Italian lakes 2015

[Bjohnson]

So we've just decided that next years Cali summer adventure will be a trip to the Italian lakes probably during June before the schools break up. At least 2 weeks, maybe 3. Never visited before so it's a new place for us and a new adventure.

Any suggestions welcome for the route down and back, crossing via Eurostar?

Obviously there are a myriad of options, but any particular recommendations or stopovers welcome. We haven't yet toured the Alps, so that's a new adventure on route as well.

 

[Argo&Liebe]

What lakes are you thinking of?

 

[andys495]

Currently sunning it in Lake Garda! Beautiful!

 

[calikev]

We where there last week where are you staying :?:

 

[andys495]

Bella Italia, Peschiera

 

[calicasas]

Of all the lakes we had been to Lake Orta was the best.
Lake Garda was by far the worst. The campsite was 78 euros for one night! Only a little less for more nights. Green slime along the waters edge prevented access to the water. It was 39 deg. Centigrade with high humidity. We went July / August and it was absolutely packed.
It all depends what you are looking for. We like to avoid the crowds at all cost, so we ended up in a small campsite on lake Orta in a town called Pella. We camped literally on the waters edge with glorious views over the lake with short walk to restaurants/cafés with surprisingly cheap prices (coffees and to die for ice creams at only 1 euro).
We pretty much visited all the lakes and this was our favourite. Again, it all depends what you are looking for...

 

[johnv]

How was Iseo? (we're off there in a fortnight)

 

[Bjohnson]

Thanks for the replies so far. No destination as yet, although lake Orta is now top of the list!

 

[Argo&Liebe]

ok, so you are wondering about any italian lake.
I live not far from the Garda, but like you've been told it's overcrowded and expensive(btw I think most of italian campings are really expensive compared to what I've seen in UK and France). Of course I can't say Garda Lake it's not worth a visit.

Let alone all of the small pretty lakes you might find in the Alps, I have some nice memories about Bracciano, but these are memories from '92 when I spent some months there during my military service

I've recently been in the Lago Maggiore area and that's nice too, I have to say that I prefere Maggiore than Como.

 

[Dyddi]

The cheapest crossing of the alps is to buy a Swiss motorway/expressway vignette which, at the moment, is their annual road tax. This can be bought for Euros (30 or 35, can't remember) at the border. Then use the free Gotthard tunnel. The Grand St Bernard is listed as charging a toll.
Routes via France incur autoroute peage and then stinging charges at the Chamonix - Mont Blanc tunnel. Via Austria is further, requires a ten-day vignette and tunnel / pass charges on top.
Fuel in Italy usually manages top place for expense so you might want to fill up elsewhere.
Camp sites round the lakes are usually fully booked in school holidays, crowded and you pay for all the extra activities. Others may know of quieter/cheaper places.
If you want to visit Milan then I can recommend overnighting at Saronno, free camperstop.
To further whet your appetite - Lake Bled in Slovenia is very attractive and cheaper.

 

[Dyddi]

Sorry to go on but just re-read your departure date. Worth checking when Italian schools break up - it's earlier than UK - as we have found out to our cost before now.

 

[andys495]

In addition to Dyddi's comments above, you can order the Swiss vignette on line and have it delivered to your home weeks/months in advance, which saves stopping at the border. And be aware that there are normally massive queues for the Gottard tunnel. Expect to be sitting in traffic for one or two hours. However alternative routes add to time also, so its swings and roundabouts.

 

[andys495]

Further to above, I agree about expensive fuel in Italy and we parked our Cali in the centre of Milan managing to squeeze it into an underground multi-story car park right by the cathedral.

 

[greyplague]

Despite what's already been written about L. Garda, it's worth having a look at Camping Piantelle. It's a superb lakeside site - accepts ACSI card, staff all speak English, lakeside pitches, plenty going on, good bar/restaurant, swimming pool, etc., etc. We were there in June, 2013 and I know others who have been (on my recommendation) since then. All agreed with my opinion. The area (S.W. corner of lake) is also very nice with plenty of places to visit.

You MUST get an ACSI card for low season discount, if that's when you're going - check the dates. You'll save a shed-load of money: this applies to virtually all Italian campsites, which are expensive!

See http://www.piantelle.eu/

Take it easy

 

[Bjohnson]

Just starting to think about the detail of this trip, would welcome peoples thoughts and experiences, we'll be going early July.

For now, the route down.....

