We bought an Mazda Bongo campervan late last summer and are now planning a two and a half week trip down to Slovenia (Bled/Ljubljana to see best friend) and Croatia (Rovinj/Istria generally)in August. I have two boys aged 5 and 7 so want to keep the driving sections relatively short and I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations for good overnight stop locations - I would prefer campsites rather than aire type stops. We are aiming to take a couple of days to get there and a couple to get back and will most likely be going through Belgium/Lux/Germany/Austria. Any personal recommendations for smaller, eco type sites in Croatia would also be very welcome as I am currently wading through reviews. Thanks in advance!
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sites we have stayed at on our way to Pula in Croatia.
Camping Kockelscheuer on the outskirts of Luxembourg.
Camping Waldpark Hohenstadt, between Stuttgart and Munchen, very close to Mororway.
Camping Vierthaler, just South of Salzburg, a beautiful small country site with lovely owner and just off Motorway.
We stayed at Camping Bled right on the edge of Lake Bled, a beautiful spot, don,t know any small sites in Croatia as we stayed at Camping Bi-Village, lovely site but very,very large in Fazana.
Benjy You are asking a bit much to do that trip in 2 and half weeks it is well over a 1,300 mile journey.
You will get 1 night at Vierthaler and Waldpark sites but you need to book ahead for August it is the busiest month of the year in Europe. But some sites will not book anyone for 1 night and some 2/3 nights at that time of year.
DiPhil
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Benjy we did this trip 2 years ago like you to visit friends in Ljubljana. I cant remember the name of the town but will try and look it up we stopped at a small stelplatz German version of Aire and it was at a leisure centre with indoor and outdoor swimming pools. You paid in the centre and included hook up and discount for swimming. We then stopped at another Stelplatz at Bayern Munich ground with another 50 or more vans and the kids would love it with the big stadium changing colours.
We then stayed at Lake Bled campsite for a few days before heading to meet our friends for s few days, then headed to Izola on the coast before heading to Bobec for white water raffting.
When we were in Croatia in 2012 near Pula we got friendly with a couple who were still working and they did the trip in the 2 week holiday,sailed very early Sat morning were in Fazana by 4-00pm Sunday, left us at 7am on the Sat two weeks later drove through the day and night and were back in Devon for the football at 4-00pm. It makes me tired just thinking about it although they were younger than us.We would need another holiday to recover !!!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by Benjy on 01/3/2016
Thanks again for all your advice. Having reviewed everything we have decided it might be a bit ambitious and have decided to go to France instead!
A wise decision, I think, Benjy.
We did the trip from Oxford to Istria, Croatia, a distance of about 1200 miles, in two days when we were a lot, lot younger. There was just the two of us and we were in a very fast car but with just the one driver.
Although we were camping the middle night of the journey we ended up in a very expensive hotel on the motorway in Germany as my husband literally could drive no further. No way could we have found a campsite and put up the tent etc. It totally spoiled the holiday for us as we were far too exhausted in the first few days to really appreciate being there, or anywhere, and we vowed never to do it again (we haven't). I can't imagine what it would be like doing it with children in a campervan. We do do these distances in our campervan now but would allow about a week to do it which makes it so much easier and more pleasant.
I know people do do long distances in a short time and say it's not a problem but I do think that most people overestimate the amount of driving they can safely do in a day without becoming over tired and potentially very dangerous to themselves and others, not to mention needing a long holiday afterwards to get over it. :-)