help to decide please

Sparkie63
Sparkie63 Forum Participant Posts: 12

The older I get the more difficult it seems to be to make a decision! . I am just part way through planning our first trip to Italy in our little caravan. So far, we have booked a stay for two nights at eghuisheim (le trois chateaux) as recommended on this site; and then we are staying 4 nights at sorico (La riva) on lake como. We are moving for two nights to maggiore -and here I'm stuck. I had more or less decided on camping orchidea in feriolo (near to baveno which is great as we plan to visit stresa and go to borromean islands) but there are lots of recommendations for cannobio. We have a dog and like to walk into a  town at night and have a drink and a pizza or something and just have a wander about. The site needs to  have a public beach nearby and lake access for the dog and some nice walks for dog. I have ruled out concha d'oro  mainly because I read it could be a bit difficult to access and some of the pitches are very tight.

any advice gratefully received thank you

Comments

  • meecee
    meecee Forum Participant Posts: 304
    edited May 2017 #2

    We have stayed at Camping Riviera in Cannobio which is on the lakeside and within easy reach of the nice village.  We liked the site but pitches are quite small (typical for Italy) and I don't know whether dogs are accepted. There is also Camping Valle Romantica (owned by the same people as Riviera)  which is about 1km from the village reached by a footpath. We also stayed at Camping Parisi at Baveno, a small site on the lakeside with easy access to ferries for the islands. You could look these sites up on line to hopefully discover more info. re dogs and maybe some pics.  Sorry this is not more helpful!

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2017 #3

    Valle Romantica is probably our favourite site in Europe and we have been there maybe a dozen times. Cannobio is also arguably the most attractive town on Maggiore. There are fewer ferries than there used to be but you can get to Stressa and the Boromean Islands. We will be staying at Riviera this year as it will be late season and the sister site, Valle Romantica, shuts around the second week in September. It is right on the lake if that's what you want.

    Have stayed at Orchidea and it's fine, also Conca d'Ora which is quite spacious with excellent facilities and right on the lake. Neither are on the most attractive part of the lake.

    It sounds as though you are going out of season so why book?

    There are many sites around Maggiore; why not just tour down the lake and choose a couple?

    Regarding Trois Chateaux, this site is often recommended but my wife and I don't like it although it is right on top of the attractive (but rather twee) village. The municipal site in Obernai is much better with larger pitches and a nice walk into town and also attractive walks around the site. Have stayed ther 10 - 15 times as it is our regular stop on the way to Italy.

  • Sparkie63
    Sparkie63 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited May 2017 #4

    Thank you both for your help. You have helped me to decide on cannobio and valle romantic looks lovely.
    Hitchglitch, I did look at obernai but did want to look at eghusheim but will bear obernai in mind for any other journey. Looking to stay around Metz on the way back - I believe there is a municipal site there which looks ok.
    We aren't touring maggiore as only have 2 days there, we are spending more time at como and last 2 days at maggiore. I have driven to como before on a coach (though my work) and we went via mons, Namur etc and then through Switzerland via basel chur and bellinzona and then lugano and menagiio to tremezzo which is where we stayed.
    We came back via Rheims and the champagne region. We will definitely come back that way, but didn't know whether to stick to the same route of the coach (if we can get a 52 seater coach that route, I know we can do it in a little van) however, we are staying at sorico in the northern part of como. Route planner is sending usLucerne (a2?) is this a better route do you think? Some spectacular views of the alps through the Chur way which would be nice, but which ever is safer and easier to tow would make me happy. Thank you again

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2017 #5

    Hope you enjoy Valle Romantica. One tip, there is a nice walk into town of about 25 minutes but don't use the main road. Out of the site turn left over the river bridge then immediately right along the good riverside track. 

    Assume you were talking about the route from Como to Maggiore. I haven't done that but would go on the East side of Como towards Milan then on the Autostrada to Bavena. From there it is a short drive to Verbania then along the lake to Cannobio (slow!). Heading home you are 9 km from Locarno then through the St.Gottard tunnel, Basel, Strasbourg, Metz, Reims.

  • JudenSteve
    JudenSteve Forum Participant Posts: 169
    edited May 2017 #6

    We stayed at La Riva last year for 14 nights and you'll love it and it is right on the edge of the lake and also has a lovely pool area, we have also stayed at Lake Maggiore and we had a great holiday at Camping continental village which actually lies on the edge of Lake Mergozzo and the lake is in fact easily warm enough to get in and is very safe with it's own proper sandy beach.

    Also driving up the West side from Mennagio is nothing to worry about.

    Any questions about La Riva just ask.

     

  • Sparkie63
    Sparkie63 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited May 2017 #7

    thank you both. HItchglitch, I will definitely do that walk as it sounds like a good one with the dog.

    Judensteve sounds great - its always good to have reassurance form someone that has been. I have been to como but always stayed in a hotel and we have never towed any further than Netherlands - so this is sure to be an adventure (but we only have a baby van so sure everything will be fine)

     

    thank you both for your help :) cant wait

     

  • JudenSteve
    JudenSteve Forum Participant Posts: 169
    edited May 2017 #8

    No worries, we stayed at Eghuisheim on our way back from Sorico and it's a very relaxed doable drive between the two, remember driving around the lake is slower going than you think it would be.

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2017 #9

    Don't forget, 2 x vignettes needed for Switzerland.

  • Sparkie63
    Sparkie63 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited May 2017 #10

    thank you comeyras. I checked that out the other day (I'm right in thinking that you just get these at the swiss border? I am a bit annoyed that I need two grr! I'm travelling with a relative in a motorhome and have paid double as the tunnel (two outfits) even though her motorhome is the same size as my car and caravan and now two vignettes! I'm sure it will all be worth it :) 

  • JudenSteve
    JudenSteve Forum Participant Posts: 169
    edited May 2017 #11

    Yes you can get them at the border normally Basel for us and it's very quick and easy.