Italian Lakes - which tunnel??

Why the Tunnels? The quickest way is Calais, Reims, Strasbourg, Basel then through Switzerland and the St. Gottard tunnel. Highly recommend Lake Maggiore so if you go through Switzerland, Locarno is at the top of the Lake. A few miles down and you are in Cannobio . Stunning. I think the cost of two vignettes would probably be less than the extra French tolls and tunnel fees.

I wouldn’t stay in the UK before crossing, cross late and stay in France (various options). Make your way to Alsace then Maggiore is a day from Obernai or Colmar.

Agree with hitchglitch better route via Switzerland depends where you start from of course but the Mont Blanc Tunnel is expensive especially if you do a return trip the same way, personally we would not use it again. The tunnel and approach are easy enough plenty of sites in the Chamonix area not far from the tunnel entrance. The tolls on the Italian side seemed expensive but we went to Genoa. 

You are correct. A vignette for car and caravan required for Switzerland.

That's one of the reasons we went Belgium, Luxembourg (cheap fuel), Germany, Fernpass into Austria, Brenner pass into Italy and Lake Garda/Lake Iseo. Perhaps another option for you and cheap too. Enjoy.

We go to Maggiore most years but, rather boringly, we use the same route out as mentioned in my earlier post, however, if you are returning via Maggiore there is a great route over the Simplon pass from Domodosella. The pass itself is quite straightforward and after many years the roadworks have finally been completed. If you get clear, sunny weather when you cross to Switzerland I can highly recommend a trip to Zermatt. There is an ACSI site about 5 miles away and regular minibus service into the town (no access for cars to the town). The Gornegratbahn railway trip past the Matterhorn is sensational although rather expensive.

OK for Garda but for Maggiore/Como it would be a very long way round but I agree that it is a popular route to Italy due to fewer tolls although this is partially offset by the greater distance and fuel cost. A good compromise is to go Belgium, Germany, Basel. You have to buy the vignettes (two for a towed caravan, one for a motorhome) but in return you get a great road system with no further charges and stunning scenery. Maggiore is a comfortable day trip from Strasbourg.

Having spend many years visiting Garda when the children were with us we would always choose Maggiore now. Garda is very large and commercialised. From  Maggiore you can also visit Lake Orta.

Maggiore, Garda and other lakes are much the same. The roads along the lakeside can be narrow and very busy. Once you go inland you have steep inclines so this is not really cycling country.

Having said that, if you went via Locarno to Cannobio and stayed somewhere like Camping Val Romantica the roads back towards Locarno are reasonable. If you go South towards Verbania it is very busy and narrow so car is best (or ferry or bus). Once you get to Verbania and towards Stresa the roads are better and the surrounding area is flatter.

German school holidays are staggered by region so it can be busy anytime in May and June. This is made worse by the fact that the lakes are only a few hours from Southern Germany so can get very busy at weekends. Although our favourite site in Cannobio, Maggiore, has been full in May it would generally not be a problem finding a pitch if you arrive mid afternoon. I certainly wouldn't book.

Hi TG, Have been reading the posts on your thread and a lot of views to consider! The holidays in the two German states closest to Italy are 10-21 June so effectively that’s Sat 8/6 to Sat 22/6.

So far as routes go then it will depend on your decision to include, or not, Annecy, Garda and the Adriatic. If not going to Annecy then I would do the route that you mention to get to Basel and then use the Swiss motorways-with your two vignettes!

We have tried many routes, been through both tunnels and also via the Fern and Reschen passes to get to Garda. The tunnels were used for a bit of variety, the Swiss route from Basel is the most frequently used and next time we go, probably 2020, then it will be most likely via the Fern Pass route.

The Swiss route is a great drive, and we would always have an overnight on at least one leg of the trip, but the availability of sites that are close to the route, and that are not eye wateringly expensive, has shrunk year on year to the extent that any trip using this route ended up being straight through with no stop which meant that we considered other options such as the Fern route. We did consider, a couple if years ago, going via the Fern to Prutz then onto St Moritz and over the Maloja Pass to reach the Northern end of Lake Como and this is an option for next time.

So far as the Simplon Pass we did that many years ago when the St Gothard was shut, following a rock fall that caused the deaths of German tourists whose car was hit, and found it a reasonable but busy with trucks due to the closure at St Gothard. Mind you it was easier than the outward 96 mile diversion!

In regard to Garda we have visited many times and yes, it can be busy, but, as DK said, we quite like that and whilst some sites are large and busy others are not so a bit of research will help on that front. The site we use, Camping Bella Italia, has many plus points for us, and if we had to choose one site to return to for ever it would be that, but it will not suit all and as it was introduced to us by my parents, who are no longer with us, then there is an emotional tie as well.

There is so much to do around Garda and cycle paths are quite common as the area is popular with cyclists. There is a new cycle path being built which has had a lot of publicity and it is intended to eventually circle the whole lake and be 87 miles long! Being in Italy however any progress may be slow!

In regard to sites we have stayed at, that would fit with you outline plans, and would recommend then;

Italy-Camping Bella Italia is on the lake side and an easy walk to town where you can get a ferry to anywhere on the lake. There is a mainline station for trips to Venice/Milan etc. and the bus stops at the camp gate for trips to Sirmione/Verona etc.

Camping Valle Romantica has been mentioned and we have stayed there three times. It’s a smaller site and pitches a bit small but it had a lovely atmosphere and Cannobio is on the border between Italy and Switzerland so a good variety of outings available including lake trips.

Camping Rannochio at Piano Porlezza is beside a small lake which is part of a nature reserve, has a supermarket close by and is just a short drive to Mennagio on Lake Como. Here you can get a car ferry across the lake to Varenna or a passenger one to various stops on the lake, including Bellagio. The route to here from the Swiss motorways was a bit challenging in places, due to small villages and smaller roads, but a tunnel opened a couple of years ago and its now probably a lot more relaxing!

Austria- Aktiv Camping Prutz at Prutz is on the bank of the River Inn and very handy if doing the Fern/Reschen Pass route. We intended to stay one night but liked it so much we stayed four. The area is very appealing and there is a private road to the ski station /restaurant etc. on the Kaunerteller Glacier which is well worth the cost to use it. One thing to note is that if you use the Fern/Reschen route so long as you go via Landeck town and not the Landecker Tunnel it is completely toll free.

Germany-using the Pass route we stayed at Camping Christopherous for an overnight. It is very handy for the A7 motorway, has good facilities and the restaurant meal was one of the best we had in our whole holiday.

Switzerland- Camping Sempach on the lakeside at Sempach is very easy to reach and just off the motorway as is Camping Buochs in Buochs on Lake Lucerne. There are numerous trip options from here including a three cable car trip to the top of Mount Titlis and circular trips using cable cars, trains and boats.

My wife has often said that I get more enjoyment from the holiday planning than the holiday itself and hope a bit of that applies to you!

Hi AD, over the years we too have been impressed by many things about BI. We still remember walking down to the lake on our first visit , a quick three day visit staying with my parents,and thinking how beautiful it was and then returning a few weeks later having changed our holiday plans to stay there.

That trip was using Camping Cheques and the site had a 14=11 and 7=5 offer so it cost us less than £7 a night and we had a pitch on the first row which on many sites would not be available to users of discount schemes.

We have over the years been impressed that they are always ,making improvements and apparently spending a lot of money doing so and it always surprises us that the staff in the restaurants, supermarket etc are the same as the first time we visited. Even more surprising is when they remember you and make a big fuss welcoming you back!