alan h's activity

Questions Asked

My place is between Lakes Orta and Maggiore, and I have used Flybe in the past to fly from Birmingham to Milan Malpensa.Looking for flights in Sept/Oct, I was disappointed at the high costs - so went to the Easyjet site to look at the Luton to Tur

Thu, 08/20/2009 - 04:27

I have often advocated swinging up through Belgium when travelling from UK to Italy, on the grounds of the cheap petrol in Luxembourg and toll free motorways. I did this route again a couple of weeks ago, but found the roadworks on the Dunkirk-Lil

Tue, 07/28/2009 - 09:32

 I thought it might help people not break the law [or get caught breaking it] to some info on speed cameras they might come across in driving down to Italy. [This really applies to people like me who don’t have a sat-nav that tells them all the in

Sat, 07/04/2009 - 11:03

When driving to Italy, [Lake Maggiore area], from Calais, I almost always drive up towards Dunkirk and then head East towards Luxembourg.   The reasons for doing so is simple:-

    Fri, 07/03/2009 - 12:52

    If you are driving down to Italy, this regularly updated AA site gives you the latest info on fuel prices across Europe.  Its useful for deciding where to fill up. Note - in Luxembourg, [where I always fill up - its worth the minor detour from Cal

    Thu, 07/02/2009 - 05:32

    .     I heard this today on Radio 4.  I take it you already know of tough and bough and cough and dough?Others may stumble, but not you,On hiccough, thorough, lough** and through.Well done!

    Sat, 06/20/2009 - 16:58

    .   I'm considering handing over ownership of my Italian Holiday Home to my kids. Does anyone know

    • How easy this is to do, and how costly?
    • Whether this can be done in the UK - or do I have to do it in Italy?
    Fri, 06/19/2009 - 04:54

    Comments posted

    Sun, 11/24/2019 - 06:42

    What we did when we bought our holiday home in Italy was:-
    1. Decide on area - we did this visiting places we thought would do, with Italian friends, who gave us a overview of the area
    2. Using Italian Yellow Pages (Pagine Gialle?) We got names of estate agents in the area, and by googling them got their website and email details.
    3. Booked a weeks holiday in the area and arranged, by email (in Italian- Google translate if all else fails) meetings with half a dozen agents - max 2 a day. They were all given via email our requirements - location, no of bedrooms, land etc etc, and price - so in theory they would take us to appropriate places. (Worked pretty well).
    4. Found the one we liked and offered 40% below asking price . Was accepted and we've enjoyed the ace for over 15 years.

    Good luck

    Thu, 11/21/2019 - 15:29

    If you copy the web address in stevemonkseatons post and put it into 'Google Translate " you might get a fair(ish) English version of the page.

    Wed, 11/20/2019 - 11:18

    These sites may help  [I don't know how accurate they are]http://english.controleradar.org/  https://radars.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/#/https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/french-super-speed-camera/ Good luck  

    Sat, 11/09/2019 - 05:07

    GeoffAnnn,I'm sure youve already tried this, but I Googled "Italy earthquake insurance" and it threw out some possible insurers, who say they do it.  [but caveat "ubject to the area that the property is in"] 

    Tue, 10/15/2019 - 10:07

    Try Googling something like   "Lucca  expats  forum"  -  should throw something up

    Fri, 08/09/2019 - 11:30

    If you want 'cheap' hotel - don't stay in Venice.
    We stayed in Padova and went into Venice on the train. Saved a fortune.

    Tue, 07/16/2019 - 07:03

    Toll free route through France [motorwys passing by the following];-

    • Calais - Dunkirk - Lille - Mons - Luxembourg [Fill up with fuel at motorway services just before leaving Luxembourg - cheapest petrol on route] - Metz - Nancy.  All motorway with no tolls
    • Nancy - Mulhouse [or Nancy - Colmar - Mulhouse] much dual carriage way, except when going over the 'hills'.
    • Mulhouse into Germany and down autobahn towards Basel [not Mulhouse - Basel direct]
    • Turn off onto autobahn to Lorrach and Rheinfelden and into Switzerland ...............Note - pick up Swiss Motorway Vignette at Bad Bellingham services on first Autiobahn
    • On to Lucerne and Gotthard Tunnel.  [Thus avoiding risk of traffic/customs problems in Basle]
    • on to Italy, paying as necessary on Italian Autostradas.

    Journey time from Calais to Pisa - approx 16 hoursStops to suit what time you started from UK -mprobably after 3 hrs on day 1, 8 hrs on day 2 and leavibng approx 5 hrs into PisaSuggest the Eurotunnel rather than the Ferries - will save about 2 hrs [minimum] on journey time [unless you need a decent break and a meal -motherwise the Tunnel is so much simpler] Good luck

    Thu, 07/04/2019 - 07:45

    My comune did 'revalue' my property, causing the IMU paymrnt to increase. But if they did that to you they should have told you, or your accountant.

    Thu, 07/04/2019 - 07:43

    Thanks - that's what I thought was the case, but its good to get feedback from you

    Wed, 05/22/2019 - 15:26

    Don't know the legal rquirements, but whenever I've seen bombola used, they have always been placed outside the building [on balcony or ground level].  Having them inside the building is a recipe for disasterTalk to a Geometra, he/she would know the legalities.