# Chunnel booked Italy here we come.



## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

Ok you guys, some info please Barryd are you looking.
18.20 pm 28th August, City Europe bit of grub 2 beers ( cos I driving in morning, heading for Le grand bornand for 2days. As we ski there and we like to se it without snow. Then we head over to Italy to see some lakes, orta / maggiora / como/ Garda then Verona and over to Venice. 
We got 3weeks to do it, don't now the best way after Le grand bornand, 
Any must see on that route will be great to know,any nice sosta or site.
If we go gotthard tunnel do we need thing on window or is it best go over the top. Then a nice route back. Thanks for looking, sitting here waiting cos I know there is some one with some info.
Thanks guys, can't wait. Eddie.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

well I do hope you have at least 2 credit cards, or other card, It seems according to comments on here that it is very expensive, so I am watching to see what you post about your trip, in readiness for us to choose our final country of destination.
Have a great time.

cabby


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

Don't hold your breath waiting for Barry, he's France bound as of today although I'm sure he'll find some wifi along the way and login #addict


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

You will need the Swiss Vignette to travel on any of the motorways in Switzerland. It's about £28, and you can buy it at the Basle border crossing.

It covers the Gottard Tunnel, but you would still need it even if you went over the top.

If the weather is good, I can recommend going up over the Gottard pass rather than through the tunnel, and wildcamping at the top by the lakes.

Useful sosta at Soave between Verona and Vicensa. €5 incl EHU / water / waste etc.

We stayed on the aire at Verona. It's just a carpark. €10 per night. No EHU, but it is convenient for the city - about a 15 min walk to the arena. Entry is a bit weird: you drive up to the barrier, press a button and it gives you a token and lets you in.

When you come to leave, you wave the token at a payment machine, it shows you how much you owe, you pay, and then stick the token in a slot to open the barrier and let you out.

For Venice we stayed on the Lido de Jessolo, cycled to the ferry at Punta Sabbioni, and bought a 3-Day pass €35 each. This lets you hop on and off any of the vaporetti water ferries in the Venbice lagoon. We made good use of it.

I can recommend visiting Burano - the most northerly of the islands in the Venice lagoon. beautiful.

Morph


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

More thoughts: The Italian motorways are MUCH cheaper than the French Peage (about 1/4 the cost for a similar distance), so it makes sense to use them when travelling longish distances.

Orta is lovely. Use the Free Aire at Orta san Giulio, which is further up the hill here: 45.7967809, 8.4133995 no facilities, but nice and quiet.

In addition to the main lakes, we also visited Caldonazzo, Ledro and Iseo all of which were IMHO better than the big, popular lakes.

I'm afraid I don't 'get' Garda - everywhere just seemed horrendously busy compared to the less popular lakes, and we were there in June. It must be worse in August?

Morph.


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## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

Bump


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## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

Very poor response guys, you ain't fans of Italy by the look of it,
I use toggle sim in France, any idea what to use in Italy.
Thanks. Eddie.


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Sorry, did my best.

FON Spots are virtually non-existant in Italy, and open wi fi points are few and far between (though I did find some).

Some campsites we stayed on had free wi fi, some charged for wi fi. 

If all else failed, we turned one of our phones into a hotspot. We are both on O2, and so doing this costs £1.99 for every day that you do so, then your data comes out of your normal allowance (which will vary depending on your contract).

This seemed a reasonable compromise - use free when you can find it, use the charged-for services if they are reasonably priced and, if all else fails, there's always your phone.

No experience of the toggle sim or equivalents, sorry.

Morph.


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Pretty well everything Morph has said.
We too would avoid Garda like the plague. Italian campsite etiquette is " informal " at best, but in the big holiday sites it is almost unbearable. 
If you want beautiful lakes, then Orta and Iseo are for you. We have just visited Camping Royal at Orta and Covelo at Iseo. Would happily go back to both.
For Venice, we have used Jesolo International for 2 years running ( with grandchildren ). We have said that it is the campsite by which all others must be judged. Not cheap, but incredible value for money.
And if you do wildcamp on Gotthardt, you'll never forget it.
If you can buy your Swiss vignette beforehand at a nearby petrol station, do so. Unless you have Swiss francs the border guards never seem to have any change, and when accepting euros, their exchange rate always seems a bit odd to me. 
PM if you need more.


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## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

Not much response for Italy, not many of you go or don't like,
Thanks Eddie.


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Absolutely right. You'll struggle to find many UK number plates around.
We have explored in 2011,2012 and this year and mostly enjoyed it, but the coastal areas which were so popular in the early package-tour days are now rather tired and tawdry and dominated by down-market tourists from the eastern bloc.
There are seemingly only three destinations - Venice, Florence and Garda - and it's a long way to all of them.


