Touring Italy

A few "Randon" tips.

Don't know how far south you are you are going but Italian driving partrticlarly in the south is not the best in Europe so be prepared for the unexpected and drive defensively. For example on single carriageways Italians
will overtake in the face of closely approaching opposing traffic. The overtaken vehicle and the approaching vehicle squeeze onto the verge on each side to make a space. It you are in old towns watch out for narrow sreets and “zona a
traffico limitato” (ZTL) or restricted traffic zones. These may be policed by CCTV and entering will result in a fine.

Fuel is relatively expensive and Italian filling stations can be quirky. They will often have two prices a self service price and an attendant price. if you get in the wrong lane and use the attendant it will cost about 10cents more per litre. Italy
has aires called Aree de Sosta in many towns and villages. Sometime free. You may want to invest in a guide to Sosta from Vicarious Books it will pay for itself in   a few nights. Definitely worth getting an ACSI card. It gives site discounts. It will easily
save its costs. Consider getting off the beten track a bit, for example Umbria is beautiful and unspoiled.

Some sites in Italy only open late in the season. In May and June you may find that some sites are closed or not fully open e.g. swimming pool or restaurant not open etc. Probably worth getting a Camping Card International. The Camping Card issued
with Red Penant is great (compulsory) for Scandanavia but not accepted in Italy. You wll be asked to leave your passport at sites so make a few photocopies. If the site is busy they wont give you it back immediately. 

Italy is a great country to tour in especially if you have the confidence to get into lesser known towns and villages. There is a massive amount of art and architecture to enjoy and the food and wine are great again especially in out of the way places. 

I could say much more but part of the pleasure will be discovering and enjoying the eccentricities of Italy for yourselves. Havea  great trip.

Enjoy Lutz

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it as I've only ever been to Tuscany before and even that was 16 years ago.

spent 4 weeks there in 2015 May /June

Found the south to be very dirty litter and graftti every where.

dont attempt to drive the Amalfie coast in a motor home we were turned back by the police  at Positano its not allowed , we did it by local bus from Sorrento. For a visit to Pompi camping Zeus is right out side the enterance ACSI rate 16 euro.

For Rome there are many ACSI sites we used camping Porticciolo at Bracciano. they sell tickets for the short bus ride to the railway station and the train to Rome 1 euro for the bus and 8 euro return on the train which includes use of public transport Metro
/Buses in Rome. Took an hour on the train as it stops at every stop. All very easy. Vatican is best visted during the week as the queue can take a couple of hours at the W/E best 15 euro i have ever spent to visit a place of interest. Enjoy your trip.

Beware pitch sizes can be remarkably small with small access roads especially around the lakes. Also beware speeding, Italian Police love their speed guns and a red circle on a batten used by another officer to stop offenders.I find speed limits in Italy
a bit odd seemed to be restricted in middle of nowhere at times.  Top up with fuel prior entering Italy don`t buy on Brenner Pass - even more expensive.Sienna and Perugia well worth a visit. If you should use a train in Italy check out the validation requirements
its not the same as France where you only validate on the initial boarding, if I remember correctly you validate on exit as well met a UK couple who found out the expensive way via a fine. Venice is worth the effort! We are going back in June via Mont Blanc
Tunnel, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, San Marino, Venice, Innsbruck, Frieburg and home.

Write your comments here...Regarding speed traps watch out for cars with a carbinieri hat sign placed on the road or for appraching drivers flashing their headlights. it is often not easy to work out where speed limits end and dont rely on locals to set
an example as they almost always disregard speed limits.

Hi, We have been visiting Italy for a few years now,the first time with Eurocamp in a tent, and would agree with the


sentiment that it is a great place for a holiday.

We have stayed just south of Pisa once but tend to visit one of the lakes and have camped at Maggiore, Como and Garda.

At Maggiore we stayed at Camping Valle Romantica at Cannobio which we first stayed at with Eurocamp,and it is a lovely small site within walking distance of the town where the lake boats stop. On one visit I had what is still one of my best ever meals of lake
fish with pasta and the site has a pool and we felt was verry relaxing.

The same can be said of the site for Como which was Camping Rannochio at Piano Porlezza and it is by the side of a small lake which is a nature reserve.There is a supermarket about 3 minutes away and Mennagio,from where you can viit Bellagio and other lakeside
places,is about 15 minutes away but I am sure that there is a bus service about 100 metres from the site.

That leaves Garda,our favourite and most visited Italian location, and this is a previous post I made about staying there;

Visited most places around the lake but only stayed at Camping Bella Italia at Peschiera Del Garda. As said it is a busy
area and we try to time our visits for early June when it is a little quieter BUT that is a relative term as even in mid


May we have been turned away, but always got on the next day, and you can possibly stay on the football field to wait for


space.

We have looked at other sites,San Francesco being one,but seen nothing to match what Bella offers in terms of position

and facilities. Our first visit was in 2003 and our last was June 2015 and most of the staff are the same now as at the


first visit. The site is very big but due to the masses of tress and shrubs does not feel it and there is a reasonable


mix of nationalities including the weekending Italians on seasonal pitches. We are caravaners but the site is very popularwith motor homers as it would be possible to spend a week or more and never need to drive anywhere as the site supermarket

it excellent and you can walk into PDG and get a ferry to other parts of the lake,or a main line train, and there is a


bus stop a the site entrance. For a first visit it is a good choice due to the many places to see,Verona is about 20


minutes drive or you can use the train or bus and the same applies to Venice which us about 90 minutes drive.

As others have said at the end of May large numbers of Germans seem to fill all available pitches but after that it is a lot better but popular sites are still busy.

So far as routes, we have tried a variety,via France-Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels,and Switzerland which was,till last year, my favourite.Now, if going to Garda, it would be Germany,the Fern Pass into Austria,Landeck and then the Reisa Pass into Italy,Bolzano
and onto Garda. So long as you go via Landeck town and not the tunnel this route is completely toll free and we chose it as our companions had a large Autotrail and did not wish to have to use a GoBox in Austria.

One final thing,we were in Italy last week,without the van, and saw a Sweedish outfit drive through Amalfi heading for Salerno to the amazement of many at the roadside!

Have a great holiday.

Val Romantica at Connobio, Lake Maggiore, is probably our favourite site in Europe.  Have stayed many times and know the staff well. Avoid German school holidays anywhere in the lakes, particulalry Maggiore.