Road trip northern italy: a round trip through bella italia

adminonJune 17, 2022February 11, 2022Leave a Comment

Breathtaking mountain scenery, azure sea, italy’s largest lake, historic towns, world-famous metropolises and unforgettable nature: a road trip through northern italy is a perfect mix for your vacation. 15 tips for a round trip.

Sitting on the piazza in the evening with pizza and pasta and watching the hustle and bustle, that is always part of a vacation in italy. And that’s just one of the reasons why we Germans are so fond of bella italia. Another: italy offers the perfect mix of mountains and sea, culture and nature, adventure and relaxation – something for everyone. Whether for one, two or three weeks, a road trip to the south is always worthwhile. Shortly behind innsbruck comes the burner – and then: italy!

In the very north you can expect mountain peaks and green meadows, further on it goes over pretty villages and towns to highlights like venice, tuscany or the cinque terre. plus lake garda, the world metropolis milan – and of course every now and then: the sea! in between you just let yourself drift, follow the small country roads with your very own route and discover surely one or the other secret tip. What you should not miss on your round trip through northern italy? Here are 15 tips for a road trip through bella italia.

dolomites

prags wildsee is one of the popular highlights in south tyrol

at the brenner, austria’s peaks merge seamlessly into italy – and then you’re already in the middle of your road trip. Here in the far north, bella italia is still rough and impressive. not only mountain fans are enthusiastic about the unique beauty of the dolomites – and that’s why you should not take the classic route towards the south, but turn east in brixen and drive via bruneck and the pragser wildsee towards the nature park three peaks. The rocky peaks are the symbol of the Dolomites and a classic among the mountain tours in South Tyrol. From here the route continues via cortina d’ampezzo towards the adriatic sea – and you have to keep concentrating so as not to be distracted from the road by the impressive mountain panoramas. I have compiled even more beautiful mountain tours for you in the article "hiking in south tyrol: 4 favorite tours for beginners".

Venice

A gondola rider not far from the rialto bridge on the canale grande

the next stop is mandatory on your road trip through northern italy. but venice is probably on your bucket list anyway. the jewel on the adriatic coast offers not only top sights such as marcus square, the canale grande or the rialto bridge, but also a worldwide unique backdrop. The centuries-old palazzi and the canals in between – in venice, above all, you should simply let yourself drift and go on a voyage of discovery. The popular landmarks such as St. Mark’s Cathedral or the Doge’s Palace are best saved for the next morning. Then the city is still waiting for the big rush and you can enjoy a little authentic Venetian flair while strolling through the alleys. All tips for "la serenissima" can be found in the article "venice: a weekend in the lagoon city".

Bologna

In bologna’s old town you will find many great food shops

Many Germans think of spaghetti bolognese when they think of bologna. And then you’re in the capital of emilia-romagna and realize: there’s nowhere to find the dish that many pasta fans love. Instead, you will find ragù alla bolognese on many menus, but traditionally with tagliatelle. The old university city of bologna enjoys a reputation as a paradise for gourmets. In the old town quadrilatero, for example, you will find many small food stores, restaurants and bars and you can taste the cuisine of the region. Afterwards you are freshly strengthened to marvel at bologna’s sights. Many are located around the arcade-lined piazza maggiore, including the city hall, neptune’s fountain, and bologna’s cathedral. You can recognize it by the fact that its facade was left unfinished and only half of it was covered with marble.

Florence

the cathedral santa maria del fiore is the landmark of florence

Florence is another must on your tour through northern italy. The center of tuscany is considered the capital of the renaissance and one of the most important cultural centers in europe. For culture lovers, the city is a paradise for the arts and home to world-renowned museums. In the uffizia or galleria dell’accademia hang numerous masterpieces. Florence also has a lot to offer in the way of sightseeing. The heart of the city is the cathedral square with the basilica of santa maria del fiore, for example. the ponte vecchio is also one of the city’s landmarks. The bridge over the river arno is considered one of the oldest bridges of its kind in the world. Once you’ve seen the top highlights, you should also just let yourself drift through the city of florence for a while.

Siena

the piazza del campo is siena’s good room

From Florence, take the Chiantigiana south and you will end up in Siena. On the way on the wine road you can not only enjoy the picturesque landscape of tuscany, but here in the middle of the chianti at least as a passenger you can also enjoy the wine of the region. siena is only slightly less bustling than florence, as the university city is considered to be another heart of tuscany. the most famous sight is the piazza del campo in the center of town with the gothic town hall and the torre del mangia. And the cathedral of siena, with its characteristic dark green and white marble, is also a must-see before continuing your stroll through the streets of the old town.

