Driving holiday: UK-France-Belgium-Germany-Switzerland-Italy
Discussion
I've just come back a couple of weeks ago from a trip in the Capri through all the same countries mentioned but none of the same places bar Bruges so cant recommend much bar two things-
1- The Barge Hotel in Bruges is where I stopped, its suprisingly on....a barge! Really well located with parking outside the window for free and a short stroll into the city,we booked an officers cabin and it was excellent for the money!
2- If you're doing much driving in France on toll roads (guess your probably not) now or in the future then get one of the Sanef Toll transponder electric thingys, these mean you dont have to stop and feed the toll booths you just drive up,it beeps, and you drive off and a month later they take the cash from your bank.
Other than that I think the regulations are all the same so reflective vests,triangle,breathalyser for France etc, they sting you for 40e for 12 months on the Swiss Motorways but you pay that at the border so easy enough.
Have fun!
1- The Barge Hotel in Bruges is where I stopped, its suprisingly on....a barge! Really well located with parking outside the window for free and a short stroll into the city,we booked an officers cabin and it was excellent for the money!
2- If you're doing much driving in France on toll roads (guess your probably not) now or in the future then get one of the Sanef Toll transponder electric thingys, these mean you dont have to stop and feed the toll booths you just drive up,it beeps, and you drive off and a month later they take the cash from your bank.
Other than that I think the regulations are all the same so reflective vests,triangle,breathalyser for France etc, they sting you for 40e for 12 months on the Swiss Motorways but you pay that at the border so easy enough.
Have fun!
Rather than Interlaken which we've only stayed at on one trip, we now stay at the Sun Star hotel in Gindleward. About 20 mins drive (or train) from Interlaken. Much more scenic and its quite something opening your curtains to the north face of the Eiger in the morning.
From that area you can drive a loop of the 3 passes, Furka, Grimsel and Sustain..
Don't forget your Vignette for Switzerland. Get it before you leave. St Moritz is nice but probably not as big as you think. The exchange rate sucks these days so expect to find Switzerland expensive, although petrol s usually quite cheap.
From St Moritz you could do the Stelvio (go early to avoid traffic). There's also the Fluelapass not too far away and loads more as well, too many to list on my phone anyway! Get your self a close scale map of the area so that you can plan routes on various passes. You will probably find yourselves crossing the Swiss/Italian border a few times :-)
Top of Europe is good for the views if clear but costs quite a bit.
I love Germany and would probably move there if I won the lottery! For the ring we normally stay in the Mosel (sp?) region. A bit of a drive from the ring but on great roads.
Not a great fan of driving in Belgium. Much like the UK with bumpy busy and often congested roads although Bruge is nice.
From that area you can drive a loop of the 3 passes, Furka, Grimsel and Sustain..
Don't forget your Vignette for Switzerland. Get it before you leave. St Moritz is nice but probably not as big as you think. The exchange rate sucks these days so expect to find Switzerland expensive, although petrol s usually quite cheap.
From St Moritz you could do the Stelvio (go early to avoid traffic). There's also the Fluelapass not too far away and loads more as well, too many to list on my phone anyway! Get your self a close scale map of the area so that you can plan routes on various passes. You will probably find yourselves crossing the Swiss/Italian border a few times :-)
Top of Europe is good for the views if clear but costs quite a bit.
I love Germany and would probably move there if I won the lottery! For the ring we normally stay in the Mosel (sp?) region. A bit of a drive from the ring but on great roads.
Not a great fan of driving in Belgium. Much like the UK with bumpy busy and often congested roads although Bruge is nice.
Advocatus said:
Days 2 - 4: Make our way to Interlaken via the ‘ring, Baden Baden and perhaps Zurich. Maybe spend a night in Interlaken and Zurich each.
Suggest avoid Zurich, it's intergalactically expensive and onlya banker's town anyway. What little fun there is seems to take part
behind locked doors.
Advocatus said:
Day 12 – Arrive in Dusseldorf via Motorail from Alessandria and drive to Bruges.
Dusseldorf Altstadt can be a good night out, but here again it'sa relatively affluent town so you'll pay a lot.
If you want to spend a lot of time with other tourists, then
Brugge is the place. I always find Ghent far better.
Advocatus said:
2. Love good food, so nice restaurants always welcome. We’re not looking for Michelin stars all the time, very happy for some simple local fare that’s full of flavour. Any PH favourites?
The Germans aren't really noted for their food, but I like it.Suggest try non-German restaurants in Germany, if you are fussy.
Advocatus said:
Any particular quirks that I should be extra alive to?
The Germans drive fast and accurate. 120 mph is nothing special.Look three times before changing lanes.
Advocatus said:
4. Any particular car type stuff worth doing?
There's the technik museum at Sinsheim, the Porsche and M-B museums inStuttgart, oddly enough. There's the BMW museum in Munich and the Audi
one in Ingolstadt.
Advocatus said:
5. Any “must do” things?
Two laps of the Munich Hofbrauhaus, when it's quiet.Advocatus said:
6. Any “avoid at all costs”!?
Rothenburg-on-Tauber and Cochem are bus trip central and worthavoiding.
Darab...Ill take you out in Zurich when you get down here.
Ill let you know a good place to eat in Pisa in a cpl of weeks, Im there on business and the chaps reckon they know a cracking restaurent.
Do you know your dates yet? Oh and dont worry too much about the Swiss speeding thing, it only really uber applies to the tunnels, the rest of the time you can cruise 20kph above the limit.
Ill let you know a good place to eat in Pisa in a cpl of weeks, Im there on business and the chaps reckon they know a cracking restaurent.
Do you know your dates yet? Oh and dont worry too much about the Swiss speeding thing, it only really uber applies to the tunnels, the rest of the time you can cruise 20kph above the limit.
AdvocatusD said:
Thank you all, and do keep them coming!
Any other parts of Italy worth visiting near Como, etc? No further south than Pisa though please.
In Como there's an OK restaurant with good beer called "Birrificio di Como" that could be worth a look.Any other parts of Italy worth visiting near Como, etc? No further south than Pisa though please.
They also have a Mokart karting track there.
Varese is a very nice small cityjust to the East of Como. I used to live there and can reccommend the gelateria behind the cinema (they do kinder egg and smarties flavour ice cream!!!) Fabricca della pizza is good, it's a chain of 3 I believe but good proper food and the calzone is about 2 foot long! Also, GOGO Fruit do excellent fruit cocktails and is a lovely cafe. Sacro Monte is nearby and has nice views and a pretty church/village at the top.
If you go west rather than east to Lago/Lake Maggiore (Where they dug that old bentley out a couple of years ago) I can really reccomend going to Arona and maybe Stresa to get an all day buss pass (it's a boat really) and hopping on and off as you go round. It'll take you all the way to Switzerland if you want it to. Isola Bella is very nice if a little touristy, It was actually named after the guy's daughter "Isabella/Bella" It just happens that the island is beautiful too
If you're going to Garda, you might want to consider going to Venice for a night? Depends how much driving you want to do. If you do, go and see all the touristy things but then just walk and walk, go down all the little streets and see what you find. Garda also has a waterpark (Gardaland) which is OK if you like waterparks.
And don't order Cappucino/Cappuco after 12PM!
AdvocatusD said:
3. Rules and regulations! I’ve driven in some of the countries I am visiting but not all. Is there a “one size fits” all set of rules or “hi vis jacket/ GB sticker” combo-package that you can recommend? Any particular quirks that I should be extra alive to?
There's loads of useful stuff on the RAC website, country by country, on what you need to know / take / remember etc http://www.rac.co.uk/driving-abroad/
If you are off to Interlaken I can thoroughly recommend the Grand Hotel in Giessbach (other side of the lake), a really elegant old world hotel.....and the food is great.....but not cheap. If you want cheap food stay at the hotel and walk down the road for about half an hour to sample some simple but very tasty Swiss food from a little roadside restaurant.
Stunning views and walks abound and there is a funicular railway that takes you down to the lake where you can pick up a paddle steamer into Interlaken.
If you want to please SWMBO this is a sure fire hit!
http://www.giessbach.ch/about-the-grandhotel.html
Stunning views and walks abound and there is a funicular railway that takes you down to the lake where you can pick up a paddle steamer into Interlaken.
If you want to please SWMBO this is a sure fire hit!
http://www.giessbach.ch/about-the-grandhotel.html
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