# Italy / Switzerland tour & details complete. HOME NOW.



## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Hello all

We're still alive! Just I guess if you see the roads around here! Currently in Rome and doing the washing...

Thanks to all who posted on http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-59533-.html - its all been very helpful - we have an editted copy printed off with notes on. If only we followed Russels route through Switzerland! lol!

Our diary of week 1 (Switzerland) and week 2 (Italy to Rome) is now on line with some (mis) adventures. ( http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/trip03week1.php )

Also - I've started to catalogue our camping spaces and wild-camping finds for people to use in the future (here http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/sites.php ). I am aware there is a DB here but I'm not going to key it all twice - but do admin/mods have a bulk import facility as once each trip is over we can give it in an excel file ready for just importing? If you interested of course! 

And we're learning itallian! "due birre per favore" 

Ciao!


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Italy*

Parli bene l'italiano!

Keep us posted...

Russell


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

*Re: Italy*



Rapide561 said:


> Parli bene l'italiano!
> 
> Keep us posted...
> 
> Russell


Cheers - will do. and thanks for your route 

We were trying to get back into it when we got stuck as the pass was closed juts a few miles from where it met it! We'll be going back your way though


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Routes*

If you have a look in the Italy section, there are some of my northbound routes there.

Russell


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

17 March: Week 3 uploaded - fantastic time in Rome and currently on the beach wild camping just joined by 10+ other vans! Lucky find for us (on our sites db page) as it was a random turn for lunch not in any databases or books! 

Naples and Pompei next week - if anyone knows any freebie aires around these areas let us know as research shows they are few and far between around there


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Naples/Pompei*

 Buon giorno ActiveCampers,
see you are in Sperlonga. As you make your way down the Via Domiziana towards Naples you will come to Pozzuoli, near the interesting remains of the Greek city of Cumae. There is also a small active volcanoe - the Solfatara. Inside the crater, a unique campsite - camping Solfatara. yes, you are camping INSIDE the crater of an active volcanoe.
Getting into Naples and Pompei, I think you will find the area too urbanized and heavily populated for 'wild' or 'free' camping. Plenty of campsites and aree attrezzate around Pompei.
If you come on to the Sorrento Peninsula, then you may find a few suitable laybys along the stretch of the S.S. 145 known as Nastro Azzuro; or at the beachside hamlet of Marina del Cantone. Also the first stretch of S.S.163 - the famous 'Amalfi Drive' - is in the Provincia di Napoli. For about 5 Kms. you can go along there, and find some suitable laybays.
Remember that once you enter the Provincia di Salerno, after about 5 Kms. you can only circulate from midnight to 06:30 a.m. so what you do after ooh aahing at the view is turn round and go back to the Sorrento Peninsula.
The 'Nastro Azzurro' starts at the junction between SS 145 and SS 163.
Just beyond this junction, going towards Positano, there is a campsite down towards the sea, well signposted on your right; but don't know it personally.
saluti,
eddied


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Mt. Vesuvius*

 Ciao again, forgot to mention that if you go up the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius towards the observatory, you will also find a number of laybys or open spaces and car parks where you could stop if the weather is good.
saluti,
eddied


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Cheers Eddied

Yep - Sperlonga. Really lovely - after a mornings run along the beach decided to stay another day as it is flippin' georgous! However just seen some google maps images of the beach and its packed with lines of sunbeds  So one for off-peak only I think.

We've never heard of this volcano!  though sounds a stuipid one to miss. Will google (when Mel is cleaning the shower! ) and stick on our agenda. (Campsite URL is http://www.solfatara.it/camping/en/index.php )

We looked at Mt. Vesuvius and planned to hike up it - but the roads up (on the maps at least) look tiny so weren't going to risk it. But if you say there are parking bays on them....  If you are able to advise which road is good.

Many thanks!

Edit: that campsite is also ACSI, but may not open till 1 April in which case its too late. Their website says both 1 April and "Open all year" - so no idea which! I've emailed them.


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Just had a quick reply from the campsite mentioned above:-

Dear Sir,
our camping from this year is open all year.
We attach you our price list.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best regards.
Campeggio Solfatara
Claudia Mignola

Great! Cheers Eddied - thats now on the plan (ACSI discount all being well too)

Pompei - think Camping Spaticas is the one to use - Only 12€ a night so not worth faffing around with!

Off to the beach and to explore some caves - we really quite like Italy


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Mt.Vesuvius*

 Buon giorno HyperActivecampers,
to hike up Vesuvius is quite a challenge. You can hike the last 420 m. to the crater from the coach/car park known as 'quota 1000'. This is the best way up Vesuvius. From Ercolano or Torre del Greco, just follow the brown coloured, white lettered tourist signs ' Il Vesuvio', or 'Osservatorio Vesuviano'. Although you will encounter a few hairpins, these roads are used regularly by 50 seater service buses, and 52 seater tourist coaches without any problem. On google maps they look smaller than they actually are.
saluti,
eddied


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

After an interesting week 4, week 5 turned out to be superb! Saying that - we're sitting here and its raining! We had one of the most bizzare small-world stories during the week - we stopped in an aire next to a couple we met in Holland in November, who saw our van and bought its "sister" which was owned by someone on here who I did a web ad for! Its not even if we were going the same way - we're going north and them south!!

Eddied - We didn't make Vesuvius as the weather was awful - thats a shame it was something we wanted.

We're up to Florence now, the maps are on the site for those interested.

Sperlonga to L'Aquila - http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/trip03week4.php
L'Aquila to Florence - http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/trip03week5.php

Busy week this week - cutting across to San Marino, then venice, then all being well Lake Garda.

Ciao!


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Hi

Have sent a note on your other post about Venice and now picked this one up - obviously you have already been south!

When you head across the top of Italy towards Garda visit Verona and Bergamo en-route. Both recommended

If you travel across the A4 ( I think - main drag anyway) watch out for the "ladies of the day" as we called them. Sitting on picnic chairs at the side of the road all dolled up and waiting! Doesn't happen on the boring main roads over here!

Did you stay on the slightly out of town aire in Florence? The one very full of motorhomes but no people? Obviously local storage as well!


Regards

Brian


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Garda ladies*

Hi

The best place to see the ladies is on the SS11. Leave Lake Garda from Peschiera and take the SS11 to Verona...Ladies galore!

Russell


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Russ

This may be where we came across them - memory dims!

We couldn't believe it - I had seen this very well dressed and attractive woman at what I thought was a bus stop (maybe it was) and didn't really think about it again for a while.

Eventually came across another and pointed her out to Di - she said that she had seen loads! Clearly I am a very careful driver!

Different world - but most of these were out in the countryside. Do they commute to their job? 

Brian


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Ah - so its like a reverse taxi service? If you pick them up to give them a "lift" you also have to pay them?

Sounds like a scam.




There were some further south - rough as anything! Look forward to the cuties


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Hello

Back home now. Just.

Final week 7 diary uploaded along with a trip review - all on http://www.doyourdream.co.uk - hope it is useful to others who plan to take the tour.

Russel - came back your suggested way and it was so damn easy compared to the way down! Eddied - many thanks for your suggestions throughout.

As this trip was a big unknown we got ooooooodles of tips from countless people on here which made it all doable.

In summary - best trip yet - Italy can be a superb place to visit with loads of amazing sites. Bizzarely it was also our cheapest trip though which wasn't the aim! We did everything we wanted.

Anyway - thanks to all who offered advice - hope the diary helps others in return.


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