Traveling to Italy
Hi all,
I'm looking for some advice from anyone who has taken their motorhome to Italy. We have travelled extensively in France but thought that this year we would like to take our motorhome and 2 dogs to Tuscany. Has anyone taken their motorhome to Italy (preferably
with dogs), and what is route would you suggest?
Many thanks
Nick & Sue
Comments
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Nick and Sue
I have moved your post here as this is the better place to get answers to your question. As you can see we are motorhomers, previously caravanners. Not yet taken the motorhome to Italy although its in our plans for this year. We have been to Italy many times
with the caravan so can't see that a motorhome would be any more problematic, infact may be a bit easier. Italy is a lovely country and well worth visiting.David
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Nick and Sue, There is no best way - it depends where you are coming from as well as where you are going to, but I have taken caravans in and out of Italy using the Brenner and Resia passes, the St Gotthard , St Bernard and Mont Blanc tunnels, and the Mont Cenis, Mont Genevre and Maddalena passes - and along the south coast of France too. None were particularly difficult with a caravan, so I can only reassure you that they are all suitable routes for a motorhome.
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You will receive advice on various routes to Italy but our prefered route is Calais, Metz, Ulm, Fern Pass, Brenner Pass, Cortina (because we go to the NE of Italy near to Trieste). I would avoid the Mont Blanc and other tunnels from France into Italy mainly
on cost.You will find the Italian authorities are very relaxed when it comes to overnight parking of motorhomes. There are numerous, excellent Sostas (the same as French motorhome Aires/German Stellplatz) but the Italians tend to park for one or more nights almost
anywhere without incurring the wroth of the locals. The Italian campsites sites are generally very well organised and invariably have a shop and a restaurant. You will find the Italians extremely welcoming and the food and wine excellent.What part of Italy were you thinking of going to?
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Hi again, many thanks for all your posts. As we are taking the channel tunnel we will be leaving from Calais and as we will be travelling with the dogs I was thinking that the easiest way for us would be to make for Lyon and then toward Torino (just looking
at the map). As this is our first time abroad with the dogs I am not sure what documentation we will need when crossing the French/Italian borders and then again on the return, any help you can give would be great (just thought the fewer borders the better).
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As this is our first time abroad with the dogs I am not sure what documentation we will need when crossing the French/Italian borders and then again on the return
Nothing extra needed when crossing EU borders, last year our dog passed through 5 countries. All the precautions you have taken in the UK before leaving is enough for your travels, just the last pill to pop and the passport stamp before re-entering the UK.
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Thank you for the suggested route Dave Nicholson, We are aiming to go into Tuscany fairly near to Florence for our first visit and stop for 2 - 3 weeks before returning to France for a couple of weeks near the Pyrenees before returning via Brittany
(one of our favourite spots) and across to Calais. I'm not sure that I want to do all the border crossings on the route you suggested with the dogs as we are inexperienced travelling with the pet passports.0 -
We are also going to Tuscany this summer, but we are not going 'straight there' or 'straight back'. We are spending some time in the Mosel, Black Forest, Macon, Vaucluse, Cote dAzur/Var, Tuscany, Savoie, Champagne area and then back to Calais - a sort of figure of 8.
When we've been to Tuscany before, we've used the Frejus tunnel - but that is more to to with what we like rather than speed/directness.
David
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Sorry no help, although a caravanner we are heading into Italy with our dog in May, so will follow your thread with interest
We are also heading down in May coming back in July when the school holidays start. Then perhaps back in Sept to France for a late break.
Write your comments here...
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I'm not sure that I want to do all the border crossings on the route you suggested with the dogs as we are inexperienced travelling with the pet passports.
Not a problem. You will only need the pet passport when you get back to Calais. Not before.
The real problem for you might be that your dogs stop you going into the churches, cathedrals, museums, galleries and architectural gems of Tuscany.
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I'm not sure that I want to do all the border crossings on the route you suggested with the dogs as we are inexperienced travelling with the pet passports.
Not a problem. You will only need the pet passport when you get back to Calais. Not before.
The real problem for you might be that your dogs stop you going into the churches, cathedrals, museums, galleries and architectural gems of Tuscany.
Not too much of a problem I'll be taking my oil paints and doing some 'plein air', although I do hope to visit some of the architectural gems.
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A couple of years ago we took our MH (Swift Escape) to Lake Garda vis Grenoble, Briancon, and over the hill to Turin to avoid the tunnels. Beautiful scenery if you have time to look.
Last year we took our new MH (Autotrail Apache 634, 3.1m high !) via Grenoble and Digne an dthen along the Promenade de's Angalis through MonteCarlo, and onto Pisa and Sardinia. Then back via Com and the St Gothard tunnel.
Plenty of places to go for walkies.
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Nick
You seem to be having quite a round about trip if you are going to Italy and then crossing to the other side of France before going home. Have you consider spending all your time in Italy? There is so much to see and with a bit more time you could venture further south to perhaps Lake Trasimeno or Rome. If you did not want to go as far south perhaps take a detour to Venice.
As to route we find the easist is via the Fern and Brenner passes. This takes you down the side of Lake Garda and onward to Florence. There are some nice small lakes near to Bolzano for a stopover. This Blog might be of interest.
