JT26

Hi there,

We are planning on starting to visit Europe by doing 3-4 week motor home vacations. If it works then we will continue with other countries. Transport in and around cities could be via trains, buses or bikes we will have with us.

Our first choice is Italy and seeing as I have 4 weeks allocated I think either the North or South would be better than trying to do the whole Italy.

We would really love to see all of the main attractions but also visit the history of the country.

Does any body have a route suggestion or know of where I can get a plan from. I have no idea at this point other than we intend to land in Rome and possible start from there and end back there.

Ackislander

What season?

Where will you pick up the camper?

Where do you see the best campgrounds and when are they open? You cannot to my limited knowledge boondock anywhere in Italy. You will need reservations for all your campsites. You are very unlikely just to be able to roll up and find something.

You will not be able to drive in any of the cities, and getting through the small towns may well be a nightmare. You will need to learn the signs for truck routes and restricted traffic and follow them religiously. If you are a regular reader here, you will have read about many of us who have gotten expensive tickets after we got home. Yes, I did.

You may not be able to get your vehicle near any of the places you want to see, so you will have to take public transportation from where you are to the sites. Is it available?

Tolls are high, gas/diesel is ferociously expensive, and it is hard to buy on Sundays and holidays.

I assume you are highly experienced motor home drivers. It will be fun interacting with other campers and seeing how thy do things, if you are determined to do this and have masses of money, you can do it, but it is likely to cost vastly more than staying hotels and eating in restaurants.

Northern Italy is like New Jersey, highly industrialized, sprinkled with absolutely fabulous beauty and historic spots. Central Italy is a lot like Napa and Sonoma. Haven't been to southern Italy.

JT26

I am a open book at the moment with no real set dates or places of pick up. Our family is of 4 with 2 teenage children and before I plan something like this I would definitely need to know how I would go about it and what to expect such as site bookings, roads, fees and what ever else is required to know.

I was hoping for some guidance and possibly an itinerary by others who have gone before me. My experience is limited at motor homes vacations but travelling and finding my way around I feel quite comfortable to do.

I have read some of the stories you talk about on here and that's the reason I ask for help.

As our main goal is to explore a little of Europe each year then maybe I need to reconsider the way I want to do it. If its easier and cheaper to stay in hotels and move around from city to city by train, bus and plane then so be it. I thought a motor home would be an amazing cost efficient way to see a country.

stevewith

You should go to a website where you will find regular posters who have done this. You will find most posters on this board are against what you are contemplating -- and in fact will get hysterical responses. You can drive in many of the cities (but won't want to) and into small towns as well (easier). You can park in many places without a reservation or even just at the edge of town, no problem. But you will want to know in advance which places that is and which aren't. Yes, you will need to learn the traffic signs and laws. (Doh.)

Northern Italy has its share of industrialized areas, but the majority of it is still highly scenic. Most tourists think "northern Italy" means the highway belt between Milan/Verona/Venice, with a bit of Lago di Como, but in reality there is much Tuscan-like beauty in the hills south of Padova, and beautiful vistas areas around Asiago and Asolo, and of course anywhere in the park of the Dolomiti or the Alps above Torino. It is NOTHING like New Jersey!!! Lol.

Please don't believe these scare stories or these reports from people who seldom drive off the highway unless the map is stamped "Tuscany" or "Lake" or "Amalfi Coast" because they read on the internet that these are the only beautiful places in Italy and the proof is that all the tourists go there.

Thousands of northern Europeans tour Italy every year in campervans. They enjoy their trips. Try some UK and other websites for campervan touring in Italy.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...une-Italy.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...campervan.html

Ackislander

If you don't like the Jersey metaphor, then the stretch of road from before Padua to well after Venice is slightly less charming and has just as much traffic and just as many trucks as I 95 between Bridgeport and New Haven, CT.

JT26

Thanks for the replies, I am definitely going to try and get this going all I need is a itinerary to get working on.

You know the saying, visualise to materialise