Pitchside VIEWS
Fiona Scott reminisces about those hazy days of international travel…
Our favourite European country to visit is Italy – we love the climate, the country, and the opportunity to explore.
This is a trip which you need to research and plan. It would be foolish to think you could land in Europe with your touring caravan and drive to Italy in a day.
Make the journey part of the holiday. You can plan an overnight stop and drive across two days – or you can pick somewhere as a short stay in France or Austria, perhaps, and do the same on the return journey.
One route you can consider is to get into Italy via the Mont Blanc Tunnel and I would highly recommend this. Be aware it’s not a cheap option (around €80 both ways); however, the scenery, particularly the glacier which hangs above you, is majestic.
Research road tolls – there can be extra tolls for a twin-axle unit and you need to ensure you have the correct vignettes/visas.
Once you get into Italy, you feel the change of climate as it becomes warmer and brighter at a deeper level than in France, Belgium, Germany or Austria.
Our favoruite site is Camping Fornella on Lake Garda (fornellacamping.co.uk). It's a big site with extra-large spaces for touring caravans and it also accommodates tents. There are activities, two pools, good facilities, a restaurant and takeaway overlooking the lake.
This is a great base for visiting other places, too. Here are my top five suggestions:
● Venice – you can travel from the site to the train station at Desenzano Del Garda (most parking is free and you can book your train fares in advance from the UK). You get a train right into Venice which is a stunning journey with no hassle. You then arrive on the Grand Canal – easily the most breathtaking train station exit I’ve ever seen.
● Sirmione – on the lake itself, it’s a walled town with a castle with an interesting heritage, quaint shops, plenty of gorgeous ice cream and lovely eateries. It’s worth getting a bus or coach there as you may have to park some considerable distance away. Try the ice cream and go for the smallest size, you’ll never eat the big ones, it melts before you can get through it!
● The markets – the campsite will display information about local markets which take place on different days all around the lake. These markets are sprawling and offer wonderful food, affordable Italian clothes for men, women and children, leather goods including handbags, purses, belts, shoes, fabrics, pottery and ceramics.
● Travel around the lake – you can drive or take a bus trip all the way around Lake Garda and I really recommend this. It’s amazing to see the different ‘moods’ of the lake and the communities around it. You can stop for lunch almost anywhere or take a picnic.
● Travel on the lake – if you enjoy being on the water, there are loads of options to hire a boat, go on a boat bus, windsurf, enjoy swimming, or go out on a speedboat. We opted for the latter, and it was brilliant!
Note that violent lightning and thunderstorms can hit at a moment’s notice. On one of our trips, such a storm hit and when we got back our sun canopy had collapsed and our belongings were scattered. On our next visit we opted for a full awning.
Make the journey part of the holiday by planning an overnight stop or choose a short stay along your route...