but mine was;
Dover - Calais Ferry
A26 down towards Reims/Troyes
A5/A31 to Djion
Couple of nights stop at our favourite site - http://www.camping-castels.co.uk/camping-chateau-de-l-eperviere-id253-id_camping336.html
After a couple of nights of chilling/drinking the amazing wine produced on the site we set off skimming Geneve towards Monte Blanc Tunnel into Italy, taking the van through is easy but expect a little bit of a queue and then a million tunnels as you drive
along one of the most stunning motorways in Europe towards Milan. Milan Motorway is like the M25 on a friday night, bit of a wake up call after the amazing countryside before/after it and a little bumpy.We had two kids in the car, and they are good on long journeys and have asked when we aer doing it again :-)
Via Michelin route planner is invaluable as you can tick caravan for the route and choose tolls (get a tag, so much quicker in France).
Hope that helps - enjoy the ride!!!!
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We visited Italy many times with the caravan but never further than Cinque Terra. Personally I found that West coast a bit of a nightmare - small pitches, busy roads etc. but many do it. Just don't try to caravan down the Amalfi coast!
Easiest way to visit Pompei is to pick up the railway line that runs Sorrento to Naples.
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Another route into Italy from France is via the Frejus tunnel. This will bring you down to Turin where having negotiated the 'Tangenziale' ( ring road) you can spear off to all parts via the Autostradale.
We posted a story about our route
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Thinking of towing my caravan down through France and into Italy to visit Pompeii etc. next May, any advice tips etc.? All the photos show campers. Has anybody undertaken this trip with a caravan?
Write your comments here...We have been to Italy a few times with our large twin axle caravan as well as slightly smaller van from 2004 to 2008 travelling as far as Puglia on the heel of Italy. To be honest we find the best way to travel to Italy is through Belgium from Calais, down through Germany just into Austria to visit Innsbruck and then to Lake Garda and then down to other parts of Italy where we have been to Pompeii, Rome, Venice and the Trulli House Area of Alberobello. Only small Toll is through Austria and over the Brenner Motorway.. We then have returned from Venice up to Karten area of Southern Austria up to Salzburg and back into Germany home. my routes are here they include recommended, mostly ACSI Camping Card Sites, en route especially for Car + Caravan.
If you would like any more info just ask I will be pleased to help. I have just completed a Route and Map with Campsites for Round Trip to Garda and back through Austria and Germany I can send a copy by email if you would like.
DianneT.. . .
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There is no doubt that the quickest and simplest way to get to Italy from Calais (almost any part including Lakes, East and West coasts) is Reims, Metz, Strasbourg, Basel, Lugano, Milan; however, you will pay Autoroute tolls and vignette(s) for Switzerland
plus Autostrada tolls. If you go Belgium, Austria etc. the tolls will be a lot less. Mont Blanc or Frejus also involves tolls. It really depends which parts of Europe you want to see on the way but if cost is an issue then check the route on ViaMichelin which
will give you mileage and costs.0 -
We found Herculeaneum to be much more interesting than Pompeii, and with a lot fewer people. We travelled down the east coast as far as Alborobello, then across to the Amalfi coast (didn't like Sorrento much, too big, but Positano was great), then up the
west coast via Rome, Sienna, Rapallo for Portofino, back across to Venice then up through Austria to the Gross Glockner pass and then home. Great trip, we were away for 10 weeks and did 5700 miles in total! Magic!0 -
Diane
We are starting to look at a trip to lake garda next year. Having travelled France for nearly 40 years we fancy a change and next year we are considering September, so crowds should be gone ( I hope), and it may be good to be furrther south.
Can I take up your offer of emailing the route to Lake Garda and back .Looking forward to Germany and would like to visit Innsbruck, My email address is dunton10@aol.com
Thanks
Steve
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Wonder why jeanandneil have not been back to us on this, not posted since their initial post.
DianneT
This happens far too often,
Write your comments here...
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This summer we went into Italy from Provence and came back via the Frejus tunnel. Whichever route you choose, it will depend on if you wish to visit anywhere else on the way, or way back. Our holiday is
HERE - but I haven't added all the photos yet.David
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Diane
We are starting to look at a trip to lake garda next year. Having travelled France for nearly 40 years we fancy a change and next year we are considering September, so crowds should be gone ( I hope), and it may be good to be furrther south.
