Routes to northern Italy

GMJ

GMJ

Full Member

Messages
3,027
We are off to Venice and the Lakes in September. The initial plan is to travel down through Germany and across Austria to head to Venice first before making our way across northern Italy to Lake Iseo and then Lake Maggiore.

This is just an initial plan so I am open to suggestions. We have been to the Lakes before (Garda and Iseo).

Has anyone done this (or a similar) trip? If so I'd be most grateful for any suggestions/route tips/toll free options/campsites etc...

We are driving a TAG axle Autotrail Comanche which is well over 3500kg and nearly 8.8m long. I mention this as I am aware some routes may be unsuitable for us.

Many thanks in adavance

Graham
smile.gif
 
Thanks

We will definitely be using a toll free route through Austria as I have no desire to get a Go Box

Graham
smile.gif
 
GMJ said:
We are off to Venice and the Lakes in September. The initial plan is to travel down through Germany and across Austria to head to Venice first before making our way across northern Italy to Lake Iseo and then Lake Maggiore.

This is just an initial plan so I am open to suggestions. We have been to the Lakes before (Garda and Iseo).

Has anyone done this (or a similar) trip? If so I'd be most grateful for any suggestions/route tips/toll free options/campsites etc...

We are driving a TAG axle Autotrail Comanche which is well over 3500kg and nearly 8.8m long. I mention this as I am aware some routes may be unsuitable for us.

Many thanks in adavance

Graham
smile.gif
Click to expand...
We’re intending to do very similar.
Lakes como & guarda where we hope to join caravan & camping club rally
 
Drove around lake Maggiore after entering Italy via Gotthard tunnel last month. I found it a bit of a squeeze in our 8 metre beast. I was very hard to enjoy the views and stay safe whilst driving.

Mark
 
  • Like
Reactions: GMJ
The other option is via France as follows
goo.gl

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
goo.gl goo.gl
The Mountain road is lovely ..No steep drops or steep climbs
although the final stretch to Susa is a bit tedious
 
So many good routes, either through Germany/Austria or straight through France, and best bit about MH travels, you can do both :)
If you want to visit Venice first, how about

Luxembourg, Metz, down through Black Forrest. Keep north of Lake Constance heading east through Germany, plenty of routes over to Austria. or continue a bit further in Germany over to Neuschwanstein Castle, then south through Austria, again loads of good routes all the way to Venice. How much time have you got :)
 
Hi. I’m also going to Northern Italy in September, but travelling from Le Havre. I know you are probably not going anywhere near Paris but if you change your plans and do, then beware! My satnav wants to take me through a tunnel on the Paris Peripherique which is only 2m high and my Cali is 1.99m tall! Think I will find another route, A
 
  • Like
Reactions: GMJ
mark61 said:
So many good routes, either through Germany/Austria or straight through France, and best bit about MH travels, you can do both :)
If you want to visit Venice first, how about

Luxembourg, Metz, down through Black Forrest. Keep north of Lake Constance heading east through Germany, plenty of routes over to Austria. or continue a bit further in Germany over to Neuschwanstein Castle, then south through Austria, again loads of good routes all the way to Venice. How much time have you got :)
Click to expand...
2months
 
If you want to go to Venice you should really de a little detour through the Dolomites or at least the edge of them . From the top of the Brennan turn left heading to Brunico/Bruneck (all the towns in Northern Italy have an Austrian and an Italian name) and continue to Dobbiacco, nice campsite out of town by the lake. Head towards Cortina D’Ampezzo. Note the views at the top of the hill by the lake. Now a choice or do both. Either take the private road up to Tre Cime, a stunning location with gentle walks along tracks to Rifugios for lunch or just a beer, plenty of space to overnight, stunning daybreak and sunsets with the colours on the surrounding mountains. Note Monte Piana to the west where there was lots of fighting in the 1st WW between Italy and Austria. Or take the road west out of Cortina up to Falzarego at the top of the pass. Take the cable car up to the top, there was lots of fighting up here as well, you can walk back down through the fighting tunnels and the mule track if you’ve got a good torch, or just explore a bit at the top.
Then from Cortina head south towards Venice and your choice of stop, campsite or camper park. North or south of the lagoon we usually stop north near Cavallino, plenty of choice of sites get a ACSI card, both sites and camper parks are expensive in Italy.
The routes suggested by mark61 are the ways we go to Venice. For the western lakes we tend to go via Switzerland and buy a 10 day HGV pass to enable us to use the motorways. that usually means Basel, Lucerne, Andermatt, and down to Bellinzola and Lugano.

An alternative Swiss route we like is to go via Zernez, there’s a nice campsite but expensive and it’s over two passes but a brilliant touring route between Basel, Zurich and Bolzano, and finishing driving down the valley with the most apple orchards you’ve ever seen. There’s also the mad option of diverting this route by the Stelvio Pass, stunning but very wriggly with some small tunnels, there’s a regular bus through the tunnels but it felt very tight with a 3m high van.

The best way to viva Venice is with a day or longer travel pass, it’s much cheaper than buying individual transport tickets. Try and be into the city early and/or late cos it gets very busy with cruise trippers and others,

All the routes, apart from maybe the Stelvio are quite possible with your van

Cheers alan
 
Last edited:
We always go to and from Italy via the superb Swiss autoroutes , well worth the cost of the vignette .
Emerging at Bellinzona and quickly onto the North Italian Plain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top