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

If you like mountains head for the Dolomites. We were passing through there in June and have decided to go back some time for a more 'in depth' look.

I'd agree that the bottom end of Garda may not be what you want if you like peace and quiet. Like a lot of places that I wouldn't go back to - I have to see it to make the judgement. As has been said, there are many other lakes to look at as well.

Anyway, have fun.


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## theubendman (Aug 15, 2013)

*italy trip (enjoy )*

Hope your trip is fantastic for you , sorry I cant help but there must be someone on this forum who has lots of info to help you , so come on chaps help them out.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

I haven't looked at your route on a map, so I may be off track here, campsites in Switzerland are expensive and there are few aire type places. 

TCS sites are reasonably priced and in good popular locations. If you're in Interlaken stay at Camping Hobby - not on the lake but you PAY for that privilege but it's a LOVELY site, clean as a new pin. You could eat your breakfast off the bathroom floor.

ACSI sites are a good indicator of quality, even if you're not enjoying the premium rate. If you don't have the book, look online.

Can offer advice on Switzerland, but no recent experience of Italy, and in days gone by we certainly saw some awful campsites!


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I dont know your Mh size but many of the Italian campsite pitches are miniscule and anything over 6m CAN have problems. I certainly did back in last Sept with my 7.5m unit The sites on Lake Garda were RAMMED !!!

Use the Italian Toll roads, much better value than France, the non tolls roads are crap !!!

The Swiss M'way vignette will give you 10 different days of travel over a 12 month period. The fine for NOT having it are VERY harsh (so dont risk it unless you have deep pockets)

I cant comment on the pass 'cos I used the tunnel as I wanted to get to Venice.


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## theubendman (Aug 15, 2013)

*italy trip (enjoy )*

Hope your trip is fantastic for you , sorry I cant help but there must be someone on this forum who has lots of info to help you , so come on chaps help them out.


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## Hydrocell (Jan 29, 2011)

Hi Eddie

I have some very useful information regarding the route you are about to make and free or nearly free safe stops along the way.
I’ve travelled this route several times, Lake Garda is one of the best places around you will not be disappointed I’m sure.
Yes the fuel is around the same price at home but using some Aires and eating local produce helps balance the cost of the trip.
I have a spreadsheet with the stops and the coordinates which are spot on.
If you are interested, send me a PM with your email address and I will send it to you.

Regards
Ray


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## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

*Italy*

Hi Ray, pm sent thanks.


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

did I spot you working down the road today?


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## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

*Italy*

Yes Kay you did see me,call and see me


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

by the time I noticed your van it was too late to wave! mornings are always a rush with us two since we are car sharing. my daughter seems to have decided her Dad's car is now hers


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## Hydrocell (Jan 29, 2011)

The cost of an Italian trip can be cost affective if you do it right, yes the fuel is around the same price as here, you will also have to pay for a Swiss Vignette and Italian Tolls but with the Italian Toll you can mix and match depending which parts you wise to visit.
If you know where there are Aires these can be used to reduce cost I use them every time I visit, always fill up at Luxemburg going to and from if you can.

I only stop in Switzerland going to Italy at Lake Luzern at the Lido Strasse car park right next to the campsite pay & display 7euros and it’s safe, next door in the campsite 48euros so like I said it up to you pay through the nose or be frugal.
There is a campsite on the Lake at Hrow and it used to be on ACSI but not now.

As regards buying food items buy local produce fruit and veg very cheap, meat is around the same price as it is at home.
If you wise to buy cloths or shoes forget it very expensive.

As for campsites we’ve used several, Camping Bell Italia on Lake Garda Camping Cavllaino, Scarpiland, one at Lido de Jesolo and one in Florence, the one in Florence on ACSI basic, Lake Garda Camping Bell Italia in Acsi nice site but it is massive, the one Jesolo ok on Acsi but pitches not that big, Scarpiland cheap on Acsi 7 for 6 not bad pitches ok next to the beach, Camping Cavllaino on Acsi 18euors next to the beach nice size pitches four star camp well run and easy to get to Venice bus from main road 3euros to the port and 14 euro on water taxi to Venice two local markets one in Cavallino and one in Jesolo.

Our normal stops are as follows,
1 Fleurus at the train station Begum free, 2 Alzingen campsite Luxemburg Acsi price, 3 Obernail Aire at the ramparts France free, Lido Strasse Luzrn Switzerland 7euros,
4 Saronno Aire free Italy, 5 Stezzanno Aire free Italy, Peschiera del Garda campsite Acsi price Lake Garda Italy,
6 Soave Aire 4euros walled town with castle very nice and 7Camping Cavallino Venice Acsi Price.

So it up to you, but don’t be put off thinking it’s too expensive I’ve spent just as much in the past going to Benidorm.

Regards
Ray


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