Whether you plan a road trip in Italy for 1 week or for your whole summer holidays, there is an incredible amount to see and experience in beautiful Italy. On a camping holiday in Italy you can expect some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, great mountain panoramas and of course good wine and delicious food, in addition to historical art and cultural treasures. We’ll help you plan and show you the local spots on these 3 road trips in beautiful Italy.
Author: Annika Ziehen
Photos: © roadsurfer GmbH / Luis Zeno Kuhn, Laura Müller
Want to go on a camping holiday in Italy but no idea where to stay? Don’t fuss, our Top Spots in Italy will help guide you! Discover our carefully selected campsites that are guaranteed to make your camping experience unforgettable. What’s so special about the Top Spots? They offer everything a roadsurfer’s heart desires: top facilities, nice hosts, a fantastic view over the most beautiful parts of Italy and cool extras to sweeten your stay. Book your spot now and see for yourself!
If you want to drive through South Tyrol with your campervan, you can do it comfortably via the Brenner freeway. You can expect gorgeous mountain scenery, smashing cuisine and eclectic historic villages in South Tyrol. If the road trip leaves you wanting more after our route, it is worth spending a few extra days on the Alpe di Siusi or in the Dolomites.
Day 1 – Vinschgau
Day 2 – Merano
Day 3 – Bolzano
Day 4 – Bressanone/Brixen
Day 5 – Alpe di Siusi
What’s better than a campervan road trip to Lake Garda in the summertime? A visit to Lake Garda PLUS stop overs in some of the coolest cities in Italy! This route also includes stops in Milan, Bergamo and Verona before finally arriving in Venice. Once you’ve arrived at Lake Garda in your campervan, you’ll want to take a few days to explore the area. We recommend spending at least 2 or 3 days on site.
Day 1 – Milan
We start in Milan, where you can rent one of our colourful campervans directly at our station. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to get from Milan to Lake Garda without paying a toll, but we think it’s well worth the drive and money.
Day 2 – Bergamo
Day 3 & 4 – Riva del Garda
Day 5 – Monte Bondone
Day 6 – Verona
Day 7 – Venice
→ Book a unique camping experience at these campsites in Venice
Puglia, which is also called “Le Puglie”, is located way down south in the heel of the boot and is very suitable for a road trip in southern Italy.
First, drive to Rome with your campervan or rent a roadsurfer at our station location in Rome. From Rome it’s about 400 km southeast to the Gargano peninsula, where your campervan tour to Puglia begins.
Our tip: Add a stopover in Naples at the coast to eat the best pizza in the world!
Day 1 – Gargano
Stopover:
If you’re driving to Puglia, a stop at the Hohenstaufen Castle Castel del Monte on the way south is not to be missed. It was built in the 13th century by Frederick II and is considered a medieval architectural wonder.
Day 2 – Bari
Day 3 – Lecce
Cool off at one of the most brilliant beaches in Puglia, Torre Guaceto, on your way to Lecce.
Lecce is also called the Florence of the South and inspired the “Leccese Baroque”. The buildings made of tuff stone characterise the cityscape and provide a playful mixture. Don’t forget your camera, because whether you find the houses kitschy or architecturally exciting, they are definitely unique in Italy.
Day 4 – Otranto
Day 5 – Santa Maria di Leuca
Day 6 – Gallipoli
Day 7 – Altamura
Day 8 – Foggia
Unfortunately, camping in Italy does not come cheap when comparing countries in Europe. On average, you have to expect 36 euros per night for campsites. Avoid travelling during popular holidays or the peak season in summer. Holidays such as Easter and Holy Week are also celebrated in many parts of the country and are a tourist magnet – this drives up prices.
Those travelling on a budget should also avoid the popular tourist areas and coastal stretches. Since wild camping is officially forbidden in Italy, you should save money by choosing smaller campsites inland or one of our roadsurfer spots. On roadsurfer spots you will find individual pitches and campsites according to your taste, which you can easily book online, on the road or in advance.
If you want to save money on food, avoid expensive restaurants and rent a campervan with a kitchen so you can cook for yourself. Throughout Italy there are many regional markets and stores where you can stock up for cheap, and pasta with pesto from the supermarket is always a delicious and cheap option!
When planning your route and budget for camping trips in Italy, you must also take into account the tolls that are charged for highways and are calculated per kilometre. This can be paid in cash, by credit card or with Telepass, an automatic payment system.
If you want to tour Italy by car, Tuscany, Sardinia and Sicily should of course be considered. Sights like Pisa and Florence must be experienced.
There are several possibilities to travel to Italy. From Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia you can reach Italy by campervan. However, in winter you must be aware that the tunnels leading to Italy – the Mont Blanc Tunnel, the Great St. Bernard Tunnel and the Brenner Pass – can often be closed due to snowfall. Also, on all these routes, it is not possible to get to Italy without paying for toll roads.
So, what’s the fastest way to get there? That depends on where you live and where you want to go. If you have plenty of time, you can tack on a few extra travel destinations by renting your roadsurfer in some of our other European locations, exploring neighbouring countries and from there continuing your road trip to Italy. Otherwise, you can fly to Italy and rent a roadsurfer at one of our three locations: Milan, Rome or Turin.
The speed limit in Italy is 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h in cities, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on highways.
The blood alcohol limit is 0.5. Drivers who have had their licence for less than three years are absolutely forbidden to drink.
Out of town, you must also drive with dipped headlights or daytime running lights during the day.
Talking on the phone at the wheel is a no-go, unless you use a hands-free system.
Children under 12 years of age or smaller than 150 cm must ride in an appropriate child seat.
When looking for parking spaces, you must pay attention to the markings on the ground: white lines indicate free spaces, yellow lines indicate reserved spaces, and blue lines indicate parking spaces for which you must purchase a parking ticket.
When wintering in Italy with a motorhome, be aware that winter tyres are compulsory on many roads. The regulations vary depending on the municipality, road and weather conditions. Find out in advance, when you have arranged your route through Italy, if and where you need winter tyres.
Italy is quite strict about fines and violations and they can be expensive. However, if you pay your fine within 5 days, you can sometimes get a 30% discount.
Campsites by the Lake
Lago di Como, Lago di Garda, or Lago di Braies. You can swim, SUP or hike with beautiful views of mountain panoramas at the lakes in Italy. These are the most beautiful campsites directly on the lake.
Campsites by the Sea
Wake up to the fresh sea breeze! Spend the night right on the beach at these beautiful campsites in Italy.
Find the best campsites in Europe and book directly online.
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