San gimignano

san gimignano with its towers is one of the most popular spots in tuscany

The small san gimignano has just under 8.000 inhabitants and is nevertheless one of the most beautiful cities and most visited destinations in tuscany. The town is a unesco world heritage site and can be seen from afar: the skyline is dominated by medieval towers that still reach for the sky today. The so-called gender towers have earned san gimignano the nickname "city of towers" and "manhatten of the Middle Ages". Just like in new york today, the noble families in tuscany were concerned with building even higher, bigger and more beautiful. The old town is surrounded by walls from the 13th century. century and san gimignano from the rolling hills of the siena region.

one of the top sights in italy: the leaning tower of pisa

Who does not know the famous leaning tower of pisa?? the stopover in pisa is worth it just for this landmark alone. The ornate tower is part of the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and stands together with the marble cathedral in piazza dei Miracoli. It has been leaning ever since it was completed in 1372 – mainly because of the clayey mud and sand on the ground. And yet it still stands today and has become a popular photo motif worldwide. unlike florence or siena, pisa has only a few other sights to see. If you still have time, you can also get to the sea from pisa pretty quickly and plan a little time out by the water.

Lucca

Lucca is still one of the secret spots in tuscany

The pretty town of lucca is still considered a secret tip in tuscany – and yet, just like siena, it offers a number of sights and a great deal of Italian flair. So if you have enough time, don’t miss this stop. the best view over the rooftops of lucca is from the guinigi tower. There you will find the historic center with its cobblestone streets, surrounded by a well-preserved renaissance city wall. another landmark is the piazza dell’anfiteatro and also the cathedral of lucca is worth a visit. If you want to relax a little after all that sightseeing, it’s also worth taking a trip to lucca and the fashionable beach resort of viareggio.

Cinque terre

the cinque terre are one of the must-dos on your road trip through italy

the cinque terre are definitely one of the top highlights in italy and a real picture book scenery. this is a must stop on your itinerary. The five villages nestle photogenically against the rugged cliffs of the Italian Riviera. The colorful houses of the coastal villages of riomaggiore, manarola, corniglia, vernazza and monterosso al mare are built into the hillside in terraces, and the fishing boats are moored in the harbor below. You can’t get much more vacation flair than this – and it’s usually crowded accordingly. You can travel from place to place by train – it’s faster than by car because of the narrow roads. Or you can take the sentiero azzurro trail, hike from village to village and enjoy the panoramic views of the sea.

Portofino

The pretty portofino is considered a hotspot for the beautiful and rich

the harbor town of portofino is another place of longing on italy’s riviera. Here, too, the colorful houses stand photogenically along the harbor. There are always a few yachts anchored in front of it, as portofino is considered a hotspot for the rich and beautiful . The former fishing village lies in a semicircle around the harbor – and especially in the evening it becomes romantic here. Then choose one of the restaurants on the waterfront and let the ambience take its effect on you. If you are also a pesto fan: it originates from liguria and is actually delicious everywhere here. if you have time before, you can hike up to castello brown and enjoy the view from there.

Genoa

The pretty palazzi rolli are among the top sights in genoa

I have often left Genoa to the left, the harbor city does not look too inviting at first glance. At second glance, however, the capital of liguria has some really pretty corners. Strolling through the old town you will find magnificent palaces and the cathedral or the palazzo reale are also worth seeing. in the harbor, the galata maritime museum is one of the top attractions. But for me it’s the strade nuove, the "new streets", that are the most interesting. Here are with the pallazzi rolli close together over 160 town palaces from the 16th century. Today they are part of the unesco world cultural heritage. Normally only a few of the palazzi are open to the public – unless you are lucky like us and are in genoa for the rolli days.

Milan

the milanese cathedral is the landmark of the metropolis

The scala, the imposing cathedral or the galleria vittorio emanuele: milan’s top sights are world-famous and that alone makes a stopover worthwhile. The capital of Lombardy is Italy’s second largest city, so there’s plenty to see here. For design fans, too, the detour is worthwhile, as milano is considered a stronghold of italian fashion. In the fashion quadrangle you can store extensively with the right amount of money. For art fans, head to the dominican monastery of the church of santa maria delle grazie to marvel at leonardo da vinci’s last supper. And don’t miss the navigli district with its old canals. On their banks you will find many bars and restaurants and the aperitivo with a view of the water is an essential part of a trip to northern Italy’s metropolis.

