Italy - 3 weeks in the summer 16

[CALI FATE]

Hi - am planning summer holiday break in Italy this summer. Will be taking the new T6 Beach (excited) 2 x teenagers / family tent - Planning to stay around the north / lakes / tuscany area - maybe have three different bases (lakes / beach / ?? ) and trip out for sightseeing / cycling / seaside - maybe a bit of wild camping kids agreeing - does anyone have any tips / ideas / stopovers / great camp sites in the area - thanks

 

[lakelander]

Hi, we went on our first trip over to Italy and into the Aosta valley where there is loads of walks, and some fantastic camping in many of the adjoining valleys, then on to the Dolomites to do a bit of Via Ferrata


Then we stayed on one of the many campsites on the side of Lake Garda for a few days, where you can cycle along the front - but only for so far. (loads of restaurants, coffee and ice creams too)
It was a fantastic first trip, didn't book any where - just went with the flow.

 

[IanFK]

We have camped at the side of Lake Orta. It is one of the smaller lakes in the north, but is right on the edge of the lake for swimming and boating. There are a number of restaurants nearby and cycling around the lake would be relatively straightforward.

 

[Bramco]

A bit further south but we'll worth it is lake trasimeno. Spent a week there this autumn. There are good campsites on the north east within walking distance of Passignano sul trasimeno. You can cycle round the lake but also use it as a base for day trips to Sienna, Florence, Perugia, Montepulciano etc.

We stayed at Camping La Spiaggia which was great and quite a bit cheaper than the one next door.

 

[larrylamb]

A bit further south but we'll worth it is lake trasimeno. Spent a week there this autumn. There are good campsites on the north east within walking distance of Passignano sul trasimeno. You can cycle round the lake but also use it as a base for day trips to Sienna, Florence, Perugia, Montepulciano etc.

We stayed at Camping La Spiaggia which was great and quite a bit cheaper than the one next door.

Would July/August be too hot in the Cali?

 

[soulstyledevon]

We went last June/July and depending where we were, it was uncomfortably hot. Mainly around the coast and lakes. However, last year was especially hot...!!!

It was very varied and we loved the trip. Didn't book anything in advance and we always found somewhere to park.
Highlights were, Aosta Valley, Cinque Terre and the Dolomites especially Alpe Di Suise

 

[T6 CFO]

Lovely pics, bring back the memory of a walking holiday at that time of the year with a group of mates Shall return with my better half when I get my Cali.
Great selection of walking for all abilities and flowers in the mountains are stunning in June.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aidy P]

I'd love to get over to Italy. We'd only have two weeks holiday though and would be coming from North Yorkshire. How long would it take to say get to Lake Garda as Id love to go back. Have 6 & 8 year old girls so wouldn't be able to 'drive all day'

 

[kave]

Great thread. Even though I am probably going to buy a Cali for the shorter trips near home, I think it would be a great adventure to tour italy and the meds.
Wife thinks it will be to hot in the Cali though.

How would you all say is the difference between renting a house for a week and using?
I see some stress maybe looking for sites to camp etc?

 

[soulstyledevon]

Lovely pics, bring back the memory of a walking holiday at that time of the year with a group of mates Shall return with my better half when I get my Cali.
Great selection of walking for all abilities and flowers in the mountains are stunning in June.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes they have some fantastic walking paths Michael. Alpe di Suise set up for walking was some of the best I have seen.
Stunningly beautiful.

P.s second from bottom picture

 

[soulstyledevon]

I wasn't overly impressed with the lakes area. There were a few nice places, but for me, I love the mountain areas and I thought they were spectacular. Driving from North Yorkshire is more of a trek. From here in Warwickshire its a days drive to Chamonix or the other side of the Mont Blanc tunnel.
From there it can be another day or a few hours depends where you want to go.

As for looking for campsites. My wife and I are happy to over-night almost anywhere and if we really struggle to find something, we will wild camp or find a hotel

 

[Bramco]

I'd love to get over to Italy. We'd only have two weeks holiday though and would be coming from North Yorkshire. How long would it take to say get to Lake Garda as Id love to go back. Have 6 & 8 year old girls so wouldn't be able to 'drive all day'

With 6 and 8 year olds why don't you take it more easily. Maybe stop this side of the channel or just over it. Lake Annecy in France is also a nice stopover if you want to head down France. Great cycling along the lake on an old railway track. I guess it depends if you are determined to have the maximum time on Lake Garda or if you want to make more of a road trip out of the vacation. You could take say 3 days there and 3 days back. One way through France, the other through Germany and have a week on the lake.

 

[Aidy P]

With 6 and 8 year olds why don't you take it more easily. Maybe stop this side of the channel or just over it. Lake Annecy in France is also a nice stopover if you want to head down France. Great cycling along the lake on an old railway track. I guess it depends if you are determined to have the maximum time on Lake Garda or if you want to make more of a road trip out of the vacation. You could take say 3 days there and 3 days back. One way through France, the other through Germany and have a week on the lake.

We did our first proper 'road trip' with the kids for two weeks down to the south coast Cornwall this year in our T2. Loved it but looking forward to having comfort, safety and speed and getting abroad when the new van arrives next year. Three days sounds about right to me after looking on google maps. Cheers. I like the idea of coming back via Germany. We loved the German influences in Riva del Garda when we went there on holiday when my wife was pregnant with our eldest. Thanks for the advice.

 

[cleve]

Following.

Plan to take our 3 children aged 8, 5, 2 to the Italian lakes this summer. We will probably book a week on 2 different campsites but leave a few days with no campsite booking at the start, middle and end to give us some flexibility. Worked well for our holidays in France as we could stay on Aires & not have to be at a specific destination before the reception closed. We use park4night app to look at Aires & allows you to see photos & reviews on the app.

