U.K. To Italy.

[Shaun Witts]

We used to visit a site in Italy (Piano Di Clodia on Lake Garda) from Munich when we lived there. As we got to know the site, we realised that you could turn up without a booking even though that was never acknowledged by the website or staff. The initial response from the office was always “we have nothing available”, so we would reply that we would wait and see if anything turned up. Usually within an hour, a staff member would approach us and offer to show us the available pitches (there was always several). So it seems to me that there are always places available, especially if you arrive as people are vacating the site.

 

[Pete C]

We are looking to do the same. No real planning done yet, but we have been in France a few times recently, so aim to get through France in a day if we can, and camp somewhere in the Alps. Then we can get into Italy the next day.

Still just ideas at the moment though.

Pete

 

[Tourershine]

Thinking about heading to northern Italy next summer.
Has anyone done the trip from the U.K.? Or have any good routes to take?

I presume it Would it be best to book the sites all in advance ?

Any help or advice much appreciated

We were here Fornella a couple of months ago. I've used this site a few times and it's really nice.

I tend to get into France really early and get over to Strasbourg and stay here Strasbourg for a couple of days. The city is easy to get into on a bike and it's absolutely stunning with some amazing places to eat. Then you can head through Switzerland, where we were meant to be right now, but had to cancel that trip. I have to go to Switzerland at least once a year, but you can easily make a couple of days at different locations like Camping Jungfrau or Camping Aaregg, which are both firm favourites of ours and breathtaking.

 

[DaveCrampton]

We stayed a week in a lovely campsite in Steinach in the Black Forest. We spent a week in Centre Parcs in The Netherlands and a week in the Black Forest. We saw a few campers who came for 2 or three days whilst we were there. Asking them, it turns out a few families travel to Austria and Italy and break up the journey in the Black Forest. Tourist Tax is included in the campsite fee and for that you have free access to every town's outdoor beautiful pools, free bus and free train travel with in the region.

 

[Crazymind]

I drive to Italy from Glasgow twice per year.
I tend to avoid French Toll and Swiss Toll.
Rather drive down to Germany and to the Brennero Pass. Driving through Germany saves me lot of Time Driving at 90-100mph for hours.

 

[DaveCrampton]

I drive to Italy from Glasgow twice per year.
I tend to avoid French Toll and Swiss Toll.
Rather drive down to Germany and to the Brennero Pass. Driving through Germany saves me lot of Time Driving at 90-100mph for hours.

We did the same, Hull to Rotterdam, and then through The Netherlands into Germany and down through Germany.

 

[DXX]

Thinking about heading to northern Italy next summer.
Has anyone done the trip from the U.K.? Or have any good routes to take?

I presume it Would it be best to book the sites all in advance ?

Any help or advice much appreciated

We travelled around Europe in the Autumn 2019 with minimal planning as we like it like that.
Ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe, didn’t hang around in France as had covered that extensively before, made an overnight stop in Luxembourg, cheap fuel and that is about it, very dull.
Straight to Interlaken, Switzerland, stayed there around a week, could easily have stayed longer, public transport is amazing, only drove once. Expensive but so many things to do and see. If you go to Switzerland take food and booze with you and hope it’s cloud free if you want to get into the mountains.
From Switzerland we took the Gotthard Base Tunnel into Italy, bit of a surprise as we didn’t know it existed. After negotiating the madness around Milan we spent a few days around Lake Garda, very touristy, not my idea of fun at all, hotels, bars, shops and restaurants that go on forever.
Headed North into the Dolomites which was one of the only plans in my head, stayed for free in and around Lake Misurinia, plenty of full day mountain walks.
Spent a couple of days at Tre Cime di Laveredo, amazing place.
Travelled around the Dolomites occasionally using a campsite for laundry, showers and water fills. Staggeringly beautiful area, will be going back.
Headed back South as weather forecasts threatened snow and I didn’t fancy single track snowy roads on my M&S Goodyears.
Knackered so stopped again in Lake Garda area for a rest.
Headed South again, ended up in Genoa and then followed the coast through Italy, Monaco, France, planned to go through the Pyrenees to Barcelona but severe flooding near Beziers lost us a day making detours North on single track mountain roads with traffic in both directions.
Ended up in Andorra de Ville, odd place, despite being tax free the only thing which is cheaper than the surrounding countries is fuel.
Zig zagged North across the Pyrenees between France and Spain, filled up with some very good but cheap wine and got the ferry back from Santander to Portsmouth.
Took 6 weeks and about 8000 miles from memory.

