Overland UK to Italy
#31
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Joined: Apr 2020
Location: Essex UK and Calabria
Posts: 176
Re: Overland UK to Italy
Morning all, that Times link given above takes me to a subscription page...🤔
Three stopovers Brian eh.... I must admit I like to get the drive over and done with as quickly as possible and usually do it with only the one stop, and that’s usually for 6 or 7 hours crashed out in the back of my van. I used to stop in Hotels but decided it was a waste of money as well as time if I have to hang around in the morning till 8.30 or whatever waiting for breakfast. My trip goes from Amsterdam to Ostuni and if I set off at around 10am say on a Tuesday morning I’m normally able to get there by mid afternoon on Wednesday. I usually stop somewhere south of Innsbruck for a short overnight stop and do the rest of the drive in a one-er the next day. It’s a bit of a grueller but I find I’ve become quite used to it over the years. I confess I’ve recently been thinking about slowing it down a bit and maybe making two stops but I’m not quite there yet...
Three stopovers Brian eh.... I must admit I like to get the drive over and done with as quickly as possible and usually do it with only the one stop, and that’s usually for 6 or 7 hours crashed out in the back of my van. I used to stop in Hotels but decided it was a waste of money as well as time if I have to hang around in the morning till 8.30 or whatever waiting for breakfast. My trip goes from Amsterdam to Ostuni and if I set off at around 10am say on a Tuesday morning I’m normally able to get there by mid afternoon on Wednesday. I usually stop somewhere south of Innsbruck for a short overnight stop and do the rest of the drive in a one-er the next day. It’s a bit of a grueller but I find I’ve become quite used to it over the years. I confess I’ve recently been thinking about slowing it down a bit and maybe making two stops but I’m not quite there yet...
#32
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 252
Re: Overland UK to Italy
As I said we used to do 3x8hr stints with 2 stopovers.I'm 68 this year so decided on 4x6hr stints with 3 stopovers making a minibreak of it,stopping at different places where possible each year.With the benefit of arriving in daylight at these lovely places.Other than Sundays most hotels serve breakfast from 7ish.The main criteria is our years supply of bacon,bangers,gammon and mature cheddar in the cool box getting there still fresh,4 days is the limit.Cheers,Brian.PS if I asked my Mrs to kip in the car,she'd kill me,lol.
#33
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 157
Re: Overland UK to Italy
Our UK base is Nottingham, so about a 4 hr drive to Dover. Last few times we have stopped overnight close to the port and caught the early ferry, which allows us to get somewhere between Metz and Mulhouse before stopping for the night. Next leg is through Switzerland to Firenze, where we have a couple of different places we like to stay. We live 7hrs south of Firenze, which gets us home late afternoon.
Top tip, there is a retail park about 10 minutes outside Dover that has a Tesco. Load up with lots of meal deals - sandwich, snack and soft drink/bottle of water for a couple of quid. Saves wasting a fortune on naff motorway service station food en route.
Toilets in french service stations are free - if memory serves - same in Luxembourg and Germany. Switzerland and Belgium charge (do not pull over in a Belgian motorway rest area, they are open sewers because all the truckers use them as toilets)
In Italy it dies not make a lot of difference time wise whether we go straight down via Florence and Rome, or go the east coast route. I go by Rome because I know the way by now without needing satnav. No way of avoiding tolls, but at least our local motorways are all free, living in the impoverished south.
Top tip, there is a retail park about 10 minutes outside Dover that has a Tesco. Load up with lots of meal deals - sandwich, snack and soft drink/bottle of water for a couple of quid. Saves wasting a fortune on naff motorway service station food en route.
Toilets in french service stations are free - if memory serves - same in Luxembourg and Germany. Switzerland and Belgium charge (do not pull over in a Belgian motorway rest area, they are open sewers because all the truckers use them as toilets)
In Italy it dies not make a lot of difference time wise whether we go straight down via Florence and Rome, or go the east coast route. I go by Rome because I know the way by now without needing satnav. No way of avoiding tolls, but at least our local motorways are all free, living in the impoverished south.
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 252
Re: Overland UK to Italy
Our UK base is Nottingham, so about a 4 hr drive to Dover. Last few times we have stopped overnight close to the port and caught the early ferry, which allows us to get somewhere between Metz and Mulhouse before stopping for the night. Next leg is through Switzerland to Firenze, where we have a couple of different places we like to stay. We live 7hrs south of Firenze, which gets us home late afternoon.
Top tip, there is a retail park about 10 minutes outside Dover that has a Tesco. Load up with lots of meal deals - sandwich, snack and soft drink/bottle of water for a couple of quid. Saves wasting a fortune on naff motorway service station food en route.
Toilets in french service stations are free - if memory serves - same in Luxembourg and Germany. Switzerland and Belgium charge (do not pull over in a Belgian motorway rest area, they are open sewers because all the truckers use them as toilets)
In Italy it dies not make a lot of difference time wise whether we go straight down via Florence and Rome, or go the east coast route. I go by Rome because I know the way by now without needing satnav. No way of avoiding tolls, but at least our local motorways are all free, living in the impoverished south.
Top tip, there is a retail park about 10 minutes outside Dover that has a Tesco. Load up with lots of meal deals - sandwich, snack and soft drink/bottle of water for a couple of quid. Saves wasting a fortune on naff motorway service station food en route.
