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Just a tentative inquiry!

Has anyone ever camped in Italy (lakes) and made the journey from Calais?

If so what was the experience like, how many stopovers were done, was that an adequate number etc........

'er indoors is quite keen to get outdoors in Italy (5 weeks away? with x stopovers) with the trailer tent but me thinks might be to exhausting!!!!!!!!

Any advice much appreciated.

Bags.

Bags

We have been to Italy a couple of times. I would have thought you should allow a couple of stops en route. Alternatively make the journey part of the holiday and stop off for a couple of days at each place. I have always gone into Italy via Austria, the first time because it was part of a tour we did back in 1992 but more recently in 2000 we went from Calais/Belgium/Germany/Austria/Italy. If Rostrevor sees this post he will suggest another route via Switzerland which he has used quite a lot. Italy is a lovely country to camp in. I accept it is a bit further than some destinations but you have 5 weeks so plenty of time.

David

There are 4 main Italin Lakes in the North of Italy. Como, Maggiore, and Lugano all border Switzerland.   Lake Garda is usually the one identified as  the 'Italian Lakes'

If you want, in the five weeks try at least two or three of them and call in at Switzerland fo a couple of days on the way down/back.

From Calais, towing a caravan,  we make Switzerland on the second day and stay for a few days at Interlaken.    Spectacular scenery and a chance to unwind wandering round the mountains.  From there, try Lake Maggiore, a short days drive.   There are a large number of camp sites beween Baveno (the furthest north Brits seem to venture) and Verbania.   A nice area of the Lake with local buses and trains.

Another short days drive from there is Lake Garda, a totally different lake.Mountainous in the north, flatter on the south. Many camp sites all round it.

Lake Como has mountains all round.   We have only stayed in the north but the next time we go, we will look at the area round Menaggio which looks very interesting.

We have passed Lugano on several occasions but never stopped there. 

All these locations are a short days drive from one another.   It is two days drive from any of them back to port.

We are considering 4-6 weeks in Italy this Summer

Anyone know how Italy compares to Spain or South of France regarding thefts from caravans etc? We have heard several "horror staories" from Spain and witnessed some France

We have been to Italy for the past 13 or so years and have never known or heard of anyone who has had their caravan broken into whilst in Italy.   We have heard of Motorhomes being broken into whilst in the tourist cities. BUT like everywhere else, there is alway some light fingered moron.

We once stayed overnight on a Municipal in France.  The following morning over 20 vans had been the subject of theft.   Ours was not one of them

we travelled through Switzerland.  have also been via Austria and Brenner, but Switzerland is the most direct.

Switzerland is an easy halfway stop from calais.

only downside, is that Switzerland is so nice, you may want to cut short lake garda, and spend time in Switzerland on the way back

i recommend :

http://www.camping-jungfrau.ch/

have fun what ever you do

Michael

We are off to Italy tomorrow for a couple of months, going via Switzerland for a change instead of Austria. We go for a couple of months 2 or 3 times a year, love Italy, especially Sicily. Elba is also lovely and well worth a visit.

Our next hol in May and June is planned to be around the Italian Lakes and will probably spend some time in Switzerland as well. Having bought the Vignette, might as well make use of it.

Phil.

We camped at a fantastic site booked through CCC Carefree brochure - it was near Venice called Ca Savio.  Fantastic experience really good site with security staff (but not at all in your face).  We never heard of any problems and certainly felt safe.

We went Folkestone to Dunkirk then drove through Germany and Austria passing close to Lake Garda on the way to Venice.  Stopped first night in Munch and completed the journey easily the following day.

Probably the best camping holiday we ever had.

I drive from England to Italy regularly (I own a camp site in Tuscany).  My preferred route takes between 17 and 20 hours (plus overnight stop clearly) and starts with a ferry crossing with Norfolk line.  This goes to Dunkirk and is much quieter (no coach parties or foot passengers) from Dunkirk follow the motorway:

In Switzerland you will pay a road tax but it's cheaper than the French road tolls further south.

Quote: Originally posted by Skyhawk on 27/2/2006

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We camped at a fantastic site booked through CCC Carefree brochure - it was near Venice called Ca Savio.  Fantastic experience really good site with security staff (but not at all in your face).  We never heard of any problems and certainly felt safe.

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Would echo the recommendation for Ca Savio - very well run site, but relaxed with it. Van came around each night and 'nuked' all the mosquitoes in the trees. Supermarket on site was cheaper than the local one in the town. Great pizza place on the beach just outsite the campsite entrance. Great day trips into Venice - catch the boat just 5 minutes from the campsite, 45 minute trip into Venice, then spend the day hopping off and on the water-taxis.

As for the route to get there (we were travelling with four children aged 2 - 7), we spent two nights in the grounds of an old castle on the banks of the Rhine near Koblenz, 3 nights in the French Alps at site in Susten, 2 nights at a site by stream near Lake Maggiore, and a week at Ca Savio. We broke the journey home by spending 3 nights near Annecy.

However we were 'Eurocamping' so we had no setting up to do when we got to the site, but the distances were not unbearable even with 4 kids in the car ... but we were ably assisted by TV/Video player in the car!

We did 5 weeks away from Calais last summer in our motorcaravan. Had a great time and our itinary was through France (Camping Les Saules, Bailleul), Luxembourg City (Camping Kockelscheuer). We then had 3 nights in Munster (France)  and then on into Switzerland. You could have as many/ few nights as you liked around Bern, Interlaken, Luzern. We then went to Lake Lugano (Eurocamping Agno). We went through the St Gotthard tunnel - no extra charge other than your Swiss motorway vignette £20.  In Italy we stayed on Lake Garda at Riva del Garda, (Camping Monte Brione) a 5 minute stroll into Riva. Very good site.Came back over Brenner pass in rain and thunderstorms but the views are supposed to be great! Then through Germany (Augsburg  -Camping Lech has great showers and toilets!), Black Forest, Lux'bourg, Bailleul, Calais. (All campsites in Caravan Club book except Lugano).Both ways we paid out very little in tolls (£28  whole trip). Have a great time.