Traveling Italy At Your Own Pace
With Nearly 2,000 Camping Locations To Stay Throughout The Country, Italy Lives Up To Its Reputation Of Great Food, Exquisite Landscape & Romanticism
Italy is one of the most gorgeous countries to visit. It is a land filled with history, fantastic food and wine and friendly people. It is also a land of contrasts, with the northern part of Italy very different from the south.
It is a great place to go camping or caravanning as it can prove a very cost-effective way of exploring the country, staying in some of the most scenic and historic regions. The entire country is well equipped with places to stay. Fees are often nominal, and a complete list of sites with location map is issued free by Federazione Italiana del Campeggio e del Caravanning.
A typical site is Camping Centro Turistico Belvedere in Le Marche region, just over one hour by car from Perugia. Camping and caravan pitches are quiet and shady, and facilities include swimming pools, coffee bar, restaurant and pizzaria. To take another example, Camping Verna is near Turin, and is perfect for visitors who want to enjoy natural surroundings. Shower blocks are provided, along with a swimming pool, free hot water, free use of bicycles to explore the surrounding paths, a sports area, and a solar cooker.
Tourism in northern Italy is well developed. This is the home of cities like Venice, Florence, Rome, Pisa, Assisi and Milan, where you can find great art and architecture. Take a trip on a gondola through the canals of Venice, marvel at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, stroll amid the stunning architecture of the Colosseum in Rome and explore the art of Raphael, Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci in Florence. Discover the story of St Francis in Assisi and admire the spectacular frescos by Giotto. Or you can step off the main tourist track and explore the vineyards of Tuscany, the beauties of Dante in Ravenna, Verona (also well known for its links to Romeo & Juliet), and try the green valleys of Mugello- the birthplace of Giotto. The Italian Lakes region around Como is extremely picturesque, surrounded by mountains that edge up into Austria and Switzerland.
The further south you go, the more mountainous the countryside. Coastal roads snake around bends, which can be very sharp. The beauty of Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri should not be missed. These are areas that have attracted visitors since the days of the Ancient Romans, and Vesuvius is still live. Pompeii is definitely one of the marvels of Italy. Strolling through the streets where ancient cart tracks have left deep ruts, the place soon becomes vividly alive. Beautiful paintings still adorn houses, and you feel as though their owners could step in at any moment – at least until you see the sad casts of people and animals that perished during that terrible eruption.
Temperatures become ever higher as you go south. The areas of Calabria, Puglia and Basilicata in the toe and heel of Italy form the Mezzogiorno and can enjoy temperatures more akin to Africa. In the summer, the heat can be truly searing, forcing people to seek shelter in the heat of the day. The evenings are full of activity, with streets of villages and towns filled with people strolling and relaxing in the traditional passagata.
Beautiful beaches can be found on all sides of the Italian coastline. The best beaches include Amalfi, Capri, Salento, Ischia, Taomina and Jesolo. Expect long stretches of golden sand, with calm seas that lap gently onto the beach. Amalfi, Sorrento and Capri are renowned for opportunities to enjoy underwater exploration.
Food too varies from region to region. In the north, there is much more stress on meat and dairy based dishes, polenta, gnocchi and risotto. The further south you go, pizza and pasta become more dominant. Naples is, of course, the home of the Neopolitan and Margarita pizza. Southern Italy has a much more Mediterranean tradition of cuisine, with olive oil and spices.
Camping and caravanning offers the opportunity to really enjoy the spectacular countryside at your own pace. There are nearly 2,000 suitable locations for overnight and longer stays throughout the country, but you do need to be aware of restrictions. Check zoning restrictions in advance, as this can affect your travel arrangements especially when travelling in or through towns and cities. Also bear in mind that Italian drivers do drive fast!
Take great care if you stop on rest areas beside autostrada or other roads. You are not allowed to put anything on the ground beside your vehicle. This includes tables, stools, chairs and awnings. As long as you obey this rule, you can park and stay overnight in such rest areas. Only overnight stays are allowed, you cannot stay for longer. Fines and penalties are charged for any violation of these rules.
Book campsites and caravan sites in advance. They can get very popular and become fully booked especially during the summer season, which generally lasts from around June to October. The months of July and August are particularly popular. Take care when booking to make sure that you are booking a site where you are taking your own caravan or camp equipment, as many sites are actually full of static caravans and lodges and do not provide overnight facilities. A typical static site is Village Flaminio near Rome, which offers airport transfers, restaurants and a swimming pool. Such villages can be an option if you are using public transport throughout your journey or are planning on staying in just one or two locations.
Camping Italy is a very useful site for identifying camping & caravan sites in Italy. The site is divided into the different sections of Italy, primarily Veneto, Piemonte, Puglia, Toscana, Basilicata and Sicily. Other useful sites are InItaly.com and Campeggi.it, both of which have English translations available.
Angela Youngman
An experienced travel writer based in the UK. Angela has worked for numerous magazines such as Group Travel World, Calibre and Houston Hotel Magazine. She is the author of several guidebooks and e-books.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Camping La Principina, where discovering Tuscany means getting excited in front of the many faces that nature takes over, from the splendid and varied coastline, the crystal clear water, the Mediterranean vegetation and the gentle and green hills.