I'm thinking euro tunnel, then a days drive Calais to chamonix. We've skid a few times in chamonix and know a good and very friendly hotel to use as a stopover there that we'd like to visit in the summer. Then only 3 hours via the Mont Blanc tunnel to lake Orta.

Planning on 2 weeks away so the trip down needn't be as quick and direct as possible, so if anyone wants to volunteer any particular locations or stopovers on route, these would be welcomed????

 

[Fozzy]

Who cares where you go in Italy or down south,it's the experience of the mountains and drive through different villages.Most of all I think it's the pleasure one has in the Cali!?

 

[umby27]

I was born in Antwerp, but originate from Lake Como. I go there at least 3 times a year. I like to camp at a camping in Dongo called "La Breva" http://www.campinglabreva.com/labreva/?lang=en Nothing is cheap around Como Lake, but then again not that expensive either. I would suggest the longer but magnificent route going through Chür, St. Moritz, Bernina pass, Livigno, Bormio, Passo Stelvio, Sondrio to Lake Como. Sleep at camperparks in Livigno. Wonderful and fuel up there cause it's taxfree! Drink the most expensive wine there cause it's taxfree If you don't know where to sleep in the Alps it's always easy to drive to a certain height and sleep in nature. In any village you can get water in the local fountains. If you need advise for Como and Valtellina region, I can help. Enjoy!

 

[campandfly]

This is a great thread, love it.
We are hoping to do a trip to Livorno Italy from Cornwall via Plymouth-Roscoff Ferry.
As this will be our first major campervan trip we are picking up lots of tips from this thread.
Thanks a lot to all the above contributors.

 

[bvddobb]

I would suggest the longer but magnificent route going through Chür, St. Moritz, Bernina pass, Livigno, Bormio, Passo Stelvio, Sondrio to Lake Como.

According to Top Gear one should try the route Davos, Umbrail pass, Stelvio pass, Bormio. They rate the route from Davos to Stelvio as the no 1 ride in the world...
The Umbrail pass is closed for larger carmpers, touring cars, lorries, caravans and such, some stretches are dirt road still, but a Cali should do it. We will be trying this route right after the passes open halfway June this year, before the bikers and cyclists break loose! (A trick we learned on the Route des Grandes Alpes last year May).

Umbrail pass

 

[umby27]

Agreed. We did it by motorcycle, convertible oldtimer and the Cali. All magnificent experiences! Sleeping with the Cali in Livigno was topclass. Busses are free, so you can tour the city of Livigno on foot and take the bus back to the Cali. We honestly never took the bus, cause it's so lovely to walk there. Livigno is know as the little Tibet of Italy because it resides high in the Alps (1800-2200mt) and it's in a bowl, so you loose the external world and trade it for mountains all the way around. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livigno From there you can go to St. Moritz, Davos or Stelvio/Bormio. It works either way. You could even make a rountrip around Como Lake or cross the lake by ship.

We are just back from around there.
This weekend I was in Como and Lugano freecamping for just the weekend (my son and I wanted to see a concert there of a local storysinger/poet) Just the 2 days there and we are fully re-charged by mountain air and spirit The lakes are all breathtaking surrounded by massive snowy mountain tops.

 

[Bjohnson]

Thank you everyone for your recommendations. Much appreciated.

 

[Maudalina]

According to Top Gear one should try the route Davos, Umbrail pass, Stelvio pass, Bormio. They rate the route from Davos to Stelvio as the no 1 ride in the world...
The Umbrail pass is closed for larger carmpers, touring cars, lorries, caravans and such, some stretches are dirt road still, but a Cali should do it. We will be trying this route right after the passes open halfway June this year, before the bikers and cyclists break loose! (A trick we learned on the Route des Grandes Alpes last year May).

Umbrail pass

Wow what a road - but gives me the colly wobbles thinking of driving it!!!!

 

[Maudalina]

So we've just decided that next years Cali summer adventure will be a trip to the Italian lakes probably during June before the schools break up. At least 2 weeks, maybe 3. Never visited before so it's a new place for us and a new adventure.

Any suggestions welcome for the route down and back, crossing via Eurostar?

Obviously there are a myriad of options, but any particular recommendations or stopovers welcome. We haven't yet toured the Alps, so that's a new adventure on route as well.

How did you get on with your trip to Italy - any top tips you learnt as we are planning to go in about the same time.

 

[bvddobb]

Wow what a road - but gives me the colly wobbles thinking of driving it!!!!

I see now that the picture is of the Stelvio, not the Umbraïl... But they are close neighbours anyway