Italy road trip

[Pummer67]

We wanted to go to Italy in May half term and I have persuaded the family We can go in the camper. Any recommendations on where we can stay to visit rome/pompei. We are also going to visit a few other places on our trip but out youngest is learning about the Romans at school so wanted to take him to rome and also to pompei. I'm thinking of going up a glacier in Switzerland so any recommendations for places up there I would be hugely grateful.

Also any campsites or how any one else has done hotel while taking the van to rome. I'm not sure on best options.

 

[Pete C]

That’s ambitious. You realise you are going to spend the best part of 2 days to get there, and 2 days back ?
We are going to Northern Italy in May, and assume 1 day to get to the Alps, then a few hours into Northern Italy (Turin) the next day.
We have booked a hotel in France on the first night so we don’t have to pitch camp on the first night.

Pete

 

[Pummer67]

I have already booked the tunnel for the Friday night

That’s ambitious. You realise you are going to spend the best part of 2 days to get there, and 2 days back ?
We are going to Northern Italy in May, and assume 1 day to get to the Alps, then a few hours into Northern Italy (Turin) the next day.
We have booked a hotel in France on the first night so we don’t have to pitch camp on the first night.

Pete

Prior to covid we went from lake annecy back to Belgium in a day so i think it will be fine. I have booked the tunnel for the Friday night. Sleep in an aire somewhere then drive the next day to northern Italy. Then travel down to rome. I was thinking 2 nights in rome. Then head down to naples. 2 nights there and then head where we want from there but homeward direction. We have to be back at the tunnel for the Sunday morning

 

[DXX]

Personally if I wanted to visit Rome and stay in a hotel I’d fly there, no shortage of cheap flights, however driving around Rome and parking isn’t great as you might expect.
If I were going to Northern Italy I would stay there for a few weeks, the Dolomite region is amazing, a UNESCO site.
Switzerland needs at least 7-8 days IMO, last time I was there I stayed in Beatenburg, the best public transport links I’ve ever seen, expensive but not so bad if you take supplies in from France. My advice is not to book mountain tickets too far in advance as the weather changes fast.
That’s my opinion, I prefer active days in pristine natural environment, not everybody's preference I know.

 

[Bav]

We wanted to go to Italy in May half term and I have persuaded the family We can go in the camper. Any recommendations on where we can stay to visit rome/pompei. We are also going to visit a few other places on our trip but out youngest is learning about the Romans at school so wanted to take him to rome and also to pompei. I'm thinking of going up a glacier in Switzerland so any recommendations for places up there I would be hugely grateful.

Also any campsites or how any one else has done hotel while taking the van to rome. I'm not sure on best options.

Consider visiting Herculaneum rather than Pompeii - not as well known but better preserved and a lot less busy,

 

[Salty Spuds]

Do not, I repeat do not attempt to take your vehicle into Rome. Your trip is ambitious for a week. I’d stay “up north”. Florence/Bologna/Pisa/Padua/Verona/Venice. Some great campsites around those areas and easily accessible. If I was going further south. Rome/Naples etc and only had a week, I’d be flying. It’ll work out cheaper & you’ll have more time “on-site”.
Just my 2 penneth.

 

[Bav]

Weren't the Venetian authorities looking to kibosh day-tripping - i.e. only accepting tourists who are staying in Venice in overnight?

 

[Salty Spuds]

Weren't the Venetian authorities looking to kibosh day-tripping - i.e. only accepting tourists who are staying in Venice in overnight?

I think that was aimed at the cruise ships. We stayed at a campsite just on the mainland at Mestre. A 10 minute walk to the tram stop and straight into the heart of Venice.
Quiet well-kept place. Perfect for exploring Venice, bus stop not far from the square, bus ticket available at rec...
park4night - (30170) CAMPING VENEZIA VILLAGE

 

[Dan johnson]

Jungfrau region in Switzerland,big glacier up jungfraujoch and there’s a few campsites in grindelwald but I couldn’t tell you anymore on that as we had a hotel,the most stunning place I’ve ever been and the mixture of transport choices makes getting around the valleys so easy, wengen,lauterbrunnen,grindlewald,interlaken all within 30-40mins of each other,Swiss pass gives access to all the trains,buses,cable cars to get around

We are planning dolomites this year so I’ll keep an eye on this thread

 

[Pummer67]

Thanks guys. Well I have booked the tunnel now so we are going to go for it. I did find cheap flights but we were waiting for 1 passport to come through then 2 days later they had doubled so I couldn't warrant it and I would have had to go to Stanstead which is alot further for us to travel. I have found 2 campsite just outside rome but I'm hoping to find somewhere to park and then have a hotel for a couple of nights. I know it's ambitious but the other half is a teacher so it's not possible to do a longer trip. We already have plans for the summer and Easter holidays so we only have that week available to us. I'm looking at the positives that it will be a scenic drive. The kids don't mind travelling either and are well used to it by now. Any other recommendations greatfully recieved

 

[SAF1981]

Driving in Italy was a nightmare. Speaking from our last trip, apauling roads and aggressive drivers. Every car has a dint in Rome so wouldn't advise taking your camper. I would stay Northern Switzerland or drop into Interlaken as a recommendation. You'll need road tax for Switzerland
A week is too short to enjoy, long drives and rushed days IMO.
Tip, use Waze app for GPS. Its handy for detecting speed cameras and shows you cheapest petrol stations in the area.