Any recommendations for campsites with good cycle links & those which are smaller/quieter but still have a pool for the children appreciated.

 

[AndyFromTheBrac]

Great thread and exactly what we're planning for May/June with our 3-year old (last year before the school holiday mares begin!)

I've downloaded the ACSI app and this has a great deal of campsites reviewed (Sexten Spa www.caravanparksexten.it in northern Italy Tyrol will surely impress my wife!) also membership gives big discounts (but not in school hols) Used the app here to scan for nearby campsites at the end of the day's drive and found it invaluable.

Also thinking of booking some sites in Italy (Sexten and one by Florence/Pisa and Venice lagoon) then winging the rest - Thinking to travel down through France (Disneyland Paris, Millau, Nice etc and back up through Austria / Germany and take in Neuschwanstein, Strasbourg, Koblenz and Belgium for a bit of variety. That way it's less about charging to & from Italy and more the whole trip being the holiday

 

[soulstyledevon]

Sorry guys can't remember all the campsites. However for Neuschwanstein Castle, we stayed at Hopfensee outside Fussen. Great for the castle, plus had a lake and cycle paths/links around lake and in and out of town.

Definitely recommend it. Although that was from my Germany/Austria trip

 

[Larkrise]

Our youngest son is getting married in Sorrento in August so we are planning to make it into a three week Cali tour. Any tips? Our first time to Italy with or without Cali. We expect it to be on the warm side (maybe get a fan) and have never before chosen to tour in August...but needs must! Google is offering routes through France or France & Switzerland. We have the Sanif card...would it be worth a Telepass & VIAcard?

 

[Bramco]

Will no doubt be very busy!!

Obviously you'd drive along the Amalfi coast - wouldn't want to do that in anything bigger than a Cali.

On our trip last year we stopped at Paestum. A bit further south but not much. Amazing ruins - two massive temples and a lot more.

Stopped at Camping Villaggio Dei Pini but I'd think you would have to book. The site was excellent, on the beach and an amazing restaurant. They seem to be open all year round. Only downside was the utterly mad proprietor who thought he could speak German and insisted on speaking German to everyone but no one let alone the Germans there could understand him.

On the main road is a pasta maker - delicious pasta, you just have to ring the bell if no one is there and an old dear comes along from a couple of houses away and shows you what they have.

The area just south of there is also great for walking although it will be very hot in August.

Marina de Camerota was nice although no campsite references there, they were all shut so we wild camped on the beachfront.

Further north lake Trasimeno is nice. Easy driving distance to a lot of touristy places.

 

[Larkrise]

Will no doubt be very busy!!

Obviously you'd drive along the Amalfi coast - wouldn't want to do that in anything bigger than a Cali.

On our trip last year we stopped at Paestum. A bit further south but not much. Amazing ruins - two massive temples and a lot more.

Stopped at Camping Villaggio Dei Pini but I'd think you would have to book. The site was excellent, on the beach and an amazing restaurant. They seem to be open all year round. Only downside was the utterly mad proprietor who thought he could speak German and insisted on speaking German to everyone but no one let alone the Germans there could understand him.

On the main road is a pasta maker - delicious pasta, you just have to ring the bell if no one is there and an old dear comes along from a couple of houses away and shows you what they have.

The area just south of there is also great for walking although it will be very hot in August.

Marina de Camerota was nice although no campsite references there, they were all shut so we wild camped on the beachfront.

Further north lake Trasimeno is nice. Easy driving distance to a lot of touristy places.

Thanks for this. I am starting to feel a little nervous about this trip- reading comments (in other online spaces) like 'you would be a fool to take a car into Sorrento in August, or only take very small hire car' and 'don't contemplate the Amalfi coast road- it is full of giant buses that are too big for the road and you end up trying to back up all the time in heavy slow traffic'...eek!

 

[kave]

Strange, I feel comforted by that nice camping spot that Bramco was suggesting. I like that kind of camps next to the sea.

 

[Bramco]

I've only done Sorrento and the Amalfi coast in the autumn, so out of season. (My old boss used to run team meetings there in Positano, it was cheaper for us all to fly EasyJet to Naples, hire a couple of cars etc. than it was to get the train into London and pay the exorbitant London hotel prices.)

I wouldn't worry too much about the traffic unless you are in a hurry, the great thing about the Cali is you have a great driving position in this kind of situation.. If it takes all day and the views are fine then go with the flow. All the residents get around in cars, vans etc. all year round.

You could also ask your son to delay his marriage!?

 

[WelshGas]

Our youngest son is getting married in Sorrento in August so we are planning to make it into a three week Cali tour. Any tips? Our first time to Italy with or without Cali. We expect it to be on the warm side (maybe get a fan) and have never before chosen to tour in August...but needs must! Google is offering routes through France or France & Switzerland. We have the Sanif card...would it be worth a Telepass & VIAcard?

Snap. My youngest is getting married in Florence 30th July 2016. So we are driving down via France/Germany/across Switzerland to Florence. Then to the Italian riviera and back through central France.
Don't forget the Swiss Vignet disk that you can purchase on-line and is valid for a year, if you are using Swiss motorways.

 

[Larkrise]

What a coincidence! This is a new concept to us (getting married abroad) but although we would always usually avoid going anywhere in August this is a challenge that just has to be tackled!

 

[Larkrise]

Bramco: thanks for your encouragement! Wedding is fixed to tiny window and is 10 August- we have two days in hotel and plenty of time before and after to enjoy the Cali and explore much that we haven't seen before.

 

[larrylamb]

We have stayed at the lovely Hotel Bristol in Sorrento, if my memory serves me right there is a campsite nearby on the way down to the "Marina Grande " with shaded pitches and close to town and beach.