A car tour through italy – la dolce vita

adminonMarch 12, 2022February 11, 2022Leave a Comment

Where to go on your next summer vacation? Sri lanka, south america? Or why not simply a round trip through italy with your own car – the land of pizza, pasta and good wine? Our experiences, route and tips for 3 weeks in italy!

Planning a round trip through italy by yourself: which means of transport?

We wanted to make a round trip with a camper for a long time. That’s why for a long time we flirted with renting a VW camper on paulcamper.Com. But since we were traveling in the high season and the daily rentals of these campers explode at this travel time, this was also unnecessary for us. Finally we borrowed a car privately. The rear seats expanded, it offered an incredible amount of space for all our equipment. We throw in a mattress and nothing stands in the way of our round trip through italy.

By car through italy

A car means 100% mobility. And this is exactly what we enjoyed very much during our round trip through italy. No dependencies on schedules, delays and the flexibility to pull over at a nice place and enjoy the view. The italy round trip with the car has saved us laborious lugging of pieces of luggage. With each onward journey our camping equipment could simply be thrown into the trunk and on we go. Of course, this mobility also means a responsible use of the vehicle and the willingness to sit behind the wheel for a few hours.

italy round trip by train – the interrail italy pass

At the beginning of our travel planning we wanted to buy an interrail italy pass. it is possible to buy it from 3 to 8 days of travel (days spent on the road). travelers up to 27 years get the youth rate. Interrail is a cheap way to travel by train through italy. In the end, however, we decided against the interrail pass for the following reasons:

We wanted to be as mobile as possible
Interrail travel requires light packing and tedious lugging of the necessary camping equipment
Some campsites are located outside the city centers, which would have made it difficult to get to campsites (if necessary. If there would have been more costs because of necessary cab rides)

For travelers who are moving within city centers and rather stay in apartments or airbnb’s instead of camping sites, the interrail italy pass is a great (and maybe the better) alternative!

By plane to and through italy

For those who can easily commit to a few italian places or who don’t have three weeks of time, various italian cities can also be easily reached by plane. surrounding sights can then be reached by public transport.

plan an individual round trip through italy by yourself – where to go?

southern italy, tirol, veneto or tuscany? As we had more than 2,5 weeks time we wanted to
we do not limit ourselves to any of the italian regions. on the internet you will find between the countless package tour providers only in painstaking research work great sites that report on their experiences and their italy highlights as individual travelers.

An individual car tour through italy – our itinerary for 3 weeks

(1) lake garda – lazise – camping spiaggia D’oro with direct location at the lake
(2) umbria – preci – camping ill collacio
(3) calabria – tropea – camping marina del convento with direct access to the beach
(4) salerno with a side trip to pompei
(5) adventure amalfi coast ending in sorrento. Camping nube d’argento on the edge of town with incredible views of the gulf of naples
(6) tuscany – siena – camping colleverde. Via the route del chianti to florence
(7) tuscany – florence
(8) trentino – lago di tenno (lake tenno) – camping lago di tenno with a few minutes walk to the lake and as an ideal starting point for hiking tours.

our round trip through italy leads us via lake garda (1) first to umbria (2). Umbria is the green heart of italy and is characterized by the many mountains, the lush green and the small villages, surrounded by green hills. to say it in advance: this first stop should remain one of our favorite stops. We stayed at the campsite il collaccio on the edge of the national park monti sibillini. The area near the sleepy village of preci offers many signposted hiking trails that invite you to hike for hours. The friendly staff is happy to help with any questions and has many other helpful information and tips for travelers.

from there on to the tip of the boot – 900 km and 10 h night drive further south to tropea (3). Here we spend hot days on the beach, stroll through the higher town and make a trip to the beautiful capo vaticano.

From there we only go north. We continue by car to salerno (4), which will be the starting point for our adventure on the amalfi coast. On to sorrent (5), a pretty little fishing village situated on the gulf of naples. Our campsite nube d’argento, is located a few minutes outside sorrento but offers incredible views of the sea and vesuvius.
Via pompeii and its ruins we continue by car to the north of tuscany to siena (6). In the middle of tuscany and the route del chianti we continue from siena to the tuscan capital florence (7). From florence we then set off for our last stop on our round trip through italy – lago die tenno (8). A mountain lake with turquoise waters, not far from lake garda.

17 days, 3900 km later, with many impressions and great memories we arrive home again.

The best travel guides for a round trip through italy

The search for a suitable italy travel guide for our car round trip turned out to be similarly difficult as the online research. in bookstores you can find many guidebooks of the different regions – sicily, veneto, tuscany. The search for a suitable, appealing travel guide for all of italy, on the other hand, was much more difficult. Due to fewer alternatives, I decided to buy the national geographic italy guidebook. In terms of content, you can certainly find better quality guidebooks. Due to the appealing design and the placement of many pictures, this travel guide offered us a lot of inspiration for our italy round trip and an incredibly good overview of the individual regions of italy, which are worked out in different chapters separated by color.

