Driving to Lake Garda - route plan help?

[Michelle_374554355]

Dear All,

Hi, can anyone help me with planning a route to Bella Italia Campsite or the Lake Garda area of Italy please?

We are travelling in August with quite a large touring caravan (Swift Challenger 490). It will be the first time we have towed the van abroad (though we have previously been to France and Italy with our tent on several occasions).

I have looked at a route which goes down through Switzerland, but then I read somewhere that it can be quite an uphill climb and the tunnel is a better option???? I did also wonder about the option of going through Germany and Austria instead? I have been to the Trieste area of Italy many years ago (no caravan) via Germany and Austria).

We are looking at doing the trip with two or three over night stopovers as we have two young children. Any suggestions for cheap and convenient campsites enroute would also be appreciated as would any tips and advice?

Many thanks in advance

Mich

 

[Jaydug]

We have done the journey into Italy several times, sometimes via Basle and sometimes through Germany. Our favourite is from Calais, through Belgium and down through Luxembourg. So far the journey is all motorway but toll-free. Once you reach Metz tolls are payable on the A4, however we prefer to continue on the A31 down to Epinal and Remiremont. There's a nice CL type of site there for overnight. Then across to Mulhouse and down to Basle. All that journey is toll-free. For the drive through Switzerland you'll be required to purchase the motorway passes for car and van. Sempach situated on the banks of a lake is nice for a night halt. The journey through Switzerland can be done on the motorways and it's all easy towing.

 

[SteveW77]

I go the way that John has suggested, it is a very easy route and I have never found a bad campsite yet.

Steve W

 

[DianneT]

We have done this trip on 3 occasions but if you care to look at my website www.dvthompson.webs.com/joysofcaravanning Trip 2007 and 2008 shows you the sites we stopped on. The only tolls are Austria 7.90 for vignette + 2 tunnels and the Brenner but this is cheaper than Switzerlands approx

 

[Michelle_374554355]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Diane I will defo check out your website x

 

[chrissie2]

That is broadly the route we used when we went down to Camping Butterfly last September and it seemed to work for us. Don't forget to top up with fuel as you go through Luxembourg - it was significantly cheaper than elsewhere along the route. Next cheapest was Switzerland, and as you are still in Switzerland as far south as Lugarno, a fuel stop there should see you through to Lake Garda and give you something in the tank to get your holiday off to a good start!

 

[DavidKlyne]

We have use several routes in the past and it does depend where you are heading, Last year we went to Lake Maggiori as our first stop so we went via the Tunnel de Frejus (expensive!) However if we were going direct to Lake Garda we would probably go down through Belgium and Germany to the old Austrian border at Reutte and then over the Fern and Brenner passes. Although the Fern Pass is perfectly OK for towing a caravan I could see that some might be reluctant but then as an alternative you could go via Munich to the Brenner. The Brenner motorway i one of our favourite European roads with superb scenery.

David

 

[Guest]

Hi Michelle

If the cost of doing these different routes, is going to play a factor. ie going through Switzerland or going through Germany, then don't forget that it is almost 100 miles difference each way, [German route being longer]Which is around about 7 to 8 gallons of fuel you should be adding on.

Also the Austrian vignette at Euro's 7.9 is valid for 10 days only,so if you are staying longer than 10 days then another 7.9 euro's has to be added. The Brenner pass is 8 euro's each way too,and as long as you enter Austria from Germany via the fussen pass, then that's about it. If on the other hand you enter Austria from near to lake constance, there is another toll of around 9 euros each way near to alberg [tunnel].

have a good trip.

 

[Alison_374400153]

Suggest you use the St Gotthard tunnel and plan to go through on a Sunday morning - no lorries so very easy! Also the onward journey to Gardra is easier on a Sunday, particularly round Milan. There is a handy site to overnight in Altdorf about 1 hour from the tunnel on the north side.

Alison

 

[Michelle_374554355]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the posts and advice. We have decided that we are going to go via Luxemburg then down into switzerland. If anyone knows of any municipal or CL type campsites on the route that they can recomend I would to hear from them? Once again many thanks for your replies.

 

[Haydn_374547710]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the posts and advice. We have decided that we are going to go via Luxemburg then down into switzerland. If anyone knows of any municipal or CL type campsites on the route that they can recomend I would to hear from them? Once again many thanks for your replies.

I stayed at the camp site you mentioned last year. It IS GIANT

Whilst there are lots of activities I hope you like them BUSY.

You will find pitches far too tight to drive / reverse your van in so you will need to solicit help from other campers (always seems OK).

The site was clean, but as I said BUSY