Sites in Tuscany
Hi everyone, we are having difficulty finding a site in Tuscany for next June. Ideally with access to the Sienna, Pisa region. All sites we've looked at seem to have really small pitches and our van is 8meters plus the awning but this seems to be the norm in italy We don't like the huge sites but would like to be in walking distance of some restaurants. Any recommendations please ?
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Bumble Cottage, You mention Pisa and Siena and if you are hoping to visit each of them from a single campsite then Camping Le Balze at Volterra is a possibility, and reasonably midway between the two. Volterra is a lovely town in its own right and the campsite has more space for you than many others. There are reviews on UKCampsite.co.uk
Our personal style, however, would not be to try to see the whole of Tuscany from a single camp site, but to visit several on a touring route. The smaller towns and hill villages which you will visit are more important than simply seeking the perfect campsite.
May I also suggest that you will not need a traditional British enclosed awning in summer in Italy. Can you just take the roof section or a separate canopy?
Good wishes.
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Price of that site with an ACSI card in June which the questioner was asking about is €18 - just over £16. Is that really dearer than a Club site ? No booking needed with an ACSI card so no deposit required.
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If I was Bumble Cottage I would wonder why on earth I have bothered to ask for advice when my post has within 4 replies been taken over by petty internal squabbling.
I'm fed up, as a seasoned forum member, opening a thread only to find a p*****g up the wall competition going on, whether it's related to Us v Over there or Us v Other UK Sites. Give it a rest would you.
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The question was about a visit in June. I answered it.
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Regret we have only been to that region once so have no recommendations but, for information, based on many visits to Italy I would say that Italian sites generally have very small pitches and in popular areas are quite expensive. 30 - 35 Euros is common. There are exceptions but generally even a 7m van would be considered “large” and often it is difficult to get van, awning and car on the pitch.
I could tell you some horror stories but it’s such a fantastic country to visit that would be a shame! We will be there again this year (that makes about thirty times I think).
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Camping Montagnola near Sovicille is a 30min bus ride from Siena the bus comes right into the site and allows a good days sightseeing. Its not really worth the trouble trying to go into a lot of Italian cities to park using public transport is a better bet. As you are aware many Italian sites have small pitches as a general rule the nearer you go to a tourist spot the smaller the pitches will be. The site is within walking distance of the village of Sovicille (a country path about 20mins) where there are a few restaurants.
Camping Torre Pendente is around a 30min walk from Pisa (along a main road not the prettiest walk) passing the station from where numerous places can be reached e.g. Lucca, The pitches here are covered by shading which is supported by metal poles which makes access a bit tricky
I would suggest wherever you go in Italy with your size of van you call ahead to check accessibility
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We stayed at Siena Colleverde when we were there two years ago, admittedly only for a couple of nights so it wasn't worth putting the awning up, but the caravan is 8m long and we had no difficulty in pitching there. There's a local bus into the city centre which stops right outside the campsite.
Because we also like the beach we have stayed at Tripesce on the coast in Vada a couple of times since then. It's only about three quarters of an hour's drive to Pisa, San Gimignano and Volterra, bit longer to get to Siena. Nevertheless, Siena is an easy day trip.
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We stayed at Colleverde in 1992 on our first trip to Italy. We find Siena a lot more peaceful than Florence but if you want the art collections Florence is the place to be. A few years ago we stayed here http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/camping_village_mugello_verde.html which is not far from Florence. Mind you this site is also near to the Mugello Racing Circuit so is probably full on any of the event dates.
David
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Bumble Cottage, Above all don't miss out spending a day or two in Lucca - one of the highlights of our visits to Tuscany. There is a campsite there, but I don't know it. We did the obvious thing and stayed two or three times at Camping Torre Pendente in Pisa - so convenient because it's such a short walk to the leaning tower and the cathedral, and Lucca is easily reached from there by car, bus or train.
Camping Torre Pendente is busy, and yes the pitches are small, but there's a steady turnover, and if you get there late morning as people are leaving I'm sure you will get a pitch to fit. They don't offer ACSI Camping Card discounts - with a location like theirs they don't need to - so about €33 for two people with a car and caravan in June.
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so about €33 for two people with a car and caravan in June.
quite expensive there ET?
One more point Tuscany is usually one of the hottest areas of Italy so expect high twenties mid June, and often Florence due to it's geographical location is one the hottest cities in Italy, often beating those further south, July and August mid to high 30s. last year it was 40C on a few days
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Be careful a lot of johnny foreigners get caught out with the trains there, you have to validate your ticket (paper or e-ticket) on the platform before you get on the train. I think you could be fined if you don't.
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There is also an express coach service from the Airport to Florence. about the same time with better AC and a more scenic route.
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We were there in the winter Corners, I liked the train and I liked being in Pisa. I think there is a camp site close to Pisa but quite a few use the coastal sites don't they and travel in.
Our experience, due to a strike meant we had to use the train all the way down from Genoa, a beautiful scenic journey.
The train service is probably handy for sites along the route in several directions. Don't know about the aircon, prefer cooler weather in places much of the time! But hope the OP has found some useful information on here, obviously a variety of experiences and an area many enjoy.
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A polite reminder to ask members of our community to not interrupt a discussion that is asking for advice as we request discussions remain on topic so they can be helpful to the OP. If it has no interest to you please don't comment unless you have any relevant advice to share. Many thanks for your understanding.
With regards to Tuscany, when I was 16 we had a family holiday there. We stayed in an amazing campsite near Pisa and visited Florence too which we were able to do by car. We were in our Conway trailer tent and had the awning up and there was still space to sit outside on the pitch (although this was quite a few years ago)! The site had great facilities. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to visit Tuscany, such a beautiful part of the world and the food was amazing!! It also ignited my interest in history and culture, one of the reasons I love caravanning and motorhoming is that you can visit so many different places, whether you choose to stay in the UK or go overseas. I can't remember the name of the site but I have text my dad to ask so will let you know.
In the meantime we have a site that might be of interest. It is just over an hour from Siena and approximately an hour and a half to Florence. However Pisa is a little further away at over 2 hours drive. The site is Parco Delle Piscine (picture below) and the pitches are 100 msq. I hope this helps.
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