Touring Italy

[Nosher]

Has any member done this journey?

I am curious - SWMBO has said she would love to visit Italy and tour some of the more scenic roads and villages.

Neither of us speak italian and I have never done this sort of journey (seems huge) and would welcome comments / ideas / experiences etc of fellow members.

We want to do it near our wedding anniversary in July this year.

I currently have a Garmin EMap, but am looking at upgrading in time for the trip (getting lost scares the sh*t out of me).

We would probably camp - she likes camping and we have a 'family tent' (read, "hotel") and a motorcycle 3 man jobby with all bits.

Thanks in advance...

 

[trophychap]

Jaws does Italy from time to time .... we haven't ever been to Italia on a bike so can't personally help.

Lingo - from what I remember you need to wave your arms about quite a lot so good job you will have a pillion then ......

 

[graham]

some great roads in Italy but keep away from big cities, Milan etc, just manic Italians who want whatever piece of road you are on.

Try the lakes in the north, tour round Lake Garda, beautiful.

Avoid July & August if you can, bloody hot and very crowded, June and September are better, why not try and fit trip in with WSB or MotoGP round?

Also go down via Switzerland and take time to do some of the passes (cols)

Buy good maps from Michelin and follow the green (scenic) routes.

Take plenty of money, Italy is not cheap

 

[bluebandit]

hi i spent four days there as part of a trip last june. we went in via switzerland and went down the med side to just outside pissa. we cut across the mountains via florence to forli. then up to a lovely place on the adriatic side called " milano marimitima". the hotel there was the " arlechino". they were very bike friendly and though there was no car park, we put our bikes (5) by the front door. on to lake como, found a lovely hotel, again bike friendly, parked in their garage and a closed in car park.
the roads back and forth over the appenine mountains are great. enjoy it. :beer:

 

[Nosher]

hi i spent four days there as part of a trip last june. we went in via switzerland and went down the med side to just outside pissa. we cut across the mountains via florence to forli. then up to a lovely place on the adriatic side called " milano marimitima". the hotel there was the " arlechino". they were very bike friendly and though there was no car park, we put our bikes (5) by the front door. on to lake como, found a lovely hotel, again bike friendly, parked in their garage and a closed in car park.
the roads back and forth over the appenine mountains are great. enjoy it. :beer:

OK, questions -

1) How long did it take you to get to Switzerland?
2) Can you safely go a little faster than the legal limit in France etc - (I have heard horror stories!)
3) where did you get the details of the hotels?

Thanks in advance! :beer:

 

[SILVERONE]

OK, questions -
2) Can you safely go a little faster than the legal limit in France etc - (I have heard horror stories!)

Watch out approaching citys/towns, when you are well away from these areas it's normally police free as the police don't like having to travel long distances to set speed traps up + they got more important things to do.
Keep speed down when approaching (3 - 4 miles) a peage (toll), if there is a speed trap on the M/way you wont see them, the first time you will know is when a copper walks up to you at the peage. Look out for cars coming in the opposite direction flashing, warning of s/traps ''the french are very good at that''.
If you not been before, don't worry it all falls in to place straight away and you'll be amazed how fast the French drive, on the whole I find the French to be good drivers, you'll enjoy it :yo:

 

[CbrDavE]

Dont worry about not being able to speak Italian,

the place we went to a few years ago in the far north east only spoke German

 

[Gerrard]

Italy

Hi, Last year we did a 17 day tour of Italy from our home in Malaga Spain, briefly the route we took was Malaga, French/Italian Riviera, Pisa, Rome, Napoli, Sicily, then returned up the Adriatic side via Rimini and then across to the riviera and back.
Just to reiterate some of the above, Italy is not cheap, the fuel is about the same as in the UK. We don't ever book hotels in advance (and never had any problems getting a room in September) and found that 3* hotels are less than 60? per double with breakfast. If you think of the cost of camping and all the aggro of putting the tent up and taking it down, paying for the campsite (of which we saw precious few) and buying your own breakfast en-route we thought that the 60? for a comfy bed, breakfast, lashings of hot water and the nearness to night life and restaurants was a good bet! Also by the nature of the beast you will find far more hotels than campsites which gives you a better riding range from day to day.
Regardless of where we were in Italy or Sicily all the hotel staff spoke English even in the remotest of areas (and we found ourself in some of them I can tell you)...and 'pizza' is 'pizza' in any language!
Don't worry about getting lost.. you will without a doubt! The signposting in Italy is crap - for example if you get to Genova you would expect signs for Rome as it's the biggest place for miles but the signposts all say La Spezia/ Livorno! But even if you do get lost there's always another signpost down the road. We mostly used the toll roads on the Mediterranean side, but there are far less on the Adriatic side, and some of the roads leave a lot to be desired.
We rode an average of 300 miles a day and then stopped and had the following day looking round, as someone else has already said avoid the big cities they are a nightmare but if possible go to Pisa as there's not too much traffic, easy parking and the tower and surroundings are worth seeing.
If you want to know anything specific you can contact me direct to save boring the pants off anyone else!
regards
Paul

kawa1000rr@yahoo.co.uk

 

[Nosher]

If you want to know anything specific you can contact me direct to save boring the pants off anyone else!
regards
Paul

kawa1000rr@yahoo.co.uk

...thankyou very much - I will take you up on that!

 

[bluebandit]

nosher, 1 two days ( had a prob with a bmw) plan to get down to the border in with france/switzerland one day.
2 dont abuse the limits as they have speed traps. if using toll roads, take a stop to even out your average time between booths.
3 hotels are no prob even if you speak only english. average cost is 30-40 euros pp including breakfast. most will have somewhere to put your bike if you ask. :beer:

 

[Nosher]

nosher, 1 two days ( had a prob with a bmw) plan to get down to the border in with france/switzerland one day.
2 dont abuse the limits as they have speed traps. if using toll roads, take a stop to even out your average time between booths.
3 hotels are no prob even if you speak only english. average cost is 30-40 euros pp including breakfast. most will have somewhere to put your bike if you ask. :beer:

Thanks m8 - the hotel option is looking more and more likely at the moment.

Has any BB owner used the Speed Ferries yet? (Dover - Bologune<sp?>)