For a round trip by car, the ADAC travel guides are of course always a good choice. If you want to limit yourself to a single region of italy, you have a wide choice and can help yourself to countless different publishers: from lonely planet, to MMV, to marco polo.

Our secret tips for a round trip through italy

Italy offers such a variety of landscapes. Between lush mountains, barren landscapes with sweltering heat and azure seas, there’s something for every taste. As highlights and also secret tips we would like to introduce a few of the less known places of italy.

our italy highlights: umbria in the heart of italy

Our first stop should remain our highlight of the italy itinerary. Umbria is a little touristy, beautiful and surely underestimated area. The lush hills on which the small italian villages are perched offer great views on the many beautiful hiking trails in the region. In the small village preci you can get delicious coffee for 1 EUR. Here we stay at a wonderful camping site, with one of the most beautiful views that a sleeping place can offer.

our italy highlights: lago di tenno in the north of italy

You want to relax at the end of your italy tour but you don’t want to be in the tourist crowd of the garda lake? Then drive a few kilometers further north into the mountains to lago de tenno. Just a few minutes from the lake is a beautiful campsite. besides swimming in the turquoise waters surrounded by mountains, the place offers countless other activities such as stand up paddling and hiking.

our italy highlights: tropea at the tip of the boot

The region of calabria in the south is one of the poorest regions of italy. In some places tourism has taken hold for a few years now. the picturesque town of tropea is one of them. This beautiful town with its small alleys and countless restaurants with Italian flair is situated directly on a steep coast. The beautiful sea invites you to swim all day long.

a trip to capo vaticano not far from tropea offers unbelievably beautiful views of hidden bays between hundreds of prickly pears.

Helpful tips for a round trip through italy

The toll roads: in the beginning we wanted to avoid the expensive toll roads. On long stretches we have the one or other time nevertheless fallen back on these. But sometimes this is unnecessary! before you continue your journey, check your navigation system to see how long it will take to drive on country roads and highways. On a few stretches, it simply wouldn’t have been worth paying the toll, since driving on the highway doesn’t take significantly more time.
Great impressions on country roads: in fact, italy’s country roads make the journey a real experience. You get glimpses of rural life and you can pull over, which would not be possible on the highway.
Camping equipment: most campsites have wonderfully shady spots and you can make yourself comfortable under lush trees. Nevertheless, there are also exceptions. So be sure to pack a sun sail that can be attached to the trunk. We often had to struggle with the heat in the italian july sun.
The car battery: the car’s fuse should be removed immediately after arrival at the campsite so that you are not prevented from continuing your journey due to an empty battery. Through open doors and chargers we had to get a jump start before we got the idea to take the fuse out of the parked car.
The gas prices: if you go to the most touristy parts of italy (like the amalfi coast), it’s a good idea to fill up before you get there. On the costa amalfitana we found only one gas station, which makes the wallet with 1.90 EUR/liter very quickly shrink.
gas stations: gas stations are very unevenly distributed in italy. In the northern italian region of emilia-romagna, you can find them on every corner, while in other regions you have to travel several kilometers to the nearest gas station. a small canister of motor oil won’t hurt either, in case the oil light starts to glow while driving through the italian pampas.
The itinerary: take into account the days of the week when planning your trip! This mistake has become our undoing on the amalfi coast. Do not travel to the most touristy places in Italy on weekends and if possible, even outside the main tourist season.

Do you have any other helpful tips for a car tour through italy?? If so, please let us know!

2 comments

Hello!
Super tips.. Thanks! We want to do a round trip in italy with our family of 4 next year with our bus and a tent!

Greetings
christina barrotta

This is a great idea! & we enjoyed italy very much, especially umbria was great and very relaxing. have a great time and all the best until then.

Should car advertisements be given warnings like those for cigarettes??

Yes, says alan posener

THE WORLD photo shoot 2018 Alan Posener on 06/28/2018 Photo by Claudius Pflug

At the beginning of the pandemic, I lent my car to a family that needed it more, and I switched to an electric bike. I never saw my car again. A great experience. I look better, I feel fitter and I like to go shopping. But since then I see the traffic planning differently. Being determines consciousness, and where I as a car driver scolded about the bike lane, I as a cyclist recognize its sense, or scold in my turn if it is missing.

I also have nothing against warnings on car advertisements, as france has now decided to do, analogous to warnings on cigarette packages. Although they are superfluous, because people will soon be buying fewer cars anyway. I do carsharing, get when I need a car, a horny VW ID4.

Warnings, however, do no harm to anyone and give car manufacturers the good feeling of doing something for the environment. They also provide material for commentary and demands for parties seeking to attract resentful motorists. What’s not to like?

the author lives in the suburb. He needs the car mainly to drive the cat to the vet. She has something against the bus.