Verona

top destination in verona: the balcony of julia

Romeo and julia have made verona world famous. And yet the city has so much more to offer and is worth at least a stopover on your road trip through northern italy. the famous balcony in the casa di giulietta is of course one of the top attractions in the city on the etsch river. Music and opera fans also come here for the performances in the arena of verona. The well-preserved Roman amphitheater is another of the city’s landmarks. It is also a good starting point for your stroll through the historic center, which will eventually bring you to the piazza delle erbe, Verona’s main street. Here or in one of the nearby squares, you can choose one of the numerous restaurants and enjoy pasta or pizza while taking in the hustle and bustle.

Lake Garda

A stop at lake garda is part of a road trip through northern italy

for many italy vacationers, lake garda is the destination of their trip. From munich, for example, you can make it to riva or torbole in just over four hours with perfect traffic conditions. The northern tip of italy’s largest lake still belongs to trentino and is characterized by high mountains. But this time we come from the south, where lombardy and veneto meet in the middle of the lake and gentle hills dominate the picture. Here you have to decide if you want to go north along the west or east side of Lake Garda. You should make a stopover beforehand in sirmione with its skaglier castle. And depending on which side you choose, malcesine or limone are worth another stop. If you have more time, you can find more tips in the article "lake garda: the most beautiful places on lago di garda".

South Tyrol

the mountains of south tyrol are perfect for a last stop on your road trip through italy

south tyrol is not only italy’s northernmost province, but also a perfect last stop for your road trip through northern italy. Depending on how much time you have left, you can either explore one of south tyrol’s pretty little towns or take off for a tour in the mountains. From bozen it is only a short walk to the ritten or to the seiser alm. And from merano there is even a small chair lift that takes you from the center to the vineyards around the village of tirol. After the many impressions and stops of the road trip you rather feel like relaxing? Even then you are in the right place in south tyrol and just choose one of the great wellness hotels. Don’t miss the south tyrolean cuisine and the delicious wine. You can find numerous tips for a successful conclusion to your round trip in my article "vacation in south tyrol: 22 highlights in the dolomites".

Practical tips

A road trip to northern italy is a stone’s throw, especially from southern germany. From munich you can be in italy in just over two hours by car. If you don’t have your own car, you can find the cheapest rental cars here. you have to pay a toll for using the freeways in italy. The maximum speed here is 130 km/h, on the highway you are allowed to drive maximum 90 km/h. Many italian city centers are closed to traffic. But it’s best not to park in the historic center anyway, because the streets are almost always narrow and parking spaces are scarce. For the whole list you need at least two, better three weeks. best time to visit is june and september: then it is not too hot for a stroll through the city and much less busy than in the vacation months july and august. You will also find it easier to find places to stay overnight, e.g. in Italy.B. about booking.Com. For even more tips, check out the upper italy travel guide by michael muller.

Have you already been to italy and do you have further tips for a stopover?? Then I look forward to your recommendations below in the comments. And if you liked this article, please share it with your friends! To make sure you never miss a new story, you can also follow me on facebook, pinterest, instagram, bloglovin’, flipboard or tripadvisor. Or you can subscribe to my happy places newsletter.

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Many manufacturers offer special promotions on new cars where you can save

Many manufacturers offer special promotions for new cars where you can save money.

Buying a new car has many advantages. They know that the vehicle has no damage from previous owners and benefit from the new car warranty, which, depending on the manufacturer valid for two to seven years is. If defects occur within this period, they will be repaired free of charge by the manufacturer. However, defects caused by wear and tear are excluded.

Furthermore, only in the case of a new car do you have the opportunity to save put together a car exactly according to your ideas. Engine power, paint color, extras and other features can usually be freely customized to suit their wishes. Last but not least, a new car also has a certain prestige, which is important to many people.

Basically, there is the possibility that you negotiate different discounts when you buy a new car.

Yes. Price negotiations when buying a car are common. If this does not work, you may be able to arrange the installation of extras at a special price. You can read about the indirect discounts here.

Cheaper new cars or. discounts are often available if they buy a demonstration car or a vehicle with one-day registration.

However, these many plus points come at a price: while buyers in 2015, according to data from the statistics portal statista on average 28.590 euros for a brand new car expenses, it was for used models only 10.620 euro. In view of the high prices, many buyers naturally wish to receive a discount on their new car. The following guide shows you what percentages are available when buying a new car and what tips you can use to save money.

How much discount is there when buying a new car?

High discounts are available for new vehicles.

How much is the discount for a certain new car?, can hardly be fixed as a lump sum in advance. This is because many factors influence whether and, if so, which percentages are deducted from the purchase price. Generally speaking, however, it can be said that as a rule up to 20 percent, in some cases, a maximum discount of 30 percent on the list price is possible.

