5 Weeks in Italy

I meant to include in my original post that any info you can give me will be very much appreciated.

Regards,
Waterford Guy

I plan on doing a god bit of driving, I've got four weeks minimum so I'm going to drive around most of the country. Probably spend three nights per spot and then do four hours driving on the days I'm on the move. That should get me around the vast majority of the country by my estimations. I like driving too, so four hours every couple of days is not excessive to me.

First of all, I'm Italian, I live 30km west of Milan.
Months would not be enough to visit Italy and to describe it a huge book not enough, just think that (with China) it has the largest number of sites classified by Unesco.

North: Lakes, Alps, Dolomites, Venice, Padua, Mantua, etc.
Center: All of Tuscany, the Val d'Orcia (now bought by healthy Brits and Germans), Florence, Siena, Umbria (Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, etc.). And then Rome which alone takes almost a week.
Center-South: Naples, Amalfi and Sorrento coasts, Paestum, Pompeii, Herculaneum, etc.

Then Apulia and Sicily but they are too far away.

Regarding your travel hypothesis:

Lakes:
I would avoid Lake Como, quite narrow roads and just small villages.
By motorhome much better are Lake Maggiore and the East coast of Lake Garda, Sirmione is worth a visit.

Amalfi coast (SS163):
As someone said, the roads are narrow, moreover, from Km10 to Km50 and from 6.30am to midnight the Amalfi coast road since a while has been forbidden to campers and caravans of any size.
There are many stopovers and sites, I recently spent a few nights in Campercontact area N.49887 - Camperstop Lagomare - 25 €/24h with all services
GPS 40.55329, 14.90600
Website http://www.camperstoplagomare.it/
Tel. +39 082 81733170
In late September there should be no problems but perhaps it is better to book.
At the exit bus to Salerno (tickets at the reception, about 40 minutes).
Get off at the terminus in Via Vinciprova from where the bus to Amalfi leaves.
Tickets to Amalfi can be bought at the tobacconist in Via Domenico Castelluccio (in front of the stop).
In Amalfi, if you want you can continue to Positano.

Pompeii:
In addition to manned parking lots, there are at least three campsites, two small and one larger.
At Porta Marina (south entrance to the site):
Campercontact N.29855 - Spartacus htps: //www.campingspartacus.it/it/
GPS 40.74683, 14.48393
Campercontact N.28923 - Fortuna Village http://www.fortunavillagepompei.it/
GPS 40.74613, 14.48495
In the direction of the Villa of the Mysteries:
Campercontact N.8025 - Camping Zeus
https://www.inpompeii.it/it/dove‐dormire/camping‐zeus.html/
GPS 40.74899, 14.48107
Recommended in the summer season as it is quite shady.
A less than rushed visit takes the whole day.
Inside a snack bar but I recommend to bring sandwiches and, especially in the hot season, especially drinks.
From Pompeii by bus or train (Transvesuviana) you can go to Positano, one of the pearls of the coast.

Two notes:
Overnight stays and visits:
When I travel in Italy I use Campercontact stopover, accuracy of at least 90%.
They have a paid App but the site can also be surfed from the internet.

Equipment:
Italy is full of rest areas but a small number of them have the EHU.
Gas. In September/October it will not be necessary to heat the motorhome, two 10KG cylinders should be sufficient.
As in any trip, available anywhere in Europe, I suggest having a 3Kg Camping Gaz cylinder and its tap/adapter.

Covid:
The Euro Covid Pass is no longer mandatory but things can change quickly.
I recommend having it, I see you come from ROI, it's the European one.
Facial masks. They are about to be abolished but better have some with you.
In December, the FFP2 type was mandatory to get on public transport, enter the Museums, etc.

Fell free to ask questions if you have any.

Max

Hi Max / Hymer / Tommy

Thanks for all that info, much appreciated. If Lake Garda is better than Como for motorhomes then I'll go there instead. The site is already paying off for the insider tips! At the minute, my route is going to look something like this, but that's all subject to change if I hear of some better spots. I just thought the above gives a pretty nice spread across the country.

