This is a question for those of you that travel to Italy by car.I know there is a good few of you who do this trip on a number of occasions each year.I am currently looking to replace my current car and purchase something newer for the journey to
Driving through France............ i recently got back from my 3 week trip from Italy, i stopped over nite at Cernobbio at Lake Como which broke up our trip from the South of Italy nicely. So I am still interested in the routes you fellow car tour
So, we are planning to head down to my parents holiday villa in Saline Ioniche, Reggio Calabria next summer by car starting off from our UK base Northampton.
Yes it’s certainly not a drive for the faint hearted, last summer the temperature was around 40 degrees whilst we was heading deep into southern Calabria was very draining and the lack of shade at the service stations meant you had no respite from the constant heat.
I’ve found southern Calabria to have very little tourism. The beaches we visit could be moved to the a tropical desert island and you wouldn’t know you are in fact still in Europe but they are empty, it only seems to be the odd German or Dutch family that knows what untapped beauty Calabria has to offer! Personally we like the fact it’s not overpopulated with tourists it makes it a more relaxed and laid back experience and atmosphere.
Totally agree with your sentiments that the ferry takes too long. In all honesty I’ve avoided the eurotunnel for a few years now just on the basis of the cost but this year I’ve taken your view that the time saving makes the extra cost incurred negligible.
We have a 1500 mile journey to southern calabria. It’s one heck of a road trip but we make the journey a holiday in itself. Stopping in Switzerland has become a real treat and it’s something we continue to look forward to before we navigate the full length of Italy.
Thanks for posting Tony! I’ve just booked up to head back to Italy this summer.
Was looking at eurotunnel vs ferry costing and have paid £336 return for 3 passengers and a dog to leave towards the end of July.
DFDS was the cheaper option at £219 but after about 40 minutes on the ferry and exhausting the duty free shopping tour I tend to wish Id gone on the tunnel instead and about ready to hit the French autoroutes.
You obviously get stung for peak season travel but I find the eurotunnel fares over priced (‘my biggest gripe is a + £44 return charge for taking your dog who just sits in the car anyway.
Have not seen any responses to this topic for a few years but know many of you still do the trip. Chris who originally started this topic, wondering if you are still around this forum?! Would be great to hear about any recent road tripping journeys to Italy from you fellow members …..
Hi. Chris ! Hope you are well. This will be my 5th year of travelling to the south of Italy by car. My preferred options since 2 years ago is to go through Strasbourg and pay the toll and keep to the motorway and avoid driving over the mountains. This route is slightly longer but as it's all motorway I think it saves time. My biggest bug bear with going through the gottard tunnel is that I always seem to get stuck in hours of traffic as I normally get there mid afternoon the next day and I find it very frustrating! Funny enough I leave next Friday and will be spending 3 weeks in Italy I truely enjoy the trip and the time down there and get looks of amazement when locals hear I have driven 1750 miles to the very tip of the toe of Italy. i purchased a BMW 5 series last year and found that very comfortable for such a long trip. Hope you are well? When do you leave? What car do you use for trip? great to hear you post again ! all the best and safe trip Tony
Hi Chris, good to hear from you! Our trip to Calabria seems like a distant memory now but we are starting to plan for next year now and can't wait to get back. We followed the same route as you but as we left and went over a weekend we experienced a horrendous amount of traffic at the St Gottard tunnel, I suppose its to be expected in the peak of summer. Journey was fine otherwise, we left the UK on a Friday evening on the eurotunnel and got to Calabria midday on Sunday 1700 miles later! On the whole we had a great time but experienced some freak weather as on a few days a tornado hit southern Italy with lots of flooding. When are you heading back, we have booked to go next August now and I am counting down the months!!
Hi Chris, i cant believe how quicly the time has gone since we got back last summer!Taking the toll free route Alan H has recommended on numerous occasions.I think i will take a slight detour through France this time and pay the toll and go through metz- strasbourg so as to see if this route is more time effective as opposed to going through nancy- colmar (past metz). I find the colmar route going up the mountain quite time consuming especially as we are looking to get to our destination sooner rather than later.From then on in in Italy we will travel to Calabria pretty much the whole length of Italy which will take a good 20 hours of travel. How about you when are you going this year?I head off in 5 weeks !All the bestTony
Fantastic, I look forward to hearing a write up from you as to your trip. If i remember correctly you are from the same neck of the woods as me Northampton!All the best. Tony
Comments posted
Yes it’s certainly not a drive for the faint hearted, last summer the temperature was around 40 degrees whilst we was heading deep into southern Calabria was very draining and the lack of shade at the service stations meant you had no respite from the constant heat.