No, says rainer marx

A toilet brush is not meant for personal hygiene. Could think but. That’s why there are special warnings about this – in the USA, the land of unlimited warnings. There is also on scooters to read "this product moves", on cell phones it is advised not to dry them in the microwave oven. The examples are legion. But now come the french.

Record number of new registrations

Warnings on wine bottles already exist, as well as on food that is too salty or too sweet. For motor homes over 3.5 tons driving in france, since 2021 there is an obligation to indicate the blind spot by means of three stickers on the vehicle. Honestly. The latest regulation: car advertising with warning only. For the sake of the climate.

You could also take the public transport, the bike, or the train. And the success of such actions? Is extremely controversial. Warnings about obvious consequences and dangers are no more than fig leaves for politics or business. And they are aiding and abetting a creeping stupefaction.

our author’s favorite warning comes from a u.s. bathtub manufacturer and reads: "avoid drowning!"

Loss of earnings, food, clothing, education: this is how much a child costs

What does a child "cost"?? Of course it’s unaffordable.
Nevertheless, parents incur costs between birth and adulthood, both direct and indirect, for example through loss of earnings.
This is increasingly becoming an existential problem for many families.

Loss of earnings, food, clothing, education: that's how much a child 'costs'

The "value" of children is of course not measured in cents and euros. But money plays a major role in most families: many are under a heavy financial burden, and poverty is not uncommon.

The two most important reasons for this are obvious: on the one hand, families often have comparatively low incomes, because often only one parent works full time and the other does not work at all, works part time or is marginally employed. According to the hannoversche insurance company, the average loss of earnings until the child reaches the age of majority is around 140 euros.000 euro.

According to the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ), parents have to spend an average of 763 euros per month on a child. Expenses increase with age: from six years to over 786 euros and from twelve years to 953 euros. This includes almost all costs – from food and housing to school books and childcare.

Although statistically speaking, the costs for each additional child are relative, explains sebastian heimann, national managing director of the german family association. For example, clothes can be passed on and the children’s room can be shared with their siblings. "but in the end it remains a high financial burden for families," he emphasizes.

165.000 euros per child – and up to 230.000 euros for studies

Until the age of 18. the costs add up to a considerable amount: around 165.000 euros parents have to spend on one child. With two children, it’s about 100.000 euros additionally, and with three children, a total of about 330.000 euros. Even after the age of 18. The age of 18 is often not the end of the road: according to the consumer advice center in bavaria, 230,000 euros can be spent on a course of study.000 euros come together.

"however, the average figures given should be interpreted with caution, as expenditure on children depends very much on household income," explains a spokesperson for the BMFSFJ: for example, parents with a high household income spend up to three times as much on their children as families with less money at their disposal. regional differences also play a role, explains heimann: "a family in munich will have different expenses than a family in mecklenburg-vorpommern."

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Families receive little financial support from the state. Although child benefits of 219 euros per month are available for the first two children, 225 euros for the third and 250 euros for each additional child, the result is that the average annual childcare allowance is even lower than for the first two children. But in a way, this is a tax refund that takes into account each child’s subsistence level, explains heimann. Parents are also generally entitled to parental allowance. Low-income earners receive child allowances and housing benefits and can benefit from the education and participation program (but). "But it’s not the state’s job to compensate for all the costs that can arise from having children," emphasizes the ministry spokesman.

This makes itself felt in the household budgets of families. The German Family Association has determined what is left over from income. the result: with an average annual income of 41.after deducting all compulsory expenses and the minimum subsistence level, a single person can still live on 541 euros for more than 1 year.445 euros free at your disposal. In contrast, families with two children have no financial leeway despite child benefits. Large families even run up a deficit. They often have comparatively high expenses to cope with – for example, for a spacious car or a large apartment. Rising food and energy prices are having a major impact on them.

Risk of poverty high among single parents and large families

The risk of poverty is therefore particularly high in families with many children, says peter-michael zernechel, spokesman for the german social association (sovd). Children of single parents are also frequently affected.

2.8 million children in germany are currently growing up in poverty – just over ten years ago, the figure was only 350.000 less. The sovd demands that policymakers address the problem holistically. What is needed is greater financial support and a reduction in value-added tax on products and services for children. In addition, educational opportunities should be improved and health care strengthened. zernechel believes the government coalition’s planned basic child benefit is a step in the right direction.

In Germany, poverty is defined as having 60 percent or less of the median income of the population at one’s disposal. To improve the income situation of families, childcare must be greatly expanded, says zernechel. in addition, the re-entry into the profession should be made easier. More flexible working time models are also necessary. Heimann also calls for a significant reduction in social security contributions in the form of a tax-free allowance. At present, parents pay just as much into pension, health and unemployment insurance as those without children. The intergenerational agreement is therefore detrimental to them, according to critics.