Route to Italy

[Roger_374245644]

Hi Folks,

We're off to Venice, Italy in couple of weeks and would appreciate advice on the best route there. The Via Michelin web site recommends a route through Switzerland, which will be hilly no doubt. With my trusty Mercedes 320 CDi E class estate, we are towing a Hymer Nova 580 caravan with a MRO 1410 kgs and overall length of 25 ft, plus awning and other necessaties for a months tour. However, as Italy is such a beautiful country, I'm sure a fellow traveller will have an idea or two, also maybe recomended camp sites along the way, will be appreciated.

Regards, Roger

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Hi ,

Cant help you with the route, but my brother in law used to work in Switzerland & told me that to travel on their motorway network you have to buy a tax disk at the frontier.

Also try mappy.com for their route if you enter caravan on the start up it will work out tolls you will need to pay on route.

Have a good time.

Graham W.

 

[GrahamW]

Roger

I have recently returned from Italy, bit futher south than Venice but still on the coast.

I went Rotterdam (because its nearer than Dover) and went down through Germany, Austria and over the Brenner Pass (lowest pass over the Alps so good if you tow)

You need a Vignette for Switzerland (1 for car and 1 for van) and its for a full 13 months.

In Austria you still need a Vignette but you can get one for part of the year so going this route is quite a bit cheaper.

Also if you are not rushing going down through Germany takes you through Bavaria which is breathtaking, a good site on the way here is:- www.bannwaldsee.de which is right on a lake and well worth a stop.

Hope this helps

 

[Alan_374225901]

Roger

I have recently returned from Italy, bit futher south than Venice but still on the coast.

I went Rotterdam (because its nearer than Dover) and went down through Germany, Austria and over the Brenner Pass (lowest pass over the Alps so good if you tow)

You need a Vignette for Switzerland (1 for car and 1 for van) and its for a full 13 months.

In Austria you still need a Vignette but you can get one for part of the year so going this route is quite a bit cheaper.

Also if you are not rushing going down through Germany takes you through Bavaria which is breathtaking, a good site on the way here is:- www.bannwaldsee.de which is right on a lake and well worth a stop.

Hope this helps

If you don't want to pay the Swiss Vignette (

 

[Tim2]

Hi Roger

We're recently back from our second trip to Italy. We stayed near Venice, last year. A good route is the E25(?) autoroute through France, Belgium and Luxembourg (toll free) and then near Nancy turn west over the N66 through the Ballon De Vosges. The latter road is a pleasant drive through that range of hills - no severe gradients just some reasonable hairpins. Our car coped easily.

Then across the Rhine so that one enters Switzerland from Germany - this avoids the awful roadworks in Basle. We then drove on through Switzerland on the A2(?), this does mean purchasing vignettes for the car AND caravan if you want to use the motorways VERY EXPENSIVE as you have to buy 2 annual vignettes. Switzerland is a VERY BEAUTIFUL country to drive through. We crossed the Alps using either the St Gotthard Tunnel, not my favourite as I don't like tunnels and its 10 miles, or the pass again not too severe we over the pass on the way down last year

On the way home this year we were using a smaller tow car than I would prefer, provided by CC Red Pennant after our car broke down so we came home via the Brenner Pass motorway. As already said the easiest way over the Alps but there is a toll. Also a vignette required for Austrian motorways but cheaper than Swiss one as the Austrian one can be bought for 10 days and is car only. We then drove up through Germany on their good free motorways before rejoining our down route in Luxembourg. If you go this way don't VERY CHEAP fuel at Berchen services in Belguim - cheapest in Europe.

Incidentally I would recommend Camping Cavallino on the Jesolo Peninsula. We stayed there for 2 weeks last year. We had a pitch only metres away from the beach and warm Adriatic. Boat to Venice from Ponti Sabione only 4 miles away. Secure parking near the boat terminal. Be sure to buy Venice card free admission to some Museums, all public loos and unlimited boat travel. We bought several seperate day tickets rather than the 3 day ticket and recovered on the beach in between. We loved Venice - writing this bring back many happy memories.

Have a super time

Tim

 

[Roger_374245644]

If you don't want to pay the Swiss Vignette (

 

[Roger_374245644]

Thanks Tim and 2x Grahams,

It seems Brenner Pass will be interesting for us as we shall be travelling via Bavaria, quite attractive I'm told. I'll let you know how we got on.

Roger