David
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One of the reasons for switching from a caravan to a motorhome is that we love Italy but roads can be narrow and pitches too small for a large caravan, sun shade and car.
If you are heading for Tuscany I assume you will be going via Florence in which case you have a choice in going via Austria/Brenner Pass and Verona or through Switzerland then Lugano and Milan but there are other routes e.g. Simplon Pass or via the Med.
to Frejus and Genoa.Having done all of those we tend to favour Switzerland but it really depends where you want to visit on the way because Florence is a long, long distance.
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Nick
You seem to be having quite a round about trip if you are going to Italy and then crossing to the other side of France before going home. Have you consider spending all your time in Italy? There is so much to see and with a bit more time you could venture
further south to perhaps Lake Trasimeno or Rome. If you did not want to go as far south perhaps take a detour to Venice.As to route we find the easist is via the Fern and Brenner passes. This takes you down the side of Lake Garda and onward to Florence. There are some nice small lakes near to Bolzano for a stopover. This
Blog might be of interest.David
We're spending at least a couple of months abroad (May, June and some of July) and are flexible about dates so we will see where the road takes us. We love France and havn't been to the area around the Pyreneese yet. Basically however we tend to move around
as it suits and if all else fails we can always go back come September (don't you just love retirement). I have been to Italy many, many times before, but always flown and always for work, so we'll see how things go as to where we end up.0 -
Not exactly about routing but a couple of points to be aware of. Early in the season many sites are closed (some only open in late June until beginning of September) however a good site guide and perhaps a guide to sosta will keep you right.
Italian driving is "interesting" . Double white lines on bends and speed limits are considered to be there to challenge the manhood of drivers rather than to contribute to road safety. Parking is to say the least chaotic. Overtaking in the face of oncoming
traffic is entirely normal neccessitating evasive action to avoid a head on colision. None of these things should deter you from going to Italy but just be aware that Italians do it differently and adjust your driving to a more defensive mode.0 -
We are also going to Tuscany this summer, but we are not going 'straight there' or 'straight back'. We are spending some time in the Mosel, Black Forest, Macon, Vaucluse, Cote dAzur/Var, Tuscany, Savoie, Champagne area and then back to Calais - a sort of figure of 8.
When we've been to Tuscany before, we've used the Frejus tunnel - but that is more to to with what we like rather than speed/directness.
David
+1. Yes. It's all about what you want to see and do on the way, and pounding across German autobahnen isn't high on my list.
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I have to say that though some Italian driving might be a bit interesting I have never encountered anything like you describe but I have not been further South than Umbria and am told it gets worse the further south you go.
Yes there is definitely a difference between North and South (and the roads tend to get worse as you go south as well). Driving on main roads and autostrada tends to be OK but what I described in commonplace on "back roads" . We have been to Italy
a number of times and love the country. We were right down to the bottom of Umbria last year.I attach a link which is humorous but which has more than a grain of truth.
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In a town on Lake Maggiore I asked a local if it was OK to park. He said .... "this is Italy; park anywhere!".
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In a town on Lake Maggiore I asked a local if it was OK to park. He said .... "this is Italy; park anywhere!".
I have seen enough tow trucks in Italy not to take that advice.
Totally agree David.
When we stayed in Lido de Jesolo some years ago our evening entertainment was watching the tow trucks removing illegally parked cars.
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I have to say that though some Italian driving might be a bit interesting I have never encountered anything like you describe but I have not been further South than Umbria and am told it gets worse the further south you go.
Yes there is definitely a difference between North and South (and the roads tend to get worse as you go south as well). Driving on main roads and autostrada tends to be OK but what I described in commonplace on "back roads" . We have been to Italy
a number of times and love the country. We were right down to the bottom of Umbria last year.I attach a link which is humorous but which has more than a grain of truth.
Not driven in Italy for a number of years. In those days south of Rome leaving the motorways was interesting, the slip roads were filled with people trying to sell flowers, cigs etc. It was a right slalom. Also as soon as you stopped at traffic lights in
the area around Naples, someone started cleaning your windscreen, of course they wanted paying. All part of the culture, but one I hope has changed.0 -
In a town on Lake Maggiore I asked a local if it was OK to park. He said .... "this is Italy; park anywhere!".
I have seen enough tow trucks in Italy not to take that advice.
Totally agree David.
When we stayed in Lido de Jesolo some years ago our evening entertainment was watching the tow trucks removing illegally parked cars.
Yes. I wasn't suggesting this as advice! (Except in rural areas possibly). It demonstrates the difference between what Italians think should happen and what actually does.
You may need to buy the parking disk that you put on the dashboard where you set the dial to show what time you arrived. Not sure whether this is mandatory but we always use it and you see many of them in areas where parking is free for, say, one hour. Good
idea.0 -
Got a friend (!) who lives in Umbria and we drove down to see him a couple of years ago on a brilliant road trip in 2 seater open top car. One of his favourite sayings when driving in Italy is "Show no fear" and although you have to be careful and respect
other road users you can see how sometimes it can be useful!Sounds like you're planning a wonderful trip. Good luck.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q6aLxxsoqU
