Italy and Croatia via Switzerland 2025

Ayjay said:
@doncarlyon. 10, maybe 11 years ago, we had a holiday at a hotel in Plat which I think is not far from you which was nice as you could easily get to Dubrovnik or Cavtat by bus or water taxi - it was long enough ago that a building just up the hill from our hotel was still showing battle damage. Even closer is a campsite called Camping Kate which we've not stayed in but did go and have a look a couple of years ago as we were driving past it. Got chatting to some brits there who rated it highly. If we get that far on the forthcoming trip, that's probably where we will end up.
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Plat is not far away. We are heading over to Cavtat tomorrow.

I'd drive back over here in the van but the 9yr old would whinge all the way haha. 2.5hr flight was nice though, would consider coming back for a long weekend.

One thing I've noticed is a lack of different restaurants, they all seem to do the same.

But on a more positive note, they don't hassle you to go in.
 
@doncarlyon. What we've found is that the food changes as you get further down the country. IMHO it's better in Istria maybe because it's much closer to Italy and therefore has their influence. As you say, the ace card is a short flight - ironically you have triple (or more) the travel time nowadays with driving to and from an airport as well as as the two hour check in time. When we stayed in Plat (by the sea), there wasn't much else there other than the hotel and a single restaurant half way up the hill to the main road that made the most of a captive audience with high prices but there was also a little bar for drinks only mainly used by locals (and therefore comparatively cheap) right on the seafront overlooking the village beach. Cavtat is worth a visit for the giant yacht porn moored in the harbour but prices are also high there, probably because of those very same yachts.
 
Ayjay said:
@doncarlyon. What we've found is that the food changes as you get further down the country. IMHO it's better in Istria maybe because it's much closer to Italy and therefore has their influence. As you say, the ace card is a short flight - ironically you have triple (or more) the travel time nowadays with driving to and from an airport as well as as the two hour check in time. When we stayed in Plat (by the sea), there wasn't much else there other than the hotel and a single restaurant half way up the hill to the main road that made the most of a captive audience with high prices but there was also a little bar for drinks only mainly used by locals (and therefore comparatively cheap) right on the seafront overlooking the village beach. Cavtat is worth a visit for the giant yacht porn moored in the harbour but prices are also high there, probably because of those very same yachts.
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It's all nice enough to be honest, just a bit samey.

The yachts will certainly add to the prices, it is what it is... you get used to it.

Wouldn't stop me from coming back.
 
Bigsidavies said:
Yesterday we had a great walk along part of the Eiger Ultra Path up to a cable car station and got the cable car down, and had a beer on the way, and made a plan.
Switzerland was supposed to be a stopover but it’s so easy to get mesmerised and stay.
We move on today and Switzerland will be a seperate holiday that we plan specifically with its own budget. Maybe next spring.View attachment 300667View attachment 300668View attachment 300669
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View from behind the cable car, camped at the foot of the Eiger in 2018. A beautiful area, have a great time.

20180731_182955.webp
 
doncarlyon said:
How far into Croatia are you heading?

We are in the Dubrovnik riviera at the moment (not camping though) and it's very nice but a bit pricey. Current record is 9euro for a beer.
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We intend to get the ferry from Bari to Dubrovnik and then travel north along the coast. Probably another couple of weeks away yet.
 
Time for a few updates.
Thursday we had torrential thunderstorms so decided to hunker down on the free motorhome aire in Iseo. However, by lunch the weather had broken so we drove into Brescia which was a beautiful place.IMG_8915.webp
Then the weather changed and we got the underground back to the park and ride by which time we were in the middle of a thunderstorm with rain like I’ve never seen I ran the 50 metres to the van and looked like I’d jumped in a swimming pool.
Back to Iseo and then it brightened up in the evening and we walked to a craft beer rock bar which was just our sort of place.
IMG_8919.webp
 
Friday we headed to La Spezia and a motorhome aire with nice showers and a good bus link. Spent the evening in the city shopping and drinking.
IMG_8925.webpIMG_8933.webp
 
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Today we set off for Pisa and got to the Sosta (aire) at Pisa Marina just after lunch.
Jumped the bus into Pisa for €1 and had the most amazing afternoon/evening.
Absolutely loved the place.
Was lucky enough to be able to pay £10 for a small bottle of beer overlooking the wobbly bell tower too.IMG_8943.jpeg
Then back to the marina and sunset on the seafront. The whole place was absolutely buzzing. Roads were closed and the restaurants had their seating filling the prom. Couldn’t get a table though as they were all booked up. Gutted.
Had a beer and walked back to the van.IMG_4072.jpegIMG_4069.jpeg
None of this was part of our itinerary.
We should have gone to Garda then Florence then Siena, but for various reasons -weather, temperature, desire for a break from walking round cities, etc, we just changed our plans.
That’s the beauty of the van life and not pre-booking anything.

Edit:- instead of the usual boring pic where you position your hands to look like you are holding up the tower, I opted for one that has some random guy sat on the rim of my beer glass.
 
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Bigsidavies said:
Today we set off for Pisa and got to the Sosta (aire) at Pisa Marina just after lunch.
Jumped the bus into Pisa for €1 and had the most amazing afternoon/evening.
Absolutely loved the place.
Was lucky enough to be able to pay £10 for a small bottle of beer overlooking the wobbly bell tower too.View attachment 301635
Then back to the marina and sunset on the seafront. The whole place was absolutely buzzing. Roads were closed and the restaurants had their seating filling the prom. Couldn’t get a table though as they were all booked up. Gutted.
Had a beer and walked back to the van.View attachment 301636View attachment 301637
None of this was part of our itinerary.
We should have gone to Garda then Florence then Siena, but for various reasons -weather, temperature, desire for a break from walking round cities, etc, we just changed our plans.
That’s the beauty of the van life and not pre-booking anything.

Edit:- instead of the usual boring pic where you position your hands to look like you are holding up the tower, I opted for one that has some random guy sat on the rim of my beer glass.
Click to expand...
Really does look like he’s sitting on the glass 😄

Do you have any details of the aires you are staying in?
 
Bigsidavies said:
It does. I only noticed when I posted the pic on here.
La Spezia was this
And tonight’s at Pisa is this. This is actually pre-bookable online.
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The La Spezia is well maintained and clean. Clean showers and washing facilities and the site guy is well on top of things. Slightly noisy because it’s between 2 main roads on the way to the docks. But at €15 per night with nearby bus to town it’s a good choice.
The pisa marina was a nice location. Overlooking some lovely fields with views to the mountains. 5 minutes to the marina and 2 minutes to the bus to Pisa that is €1 and air conditioned. However, it’s not well kept and the showers weren’t particularly clean even though they were in a new looking cabin.
 
Bigsidavies said:
The La Spezia is well maintained and clean. Clean showers and washing facilities and the site guy is well on top of things. Slightly noisy because it’s between 2 main roads on the way to the docks. But at €15 per night with nearby bus to town it’s a good choice.
The pisa marina was a nice location. Overlooking some lovely fields with views to the mountains. 5 minutes to the marina and 2 minutes to the bus to Pisa that is €1 and air conditioned. However, it’s not well kept and the showers weren’t particularly clean even though they were in a new looking cabin.
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Do you find a lot of them have facilities? When I’ve been looking at using aires (mostly in France) they rarely do
 
Aires in France rarely have anything at all, however they do tend to be cheap or free.
The sosta in Italy with toilets and showers are more plentiful. They are however more expensive and of massively varying quality.
The sosta at lake Bracciano last night was €20 and was more like a campsite with numbered pitches, EHU included at each pitch, water tap at each pitch, showers, toilets, pot washing and clothes washing sinks. Oh, and a massive complement of free bitey and stingy things.
 
Many garages all over Europe have showers and laundries, whereas in the UK it tends to be truck service areas.
Put the laundry in, SS&S, dryer on while you have lunch. No time wasted and pretty cheap.
 
Monday was a bit of a slog. 4 hours heading south. Stopped at a sosta near the lake in Bracciano. The lake was lovely and headed out for a walk and a few afternoon beers in the sun.8671DAFE-AE72-4502-AAE9-A111E4F20C0D.jpegIMG_8960.jpeg
Evening was a walk into the old town which was really nice. Found a craft ale bar in the square next to the castle that did nice food and spent the evening eating and drinking there.IMG_8964.jpegIMG_8966.jpegIMG_8969.jpeg
Then back to the van and some illumination to annoy the neighbours.IMG_8971.jpeg
 
Drove down to Pompeii over the course of today.
Stopped off overlooking the coast for a spot of lunch.262FEC29-628A-4164-8B4D-B698396670C3.jpeg
Quick google revealed that these fruit on the cactus are edible prickly pears. So I picked one and squeezed it in both hands to see if it was ripe. I’m still pulling the tiny spikes out of my hands using my teeth as we speak. Lesson learned there.
Anyway we are on camping Zeus in Pompeii for 2 nights.
Quite a nice site set between lime trees so the dashboard is now adorned with limes for future travel use lol. A lovely new shower block-cubicles are a bit small though.
It’s across from the entrance to the Pompeii archaeological site so that’s tomorrow sorted.
Roof has gone yellow tonight so as not to attract the mozzies.IMG_8973.jpeg
ACSI card kicked in and got the cost from €50 to €25 per night which is a great saving.
Beer and Doritos as I can’t be arsed cooking or walking out tonight.
 
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