PeeJayWil Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Hi everyone, brand new to this forum. Have caravanned for many years, two years ago we changed to a motorhome and love it. We enjoy France, but next year for a change we are going down the west coast of Italy. My request is for any do’s and don’t over there. Any recommendations of where to stay. We will be over there 5/6 weeks, so no rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 West coast of Italy is long enough. From France to Sicliy,Either sand or rocky beaches. How far south do you think you will go ?Italy is plenty of wonderful towns, arts, museums, landscapes.What are your interests ? Max p.s. Oops, forgot, I am Italian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeJayWil Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 The basic idea is to travel down going to Pisa, Florence, Rome and down as far as Sorrento. We plan on camping close to the towns and travel in by public transport. We enjoy old towns, countryside and beaches. We eat out occasionally, and enjoy relaxing outside the ‘van. We enjoy gentle strolls but are not into long hikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 PeeJayWil - 2020-05-15 12:31 PM Hi everyone, brand new to this forum. Have caravanned for many years, two years ago we changed to a motorhome and love it. We enjoy France, but next year for a change we are going down the west coast of Italy. My request is for any do’s and don’t over there. Any recommendations of where to stay. We will be over there 5/6 weeks, so no rush. As with almost everywhere next year, but especially if proposing to use campsites, it will be wise to check very carefully which have survived 2020. I suspect that quite a few will fold over the course this year, as many are quite marginal operations, and loss of a year's revenues, which at present seems probable, will push them over the edge. Otherwise, as Max says, the west coast of Italy is long: about 1,000 km long, in fact! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinzia Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Hi PeeJayWil! Here are my do's and don'ts: - try not to squeeze too much in your itinerary, or you will run the risk of not enjoying your trip. - if possible, avoid the summer months (in particularly July and August). Most Italians take their holidays during this period of time, therefore the main attractions (as well as campsites) are full. The "worst" week is the one in the middle of August, as August 15th is national holiday in Italy. - another reason to avoid July and August is the weather: it can be pretty hot (but it obviously depends on your resistance to the heat.... some people love it!). June and September are much better months to visit Italy: it is warm enough to enjoy the beaches, but it is not as crowded (and prices are normally lower, as it is not high season!). - if you plan to travel in spring or in late autumn, you will find much warmer weather in the south. - remember that in Italy you pay highway tolls (same as in France and Spain). - Italy is not as "camper friendly" as France, and wild camping is not always doable (and nearly impossible in high season). - to enjoy some attractions, you will have to park your motorhome somewhere (at a campsite, etc.) and use public transportation, as roads can be really narrow. The typical example is that of "Cinque Terre" (Liguria). - this tip is not specific to Italy.... but it applies to Italy as well. If you want to eat well and do not spend a much, AVOID touristy restaurants, where prices will be at least double compared to local trattorias. - here is how you can enjoy great food without spending much: visit local markets and purchase local and seasonal fruit and vegetable (NOT imported ones!!). Buy local cheese, cold cuts, olive oil at a market or supermarket ... and you will be able to prepare amazing meals in a few minutes in your motorhome. - a few words of Italian will take a loooong way. Ciao!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 PeeJayWil - 2020-05-15 3:24 PM The basic idea is to travel down going to Pisa, Florence, Rome and down as far as Sorrento. We plan on camping close to the towns and travel in by public transport. We enjoy old towns, countryside and beaches. We eat out occasionally, and enjoy relaxing outside the ‘van. We enjoy gentle strolls but are not into long hikes. On your way to Pisa a nice stop could be Lucca. The tomb of Ilaria del Carretto, a Renaissance masterpiece, alone is worth a visit to the city. On the hills over Florence (Fiesole) you will find a campsite with free shuttle to the center of the City. The city worth three days at least. Contact them because the entrance is quite steep and narrow and if you have a large motorhome you may have some problems. Other wonderful towns are Volterra, Siena and Arezzo. Towards Rome you will find beautiful Orvieto and Viterbo. Between the two and nice stop could be on Lake Bolsena (stopover on the lake). Rome has either stopovers or campsite with public transport. Naples is a wonderful town. Campsite in Pozzuoli, underground train to the center. Strange experience, the campsite is in the "solfatara", it smells sulfur but no danger at all. South of Naples you find unmissable Herculaneum and Pompeii. The coastal road to Sorrento and Amalfi is quite narrow. It is better to travel there early in the morning when the tourist buses have not yet left the hotels. Plan a preliminary itinerary and I will be happy to help you. Campsites: I wouldn't be so worried. Many exist for years and I don't think they will have survival problems. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 PeeJayWil - 2020-05-15 3:24 PM The basic idea is to travel down going to Pisa, Florence, Rome and down as far as Sorrento. We plan on camping close to the towns and travel in by public transport. We enjoy old towns, countryside and beaches. We eat out occasionally, and enjoy relaxing outside the ‘van. We enjoy gentle strolls but are not into long hikes. Well, I'll add Pompei and especially Ercolano (Herculaneum), the archaeological museum in Naples (which is where most of the "goodies" from both Pompei and Herculaneum are), Paestum (just south of Salerno, so a little beyond your intended range, but home to a superb collection of Greek temples) and for a diversion, how about a trip up Etna? If you camp between Sorrento and Naples you can easily travel between Sorrento, Pompei, Ercolano, and Naples on the Circumvesuviana railway. You could then also visit Da Michele, a long established Neapolitan pizzeria on Via Cesare Sersale, for an authentic Neapolitan thin base pizza! (choice of two only but, as I recall, very good! :-)) You may also find Pozzuoli interesting. Absolute cracker of a Roman amphitheatre (with most of the installations beneath the arena intact), plus the volcano of Solfatara, which you can (or could, with the company of a guide!) walk around. It is really a part of the campi flegrei, and is a more or less ground level crater with sulphur vents and bubbling mud. Different!! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Obviously Herculaneum and Pompeii, I mentioned them a little above.My preference also goes to Herculaneum, much more intimate and with splendid homes, the theater in the tuff (much of the Roman city is still hidden under under the current town).Less known but not far away are Stabia (villas) and Oplontis (so-called Villa of Poppea).I had remembered Paestum but, perhaps stupidly, I thought that the Sorrento/Amalfi coast was the most southerly reachable point on this trip. As for Etna, it is perhaps too far away.Sicily with an unbeliavable heritage between Greek (Segesta, Selinunte, Agrigento, Syracuse and Taormina), Roman (Piazza Armerina), beautiful Norman cathedrals (Palermo, Cefalù, Milazzo, Monreale), the incredible baroque heritage of the Val di Noto and why not the beautiful coasts deserves a dedicated trip of at least four to five weeks in the region. Instead, not far from Naples the beautiful islands of Capri and Ischia accessible by pedestrian ferry (hidrofoil 50 minute, slow ferry 90). Among the two Capri is smaller and one day is enough for a visit. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 I rather think Brian meant Vesuvius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 https://ibb.co/album/X7fCT6 This is a good place to be in Italy and here https://ibb.co/album/3ybpF0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 https://ibb.co/album/yBjTdw ROME ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 laimeduck - 2020-05-16 1:20 PM I rather think Brian meant Vesuvius. Yes, I think he did too! :-D We skirted Etna when on Sicily, but didn't drive up. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 To beat the crowds when visiting PISA park free overnight in the coach and car park (N43.728327 E10.390247). It's a short walk to the attractions and if you're up and out early enough you'll get all your exterior pictures taken before the tour buses arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firedecisions Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 For Rome, we stayed at camping Tiber, there is a bus from outside the campsite into Prima Porta and then an easy train ride straight into the centre of Rome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeco Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 On the west coast I like the area around Terracina on the water between Rome & Naples. Excellent beaches and some very interesting old villages; to the north San Felice di Circeo and to the south the ocean cliff village of Sperlonga. However for me the real gems of the west coast are the various small islands. Isola del Giglio reached from the port of Santo Stefano and the Isola Ponza reached by ferry from Terracina are two favourites. In the main the tourists that frequent these two islands are Italians rather than the masses of Chinese tourists you now see in the larger tourist cities. Some how fried rice and pizzas do not mix even if like me you love both. My other recommendation would be the Aeolian Islands off the north east of Sicily. Well past your southern boundary for this trip but keep them in mind for next visit to Italy. Once bitten by the charm of Italy you will go back. When you do Lipari is the best place to start the Aeolian Island tour. Pre the "zombie apocalypse" Italy was a regular destination for us and we are looking forward to a return visit some time in the future. cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 One last thought. By staying on the west coast you'll miss out Venice. Why do that? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 Wonderful Aeolian are quite far and not easily reachable. My favourite one is Panarea.Instead of Giglio (very nice but small), I would prefer Elba on which you can tour around.But in summer it could be very crowdy and quite expensive. Max p.s. you forgot to mention Lampedusa and Pantelleria but they are almost in Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 For ROME we used the Camperstop aire at N41.875853 E12.555574. It's a bit busy but offers easy access from the E80. A couple of years ago it cost us twenty-two Euros a night including taxes. Across the road is a general store. Better still right outside is the tram system on which you'll be taken to the side of Rome's central station. From there it's a short walk down the side of the station and down in to the Metro system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeJayWil Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 Thanks for that.Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeJayWil Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 Cheers Max, thanks for that.Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeJayWil Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 Thanks for that good info.Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeJayWil Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 Thanks everyone for your ideas, plenty there for me to take in. Once again many thanks..Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 PeeJayWil - 2020-05-17 6:58 PM Cheers Max, thanks for that. Pete. Hi Pete, I am glad to be able to help. For your information, unless changes still possible, Italy has now entered the second step of phase 2 covid. From today museums, shops, restaurants and bars are open with still necessary distance between users. Campsites, beaches and rest areas will reopen shortly. From June 3 Italy will reopen its borders without the need for quarantine. Of course, further checks will be necessary for the countries you will have to cross. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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