Calais to Venice best route and camping Capalonga
Good morning folks. I am coming cap in hand again for your ideas and points Of view.
I posted a comment a few days ago regarding south of France sites and had some great responses (thanks to all who responded ).
One of the comments recommended Italy and in particular camping Capalonga.
Initially it looked too busy but I realised its more for the kids (age 3 and 8) and the reviews look excellent.
Can I have your thoughts please on this campsite and in particular where are the quietest or best pitches. Also it's a fair old drive down and wondered if it's doable in a couple of days ( eg leaving Calais Monday and getting to the site Wednesday with
2 stop offs en route)
I believe one of the routes takes you into Switzerland and Austria and wondered if there are any pitfalls re border control, fees etc.
Thank you very much for any of your thoughts
Sean
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charsean we did this trip last June travelling via East France Switzerland and Northern Italy. We travelled in a loose convoy with six other caravans averaging about 250 miles a day taking about six days. The route is dependant on when you travel as about
this time both the Germans and Austrians have half term and Northern Italy especially the Lakes was rammed! Things to think about include two Swiss motorway tickets (one for the caravan) and which crossing to take into Italy as all can suffer from delays due
to weight of traffic or even in June, weather Travelling down through to the South of France and then along the top of Italy is very expensive in terms of tolls but quite pleasant. It is worth searching half term holiday dates as this may influence your route.0 -
Yes the coast road to Italy is expensive in tolls and there really is no alternative unless you head inland a bit and enter Italy near either Briancon/Turin or Menton/Cuneo but the extra fuel and time will probably negate the toll saving. A lot of us go
Calais - Belgium - Germany - Austria - Brenner into Italy. Only start picking up tolls in Austria. From West Glamorgan you may find it easier to use one of the western channel crossings. Two days is not really feasible, we take at least 3 nights from Sussex/arriving
on the fourth day. Day 1 Crossing and 2 - 4 hours into France/Belgium. Day 2 Mid Germany. Day 3 Austria. Day 4 arrive. When kids where young we needed a 3 week holiday to justify going to Italy.0 -
When our children were young (similar ages to yours) we used to travel from Cheshire to Capalonga with 1 overnight (in Germany) but that was without a caravan on the back (and I was a lot younger then!). From Calais to Capalonga with two overnights is certainly
achievable with two overnight stops with a caravan. Calais to Metz, Saarbrucken, Stuttgart, Ulm, Fern Pass, Brenner Pass then either Cortina (our preference) or motorway to Verona then the A4 to Latisana (via Venice).Capalonga is a large site and its best to reserve a pitch for August. It will be very warm on the beach pitches and air con is essential. However there are lots of shaded pitches too. Our preference is for the lagoon pitches that are cooler and very picturesque.
Its a wonderful site for children and adults (not quite so much going on for teenagers). We spend 4 months of the year there and have done so for many years. Let me know if you need more info.0 -
Were thinking now of making an adventure of it and taking 4 days from calais to get down there. We're thinking of going through Switzerland to take in some scenery but the only thing that may put me off is long windy roads. Is that the case or are there
long Motorway type roads I can use. Also any ideas for stopover sites.Dave Nicholson-I'm glad I've found someone who's accessible that's been to Capalonga. I don't have air con so wondered what pitch numbers from the map you'd recommend. I'd like something fairly private (hedges in between) but most Importantly shade. Any
other tips would be greatly appreciated. Eg best way to get to Venice (car, bus or boat) and what's the potential for cycling with the family in the area.Kind regards to you all
Sean
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Deleted User User. Thank you for your post. The reviews of this site are excellent and the kids have had a look and love the fact it's on a beach and has lovely pools and slides etc. We can't book it until August this year but we'll sure check other sites out
on the mean time. Thank you all for your contributionsSean
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Sean
Most of the area 600 pitches are large and have shade. Area 600 is also ideally placed for the pools and the beach. Capalonga is perfect for cycling with safe, level cycling routes to the adjacent village (about 5 minutes) or the main town, Bibione, about 20 minutes by bike. There are dedicated cycle routes that will take you further afield and cycle ferries that will take you over the lagoon canals.