Genoa
Lake Garda
Venice
Florence
Pescara
Bari
Salerno
Rome

3 nights in each place. That allows me another week or so to spare and add in towns or stay in some place for longer. If anyone knows of any must see sites in or around those areas, I'd love to hear about them and include them on my trip. For example, I know that around Salerno, there is the Amalfi Coast and Pompei, so that's what I have planned for there.

Where is considered the countryside in Italy? I would like to spend a couple of nights in nice rural areas, maybe find a nice vineyard and just sit around enjoying the scenery and wine for a few days.

How is the weather around the center and north in September? I'm thinking it should be quite nice but not too hot, I hope.

Thanks Max,

So you think Barletta would be a better place to stop than Bari?
Are there any national parks that you would recommend?
Will it be difficult to get around speaking English?
The Tuscany region looks beautiful, are the roads around there suitable for a large camper, or are they tiny little country roads?

Sorry for all the questions!

Heading over in June from the french side.
Even as I write this I know it probably sounds stupid, but can you cross from France to Italy without going over the alps or through the tunnel.

I done the Ring of Beara and Sky Road in my jeep towing a 8M caravan so it can't be too much worse than that. I have sold the caravan and bought a McLouis Nevis camper, I think it's 7.5M long so should be okay according to your previous post.

I speak Spanish well enough to get by also, maybe that will help, it seems quite similar to Italian. I think with just a little practice before I leave I should be able to pick up enough of the Italian essentials to get by and Google Translate will do the rest!

If you are coming to Ireland, feel free to drop me a line for any local advice you need.

Thank you for offering help.

The first time we did a complete tour of the island with departure and arrival in Dublin.
Being almost always on the sea even if the Wicklow Mountains National Park was not missing.
In addition to Dublin, some towns, I remember Cork, Galway, Belfast, Derry (oops Londonderry), etc.
This time we would like to go into the countryside, lakes, channel system, etc.
Two things still haven't made me decide:
- Although not essential, the cost of ferries is increasing every day.
- Crowding of campsites.
During the trip we often change plans and destinations for which we are unable to book and I suspect they can often be found fully booked.

Max

Thanks Max, I will check that out.
Heading from cherbourg

From Cherbourg the possible routes towards Italy open like a palm leaf.
Depending on which direction you choose, there are many possible solutions.

As for the coastal motorway from Ventimiglia to Genoa (A10) and then from Genoa to La Spezia (A12) there are many, indeed very many tunnels.
For us Italians used to driving in heavy vehicle traffic it is not a big problem, I have read that many Brits consider them a nightmare.
Not to mention that the first of the two sections sees countless construction sites for the modernization of the motorway.
Extenuating queues very likely.
A simulation with Google Maps estimates the hourly average at just over 60km / h.

I DO NOT recommend it, however I leave the decision to you.

Max

Cheers max, looks like it's through the mont blanc tunnel so

You could spend the night in Courmayeur (I), behind you the Mont Blanc massif.
Just above the village, if desired, the beautiful cable car tour that leads to Punta Helbronner at almost 3,500 meters.
https://www.montebianco.com/mosaic/en/cableways

From Chamonix (F) instead, you can go up to the Aiguille du Midi.

I have no details (the season is not open yet) but the complete tour should also be possible (the opposite route also exists):
Courmayeur - Punta Helbronner - Thrilling crossing (suspended in the air) of the Mère de Glace - Aiguille du Midi - Chamonix.
From there return to Courmayeur by bus.

I guarantee that it is one of the most exciting trips one can experience.
Headache is also guaranteed if you don't stop for at least half an hour between one stage and the next to give your body time to acclimatize.
The landscapes are so incredible that it is the time needed just to admire them and shot a few hundred pics.
Don't forget the UV filter for the lens.

Max