I’ve found southern Calabria to have very little tourism. The beaches we visit could be moved to the a tropical desert island and you wouldn’t know you are in fact still in Europe but they are empty, it only seems to be the odd German or Dutch family that knows what untapped beauty Calabria has to offer! Personally we like the fact it’s not overpopulated with tourists it makes it a more relaxed and laid back experience and atmosphere.
Totally agree with your sentiments that the ferry takes too long. In all honesty I’ve avoided the eurotunnel for a few years now just on the basis of the cost but this year I’ve taken your view that the time saving makes the extra cost incurred negligible.
We have a 1500 mile journey to southern calabria. It’s one heck of a road trip but we make the journey a holiday in itself. Stopping in Switzerland has become a real treat and it’s something we continue to look forward to before we navigate the full length of Italy.
Thanks for posting Tony! I’ve just booked up to head back to Italy this summer.
Was looking at eurotunnel vs ferry costing and have paid £336 return for 3 passengers and a dog to leave towards the end of July.
DFDS was the cheaper option at £219 but after about 40 minutes on the ferry and exhausting the duty free shopping tour I tend to wish Id gone on the tunnel instead and about ready to hit the French autoroutes.
You obviously get stung for peak season travel but I find the eurotunnel fares over priced (‘my biggest gripe is a + £44 return charge for taking your dog who just sits in the car anyway.
Swiss service stations are a holiday in their own right, we stopped off at San Gottardo Sud last summer and the surrounding were breathtaking
Have not seen any responses to this topic for a few years but know many of you still do the trip. Chris who originally started this topic, wondering if you are still around this forum?! Would be great to hear about any recent road tripping journeys to Italy from you fellow members …..
Hi. Chris ! Hope you are well. This will be my 5th year of travelling to the south of Italy by car. My preferred options since 2 years ago is to go through Strasbourg and pay the toll and keep to the motorway and avoid driving over the mountains. This route is slightly longer but as it's all motorway I think it saves time. My biggest bug bear with going through the gottard tunnel is that I always seem to get stuck in hours of traffic as I normally get there mid afternoon the next day and I find it very frustrating! Funny enough I leave next Friday and will be spending 3 weeks in Italy I truely enjoy the trip and the time down there and get looks of amazement when locals hear I have driven 1750 miles to the very tip of the toe of Italy. i purchased a BMW 5 series last year and found that very comfortable for such a long trip. Hope you are well? When do you leave? What car do you use for trip? great to hear you post again ! all the best and safe trip Tony
Hi Chris, good to hear from you! Our trip to Calabria seems like a distant memory now but we are starting to plan for next year now and can't wait to get back. We followed the same route as you but as we left and went over a weekend we experienced a horrendous amount of traffic at the St Gottard tunnel, I suppose its to be expected in the peak of summer. Journey was fine otherwise, we left the UK on a Friday evening on the eurotunnel and got to Calabria midday on Sunday 1700 miles later! On the whole we had a great time but experienced some freak weather as on a few days a tornado hit southern Italy with lots of flooding. When are you heading back, we have booked to go next August now and I am counting down the months!!
Hi Chris, i cant believe how quicly the time has gone since we got back last summer!Taking the toll free route Alan H has recommended on numerous occasions.I think i will take a slight detour through France this time and pay the toll and go through metz- strasbourg so as to see if this route is more time effective as opposed to going through nancy- colmar (past metz). I find the colmar route going up the mountain quite time consuming especially as we are looking to get to our destination sooner rather than later.From then on in in Italy we will travel to Calabria pretty much the whole length of Italy which will take a good 20 hours of travel. How about you when are you going this year?I head off in 5 weeks !All the bestTony
Fantastic, I look forward to hearing a write up from you as to your trip. If i remember correctly you are from the same neck of the woods as me Northampton!All the best. Tony
thanks for clarifying
As a matter of interest why are you planning to use the toll route on the way back through france? Just a change of scenary?