# Lake Maggiore



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

Not sure about the spelling, but it's not obvious from our directory that we have info on camping at this lake. Anyone got the knowledge? 

We aiming for Portofino area over 4 weeks in June/July, circular route from Calais to Calais. Carole wants to revisit the lake as it was stunning about 31 years ago!


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

Hi

Take a look at www.maggiore.ch

Russell


----------



## Sharnor (Jul 24, 2006)

Have never been there, but from what I can see there are 4 official aires around Lake Maggoire. It looks absolutely beautiful!!!! I think that this will have to be a "must do" destination.

These are their co-ords 46.06156, 8.69233
45.99669, 8.6529
45.92901, 8.56406
and 
45.91177, 8.50061

Sharon


----------



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks Sharon and Russell. We can't use an Aire as we don't have "own sans essential" in our little VW. 
I have started searching, first of all trying to find where the lake is as it's such a long time since we visited, staying in a rather posh hotel on the shore. There seems to be plenty of places as I expected, maybe an MHF'er will come up with recommendations.


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Have never visited, but my brother has several times, to a hotel at Cannero Riviera.

We are joining him out there at the end of August and hope to stay at

http://www.imteq.com/campinglido/indexuk.html

which looks fabulous.


----------



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi Derek

Yup, we visited there last summer - not planned :roll: You can read a little of it :: here ::. The travelblog is a 'work in progress' :wink:

Also a photo:
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff44/pollensa-2007/Italy-summer2007/image015.jpg

We visited during peak time, and had great difficulty finding a place to stay after tea time. Earlier in the day, or book ahead, or maybe that little bit earlier in the summer, will mean you'll be OK.

It is a lovely area.

Gerald


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Just putting camping and maggiore into Google lists quite a few. I was amused at the wording in one site:
"200 pitches are haunted by Italian guests, 90 pitches are reserved to foreign tourists"

8O 

That area was my first ever trip overseas. I don't mean in a van, I mean ever 

Dave


----------



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks Pippin, Gerald and Dave. As usual this site is coming up trumps again. We will be out of season so as we are nomadic and move on frequently we will probably take pot luck. Your blog was interesting Gerald and of course the weather over most of Europe was crap then. We were in Northern Spain most of June and it was pretty awful. Heres hoping.


----------



## 96798 (Nov 26, 2005)

Camping Solcio at Solcio di Lesa (just south of Stresa) stayed there early June07. Lovely site right on the lake used ACSI card got 8 euros a night discount. 300m to bus stop and 1.5 km to railway station. If you want to come back via Switzerland the Simplon pass is only a short drive away.

John


----------



## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

Still is a beauty. I imagine the traffic density has increased somewhat in the last 30 years. We were there last year in the van and some time ago when we toured on a Motorbike and stayed in Hotels. 
Garda also very good. Watch out for "T leaves" in Italy 2 fellow campers were robbed whilst we were at Garda. We noted that whilst walking near our site most houses were guarded by very ferocious dogs. Perhaps this was and area for Italian worthy's, football players or mafia. 
It is best to remember as a general rule Italian pitches are very small. We usually ask for Super or Service Pitches. 

Steve


----------



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks John and Steve. We are aiming almost due east from Calais to get a lot of Switzerland in via Luxembourg. Having skiied a lot we want to see the mountians in summer, then the lakes, then Italian Riviera Portofino upwards, then up via Aosta valley to France. Our final stop is at Samois sur Seine near fontainblue for a jazz fest end of June.


----------



## Duadua (Feb 16, 2006)

We found Portofino to be one of the most expensive places on earth, even for an "OK .... we'll only have a coffee then" sort of break.

Amazing boats in the harbour and even bigger gin palaces just outside the harbour.

We found the shops (and restaurants) to be for those from said gin palaces who were obliged to go ashore and spend spend spend and return with the correct showy boutique carrier bag/s.

The setting is however special and you can see where Clough Williams-Ellis got his inspiration from to build his Italianate village Portmeirion (The Prisoner) in N Wales.

We approached Portofino from Rapallo by bus and returned to Rapallo by public ferry, staying at the modest but friendly and adequate camp site there (see camp site data base), which is within walking distance, or bus, of the centre of Rapallo itself.

Best of luck and enjoy. 

Any further questions please ask.

Lauterbrunnen in the Swiss Alps is well worth a summer visit with its useful mountain railways etc.


----------



## clianthus (Jul 8, 2006)

Hi Hampshireman

We stayed at this site a couple of years ago and it was fantastic. We didn't have an "ACSI" card at the time so it was quite expensive but they do take them now and it is on page 506 of the 2008 ACSI book campsite no 1231.

It is also in MHF campsite database:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=866

Hope you have a lovely time it's a beautiful area.


----------



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks Jenny and Dua. 

Portofino was just a ref point really, it's the coast north of there which is the pull. We stayed in Sestri Levante I think it was and no Brits there way back then.


----------

