Fletcher921

We are looking for the best route to drive from northeastern Italy to Monaco. We are coming in From Austria - at Heiligenblut on Monday September 24th and hope to be in Monaco for and overnight on Wednesday night.

We'd think we'd like to drive though Conozai in the Dolomites and maybe take a cablecar up to enjoy a view (and be OUT of the car for a moment...) Also have heard about how much fun doing a Rodelbahn is and would like to make sure we have an opportunity to do that. Seeing some of the Lake region (Como or wherever) would be great even if just a drive-by.

We know most of the three days will be in the car are asking for suggestions for the most scenic route with suggestions for comfortable villages to sleep in enroute.

Thank you!

bobthenavigator

I would drive over the Brenner Pass to the Val Gardena and stay in Ortisei the first nite. Then, drive south to the north end of Lago Garda and stay in Riva or Limone the 2nd nite. Use Goolge emaps to plot your routing using those destinations--it should work fine.

bobthenavigator

Sorry---that route will not take you over the Brenner but via Brunico instead---still a good option.

zeppole

If you are coming from Austria, the northern part of the Dolomiti is some of the most spectacular scenery of the Dolomiti, and it would be a pity to miss it, I think.

I suggest you drop down to Lienz and then take the E66 west to Brunico and then veer south of San Lorenzo so that you can drive through the through the Alta Badia -- thus seeing the best of the Dolomiti en route, with some of the prettiest towns least compromised by a forest of ski infrastructure. You might consider overnighting between the town of Badia and Corvara.

The next morning you can go through the val Gardena, and then pick up bob's suggestion of Lago di Garda.

You face a fairly long haul from Lago di Garda to Monaco. I would pick ease of driving and comfort over scenery from that point on. I think it is easier to take the A26 south from the Milano area, not the A7.

You could consider an overnight in Vercelli, which specializes in all things rice and risotto. This is quite an historic area of Italy, where Thomas Jefferson first tasted Italian rice and brought to "the Piemonte" of America, founding the southern rice industry. I keep intending to make a pilgrimage there. Here are some places I've scoped out to stay in:

http://www.hotel-cinzia.com/

http://www.tenutacastello.com/index.php?lang=en

Before you leave Italy for the cultural wasteland of France , consider stopping en route for lunch in Liguria, for pesto pesto and more pesto. The seafront is filled with lovely places to stop between 12:30 and 2pm.

Hope that helps.

zeppole

bob and I were posting at the same time, and while it is possible we are suggesting the same route, just to be clear:

I am suggesting you take the scenic drive from Brunico south of San Lorenzo de Sebato (St Lorenzen), and down the via Pederoa, down toward Badia.

I am NOT suggesting you take the E45 highway.