As Deleted User User says there are lots of sites on the coast nearer to Venice but Lido Jesolo is too much like Blackpool for us and the sites in Punta Sabione are less family friendly. You can visit Venice via a number of routes from Capalonga: A boat will take you on a day trip from the jetty next to the campsite, alternatively you could get the bus or take a train from Latisana (20 mins away by car) The train will take you directly to the Grand Canal in the centre of Venice. Regarding the route to Bibione: Our preference is to avoid Switzerland and drive through southern Germany and Austria, The scenery is just as spectacular. There are very few narrow roads on the route, mainly motorways or dual carriageways.
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Hi If you go here and click on European Routes you will find the first would take you through Belgium, Germany And Austria to Venice the furthest route. The second takes you through same countries to Innsbruck over the Brenner Motorway to Garda and not
far then to Venice. Both routes inc Mostly ACSI CCard Camouing sites. Any questions please ask will be glad to help.DianneT
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Hi If you go here and click on European Routes you will find the first would take you through Belgium, Germany And Austria to Venice the furthest route. The second takes you through same countries to Innsbruck over the Brenner Motorway to Garda and not far then to Venice. Both routes inc Mostly ACSI CCard Camouing sites. Any questions please ask will be glad to help.
DianneT
Where do I click Diane. Thank you
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Sean
You will get some conflicting advice regarding routes to western Austria. Our preference is to go through France to Metz (excellent motorways and very little traffic). The municipal campsite in Metz is good
for an overnight and it’s only a short walk into the city.From Metz we go a variety of ways but the quickest way to the north Adriatic coast is to take the motorway from Metz to Saabrucken. Saarbrucken on the No. 6 towards Kaiserslautern but take the No. 8 then the
No. 10 trough Permasens to Landau.Then the No. 65 south to Karlsruhe, through Karlsruhe and take the No. 5 north for a short distance then east on the No. 8 towards Pforzheim and Stuttgart.
Take the No. 7 south around Ulm towards Kempden and over the Fern Pass to Imst in Austria. There are lots of sites on either side of the Farm Pass (Fussen, Lermoos etc) but our preference is the site in Imst
(Imst West- nothing too special about the site but the hotel restaurant about 20 mins walk away is one of the best in Austria).From Imst we travel to Innsbruck then over the Brenner Pass, leaving the Brenner south of the summit and travel east to Dobbiaco (lots of sites suitable for short or long stays in the Dolomites).
From Dobbiaco we turn south through Cortina ( the roads on either side of Cortina are fine for towing) and pick up the Italian motorway system to Treviso then the A4 towards Trieste, leaving the A4 at Latisana.
Italian motorways are a lot cheaper than French ones (but busier). The A4 between Venice and Trieste used to be solid with lorries but most of it is now three lane and the congestion has eased. You will be able to reserve pitches at Capalonga for August 2017
from May 2016 onwards. Don’t leave it until August 2016 or the best pitches will have been taken. We will be at Capalonga this April, I’ll take some photos of suitable shaded pitches and get them to you some how.0 -
It's a heck of a long way to go to get some sunshine! Venice itself is hell in August but we have stayed on Lake Ossiachsee and done a day trip to Venice. Personally I wouldn't go any further than Garda and the best way is via Calais, Metz, Basle, Lugano
etc. However, if you have your heart set on Venice area then go for it!0 -
As you are a motorhomer, what weight is your van? That affects the Swiss motorway
tax - see here. A lot of caravanner avoid Switzerland when going to Italy as you pay a tax/toll for the car and another for the caravan, but for the motorhome, we always go via Switzerland, toll free to Basle, pay the Swiss toll, then crack on in Italy.Germany/Innsbruck/A22 is not the shortest or best in my opinion for a motorhome. Caravan, maybe to avoid two swiss taxes but then again, its not a lot of money - 40 Swiss Francs for a year. Nothing compared to French tolls.
Russ
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