# Italy



## funnymunny (May 13, 2005)

I am hopefully heading from Dunkirk down to Italy early in the new year and have never driven to Italy before does anybody have info on motorway tolls or tunnel tolls or best routes to avoid


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Funnymunny wrote

I am hopefully heading from Dunkirk down to Italy early in the new year and have never driven to Italy before does anybody have info on motorway tolls or tunnel tolls or best routes to avoid

Hi Funnymunny

You have not stated where you are going in Italy, but this is our preferred winter route to Bologna, We usually carry on down to Brindisi to catch the ferry to Greece. You can expect snow in the alps, the Swiss are very good at clearing the roads if you do get stuck you will not be on your own. There will be plenty of trunkers to keep you happy. At least you will have your facilities with you. Make sure your van is winterised for the trip. 

Dunkirk
Lille
Mons Namur
Luxembourg (Cheap fuel & ****)
Metz
Strassburg
Basle, Vignette Swiss Motorway Toll SF40. I have no current details of costs if your van is over 3500kgs
Luzern
St Gothard Tunnel (no extra fee to use tunnel)
Lugano
Milan 
Bologna 

Tolls on this route as at Jan 2004

Metz to Strassburg Euro 15.50 
Como Euro 1.50
Milan Ring Road Euro 2.00
Milan to Bologna Euro 12.00

If you would like more details of this route send me your e-mail address by PM and I'll mail them. It's on Autoroute so I can't PM them to you.

Don


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## funnymunny (May 13, 2005)

Thanks for the info Don, it all helps. We intend driving from Dunkirk down to the Pompei area as quickly as is reasonable then slowly work our way back up from there taking in the usual sites.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

You might find this useful as well.

CAMPER PARKING IN PISA
There is an excellent free parking area for campers in Pisa within a ten minute walk of the Leaning Tower.
Own toilet facilities are required but water and tank emptying points are available. It is a large level tarmac area behind the Tamoil filling station/Tourist coach park.

We stayed for two nights with about nine other campers and it was very quiet

There is another camper parking area close to the city wall but it's very scruffy and gets crowded.

Directions.

North of Pisa on Via Aurelia SS 1 at KM 336 traffic lights turn left if coming from the north and turn right if coming from the south. After exiting
underpass at traffic lights turn left into Via Pietrasantina. Enter underpass and site is on the right behind Tamoil filling station about 200
metres after exiting underpass. Entrance to site is immediately before the filling station.

Pisa is well worth a visit there is more than just the leaning tower in the old city.

FLORENCE
Camping Michelangelo (www.ecvaanze.it) is situated in an olive grove overlooking the old city of Florence There are fine views of the city from the site. There is a bus stop outside the site or one can walk to the city in about twenty minutes. It has two shortcomings the price 30 Euro per night and 3 amp electricity.

We stayed three nights but most people only stayed two. The site is excellent for short stays and the facilities are very good and well maintained. The site does have problems when it's wet. The lower pitches tend to get waterlogged after heavy rain.

The site gets very crowded. If you have anything over seven metres arrive on site before midday. The reception staff are very helpful with maps and directions etc.

DIRECTIONS

Leave Autostrada A1 at Florence Certosa. Follow the Florence signs for about 3 miles then follow Piazzale Michelangelo (Yellow sign) signs. This is a very large viewing area overlooking the city. The site is on the left 200 metres past the viewing point. If approaching from any other direction just follow the signs for Piazzle Michelangelo which is well signed from the city centre.

VENICE ON THE CHEAP.

The cheapest way to see Venice is to free camp at Punti Sabbioni and then the ferry to St Marks (6 Euro & 50 minutes). They run every half hour throughout the day.

Take the road signed Cavallino/Punti Sabbioni from Jessolo at the ferry terminal turn left and parking is available on the left in approx 200 metres. There is also Camper Service parking area Euro 14 per night (Parking/electricity/water/tank emptying facility) at approx 500 metres in the same direction. Camping Mirimare is next to the camper parking and they charge Euro 19 per night.

There is also parking by turning right at the ferry terminal and parking is available on the left in approx 300 metres.

This is the situation in mid May. It could change in the high season as parking is at a premium in the area.

A new bus station/paid parking area is under construction at the ferry terminal. It's due for completion in mid July.

WARNING 
As you approach Punti Sabbioni you will see the tourist coach park on the right. When you have passed the coach park you will most likely see people standing in the middle of the road waving their arms about. Don't panic they are only trying to get you to use their paid parking areas at five Euro a go. They can get pretty persistent when business is slow.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

I received our Carefree (Camping & Caravanning) summer 2005 overseas holiday brochure today.

For those interested but have not yet got round to reading it they are advertising an escorted tour to Italy in May 2005.
Previously they had 2 tours in September so this is a new departure.

The September tours are usually booked up before the brochure comes out but it could be that a quick application for a place for May might succeed.


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## funnymunny (May 13, 2005)

Thanks Gillian but not really interested in escorted tours, done that in between years of motorhoming but much prefer to do my own thing but having said that there are 4 vans along on this trip all friends so should be interesting


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