Toilets in french service stations are free - if memory serves - same in Luxembourg and Germany. Switzerland and Belgium charge (do not pull over in a Belgian motorway rest area, they are open sewers because all the truckers use them as toilets)
In Italy it dies not make a lot of difference time wise whether we go straight down via Florence and Rome, or go the east coast route. I go by Rome because I know the way by now without needing satnav. No way of avoiding tolls, but at least our local motorways are all free, living in the impoverished south.
Last edited by Jake.White; Jun 15th 2020 at 4:38 pm.
#35
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Joined: Apr 2020
Location: Essex UK and Calabria
Posts: 176
Re: Overland UK to Italy
I always duck under the turnstile in Belgium,lol.We have a full English on the ferry and our dual voltage cold box is like the Tardis,even when full of a year supply of goodies we still have room for bread, butter and sandwich fillings for 4 days.We found Obernai the best town full of lovely medieval buildings and restaurants.We've found a hotel in Como almost lakeside with its own garage,almost impossible to park that close for the price they charge.
#36
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 174
Re: Overland UK to Italy
I used to do the one stop thing but decided to make the trip part of the fun and now stop in different places in northern Italy so I have seen the Palazzo The in Mantova and the Scrovegni chapel in Padova, So yes it's more expensive but hey it's only the kids' inheritance. Anyway we leave on Sunday so I am looking forward to finding out what post Covid Italy is like.
#37
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 252
Re: Overland UK to Italy
Excellent news and I hope it goes smoothly for you. I’m looking at Monday as a possibility but I’m still uncertain and still receiving mixed messages about Austria so I might have to wait a bit yet till I can get some definite straight answers on whether I can get through or not
#38
Re: Overland UK to Italy
Excellent news and I hope it goes smoothly for you. I’m looking at Monday as a possibility but I’m still uncertain and still receiving mixed messages about Austria so I might have to wait a bit yet till I can get some definite straight answers on whether I can get through or not
For each participating country the symbols top right are clickable and should provide all the info you need.
#39
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Joined: Apr 2020
Location: Essex UK and Calabria
Posts: 176
Re: Overland UK to Italy
We drove home in the Summer of 2014 and diverted from Bologna to Lido di Jesolo for 3 nights.Bought a Veneto travel card for 30 0dd euro and went to Venice for a day,including all the vaporettos.Next day watched England get stuffed by Uraguay in the World cup in a restaurant full of Germans,lol.The waiters were from Calabria,they were on our side cos Italy stuffed us a few days earlier.Lovely weather and our own sunbed on the beach included.
#41
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 174
Re: Overland UK to Italy
We drove home in the Summer of 2014 and diverted from Bologna to Lido di Jesolo for 3 nights.Bought a Veneto travel card for 30 0dd euro and went to Venice for a day,including all the vaporettos.Next day watched England get stuffed by Uraguay in the World cup in a restaurant full of Germans,lol.The waiters were from Calabria,they were on our side cos Italy stuffed us a few days earlier.Lovely weather and our own sunbed on the beach included.
#42
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Location: Essex UK and Calabria
Posts: 176
Re: Overland UK to Italy
#43
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Joined: Jun 2020
Location: Valencia
Posts: 502
Re: Overland UK to Italy
I'm probably a bit late to be of any use on this one, but a friend has just driven from Ireland down to Puglia through France and Switzerland without problems apart from the horrendous French tolls. A word of warning, depending on how far south you are coming, essential bridge repairs are a nightmare at the moment. We drove to Spain and back last week, taking the ferry from Civitavecchia to Barcelona, and the roadworks were pretty much non stop. Regarding the route, I always used to go to Dunkirk, head to Luxembourg for a cheap fuel stop, then to Germany for zero tolls and put my foot down to arrive at Pflach in Austria for the stopover, always remembering to fill up as soon as you cross the border. Day 2 I would stop at a place called Europabrucke to get the kids breakfast at a McDonalds (don't laugh, read on) with the most spectacular views you could ever imagine before continuing on the super boring road to Brindisi. It's a longer route but much faster and cheaper.
#44
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 252
Re: Overland UK to Italy
[QUOTE=SanNico;12870931]I'm probably a bit late to be of any use on this one, but a friend has just driven from Ireland down to Puglia through France and Switzerland without problems apart from the horrendous French tolls. A word of warning, depending on how far south you are coming, essential bridge repairs are a nightmare at the moment. We drove to Spain and back last week, taking the ferry from Civitavecchia to Barcelona, and the roadworks were pretty much non stop. Regarding the route, I always used to go to Dunkirk, head to Luxembourg for a cheap fuel stop, then to Germany for zero tolls and put my foot down to arrive at Pflach in Austria for the stopover, always remembering to fill up as soon as you cross the border. Day 2 I would stop at a place called Europabrucke to get the kids breakfast at a McDonalds (don't laugh, read on) with the most spectacular views you could ever imagine before continuing on the super boring road to Brindisi. It's a longer route but much faster and cheaper.[/QUOTE
Thanks for the heads up. Never too late..😁
The bridge repairs have been ongoing for a couple of years now since they all started falling down. Austria is still out for us Brits but yours is the second account I've read of there being no problem via France and Switzerland.
Thanks for the heads up. Never too late..😁
The bridge repairs have been ongoing for a couple of years now since they all started falling down. Austria is still out for us Brits but yours is the second account I've read of there being no problem via France and Switzerland.