Place to stay on way to Lake Garda

[Harleyboy]

Evening, need a place to break the journey on way from Calais to Garda. Rough route is France,Belgium and into Germany. Down into Austria and proably over Brenner Pass to Italy. Would love to do Stelvio or similar but suspect the family would be sick inside a minute!

Would like to stay somewhere about 550 miles down, Germany/Austria I suppose. Flexible on price but would like somewhere half decent if anyone has any recommendations

Thanks
Adam

[marcosgt]

You can't beat Munich for a place to stay (and I guess it's on your way) - Loads to do, but perhaps too much if you're just passing through for one night.

If Kirchberg can be on your route, the Filzerhof (http://www.filzerhof.at/) is full of proper alpine charm and great Tyrolean food - People who run it are lovely too.

Finally, I stayed at the Krallerhof, Leogang, Austria (http://www.krallerhof.com/en/home/) for business last year - It's a palace with incredible views and out of this world facilities. Very, very different to the Filzerhof and much more expensive, but worth it for a night I'm sure.

Not sure how far out of the way you're prepared to go (and all these places are a bit more than 550 Miles from Calais), but all are worth staying at.

M.

[hornetrider]

Uberlingen on Lake Konstanz. Gorgeous. We camped but there's a few nice hotels on the waterfront to be found if you google.

[AnotherClarkey]

I have done this several times to visit the in-laws. Munich is a great place to stay but it is a long way on day 1 and makes the trip a bit unbalanced. I would probably stay in the Stuttgart area and try to nip in to the Mercedes museum for a couple of hours.

Day 1 is boring as hell but Austria and the Brennero are good and of course Lake Garda is simply splendid.

[Harleyboy]

Thanks all, some good suggestions. I wonder if Munich might be a little too far east. AnotherClarkey - dooes your route take you down to Italy? If so, which route do you take?

I had thought Calais, through Belgium to Karlsruhe, Ulm, Innbruck then over into Italy but if there is a better route then please let me know. Yes,I'm anticipating day 1 will be high speed motorway with little to see. Day 2 and hopefully only 250-300 miles should be far more interesting

thanks

[DJC]

Ones presumed you arent going for another couple of months as the passes will not be open till then.

[Targarama]

Annency
Garmisch Partenkirchen

Both lovely places to stop over.

Trier is nice for an overnighter.

[Harleyboy]

Yep, not going until end of July but trying to plan ahead!

[evenflow]

Where are you staying on Garda? Been twice in the last 3 years - it is a fantastic place - enjoy!

[AnotherClarkey]

Harleyboy said:

Thanks all, some good suggestions. I wonder if Munich might be a little too far east. AnotherClarkey - dooes your route take you down to Italy? If so, which route do you take?

I had thought Calais, through Belgium to Karlsruhe, Ulm, Innbruck then over into Italy but if there is a better route then please let me know. Yes,I'm anticipating day 1 will be high speed motorway with little to see. Day 2 and hopefully only 250-300 miles should be far more interesting

thanks

I generally travel to Venice or Bologna and have always opted to do what you suggest and go for a long first day. Whichever way you go it tends to be dull so it is best to get it over with. Munich to Lake Garda is only about 4.5 hours and is a pleasant, highly scenic drive to enjoy on your second day after a lie-in and a slap up breakfast.

I never bother with Switzerland even though it is the shortest route - I resent the ball-ache of border controls to be honest (and always seem to get stopped).

You could also try going through France - I stopped off at Lyon, which is a fantastic city, and then do either the Mont Blanc or Frejus tunnels. The French autoroutes are tremendous, much better than autobahns IMHO but cost. Travelling across northern Italy to get to Garda on the autostrade is boring though and there can be heavy traffic.

[G350]

I use viamichelin.com for route planning, then you can zoom in and switch on the hotels and the restaurants.

I try to include a couple of the quite rare "Best value" restaurants, which have _really_ excellent grub at fairly "normal" UK restaurant prices.

[chopper602]

Freiburg im Breisgau is a lovely city and we often used a campsite nearby on family holidays to Lake Garda, seems a little over half way, but it's always a little slower crossing the Alps. Can't recommend a hotel, but you should be able to find one here : http://www.freiburg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1140679_l2/...

[G350]

Some more good stuff here:
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t...

[kiteless]

FWIW, the last time we went to the Italian lakes one of our stop offs was here:-

http://www.hotel-stern.com/

Exceptionally good hotel, and a lovely little town as well.

The pass above Langenfeld into Italy was still closed at the time (mid-May), so we just did a 180 back down the motorway, through Landeck and followed the road to Merano and Bolzano. The Stelvio is a short diversion off this road.

[Huntsman]

Also on Bodensee is Meersburg, very nice spot, hotel Aurichs very nice and just down the hill opposite is a good place for cheesy noodles!

[Harleyboy]

Hi all, missed all these extra posts. we're staying about 6-7km outisde Salo on the south west corner of the lake.

I think I've sorted the route now:

France to Luxembourg. Into Germany to Karlsruhe, then to Ulm and down to Innsbruck, which takes us close to Fussen and Garmisch. Brenner Pass and then follow the route to Salo. Via Michelin has been really useful. Total distance about 800 miles from Calais.

I reckon I can do 600 miles in Day 1 which puts me in the Garmisch/Fussen area. Probably not far too divert to Lake Constance.

Thanks for all your suggestions - will check them out.