8818 days to avoid in August for long drives

Not having driven much in Italy around Ferragosto and certainly not long distances I would really appreciate some guidance on the exact days to avoid long drives in August. I'll be travelling to the UK from Le Marche some time in August and since I've got some flexibility about the date I leave I may as well avoid the traffic if possible.

Category
Travel & Holiday Advice

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/17/2008 - 09:58

Being as august the 1st is on a friday this year, then i would avoid that weekend.

Tuesday the 5th of august would for me be the right time to be hitting central Italy,espiecally the junction of the A1/A14 at bologna....

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/17/2008 - 10:11

Ferragosto (15th August) and the days around that one are the busiest for holiday traffic, particularly near to the coast or in popular mountain resorts.

Otherwise, try to avoid any weekends in August (from Friday afternoon through to early Monday morning).

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/17/2008 - 10:59

The Dutch Automobile Association (ANWB) has traffic forecasts in pdf format for individual Western European countries available [URL="http://www.anwb.nl/published/anwbcms/content/pagina/nieuws/nieuwsartikelen/verkeer/overzicht-verkeersdrukte-buitenland-p.nl.html"]here[/URL].

According to the ANWB, the "black" days in August are likely to be the 1st and 2nd (Friday and Saturday) and then the 9th, 23rd and 30th (all Saturdays). However, most other weekend days are forecast to have heavy traffic, as is Thursday the 14th.

Basically, I think the best rule for driving in Italy in August can be summed up as "avoid if possible". If that can't be done, do your best to avoid the weekends (including Fridays).

Al

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/18/2008 - 00:02

When we drive out to Abruzzo during August we always seem to hit a traffice black spot at 5.00 pm (Milan, Strasburg) but we see to have it sussed on the return journey by setting off at about 10.00 pm at night.We stop for a snooze and breakfast at 8.00 ish and are generally at Dunkirk for 4 pm the following afternoon.

Jackie

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/18/2008 - 05:46

Thanks for all the replies.
I'll be going north from Marche to the uk so if I avoid weekends and Mondays and fridays, 14/15/16 Aug, and 5.00 pm there's probably a couple of small relatively trasffic free windows I might get into somewhere along the line! Unfortunately Alan I'm probably going to have to come back some time in that period ie the last 2 weeks of August.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/18/2008 - 08:01

I remember last year in this area the papers had regular articles about the heavy traffic anytime from ferragosto until the end of August. Especially along the A14 as Italians flock to the beaches along the Adriatic coast.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/18/2008 - 12:55

[quote=Bruno;82983]I remember last year in this area the papers had regular articles about the heavy traffic anytime from ferragosto until the end of August. Especially along the A14 as Italians flock to the beaches along the Adriatic coast.[/quote]

I agree with Bruno, avoid the A14 at weekends around Ferragosto but also the Coastal B road the SS16, especially as people leave the beach in the evening.