Act as a cash buyer, the seller will often be particularly accommodating. a car loan from your bank can help if you can’t raise the money right away. Discounts on new cars are not always the same throughout the year. This is shown by the so-called CAR discount index.

This is surveyed at regular intervals by the university of duisburg-essen. The analysis shows that customers are particularly interested in the autumn and winter months a new car with high discount can buy.

But what explains these seasonal fluctuations?? Generally, spring and summer are the months in which customers sign the purchase contract for a new car. This may be due to the weather conditions. Many car drivers fear that if they were to make their buying a new car in winter and allow them to slippery and icy roads with the still unfamiliar vehicle a mishap could happen.

In order to counteract this trend and ensure that enough cars are sold in the cold season, it is important to. To bring the woman, set the vehicle dealers on a trick: you let the car come to you for a short period of time. Since the registration is a major influence on the depreciation of the vehicle the new car can be sold with a high discount. For customers, this is often a worthwhile bargain.

Manufacturers often advertise special offers to boost sales of less popular models, for example. Customers can then often benefit from particularly favorable conditions for car financing.

discounts when buying a new car: the model can be decisive

Discounts are also available when buying a car choose the right model. Comes in the near future a successor model on the market, you can often expect high percentages on the purchase price for the "old" new car. Also the so-called model maintenance has the same effect. Often, models are revised after a few years, which lowers the price of the cars already produced. It can also be worthwhile, especially look for cars less in demand. For these new cars a discount is usually easier to negotiate than for popular bestsellers.

Indirect discounts on new cars

modern car: for new cars a discount on the list price is often possible.

those who are interested in discounts on new cars, want above all to get a high discount on the list price. Remember, however, that also the so-called indirect discounts are well worth it can.

Many cars are subject to a so-called transfer fee. You should definitely include this in your price negotiations. With some manufacturers you can vehicle can also be picked up by the customer and thus save the fee altogether.

Often there is also the possibility of negotiating further advantages when buying a car. For example the following services for a new car as an indirect discount:

Fuel voucher
set of summer or winter tires
Warranty extension
Free inspection

Tips: how to buy a new car with a discount

Besides these already mentioned points there are other possibilities, to get discounts on new car purchase:

A new car discount is available at demonstration cars and daily registrations possible. since the depreciation starts right from the first registration, you can expect high discounts, even though the cars are almost as good as new.

Brand-new cars: high discounts can be negotiated for new cars.

Furthermore, when buying a new car, a discount for EU imports and re-imports commonplace.

With a import car it is a car that has manufactured abroad and was intended for sale there, but is then brought to germany.

A reimport car on the other hand was manufactured in germany, for sale abroad and then imported back to germany.

The low prices can be explained by the fact that the net prices in many countries are far lower than in germany. When importing, you only pay the 19 percent VAT rate.

Even if you buy a car online, there are high discounts for new cars. On mediation portals you can with a few clicks comparing suppliers across the country. the car dealers who advertise there want to sell as many vehicles as possible so that they can get bonus payments and special conditions from the manufacturer. To reach these figures, a high discount is offered for a new car, from which you as a buyer benefit.

2 thoughts on " buy a new car – what discount is in it? "

I have care level 3 what do I get for discounts for seat or skoda

I have fallen in love with a really great new car at the car dealership. actually the car exceeds my budget, so now i want to see if i can save somewhere else. I find very interesting that 20 to 30 percent discount can be possible in any case. But I will also look more closely at the indirect discounts, maybe there is still something to do. Such a set of car tires can also have a decent price.

If you are visiting mallorca for the first time, you will probably just book a package holiday and spend most of your time in the hotel complex or on the beach. But why actually? The island has so many beautiful spots to offer that it is almost a waste of vacation time not to visit one of them cars for rent and to roar with it over the country roads.

We tell you what to look out for to avoid any nasty surprises.

Why is it advisable to rent a car in mallorca??

Majorca has a good public transport network, but if you have ever taken the bus from alcudia to beautiful soller, you will agree that you do not want to do this a second time during your well-deserved vacations. On this route you first drive down to the capital palma. There you change to another bus to the valley of orange and lemon groves. It takes a good two hours for a one way trip to get there. You can do it once, then you’re sick of it.

Malloca-Monastery-Bonany-Petra-Sunrise-Mountains-Road-Car-Cross

With the rental car you get to places you could not visit otherwise

Or you want to go to sa calobra. Sure, it’s convenient to just hop on a bus in can picafort or pollenca and drive to the picturesque cyclops bay, but then you better be free of giddiness, because the big buses mercilessly roll along the winding serpentine roads. In a car, at least you have your fate in your own hands.

