Most popular routes to Italy (1 Viewer)

[Mark1965]

Hi,
Just trying to get Funsters opinions on the most popular routes to Italy from Calais.
Would like a night or 2 near one of the lakes, then on to Cinque Terre area, Pisa, Florence, Venice.
I don't mind which order to visit those places in.
I drive an articulated truck so driving 10 hours a day is no issue.
Happy to pay tolls if it helps speed up the journey. I thought one overnight stop en route into Italy would be ok.
Thanks in advance.
Mark

 

[Puddleduck]

We went Dover, Dunkirk, Lille, Charleroi, Metz (with a stop for fuel in Luxembourg), Colmar, Basel, Lugano, Como, Milan...........

Avoid the campsite in Basel but there is a nice site near Bellinzona where you pay by the hour. If you want I can look up details.

Colmar had a nice site by the marina but I don't know if it is still there.

 

[Mark1965]

Thanks for that. I will get my big maps out over the weekend to see your route.
Assume that I'll need a vignette for that route?
I note you can buy online these vignettes as my campervan is only 3500kg max .

 

[DBK]

Use the motorways in Italy if you can, they are not expensive and are much quicker and a lot less hassle than any cross-country "scenic" route.

My trips to Italy start from Roscoff so I can't really help re Calais but we typically take at least ten days to reach just the border. I suggest you choose whatever route looks interesting and go for it. You will see some great scenery, it might even tempt you to linger on the route. Don't do a busman's holiday, if you drive professionally then enjoy not driving!

 

[Puddleduck]

Thanks for that. I will get my big maps out over the weekend to see your route.
Assume that I'll need a vignette for that route?
I note you can buy online these vignettes as my campervan is only 3500kg max .

Yes, you will need a vignette and can buy online in advance. https://via.admin.ch/shop/dashboard

We are (were) over 3,500kg so stopped at the border to buy the pass at the office. I had all our paperwork ready and the Swiss official was helpful and efficient.

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[Orion]

Use the motorways in Italy if you can, they are not expensive and are much quicker and a lot less hassle than any cross-country "scenic" route.

Totally agree with DBK regarding using the Italian Autostrade rather than the trunk roads - unless you particularly want to lose your fillings, or wish to ‘converse’ with ladies sitting on plastic chairs in lay-bys!

We dropped into Italy via a different route last year after taking the (less expensive) DFDS Newhaven-Dieppe morning sailing. By late afternoon we were ensconced on a village aire near Orleans. The next night on another free stop overlooking the Vercors Massif near Grenoble, and the third was in Italy after crossing the Col de Lauteret near Briançon. We were then on the autostrade west of Turin.

Coming back we took the Col du Mont-Cenis, which is a very scenic route. Didn’t touch Switzerland either way.

 

[JRT]

We did it via. Switzerland, lots of very nice scenery and the Gotthard tunnel was a real experience.

Bloody expensive though as we needed a vignette for both the car and caravan, cheaper in a single vehicle.

 

[vzac]

This is the route we did last yr. Small st Bernards pass from Italy to france

 

[Mark1965]

This is the route we did last yr. Small st Bernards pass from Italy to france

I'll have a watch over the weekend.