Italian Lakes - which tunnel??
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We made a bad mistake - we went to Lake Garda in August, but quickly decided that a campsite with 1200 pitches probably means 4800 people. So we fled and carried on south to discover Cortona, Citta di Castello and some of the hill villages in Umbria. Small is beautiful.
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Eurotraveller. Don't spill the beans about Cortona and the villages nearby Everyone will want to go 'Under the Tuscan Sun'
Tammygirl. The German 2 week holiday is 8 weeks after Easter so late June. Avoid Garda at all costs it will be packed!0 -
What can I say but wow! many thanks to all for your comments and very helpful information. So much to digest and research now
Many thanks to A&J your post was very informative, as we are thinking of getting to the lakes around the 10th May we might just change plans an try Garda
before the Germans arrive 
DK many thanks for putting the links on to your blog about the sites I will have a good read of those later today.
By the time of the 'German' holiday we should be back in France. We will have 47 days between ferries, we tend to do first and last days as the longest drives. That will give us 45 days to spend on sites for multiple nights, just need to make sure we don't attempt to many stops and end up missing time to enjoy the experience.
A&J I looked up the cycle ride you mentioned they are building, if it every gets finished it will be a great ride to do.
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Just a couple of follow up comments.
Good to know that Garda has extensive cycle tracks. The middle and Southern parts have flatter terrain and are more accessible. As with all the lakes, ferries are a great way to get around although timetables have been progressively cut back over the years so you need to plan carefully. We always stayed at Camping Fontanella, Moniga del Garda, which we enjoyed.
Maggiore is a beautiful lake but clearly not so good for cycling. Lake Orta is beautiful and close to Maggiore but I am not sure that you could cycle there. Can’t comment on Como as we have never been. It is more inaccessible than some of the other lakes.
The Simplon pass is an interesting and attractive route back from Maggiore, the motorway goes through Stresa and Bavena. It is greatly improved, rather quiet, and not too difficult for towing. On the Italian side there is an initial very steep part but then just a progressive climb. Road surfaces greatly improved. I have a photo of our car and caravan in June in the very large car park at the top of the pass. There are no other vehicles to be seen.
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Apologies for going slightly off thread but we are thinking of visiting the Lago Trasimeno area in 2020 so site/visit recommendations very welcome.
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We stayed here a few years ago, right on the Lake with easy access around the Lake by car. http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/camping_la_spiaggia.html
David
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Camping Trasimeno sounds good too, but I don't suppose the choice of campsite really matters, does it?
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Hi Euror, just looking to avoid any disasters! Appreciate that what you like may not suit me but I tend to give at least the same value to a lack of very negative comments as I do to the number of positive ones but it can be difficult to find many reviews for some sites.
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Hello Allan, Not many reviews? Google is giving me hundreds for the three sites so far mentioned around Lake Trasimeno. They all sound good to me.
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Hi euror, at the time I was posting I was looking at a possible site in Spain so was talking in general terms not specifically about Trasimeno so my apologies for not being clearer.
When I was looking yesterday I did find that quite a proportion of reviews on some sites are from users of site accommodation and not not users of pitches and facilities.
Do you start with a Google, or other search engine, search or do you have preferred sources?
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Hi AD, been looking at Kursal and it is certainly a great location. Using Google maps been able to see around the site and our MH buddies may have problems with their 8m Autotrail but see that the site next door, La Spiaggia, appears to have possibly easier access around the site so that is an option as well.
Have been looking at Badiaccia nearby which appears to be more spacious but Kursal does appear to be characterful with its size, location and the hotel.
Thanks.
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Morning Allan,
I just type Camping+ name of place and see what comes up.
I always look at the date of reviews - what's heaven in May can be hell in August.
My general rule of thumb is that there is "Good" and "Good enough" and if the former is 20 miles away and the latter is on the spot then the latter will usually do.
Glorious morning here, isn't it, I'm going out to rake leaves in the orchard. Have a good day.
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Have stayed at Badiaccia a couple of times. Access to some of the pitches is very tight but if you can get one of the larger ones (well larger by Italian standards) they are fine, try for pitch 10! It is on the lake has a reasonable bar/restaurant and is handy for visiting the many lovely hill top villages in the area. Go out of season and you should be ok.
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Hi euror, I have found that the reviews are often from some time ago but, as you say, read one this morning of Badiaccia which was negative but due to the site being extremely busy...........in August!
I came up with about half a dozen review sites, including ANWB for Badaccia this morning and links within sites often allow comparisons with other sites in the area so plenty to get stuck into. Also remebered that I still have a working link ot the Eurocampings list linked to Archies so thats another source.
Yes it is , another, lovely day and its leaf duty for me too but its a brush in the 'yard', I have tried to get my wife to refer to the 'summer terrace' or 'hidden garden' or even patio but she wont listen!
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Hi, thanks for that. Looking at June so should not be too bad.Have been turned away from a site on Garda in May on more than one occasion but that was due to the German holiday period so fingers crossed.
Know what you mean about Italian pitches-I never knew I needed a motor mover till I visited Italy.In France this year our pitch was at least double the size of most Italian ones we have used.
We could always get onto a pitch in a fashion but it was the 'enthusiasm' of the fellow campers who appeared to give a hand that was worrying-one year even unhitching the van whilst I was getting out of the car!
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When planning we don’t avoid the German holidays as such but time our arrival at places, such as Garda/Maggiore etc, that are likely to be busy for either before or after they take place.
Last time we did this we stayed on in Austria till the end of their holiday and then travelled down to Garda on the Saturday. We did expect it be be busy but as we headed down from the Reschen Pass it was nose to tail German reg vehicles for mile after mile.
Dont rule out non ACSI but that is our first option when available and there are six at Trasimeno so quite a choice.
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I cannot think of anywhere I would rather be in the world than Cannobio, Lake Maggiore. We have been going there almost every year for about 15 years.
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TG
Have you done a Google search for campsites where you want to be? Italian campsites are not renown for being inexpensive which might mean some are reluctant to use the likes of ACSI so there may be others that are worth looking at but are more than the ACSi price ranges?
David
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I've been looking at sites both in and not in Acsi, some in the C&MC Venture Abroad book and some from other websites, you are not kidding when you say they are expensive, even at the time of year we are going most sites are coming in at double what we would pay in France.
Its been a long time since we visited Italy and at this rate it will be even longer,
what with tolls for tunnels, tolls for roads, vignettes just to pass through a country and to be told that cycling isn't something that you can do round the lakes, small pitches, fuel prices that can go up while you are filling up, makes me think I might just not bother. I believe the taxes in Austria and Switzerland are also very expensive.
Maybe we have become spoilt with France and Spain. Will have to give this some more thought.
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Thanks ET, not sure it does to be honest but thanks for posting it.
Most of those sites are on the main Acsi website, as I posted above they are not cheap. While money is not an issue I do not see the point in paying UK site prices abroad, when there is so much to see and do in the likes of France/Spain without the eye watering prices.
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Plan B, Tammy? Drop the idea of visiting the overcrowded, overpriced Lakes area and go and see the real Italy instead.
There are lots of alternative campsites in the usual €17 ACSI price range. How about Campeggio Il Collaccio down in Umbria, and have a look at the Sibillini National Park there.
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