If you want to go to special places like the ermita de betlem monastery, the lighthouse in port de soller or remote beaches, there is no other way than to rent a car.

Which car rental companies are there?

At the airport "son sant joan" numerous rental companies compete for the favor of the vacationers. Known companies are for example car del mar, AVIS, hertz, europcar and record. Not every company cares about the well-being of the customer, but all too often only about their vacation funds.

Whether buying a tv, a new camera or renting a car, reading customer reviews is the key to success. In this discipline, europcar and AVIS perform comparatively well. However, there are lights and shadows everywhere, so ideally you should choose the "lesser of two evils.

Since all rental companies have websites, you should also look around there and study the terms and conditions carefully, so that you don’t get any extra insurance or other unnecessary things.

Rental cars on mallorca – what to look out for?

Absolutely recommendable is it to rent the car already in Germany. And not only one week before departure, but as early as possible. The closer the season, the more expensive it gets. Fortunately, we can nowadays on comparison portals such as billiger-mietwagen.De ad or check24.Leave the display, where you will be presented with the cheapest offer within seconds, depending on the parameters you have set. It could not be simpler.

Of course the companies are only after profit, therefore they want to rip you off with the gasoline and the insurance with pleasure.

Please pay attention to the fair fuel regulation "full/full. This means that you pick up the car with a full tank and return it with a full tank. So you pay only the real street price of gasoline

Enjoying beautiful views – that’s possible with your own car

When it comes to insurance, it makes sense to fully comprehensive insurance without excess as this is hardly much more expensive than with excess. In addition, you can book a premium protection, which also covers damage to tires and glass, which is usually not the case in conventional tariffs.

Tip: if you are afraid to rent so early in advance, it is not uncommon to find even small rental companies in the tourist resorts that rent out vehicles for relatively cheap money.

Check the rental car when you pick it up

In order not to be charged for any damage to the car that has already been done, please check the rented car thoroughly and make a note of any faults. In the best case still make photos, in order to be really prepared for all eventualities.

In case of ambiguity you are then on the safe side and can counter with solid evidence.

On the road in a rental car

Once you are finally in the car, you are ready to go. However, if you are driving on mallorca’s very well developed road network for the first time, you should familiarize yourself with the spanish traffic laws beforehand, especially with the speed limit.

Inside built-up areas – 50km/h
On country roads – 90km/h
On fast roads – 100km/h
On the highway – 120km/h

If you are faster and get caught, you can pay a fine of up to several hundred euros. If you are back home later and get the decision, you have the possibility to transfer the money immediately and pay only half of it.

So better get off the gas and enjoy the beautiful scenery!

You should also not let yourself get out of the calm, if the man behind you "sniffs the exhaust" too much, that happens on the island unfortunately more often. Also, as in Germany, it is forbidden to use your cell phone while driving.

Be careful at the traffic circle. You always have right of way in the circle, but some have a rather fast driving style and do not always keep to the flashing sign. If you miss an exit, you should not be nervous. Just do a "lap of honor" and then take the right exit.

Finding a parking space in deià is very difficult, especially in the summer

parking in mallorca

In most cities are parking spaces shortage. Here you are only allowed to park on or at blue lines and that also only with a parking ticket. You should also not try to do without a valid parking ticket in order to save money.

Those who are caught must pay, even if they are back home in germany. At yellow lines, mostly in front of houses, there is a general parking prohibition.

Caution in the mountains

although the transport network is well developed, extreme caution should be exercised when driving in the tramuntana mountains or on other mountain roads. Here it is sometimes quite narrow and when there is oncoming traffic and there is no limit at the edge of the road, some passengers will squint their eyes – especially when one of the big tourist buses passes by.

serpentines can make you feel quite uneasy during the first drive

Some curves are so narrow and steep that it is better to shift into second gear, sometimes even into first gear. The short, repeated sounding of the horn is useful, especially on narrow roads, to warn oncoming drivers that you are on your way.

Refueling in mallorca

In the rental contract of the rental company is written whether you have diesel or gasoline engine. With unleaded there are 95 octane, respectively. 98 octane. The octane number is the measure of the knock resistance of the fuel. A higher octane number reduces the risk of misfire. 98 is about 10 cents more expensive and at the gas stations with service, the gas station attendant of course takes the more expensive fuel, which you probably do not need. A small amount of money should go to the gas station attendant and his service department.

Finally, here are a few Spanish words for drivers to try out at the nearest gas station: