VISITING ITALY - PISA / ROME / AMALFI COAST / POMPEII / SICILY / VENICE

Italy - Our Experiences 2019

This story starts at the France Italian border at the very bottom, at a place called Menton.
Got fuel at 1.39 just before motorway, chose to get autostrada for initial foray towards Genoa. Travelled approx 160km to a sosta at Cells Ligure, literally 150m from exit. Toll was 17euro. Stayed for a couple of days, walking down 500m steep hill to beach.
Decided to take coast road to Genoa, a tad up-down and windey but very bearable and comfortable, even getting through Genoa was OK.
After stocking up stopped along coast road at ????- temp was in 30's and sought shade whenever possible.

FUEL - ranged from 1.41 to 1.58, typically 1.42.
Decided to rejoin autostrada after Marina Devina, going through tunnels on coast road was an experience, although width limit indicates 1.85m, this at the higher part of the tunnel, got thumbs up from Walls ice delivery so followed him.
Next stop was Lucca - beside red cross tent and near market carpark. Journey was approx 140km, Toll was 13euro, chose to hit the autostrada as it was noticeable roads were not so comfortable, The Morning market was a mile long to end and back, took over 3hrs to see all the stalls. Visited the walled town, worth the jaunt.
Pisa was only 30mins away, found difficulty in finding sosta, eventually got one for 18euro and had to get bus into city(1.50 each). A good city to walk around. Worth the effort.

ROADS
Xcountry roads not so palatable, (same as Portugal), but some main roads were also in poor repair, whilst stretches were very good. Autostrada from Menton saved a lot of hill climbs and also offered good views of coast and land.

STOPS
Most were found using Camperstop Europe, but not all are alive so a couple of last minute changes of plan. Found more often water always available, but WC drops not so plenty.
So far so good with a couple of nights at a beach, (below Cessina), and a night in the hills E of Grosetto (Albacete) - damn gnats a torment.
Now inland near a lake in town of Bracciano on a sosta. 14euro with WiFi, and nice view.
Rome tomorrow.

FOOD
Fruit juices expensive, bread slightly more costly,hams more expensive, but cooked chicken can be found to be cheap also cereals. Milk is double of UK, overall our budget has roughly increased by 20%.

Will improve info once better WiFi available
 
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Ztl

Hi Stanski, we're traveling through Italy to Sorrento in a couple of months. Did you manage to avoid the ZTL zones?
 
Kizzy said:
Ztl

Hi Stanski, we're traveling through Italy to Sorrento in a couple of months. Did you manage to avoid the ZTL zones?
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Although a little late in responding - I found major cities to have small signs indicating the boundaries of the ZTL with those that I spotted with often Euro 1 as the minimum standard required.
In large cities such as Rome the zones were specifically the centre and you had opportunity to find parking within 3-4km of it.

SORRENTO
A train from Naples passes Herculeum, Pompeii and into Sorrento is used by many for a few Euros. Trains are old and lack comfort but get you from A to B.

AMALFI COAST road is banned to motorhomes as the roads are very narrow and bends are severe at places which torment buses and delivery vans. travel by bus is so much more enjoyable.

Sorrento - Amalfi Coast and Pompeii - how we did it.
We stopped in a town aire (name is Cava dei Terreni) on the main road between Pompeii and Salerno. The aire is at top of the town near the Police headquarters office. It is not easy to find as roads have changed to one way in some parts. The co-ords in Camperstop are good. Water and Elec is available, with WC and dump just outside the parking area beside the sports ground. Find town centre, head north up a steep hill, at fork take right hand road and up a steeper hill for about 250m then turn right - parking is on right at a junction with a low 1m barrier closing the exit.
We walked 20min down the hill to the train station (name of station is not town name which confused us initially), got train to Salerno, then bus to Sorrento then train again to Pompeii, returning back by train - all for approx Euro10 each.
 
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South Italy - After touring the coast road from Salerno we had an urge to get moving so chose to travel the motorway after a few days where we found very busy summer holiday crowds along the west beaches.

Along the motorway tolls were reasonable to Palmi. Approx Euro27 comprising 17 + 3 + 7.
Off the motorway a hilltop town called MARANO CALABRO has a suitable aire with water, no WC but a waste drain is provided. The next town East is 8km away which has a Lidl, and access back onto the motorway.
The hilltop town is very steep and has an old Norman castle ruin at its top. A hearty climb up steps or roads is worth the view, Euro1 entry. In the evening on weekends in the summer a hot food lorry sets up in a small square just above the aire.

PALMI
We found a site on the beach - arriving late and in the dark gave us little chance to see options so took what we could find - costing us Euro20 with outdated showers and services.

EAST COAST options
For no reason than to explore we drove over the mountain to the east coast and found a purpose built motorhome site in BIANCO [ 38.0938, 16.155. ]
Payment of Euro1 for toilet waste only - alongside beach, at end of resort road. Main area was fully occupied with water hoses for showers - we parked just 100m beyond the boundary edge along with a german couple and an Italian MH.

The coast railway line runs beside the beach so entry to the resort road is over a crossing in the town, cars have access via short underpasses which MH's cannot use.

Alternative Location
Approx 20km south another parking area at the town of ..... is available just off the main road on the left.

We also stopped in between fishing boats alongside the IKO International Windsurfing Office at REGGIO de CALABRIA on route to Sicily ferry.

SICILY FERRY
Motorhomes are only able to cross at SAN GIOVANNI. A 2 month return was Euro91 for our 6.5m Hobby.
The ferry entrance is beside the railway and as we approached a chap guided us to the left ferry. This takes you south of MESSINA at a terminal 2 mins from the motorway.
I suspect the other ferry on the right is more car and passenger and they travel direct to Messina.
 
Southern Italy - 2019
FUEL - Often we found many stations offering diesel at Euro 1.43, worst was 1.54 along main roads. add another 15 to 25 cents per Litre if you want service by the host.

FOOD- Using most often Lidl as a standard plenty of these stores were found at outskirts of many towns. Generally prices were not much different to the North with veg and fruit cheaper at times. Plenty of oranges, peaches and melons were sold along the road with many houses offering similar to obtain an income.
Local stores were as good as Lidl with only small variation in price.

Ice-Cream - Very nice when we indulged, and cheap at approx 1.30 to 1.60 for a double cone.
Still Water - Usually 2.00 to 2.50 for 6 x 1L bottles, or 3.00 for 6 x 1.5L
Milk - so many variants - we often bought longlife 1L at approx 90cents each or 1.35 for 1.5L.
Bread/Rolls - A local produced brown loaf often cost us 2.50, with rolls approx 30-40 cents each.
Meats - we had no problem obtaining ham, chicken, beefburgers or sausages such as bratwurst.
Cheese - many variants at a cost not too much more than UK - even found Irish Cheddar in some stores.

Generally our 3 day food bill would be approx Euro25. With the higher sunshine & heat we drank a lot more water/juices and also plenty of salads but lessened our intake - losing approx 1 stone on the journey.

GENERAL - Entrance fees to castles/museums/etc were in the main very reasonable compared with UK.
One dissapointment with the southern areas of the country was the amount of rubbish strewn across roads and streets. Even in Rome the outskirts were not well kept with large cache of rubbish beside the bins.
We were told by more than one person that the locals used road laybyes as a dump to show anger at the poor services provided by the town council / government.
 
VENICE - We learnt by chance that an aire at Treviso was available beside the football ground. This has no services and you are limited to 48hrs. The train station is South side of the town and takes 20mins to walk or catch a #3 bus from the main road.
Train to Venice cost 3.70 each way.
Venice was interesting and needs comfortable shoes to walk around the city and across the multiple bridges. To enter the basilica requires you to store your bags in a safety deposit which is located in an entrance to the square adjacent to the building - annoying to find thid after queuing for 40mins.
Take care in observing the route signs (yellow on walls) as we ended up walking up to the cruise ship terminal from the Art Gallery because we forgot we had crossed a bridge to enter it.
A worthy visit.
Treviso- is a walled city with some interesting buildings. A student town with a fruit and veg market near the centre.
A laundry is sited on the main road just to the left of the main entrance to the football car park.
 
Carrerasax said:
How do we find sostas in in Italy?
Are there no poi’s for other than GB or France?
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We used the Europe Camperstop book sold by Vicarius Books - it gives co-ords with info about the site. Not every entry is 100% accurate but you can usually work around the issue. We also found information from other travellers as we went so on a few occassions did some WCing of our own.
 
Hi guys. Good useful thread, keep it coming. We’re thinking of southern Italy next year. Done a few trips around and through the north, but never got below Roma. Thought we’d go down the middle this time, then West side going down, to pick up Pompei Herculaneum and so on returning up the east side. Any feedback on the east, places to go or avoid?

Later on the next trip we’ll go down French Alps, squiggle round Allos, Bonhomme etc., over Lombardi, then visit all the dead end valleys on the Italian side, coming back over Simplon and through Switzerland. Subject of course to Boris not buggering it up for us.
 
Stops for near Rome and southern Italy we used - specific details such as co-ords we have on Maps.me but it is not available to me as I write. Feels I have written this before so apologies if duplicate info

Bracciano - campsite near castle and lake, nice couple who immediately cut tree limbs and branches to allow us to squeeze under for shade.
Rome - Garage Barado - located close to ring road, suitable for just parking up (a daily charge to pay) and then getting bus into city. WC, water and can overnight.
Colleferro - aire SE of Rome off E45 10km - entry is controlled by a barrier sited inside small car park and beside sports club. Water and waste dump. Launderette around corner about 200m away as you leave car park turn to the right, at lights turn right again and past a junction on the right.
Cava dei Terreni - located on hill above town - has free electricity, water and wc dump. Comfortable stop, 20 minutes walk downhill to town centre or train station.
Marono Calabro - Hilltop town just off E45/A3 motorway 5km - as you enter town turn left then 150m beside church turn left up incline and then carpark on right - aire is next to it. Nice castle on top worth a visit.
Next town south is Castrovillan that has a Lidl - watch for signs take second road left after entering town outskirts. OR first left then next right.
Palmi - Next to beach - payment required (20Euro) - Basic showers, water and elec.
Catazanzo Marina - sandy Beach beside noisy clubs / pubs, find space amongst trees or in open. Water available in car park.
Bianco - Pebble Beach - Motorhome area set up for approx 50 MH with water - 1Euro for WC disposal. We parked outside as it was full with others. Small town.
Reggio de Calabria - Palleno Beach beside Kite Surfing offices - sandy beach amongst fishing boats.
 
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