European Road Trip April/May '16

[Red Devil]

As your route already takes you to Val Müstair, I would seriously consider doubling back at the Hotel Bella Vista in Trafoi - https://goo.gl/maps/Doc1bkEGaJR2
Then you get to do the Stelvio in both directions followed by the Umbrail. Less distance to cover plus superb scenery. What's not to like?

[a17vts]

Red Devil said:

As your route already takes you to Val Müstair, I would seriously consider doubling back at the Hotel Bella Vista in Trafoi - https://goo.gl/maps/Doc1bkEGaJR2
Then you get to do the Stelvio in both directions followed by the Umbrail. Less distance to cover plus superb scenery. What's not to like?

Took me a while to work out where the Umbrail pass was but as you said it will effective cut off a corner. The only thing i need to be careful of is the driving time that day, I have already booked a hotel in Davos, although able to change, depending on hours in the car that day.

[a17vts]

Right, I'm a little stuck on car insurance.

The Golf's renewal is due in a few days time but I'm struggling to find an insurer who will cover Monaco any of you guys know any companies that will cover?

Tom

[kwk]

I have had my cars covered with LV for years. Not Monaco, but I did query Switzerland as they are not a member of the EU a couple of years ago. They confirmed that I was covered for all countries and sent me a confirmation e mail.

[a17vts]

kwk said:

I have had my cars covered with LV for years. Not Monaco, but I did query Switzerland as they are not a member of the EU a couple of years ago. They confirmed that I was covered for all countries and sent me a confirmation e mail.

So this has been a nightmare!

I've finally sorted my car insurance issues and taken a policy with AVIVA. Luckily they were the cheapest out of all companies I contacted and they offer European cover for only an additional £25 (give or take). I'm currently awaiting on information from VW and my bank to confirm details regarding breakdown cover and if I'm covered in the EU.

If any of you are going on a road trip which includes Monaco & Luxembourg I urge you all to check before leaving as I have found a majority do not cover both or at least one.

[logit]

Great post with a lot of useful info on here! My wife and I are planning a similar trip in August this year. IF you get time mate, can you post a list of the hotels you're staying in as it's always a challenge trying to find places to stay? We're budgeting about £100/night on average.

Cheers buddy

[a17vts]

logit said:

Great post with a lot of useful info on here! My wife and I are planning a similar trip in August this year. IF you get time mate, can you post a list of the hotels you're staying in as it's always a challenge trying to find places to stay? We're budgeting about £100/night on average.

Cheers buddy

I agree there have been a lot of helpful information on here which have made planning this trip much easier to plan.

Regarding hotels etc, I was going to wait until I have the whole route planned before I posted any further detail. I will however list my itinerary along with my planned routes, although due to google maps etc not allowing my to drive certain routes at present they will not be fully complete.

I think I've spent on average just over £100.00 per night, although I will detail in full later tonight, but Lake Como and Monaco really increased the average price. Without staying at these places the average would have been much lower. I have also stayed in nicer hotels than this sort of holiday requires upon the wife's request!

[a17vts]

DRAFT ITINERARY

Since my last major update, I have booked and plotted most of my trip, although my route will be adjusted continuously I'm sure. Hotels and Eurotunnel are booked and I've even purchased the Motorway vignette!

I thought I would post the routes which I have booked thus far and also detail where I am staying:

DAY 1 - Home to Lake Geneva

Miles: 577.86
Driving Time: 9:36
Hotel: Lake Geneva Hotel
Hotel Price: £144.00 (CHF205.00)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/ch/lake-geneva.en-gb....



DAY 2 - Lake Geneva to Avigliana

Miles: 218.33
Driving Time: 4:38
Hotel: Hotel Ninfa
Hotel Price: £47.00 (€60.00)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/ninfa.en-gb.html



DAY 3 - Avigliana to Monaco

Miles: 177.03
Driving Time: 4:55
Hotel: Novotel Monte Carlo
Hotel Price: £256.00 (€329.60)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/mc/monte-carlo-3.en-g...



DAY 4 - Monaco to Maranello

Miles: 251.64
Driving Time: 5:36
Hotel: Maranello Village (Ferrari Hotel)
Hotel Price: £49.18 (€62.90)
Hotel Link: http://www.hotelmaranellovillage.com/en/



DAY 5 – Maranello to Lake Como (2 NIGHTS HERE)

Miles: 279.14
Driving Time: 6:15
Hotel: Tullio Hotel
Hotel Price: £287.00 (€370.00) for 2 nights
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/tullio.en-gb.html

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DAY 7 – Lake Como to Davos

Miles: 143.80
Driving Time: 4:07
Hotel: Hotel Restaurant Bellevue
Hotel Price: £98.00 (CHF139.00)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/ch/restaurant-bellevu...