 

[JonriceT6]

Thanks for the replies, some very interesting stories and routes which I can take a look into further.
Having two kids in tow, I suppose for me it’s a fine balance of beauty / sightseeing with things to do for them.
We will have to stop in France overnight before moving on, as I don’t think the kids would enjoy too long of a drive between each destination.
I presume the van sites get booked up in advance, so will look to plan ahead just in case they do.

 

[tonys102]

I was in Northern Italy earlier in the year. I had a commitment in Switzerland, so drove to Basel, and stayed there, then drove into Switzerland. From there, around the Davos area, I drove over the Fluela pass, and down into Italy. Then came back via the St Gottard pass, and up through Switzerland and France to Strasbourg. It was a short 9 day trip around Italy, so hence the use of the motorways rather than the back roads.

 

[DaveCrampton]

If you have kids in tow then more on Steinach if I may.

Wolf and Bear sanctuary.

Alternativer Wolf- und Bärenpark Schwarzwald

STIFTUNG für BÄREN (Bär, Wolf, Luchs) setzt sich in erster Linie für Bären ein. Für Wölfe und Luchse macht sie sich ebenfalls stark. Sie unterhält zwei Bärenparks, den Alternativen Bärenpark Worbis und den Alternativen Wolf- und Bärenpark Schwarzwald - Bär, Wolf, Luchs

www.baer.de

Rodelbahn. Fantastic mountainside rollercoaster.

Gutach

Rodeln ist ein generationenübergreifender Freizeitspaß und daher ist die Sommerrodelbahn in Gutach genau das richtige Ausflugsziel für Jung und Alt. Bei der Rodelbahn Gutach im Schwarzwald erwartet die Besucher ein ganz besonderes Vergnügen – Rodelspaß pur auf mehr als 1.150 Metern.

www.sommerrodelbahn-gutach.de

 

[Evie T]

We travelled to Northern Italy for a wedding during the summer a few years ago. We took a bit of a loop of a route. Dover to Dunkirk and travelled through a number of countries including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria etc. It was an amazing trip with beautiful mountains and lakes and we didn't book anywhere in advance and had no issue. Switzerland (A site in Vitznau was lovely) and Italy were real highlights for us and people were the most welcoming there.

 

[JonriceT6]

Hi all, I’m starting to look at the details of my trip now, so was hoping to jump in the euro tunnel to Calais, then head to Strasbourg. Saying the journey will take around 5.30 hours is this an ok drive with 2 independent children?
Then was hoping to get from Strasbourg straight into Switzerland.
Was thinking of Interlaken or jungfrau heard so many good stories about these places. If I stay in interlaken for 5-6 nights can I take. In the sights of jungfrau too, or does it require two different stops?
Now my main question is, do I stay and sight see around Switzerland before coming home, or do I head to northern Italian lakes.
I’ve never been to either, so if there is any experienced travellers been to both, your input would be great.

Thanks

 

[DXX]

Was thinking of Interlaken or jungfrau heard so many good stories about these places. If I stay in interlaken for 5-6 nights can I take. In the sights of jungfrau too, or does it require two different stops?

One stop is enough, a few years ago bus transport was free around Interlaken and the trains and buses run like clockwork as you’d expect.
The mountain railways will get you to places you can’t drive and you’ll be looking at the scenery not the road.

 

[Bundy88]

We have done Euro trips twice in our old T2 Bay Window and the longest driving day was 10 hours on our way home (wanted an extra day in Switzerland!).
My daughter is now 18 and she was absolutely fine throughout...missed most of the views as she had her head in a phone game or ipad film most the time, but it made the miles easier for all!!
We gave up pre-booking and changed plans lots as you may like one place way more then expected and spend a week there instead of a couple of nights....especially Swiss Alps!
We'll be heading back that way this summer in the absolute luxury of the new T6.1

 

[Oceanis]

Hi all, I’m starting to look at the details of my trip now, so was hoping to jump in the euro tunnel to Calais, then head to Strasbourg. Saying the journey will take around 5.30 hours is this an ok drive with 2 independent children?
Then was hoping to get from Strasbourg straight into Switzerland.
Was thinking of Interlaken or jungfrau heard so many good stories about these places. If I stay in interlaken for 5-6 nights can I take. In the sights of jungfrau too, or does it require two different stops?
Now my main question is, do I stay and sight see around Switzerland before coming home, or do I head to northern Italian lakes.
I’ve never been to either, so if there is any experienced travellers been to both, your input would be great.

