# Route to Sicily



## swallow (Dec 19, 2007)

Hi we are off to sicily for winter never been before, leave sat. 30th had intended to travel down south france and coast road into italy but the diesel problems have thrown a spanner into the works! may now have to go via germany. Anyone any suggestions, ideas? we do not like tunnels much and hate the snow! what about col de larche, colle della maddalena this time of year? thats saying we can make it that far!


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

yep i'm going twice first one to Roma over christmas and second time to Sicily from the first week in feb... was thinking (you dont like tunnels) callias, brussels, Lx, the south to strasbourg, mulhouse, basel to milano and genova roma on the coast then onto napoli and onward to the ferry to sicily..... or more direct throug france, callias, rouen, tours, clermount ferrand, lyon, torino, genova etc.... the first route misses a lot of the french tolls..... yes you hit one or two but thats fine for me... i'm a cat 4 for the french tolls and it gets very expensive... just my view and there are plenty of others with a welth of experence to go by as well....


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

Ciao, if I were to drive from UK to Sicily, had fuel concerns, wanted to save on tolls, and didn't like tunnels, I would be going
Calais - Dunkirk - Lille - Tournai - Mons - Namur - Arlon (fuel stops galore in Belgium) - Luxembourg cheap fuel - Thionville - Metz - Strasbourg - Basel. Here I personally would go Basel - Luzern - Gothard Tunnel - Bellinzona - Chiasso/Como and on to Milano; but you can go Basel - Zurich - Chur - San Bernardino Pass - Bellinzona etc.
In Italy I would be driving all the way down the A1 from Milano to Caserta, then the A30 to Salerno, and then the A3 Salerno - Villa San Giovanni; and ferry Villa San Giovanni - Messina.
If on the other hand if I had ferries booked it would be either Como - Milano - Genova; or Como - Milano - Parma, and then Parma - La Spezia - Livorno.

I can't see any sense or convenience in other routes.
saluti,
eddied
p.s. heavy traffic in Italy 1 & 2 novembre, public holidays - all saints and all souls days.


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## Italia (Apr 19, 2009)

Just one word of warning. Simplon Pass closed today due to weather conditions. Its snowing like bu**ery! They usually clear it pretty quick as it is the only tunnel free link to the Brig side. But make sure you have Snow Chains or are prepared to sit out the weather.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Ciao Eddied

Slight diversion from topic: We have thought about Sicily for winter - can't do it this year as new grandaughter expected in January in Barcelona. However, next year! What is the weather generally like from Nov - March.

Grazie Tanto

Sal


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## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

*Route to Sicily - fuel shortages in France*

Apparently you can find out where there are garages with fuel on the following site which links you to a Forum . . .

http://www.automoto.fr/actualite-au...essence-en-france-voici-la-carte-6106678.html

We haven't really any problem here, a small town in Correze - French tv news suggests about 25% of filling stations nationwide are dry, especially around Paris and in the West - but the situation is said to be improving.

Helen


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## exmusso (Jun 18, 2006)

*Journey to Sicily*

Hi,

Unless you wish to visit Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Pisa etc, you could catch the ferry from Genoa to Palermo in Sicily.

We drove all the way late November, early December and after driving from Scotland, found the roads South from Rome very tiresome with loads of roadworks with speed limits of 50kph for long stretches.
The constant rumbling passing over the expansion strips on the suspended roads was driving me nuts.

After staying in Sicily for 2+ months over Xmas and New Year, I checked out the ferries and chose Palermo - Genoa.
Crossing was around 18 hours. Various deals available on internet.

Cheers,
Alan


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Sicily in winter*

 Ciao Sal, well Sicily is not the Costa del Sol for winter weather.
Being quite a way towards the East the whole of Southern Italy, and Sicily, can be affected by cold airstreams from Russia and the Balkans; especially in the winter months. However, very often you can also get an airstream coming off the Sahara, which warms things up considerably. On the whole I would decribe it as variable to fair during the winter; with some cold snaps, and also quie a few warm ones. In January the mimosa starts to blossom, and by mid February many almond and cherry and plum trees are starting to blossom. Etna will be snow capped for most of the winter, and very often so will the Madonie mountains in the North of the island.
Climate averages for Catania are
Nov. min 10 C max 20 C rainfall 62 mm.
Dec. min 7 C max 17C rainfall 86 mm.
Jan. min 5 C max 16 C rainfall 75 mm.
Feb, min 5 C max 16 C rainfall 53 mm.

Of course there can be considerable differences according to what sort of a winter we get.
Siracusa/Ragusa area may be the odd degree warmer, but not dryer.

saluti,
eddied


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## swallow (Dec 19, 2007)

Thanks everyone most helpful will see what the situation with french diesel is likely to be, quickest route seems to be through one of the tunnels into italy but where do you stay overnight the other side in italy this time of year? Do you have to have snow chains to use the tunnels/area around? thanks again.


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Snow chains*

 Buona sera, you shouldn't normally need snow chains on the approaches to Gothard or San Bernardino; although they can occasionally be required during bad spells.At the moment there is some very cold weather about, and I heard this morning that the Spluga pass was closed for snow. Once over the border into Italy I always headed to Camping Citta' di Milano, which is open all year round, and is on the data base here.
saluti,
eddied


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