DAY 8 – Davos to Andermatt

Miles: 87.10
Driving Time: 2:44
Hotel: Crown Hotel
Hotel Price: £155.00 (CHF220.00)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/ch/active-kronen.en-g...



Day 9 – Andermatt to Baden-Baden

Miles: 212.71
Driving Time: 5:32
Hotel: Leonardo Royal Hotel Baden-Baden
Hotel Price: £146.00 (€188.00)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/leonardo-royal-bad...



Day 10 – Baden Baden to Luxembourg City

Miles: 160.57
Driving Time: 2:32
Hotel: Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal
Hotel Price: £160.00 (€206.00)
Hotel Link: http://www.booking.com/hotel/lu/sofitel-le-grand-d...



Day 11 – Luxembourg City to Home

Miles: 374.91
Driving Time: 6:17



Most hotels have parking which is either included within the price or a small additional charge, however I’ve not been as fussy as maybe I should have been but if I were to do it in a more valuable car (emotionally) I would have researched this area in more detail.

The routes are far from finalised due to the issue with google maps not allowing you to plan passes during the winter season but I believe the attached just show direct lines where passes currently shut. I have recently purchased a Garmin Nuvi 57LM which will allow me to enter my pre-planned routes not bad for £79.99 from Argos.

Cost Summary

Hotels: £1,350.00
Diesel: £250.00
Motorway vignette: £27.60
Tolls: £50.00
Misc Parking: £75.00
Euro Tunnel: £143.00
SatNav = £80.00

GRAND TOTAL = £1,975.60

It’s far from a cheap get away but it is a trip I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember plus it could have been done cheaper by staying in not so nice hotels but as I will be with my wife I wanted to stay in nicer hotels.

Any help on routes will be appreciated.

Tom

[ehasler]

If you change the "Depart at" time/date to sometime in the summer on Google Maps, Google calculates the route with passes open (although for some reason one or two still remain closed).

Edited by ehasler on Tuesday 9th February 17:42

[mr pg]

As you're staying in Andermatt, it's worth including the Andermatt loop (Susten, Grimsell, and Furka passes). Also just nearby is Nufenenstrasse, which I'd recommend too. You won't be disappointed.

[a17vts]

ehasler said:

If you change the "Depart at" time/date to sometime in the summer on Google Maps, Google calculates the route with passes open (although for some reason one or two still remain closed).

Edited by ehasler on Tuesday 9th February 17:42

Thanks for the advise.

TYRE TO TRAVEL TO GARMIN HELP REQUIRED

I'm having some issues on TYRE tonight. I'm having a quick play around with a route from my in-laws to home yet when I transfer from TYRE to BaseCamp it suggests I do a U turn rather than cut the corner off any ideas how I over come this issue? I'm worried now that the routes I've planned in TYRE will come out difference on BaseCamp and then I am unable to edit in BaseCamp there the time I've spent thus far is wasted?

Any help would be appericated.

Edited by a17vts on Monday 15th February 18:32

[a17vts]

mr pg said:

As you're staying in Andermatt, it's worth including the Andermatt loop (Susten, Grimsell, and Furka passes). Also just nearby is Nufenenstrasse, which I'd recommend too. You won't be disappointed.

I do plan on completing the Andermatt Loop just need to get it mapped out correctly.

Appear to have "fixed" the issue I was having. Some some reason I couldn't edit the first file in BaseCamp but I'll imported my second map and it worked perfectly.

[a17vts]

Good Afternoon All,

So tomorrow is the day of departure and I can't bloody wait!

Tunnel Crossing is booked for 6.36 but heard from the Le Mans chat that there have been some delays at Folkstone so planning on getting there early to hopefully grab an earlier train or in worse case at least I wont be late.

I'll update pics etc while on route and keep you guys posted.

Tom

[CarbonXKR]

Good luck with your trip Tom, hope to see your pics on return. We're away in 4 weeks for our euro jaunt

[TomSr3]

How has it been? I like to hear about your experiences, planning a trip as well.

[a17vts]

I'm in the process of writing up my trip and will have a report soon! (hopefully tonight)

[s70rmp]

sigh it's taking toooooo long HURRY UP :-)

[TomSr3]

Looking forward to it.

[Ken Figenus]

Come on Tom Hope you had a great time.

Never seem to get round to doing something like this as the sheer planning & research time plus the many unknowns and lack of local knowledge always put me off. Maybe not now...

[fullbeem]

Looking forward to seeing the photos

My annual Eurotrip is in less than 40 days time - Stelvio Pass