Can I take up your offer of emailing the route to Lake Garda and back .Looking forward to Germany and would like to visit Innsbruck, My email address is dunton10@aol.com
Thanks
Steve
Write your comments here...Steve sorry did not get on here last evening will email you the route this evening.
DianneT
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We went to Italy in June towing, no problems, as many will say some sites can be very tight in the busy areas, we went via Mont Blanc Tunnel down to Genoa then south but tunnel and autostrada tolls are expensive down to the Cinq Terre region after that
much more reasonable. Returned via the Brenner Pass and Germany much cheaper.0 -
I always go from Calais as far as the Swiss border at Basel via Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Nancy and Colmar. No tolls at all, and yet 400 of the 450 miles are motorway.
The cost of the Swiss vignette to go on from there into Italy is good for a return journey, but the cost of the French tunnels (Mont Blanc or Frejus) are one way prices.) But crawling across the Germany route in an endless line of lorries at the limited speed limit on the autobahn just doesn't appeal.
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I always go from Calais as far as the Swiss border at Basel via Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Nancy and Colmar. No tolls at all, and yet 400 of the 450 miles are motorway.
The cost of the Swiss vignette to go on from there into Italy is good for a return journey, but the cost of the French tunnels (Mont Blanc or Frejus) are one way prices.) But crawling across the Germany route in an endless line of lorries at the limited
speed limit on the autobahn just doesn't appeal.Over the years going to Italy,farthest being to Cecina in Tuscany but mainy to Garda, we have used a variety of ports and routes. Our favoured port is Plymouth and our most used route is via Switzerland.
The comment re the vignette cost was certainly true for us and having tried both the Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels stuck with Switzerland for quite a few years. Last year though we were with friends who have a motorhome that is over 3500kg meaning that the
vignette was not an option in either Switzerland or Austria.After posting on CT we decided on a route across Germany and then via the Fern and Reisa passes into Italy. We also found that in Austria tunnels are part of the toll network so could have come unstuck as the route we took would normally be via the Landecker
tunnel ans not the town of Landeck but doing this gives a toll free route from Hook of Holland into Italy which we really enjoyed and,whilst we did see some big hold ups on the opposite carraigeway, we had a very good journey through Germany as well and if
heading further down into Italy would use this route again.0 -
I am a bit confused by eurotravellers comment, I thought all EU countries have speed limits? I have towed into Austria and Italy on 3 ocassions via Germany passing briefly through France/Belgium/Luxembourg and can't say I noticed much difference in the volume
of HGV's.0 -
Allan and Jean, you are right - a Swiss vignette is not an option for a motorhome over 3500kg. , but strange as it seems, it can actually be cheaper for a large motorhome like that to transit Switzerland than it is for a smaller one under 3500kg. The smaller one needs to pay 40 CHF for a full year's vignette, but the larger motorhome can get a short term permit from 25 CHF upwards, and for ten days, which need not be consecutive, costimg 32.5 CHF.
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I support what Eurotraveller says about the cost of transiting Switzerland in a 3500kg+ MH. We have just travelled from the Black Forest to Lake Lugano and with the help of the website set up by Russell Whiteley (aka The Kontiki Kid), we downloaded a copy of the application form in advance and paid 32.50CHF (about £25) for a 10 day pass. It took all of 10 minutes at the border and was a very easy process.
As it happens, we didn't stay in Switzerland as we had planned due to heavy rain and travelled directly to Italy using the St. Gottard tunnel, which is TOLL FREE.
So, it cost us the equivalent of £25 to travel through the Swiss motorway system and over the alps to Italy - great value. And we still have 9 days of the toll pass left to use before the end of September 2017, so even better value if we use it for another trip next year.
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Slow response due to going to NEC but big thanks to ET and JimE. Just the sort of info that makes using CT worthwhile!
Will have a look at Russels website as a cost effective way to visit Switzerland would make visiting Como easier.
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although the 'pointer' should still be there.
old but did you ever make the trip? I'm thinking of visiting the lakes in North Italy so wont be going as far south as you but would be interested to know if you have any tips. Cheers