lake Garda Campsites with 2 young children

[james_374311572]

We are going to lake garda nex year with 2 young children (4&6)

Any recommendations for route, stopovers and sites on the lake. Quite new to caravanning, will be taking bail tanger 550/6 with an awning, will there be enough room on the pitch? Also heard eliectric is not what it is here. If anyone can help us with a good route and stopovers and site it would be very much appreciated

thanks

james

 

[catherine_5040027]

Hi James, If you,look further down the page you will see answers to a similar question. We went to Lake Garda last year and had a brilliant time. We live in Portsmouth but went Dover Calais due to price difference,we went on afternoon ferry travelled down to Reims stayed overnight at municipal de fismes.We then travelled through France and did a two night stop in the Alps(about a 7 hour

journey with stops) We stayed at Le coin Tranquille,which is a lovely site with a fantastic restaurant and a nearby Hypermarket for supplies! We then travelled through the Frejus tunnel to Camping Fornella again about 7hours. This journey is expensive on tolls,however it was a quick and easy journey and its difficult to get lost on Motorways!

The campsite was lovely and you could walk to the lake at the bottom of the Site, When we arrived the site was packed and was a bit daunting after the big pitches in France,we had a pitch near the pool, which by the way is lovely for young children, our pitch looked tiny! however some lovely Dutch people helped us site it and it wasn't as bad as it looked. We could fit the car on the pitch but there were parking areas near by. We intended to drive round the whole lake visiting all the lovely villages,but we ran out of time. Nearby is a theme park called Garda Land which we all really enjoyed.And as Evans of Sprott advised us "you really must go to Verona" and you really must,allow a whole day and Evening. I also had the 'pleasure'of visiting the Ferrari factory!

I know most people do not follow this route because of the tolls but it really is very easy with a caravan.We booked through the caravan club which really seems to be the best price for the school holidays. If going out of season you could try camping cheques,which Valerie on this forum knows about.

Hope this helps

 

[james_374311572]

catherine,

thanks you so much for this and the tip to read further down it is much appreciated.

At least now i have a starting point

thanks again

james

 

[EvansofSprot]

Hi James, If you,look further down the page you will see answers to a similar question. We went to Lake Garda last year and had a brilliant time. We live in Portsmouth but went Dover Calais due to price difference,we went on afternoon ferry travelled down to Reims stayed overnight at municipal de fismes.We then travelled through France and did a two night stop in the Alps(about a 7 hour

journey with stops) We stayed at Le coin Tranquille,which is a lovely site with a fantastic restaurant and a nearby Hypermarket for supplies! We then travelled through the Frejus tunnel to Camping Fornella again about 7hours. This journey is expensive on tolls,however it was a quick and easy journey and its difficult to get lost on Motorways!

The campsite was lovely and you could walk to the lake at the bottom of the Site, When we arrived the site was packed and was a bit daunting after the big pitches in France,we had a pitch near the pool, which by the way is lovely for young children, our pitch looked tiny! however some lovely Dutch people helped us site it and it wasn't as bad as it looked. We could fit the car on the pitch but there were parking areas near by. We intended to drive round the whole lake visiting all the lovely villages,but we ran out of time. Nearby is a theme park called Garda Land which we all really enjoyed.And as Evans of Sprott advised us "you really must go to Verona" and you really must,allow a whole day and Evening. I also had the 'pleasure'of visiting the Ferrari factory!

I know most people do not follow this route because of the tolls but it really is very easy with a caravan.We booked through the caravan club which really seems to be the best price for the school holidays. If going out of season you could try camping cheques,which Valerie on this forum knows about.

Hope this helps

Think I did mention as well the Opera in the Arena in Verona, but wouldn't think it would suit young children.

 

[Colin_374311761]

Hi James

Try this website for sites in Italy http://www.camping.it/.

We went a couple of years ago and stayed at Camping San Francesco in Desenzano Del Garda a superb site with fantastic facilities. The sunsets are unforgettable. Pitches were cosy, and a bit restricted for parking. Most of the larger sites run coach trips to places of interest etc. We followed much the same route as Catherine but went through the Mont Blanc tunnel.

Colin

 

[catherine_5040027]

Think I did mention as well the Opera in the Arena in Verona, but wouldn't think it would suit young children.

You certainly did,which was why we visited verona,we didn't realise from your comments how much there was at verona and unfortunately didn't arrive until after lunch which was much to late to appreciate everything.More detail next time!!

however we might not have visited it all if you had not said' you must visit the Opera at verona'Definately undersold!

Catherine

 

[james_374311572]

colin,

thank you very much for this once again everything helps

james

 

[EvansofSprot]

You certainly did,which was why we visited verona,we didn't realise from your comments how much there was at verona and unfortunately didn't arrive until after lunch which was much to late to appreciate everything.More detail next time!!

however we might not have visited it all if you had not said' you must visit the Opera at verona'Definately undersold!

Catherine

Thanks - I visited the area again this year and although I had paid for tickets to go to the opera did not in fact go.

Regrettable, but we arrived too early in the region, and were put off by the small pitches, the lower end of the lake with a seemingly increasing number of theme parks, and also its seedy side with large numbers of prostitutes patrolling the road from Pechiera to Verona.

We moved to Arco at the top of the lake to a camp rather like a French municipal and with a lovely village to explore. That was excellent.

My pictures are here: http://family.webshots.com/album/559899053AypxER

 

[EvansofSprot]

Thanks Catherine. I have posted this as a comment but thought it might be valuable here:

"I visited the area again this year and although I had paid for tickets to go to the opera did not in fact go.

Regrettable, but we arrived too early in the region, and were put off by the small pitches, the lower end of the lake with a seemingly increasing number of theme parks, and also its seedy side with large numbers of prostitutes patrolling the road from Pechiera to Verona.

We moved to Arco at the top of the lake to a camp rather like a French municipal and with a lovely village to explore. That was excellent.

My pictures of Garda are here: http://family.webshots.com/album/559899053AypxER"

 

[ValA.]

We stayed at Camping L'Eden, which is terraced, but I remember the pitches being quite large, although some difficult to access. We liked Salo, which is right on the 'heel' of the bootshaped lake (which we liked better than the sole and toe regions - which as Evans says, were too commercialised).

It's worth a day trip to Venice, even with your little ones - by train from Decenzano (thinksss!!!???). It takes you right into the heart of Venice, and even if you do no more than get a water taxi to St Marks its a lovely trip out.

 

[KeithJ]

Hi James. We came back from Italy via Lake Garda in June 2005 and took a route through Austria, Germany and Belgium to Calais. This is all motorways so easy to follow and avoids expensive French tolls. We came over the Brenner Pass (easy with a caravan) where we paid a small toll, and of course you have to pay the Austrian road tax at the border, but this is also cheap if you are just passing through. We then went by way of Frankfurt, Koblenz, Archen and Ostend but there are many variations on this as there are so many motorways in Germany. You can also include Luxembourg if you are interested in filling up with cheaper fuel.

I would recommend this general route.

Hope this helps

 

[catherine_5040027]

Hi Evans of Sprot,Ah yes I do remember passing that area late at night once,its the only time I've ever said to the other half,'can't you drive any faster'!

Actually I noticed that in France last year there were a large number of very large travellers sites very near and sometimes in the carpark, of some of the hypermarkets, this made us a little bit nervous. We have never come across this in france before, I know you do a lot of travelling in Europe,is it something you have noticed?

Catherine