Italian lakes

[Dazshep]

Hi all, after a stupidly busy end to last year we are now sitting down to our big trip out in Bruce.
We are looking to go to the Italian Lakes region but dont mind taking 2/3 days to get there and same back. Advice from you learned people would be mega on routes and places to see/stay.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Trying to refresh this question Dazshep, as I'm also interested in getting some ideas on touring in the Italian Lakes in 2016. Can anyone help?

Thanks.

 

[CALI FATE]

there are a few recent threads on an summer Italy - my only concern is that we wont be able to move for californias - everyones heading there hahah

 

[sidepod]

Make sure you get over to Stelvio. Well worth the visit.

 

[JohnnyP]

Make sure you get over to Stelvio. Well worth the visit.

Please tell us more about Stelvio, I am also interested in a trip to Italy this year (but could be France - not decided yet).

 

[bvddobb]

We have been there several times, again last summer (2015). Here are some ideas:

Going through Switzerland to Lake Garda:
The ride from Davos over the 28 via Santa Maria val Müstair over the Umbrail pass to Italy is a nice ride. TopGear listed it once as one of the best rides on this earth (we think that is overrated, though...).
There is a very nice camp site in Sta Maria val Müstair, just before the climb towards the Umbrail. We were there last summer when the Swiss SpaceCamper Club had their meet there:

When on top of the Umbrail, the Stelvio pass is just to your left. Go there if you can't resist; we think the Stelvio is highly overrated: too touristy, ugly, too busy.
Much nicer is the Gavia Pass in the Stelvio National Park (SP29 out of Bormio). Much less known, quieter, not 100.000 motor bikes and 50.000 cyclists on the same road... A very nice drive!

As a rule of thumb: don't do any of the Italian passes in a weekend if you can avoid it ... ;-) There are just too many day tourists about, then!

From there you can easily reach Lake Garda:

When on the west side of Lake Garda, don't forget to drive the SP38 from Porto up to Pieve. A beautiful drive, it has been used in many car commercials and also in the car chase in Quantum of Solace!

From Lake Garda you can take any minor roads west via Lake Idro, Lake Iseo, Bergamo if you like, to e.g. Lecco, Bellagio, Como and on to Lago Maggiore.

From Lago Maggiore, a very nice drive back is via the Simplon and Grimsel passes back to Switzerland. Nice places to camp on the Brienzer See from were you can take the old steam train up to the Rothorn (we've posted about it before):

and above the Vierwaldstätter See (Luzern), camping Hostetten in Ennetmoos:

Avery nice guide to help you along, suggesting various nice drives in Northern Italy, is the "Back Roads Northern & Central Italy" guide from Eyewitness Travel:

Have fun!

 

[Dazshep]

Thanks for this mega information. Some great ideas and I am definitely going to buy the book.
My initial ideas as to get to the area was to stop short of Dover (Via a Britstops) then catch an early ferry and drive down to the Kirchzarten for a night, then onto Innsbruck for a 3 nighter before hitting the Lakes and their delights.
Any thoughts people?

 

[Bubba Gross]

We have been there several times, again last summer (2015). Here are some ideas:

Have fun!

Hi, can you remember which camp site this was you stayed at by the lake ?

 

[bvddobb]

Hi, can you remember which camp site this was you stayed at by the lake ?

Camping Au Lac, Ringgenberg, on the Brienzersee,