Thanks

Can recommend the following camp site .... very, very clean, run by a lovely family. 48km from Interlaken.

Home | Camping Giswil

Inmitten intakter Natur, umringt von einer imposanten Bergwelt am ruhigen Südwestufer des Sarnersees gelegen.

camping-international.ch

Some pics of the area ...

Campsite



Lungernersee

 

[Oceanis]

On the Trip from Calais to Interlaken, I'd avoid Strasbourg unless you have a real need to visit the city ... the drive from Reims to Strasbourg is MIND NUMBING, flat and boring ... I've done it more times than I care to count.

I would go for a stop around Troyes and bribe the kids with a visit to something like this Grimpobranches Lusigny Sur Barse ... there are loads of adventure playgrounds in France and our kids loved them. Plenty of camping around Troyes too - in the Parc naturel régional de la Forêt d'Orient.

Depending on the amount of time you have, I'd stay in Switzerland and explore properly - the Lakes in Italy are also beautiful, but quite crowded and chaotic ... and not much in the way of things to visit or do - particularly for kids - perhaps water-parks but mostly walking, mountain biking, watersports (on Gardasee) and the roads across country to Italy are not fast ... took us an entire day to get from southern Lake Garda to the campsite I mentioned in the last post.

Have a great holiday!!

PS: Stay out of Belgium, driving in that country is not for the faint hearted.

 

[3crispies]

Last time we went via Switzerland/Milan to Venice in one go with a morning break at a lake near Zurich.

 

[JonriceT6]

We have done Euro trips twice in our old T2 Bay Window and the longest driving day was 10 hours on our way home (wanted an extra day in Switzerland!).
My daughter is now 18 and she was absolutely fine throughout...missed most of the views as she had her head in a phone game or ipad film most the time, but it made the miles easier for all!!
We gave up pre-booking and changed plans lots as you may like one place way more then expected and spend a week there instead of a couple of nights....especially Swiss Alps!
We'll be heading back that way this summer in the absolute luxury of the new T6.1

Do the sites not get booked up? With it being my first time , I’m just concerned about being stuck with no site to stay on!

 

[JonriceT6]

On the Trip from Calais to Interlaken, I'd avoid Strasbourg unless you have a real need to visit the city ... the drive from Reims to Strasbourg is MIND NUMBING, flat and boring ... I've done it more times than I care to count.

I would go for a stop around Troyes and bribe the kids with a visit to something like this Grimpobranches Lusigny Sur Barse ... there are loads of adventure playgrounds in France and our kids loved them. Plenty of camping around Troyes too - in the Parc naturel régional de la Forêt d'Orient.

Depending on the amount of time you have, I'd stay in Switzerland and explore properly - the Lakes in Italy are also beautiful, but quite crowded and chaotic ... and not much in the way of things to visit or do - particularly for kids - perhaps water-parks but mostly walking, mountain biking, watersports (on Gardasee) and the roads across country to Italy are not fast ... took us an entire day to get from southern Lake Garda to the campsite I mentioned in the last post.

Have a great holiday!!

PS: Stay out of Belgium, driving in that country is not for the faint hearted.

Brilliant mate.
Was Planning on around Strasbourg , but now may change my mind haha.
Just want to get as close to the Swiss border as possible without a huge drive from Calais .

 

[Salty Spuds]

Do the sites not get booked up? With it being my first time , I’m just concerned about being stuck with no site to stay on!

As long as you avoid July/August, there’s no need to book sites in our experience. We do a 1 month skiing trip & a 2 month “summer trip” in May/June & never book anything. Get yourself an ACSI card, the ACSI CC app/Searchforsites & park4night & you’re sorted. If you’re going in school holidays, ignore everything I’ve just said.