I'm planning to drive to Italy (Lucca Tuscany) in the near future.
Anyone recommend the best route? Belgium, Lux, France, Switzerland?
Anyone recommend the best route? Belgium, Lux, France, Switzerland?
Driving to Italy
- Thread starter thepottleflump
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Driving to Italy
if you're taking a fiat you should use a ferry if you want to get there 
and if you really must drive, let sat nav decide.
OP
OP
Nope I'm taking my 156 and I won't be taking Sat Nav _ I've got an old fashioned road atlas. That would probably direct me across France and the toll roads.
with sat nav you simply press the 'avoid toll roads' option.
if you dont want france then you also enter france on your avoid list.
you build the route how you want, the sat nav will advise on distance & time to help you choose, when you are happy save the route ready for your journey. you plan it the same as with a paper map, but you get better info, and then it guides you on the route you choose. you can build the route road by road if you choose.
i guess you're a sat nav virgin?
good luck in the 156, i wouldnt take mine
if you dont want france then you also enter france on your avoid list.
you build the route how you want, the sat nav will advise on distance & time to help you choose, when you are happy save the route ready for your journey. you plan it the same as with a paper map, but you get better info, and then it guides you on the route you choose. you can build the route road by road if you choose.
i guess you're a sat nav virgin?
good luck in the 156, i wouldnt take mine
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OP
OP
I was hoping to get some real world advice about the best routes to take that you can't get from a Sat Nav machine. Anyway I have a navigator for reading paper based maps
I had Sat Nav on my Stilo before all this little boxes with wires and windscreen stickon crap became must have items.
I had Sat Nav on my Stilo before all this little boxes with wires and windscreen stickon crap became must have items.
advice you cant get from a sat nav? i guess you want to know which roads are the best for 'enthusiastic driving' without attracting the police. i'm afraid sat nav cant do that yet, but thankfully the hospitals are far better abroad.
A friend of mine drove to Italy this year and he went up the coast from Calais into Belgium then down through Luxembourg, then a bit of French toll roads, into Switzerland, round Geneva then through the Mont Blanc tunnel. He said he avoided most tolls this way.
We took the stilo to tuscany in june.
We went France( down towards reims is all i know lol) swizerland ( over the gotthard) italy.
If you want a pretty drive i strongly recommend going over the Bussang and Gotthard.
The tolls arent very much.
We went to lucca, tis gorgous!! you been there before?
We went France( down towards reims is all i know lol) swizerland ( over the gotthard) italy.
If you want a pretty drive i strongly recommend going over the Bussang and Gotthard.
The tolls arent very much.
We went to lucca, tis gorgous!! you been there before?
I'm sure the father-in-law could advise as he's been several times (including in a 156!) but since he's not here you'll have to make do with this link.
http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/travel-holiday-advice/3175-best-route-go-italy.html
http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/travel-holiday-advice/3175-best-route-go-italy.html
when i went on school holiday to italy the coach drivers went through luxembourg etc as richdoblo120 said. They were definitely avoiding germany though but sticking close to the german border.
Go through Belgium and Luxembourg, great countryside in the Ardennes. The motorway heading south of Charleroi to Luxembourg is not in the best condition, its bumpy and the heavy lorries travel in the ruts they made for themselves in the right lane but its still the quickest route. From Luxembourg there is a free autoroute to Nancy, then I think another free autoroute or a route nationale heading south virtually to the Swiss border. The French route nationale's are nearly as good as their autoroutes only they're free.
Which part of Italy are you going to?
It really depends in the sorts of roads you want to drive, and where you're going. If you like mountains there are several options, including going through France and taking the route Napoleon, That takes you along the Mediterranean and into Italy near San Remo.
Or you can go through Switzerland, the Kandersteg to Goppenstein car train is fun, then drive down take the Simplon pass, past Lake Maggiore.
Or if you just want to get there then motorway all the way is possible.
It really depends in the sorts of roads you want to drive, and where you're going. If you like mountains there are several options, including going through France and taking the route Napoleon, That takes you along the Mediterranean and into Italy near San Remo.
Or you can go through Switzerland, the Kandersteg to Goppenstein car train is fun, then drive down take the Simplon pass, past Lake Maggiore.
Or if you just want to get there then motorway all the way is possible.
OP
OP
Going to Lucca will have 2 days to do it in, with 1 overnight stay required. Like mountains and scenary but need to get there within the time scales. 2 Drivers.
Realistically if you take the mountain rods you'll struggle to do it in 2 days. There is no real reason to go the Belgium Luxemburg route. I'd go Calais, Reims, Dijon, Geneva, Genoa, Lucca if I just wanted to get there. That's about 850 miles
If say you added the route Napoleon in there, which is the A85 running through Gap youd add about 100 miles and a good 6 hours of driving. Its worth doing, but it'll be a struggle to do in 2 days.
The train route through Switzerland, which would take you Reims, Metz, Basel, Milan will again take you 2 extremely long days to drive.
If you find you have more time, Reims is worth stopping off in, take the Veuve Cliquot champagne tour, Mulhouse, absolute must see is the french national motor museum (ex Schlumpf collection)
If say you added the route Napoleon in there, which is the A85 running through Gap youd add about 100 miles and a good 6 hours of driving. Its worth doing, but it'll be a struggle to do in 2 days.