 

[Bav]

Agree re Interlaken - stunning area - and also that you're being too ambitious. It may be doable, but doubt it will be memorable (at least, not for the right reasons!).

 

[JB_T5.1]

We drove to Italy from Leeds so a bit easier if starting from the south of England with one over night stop over each way. Furthest south we went was Florence I think and we were there for two weeks. The longest day was Strasbourg to Lake Garda which was 12 hours due to traffic. I did all the driving as my wife won't drive abroad maybe easier if you can share but certainly most of the holiday will be travelling. Agree with the above and would certainly consider staying in the North and doing Rome another time.

It was a fantastic holiday though and if you want to go for it and don't mind the driving I'm sure you will still have fun.

 

[CJW]

We wanted to go to Italy in May half term and I have persuaded the family We can go in the camper. Any recommendations on where we can stay to visit rome/pompei. We are also going to visit a few other places on our trip but out youngest is learning about the Romans at school so wanted to take him to rome and also to pompei. I'm thinking of going up a glacier in Switzerland so any recommendations for places up there I would be hugely grateful.

Also any campsites or how any one else has done hotel while taking the van to rome. I'm not sure on best options.

Interlaken is a fab place. Quite a few campsites too.

 

[Mick]

Thanks guys. Well I have booked the tunnel now so we are going to go for it. I did find cheap flights but we were waiting for 1 passport to come through then 2 days later they had doubled so I couldn't warrant it and I would have had to go to Stanstead which is alot further for us to travel. I have found 2 campsite just outside rome but I'm hoping to find somewhere to park and then have a hotel for a couple of nights. I know it's ambitious but the other half is a teacher so it's not possible to do a longer trip. We already have plans for the summer and Easter holidays so we only have that week available to us. I'm looking at the positives that it will be a scenic drive. The kids don't mind travelling either and are well used to it by now. Any other recommendations greatfully recieved

What time are you leaving Folkestone? I travel to Austria, Slovenia and Northern Italy 4-5 times a year. I generally travel 4-5 hours on the other side and then get my head down. The route you decide is crucial and I use searchforsites.co.uk to find a place to kip.

If you are going down the peage via Strasbourg/stuttgart/munich (€40 - each way) it's a much quicker quicker faster route and you can stop at a MoHo Aire at a couple of places. Showers toilets etc for free as part of the toll. Here for example A.4 Paris-Strasbourg Aire Reims Champagne

Equally via Luxembourg gets you cheap fuel and I have stopped and kipped at BP Mamer (BP CAPELLEN - PKW MP2 - BP) many times.

If you want stunning scenery, brilliant campsites and really good glacier to go to try the Marmalada Glacier on the Italian/Austrian border: it could be on your route. Marmolada Glacier - Wikipedia It has a great 1st WW museum at the top and a good restaurant. The views are stunning.

 

[Tony Abbott]

wow, a lot of differant views. Its your holiday @Pummer67 , enjoy the time away with your family.

 

[Bav]

wow, a lot of differant views. Its your holiday @Pummer67 , enjoy the time away with your family.

 

[Bigsidavies]

@Pummer67 another option to give more time at destination is to book a flight back from Rome to UK on the Sunday for the wife and then you can drive back over the next couple of days. I planned to do this for Norway with the wife flying in/out of Copenhagen but it all got cancelled due to covid. (She works in a school too)

 

[Nige_g]

@Pummer67 another option to give more time at destination is to book a flight back from Rome to UK on the Sunday for the wife and then you can drive back over the next couple of days. I planned to do this for Norway with the wife flying in/out of Copenhagen but it all got cancelled due to covid. (She works in a school too)

I love that option. We are doing it again this year. We are driving down through France and into Spain. Wife then flies home, I have a break, then drive home alone. I'm happy with my own company though.

We will be driving down to Italy week after next. Only going as far as San Gimignano though. Spending 3 nights travelling, one just south of Calais, one in Dijon and one in Aosta.

 

[3crispies]

We did northern Italy via Switzerland/Milan and stayed at Jesolo beach. Drove T6 into a multi storey in Venice and grabbed a water taxi. Drove non stop to Switzerland as nothing much to see in the 1st part of the trip before there. Toured the adriatic to San Marino using park4night or pitchup.
Only have a few tips try and get vignette 2nd hand off ebay, watch speed cameras in Switzerland and take GB sticker off before you arrive in Italy or no one will give way to you...... Enjoy.