The train route through Switzerland, which would take you Reims, Metz, Basel, Milan will again take you 2 extremely long days to drive.
If you find you have more time, Reims is worth stopping off in, take the Veuve Cliquot champagne tour, Mulhouse, absolute must see is the french national motor museum (ex Schlumpf collection)
It's a great drive!
We did it earlier in the year. Went on the Norfolk Line as it was cheapest way to cross. We went From dunkerque to reims on the motorway, then of onto the national road afer Reims head towards Toul and Nancy, then over the Bussang pass which is great!! Heading towards Mullhouse for an overnight stop before Swiss. Premier Class Hotel 33Euros for a stop over very clean excellent value for an over night stop.
Went into swiss the next morning, 30euros for the road tax to allow you to drive on the motorways. Heading towards Luzern and the Gotthard. You can either drive over the Gotthard pass or go through the tunnel. I recommend the pass if its a clear day as it's stunning views.
Headed towards swiss/italy border at Como. Down to Milan and head towards Palma your soon pick up the signs for Lucca then. Italian motorways tolls are cheaper than the french. We did this in two easy days, didn't have to rush and kept to all the speed limits too...(cough) italy is 150km/ph on 3 lane + hardshoulder motorways which is fun.
It's all about 950miles too. So not bad
Hope this all helps!
We did it earlier in the year. Went on the Norfolk Line as it was cheapest way to cross. We went From dunkerque to reims on the motorway, then of onto the national road afer Reims head towards Toul and Nancy, then over the Bussang pass which is great!! Heading towards Mullhouse for an overnight stop before Swiss. Premier Class Hotel 33Euros for a stop over very clean excellent value for an over night stop.
Went into swiss the next morning, 30euros for the road tax to allow you to drive on the motorways. Heading towards Luzern and the Gotthard. You can either drive over the Gotthard pass or go through the tunnel. I recommend the pass if its a clear day as it's stunning views.
Headed towards swiss/italy border at Como. Down to Milan and head towards Palma your soon pick up the signs for Lucca then. Italian motorways tolls are cheaper than the french. We did this in two easy days, didn't have to rush and kept to all the speed limits too...(cough) italy is 150km/ph on 3 lane + hardshoulder motorways which is fun.
It's all about 950miles too. So not bad
Hope this all helps!
If you're not in any hurry you could start by testing the beers in Belgium, then head south to follow the moselle river on the Luxembourg / Germany border, stop off for some wine tasting. When you reach Alsace do the same along the route des vins. By the time you get to Switzerland you could have a hangover. Don't drink and drive
Don't drink and drive
OP
OP
Well got back this morning from my mammoth drive from the UK to Italy and back. Total distance munched in the Alfa 156 JTD was nearly 2500 miles over 9 days although the bulk was covered in just 3. The Alfa covered the trip with aplomb, despite the odd comment to the contrary beforehand. The old or should that be classic Fiat Panda seems to be the most popular car by far around Lucca, virtually every other car is a Fiat panda and even the police at Barga were driving around in them, with many narrow medieval streets. The new Bravo seems to be seen in high numbers, and the new 500 looks great. Even the old 500 was seen in high numbers, including some mint as new examples at a couple of Fiat dealers.
Thanks for the advice everyone, the route taken on the day and decided pretty much on the fly was out towards Reims, break from toll roads and then head across country towards the Swiss border, through a really nice national park and then overnight in Mullhouse. Next day, early start into Switzerland, great scenery and drive, their service stations were outstanding, most specifically the Marche ones, amazing selection of foods on offer would put many restaurants to shame in the UK. Passed through the mountain at the St. Gottard tunnel, as had deadline to meet people at Pisa Airport, out into Italy down near Milan and then headed off towards Parma breaking down towards Le Spezia on the A15 and a fantastic road once in the mountain region. Good mountain drive to final destination in the Garfagnana.
Route back similar but this time went over the mountain rather than through it, fantastic views from the top and great drive. Saw a few Brits on a Rally going over the mountain so had fun waving at them all. Once through Switzerland tonked up the German autobahn for some high speed progress until Strasbourg and stopping for a Curry. Headed on through the night on the wonderful empty but relatively expensive French motorways all the way back to Calais to catch the Ferry at first light. Return journey completed in a single day and about 950 miles door to door.
Thanks for the advice everyone, the route taken on the day and decided pretty much on the fly was out towards Reims, break from toll roads and then head across country towards the Swiss border, through a really nice national park and then overnight in Mullhouse. Next day, early start into Switzerland, great scenery and drive, their service stations were outstanding, most specifically the Marche ones, amazing selection of foods on offer would put many restaurants to shame in the UK. Passed through the mountain at the St. Gottard tunnel, as had deadline to meet people at Pisa Airport, out into Italy down near Milan and then headed off towards Parma breaking down towards Le Spezia on the A15 and a fantastic road once in the mountain region. Good mountain drive to final destination in the Garfagnana.
Route back similar but this time went over the mountain rather than through it, fantastic views from the top and great drive. Saw a few Brits on a Rally going over the mountain so had fun waving at them all. Once through Switzerland tonked up the German autobahn for some high speed progress until Strasbourg and stopping for a Curry. Headed on through the night on the wonderful empty but relatively expensive French motorways all the way back to Calais to catch the Ferry at first light. Return journey completed in a single day and about 950 miles door to door.
