Road trip: London to Sicily
Discussion
Hi all,
I've decided to take 6 weeks off and drive to Sicily and back. I bought my V8 Vantage from a fellow PHer a few years ago, and other than the usual weekend jaunts it's been sitting sadly in the garage most of the time, and deserves better.
I want to take my time, to allow me to travel wherever. I need safe places to stop and sleep (safe for the car as well as me) - so probably not city centres. If any of you have any advice, I'd be very grateful! I have created a thread in the "Holidays" forum in any case ( http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... ), but given that I imagine most of you feel the same way about your car as I do about mine, I thought I'd also ask here
Thanks,
tam
I've decided to take 6 weeks off and drive to Sicily and back. I bought my V8 Vantage from a fellow PHer a few years ago, and other than the usual weekend jaunts it's been sitting sadly in the garage most of the time, and deserves better.
I want to take my time, to allow me to travel wherever. I need safe places to stop and sleep (safe for the car as well as me) - so probably not city centres. If any of you have any advice, I'd be very grateful! I have created a thread in the "Holidays" forum in any case ( http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... ), but given that I imagine most of you feel the same way about your car as I do about mine, I thought I'd also ask here
Thanks,
tam
What a great trip. I'm very jealous.
I'm sure that you are going to get plenty of suggestion of how to cross the Alps. And I'm sure that they will all be great.
But, on the assumption that your trip is going to take you via Modena (how can any committed Petrolhead miss it?), can I make a very strong recommendation, please? Heading south from Modena, take the SS12 towards Lucca, via Abetone.
I made a UK to Tuscany trip, via the Swiss passes, a couple of years ago. But the SS12 was undoubtedly my favourite driving road of the trip.
I'm sure that you are going to get plenty of suggestion of how to cross the Alps. And I'm sure that they will all be great.
But, on the assumption that your trip is going to take you via Modena (how can any committed Petrolhead miss it?), can I make a very strong recommendation, please? Heading south from Modena, take the SS12 towards Lucca, via Abetone.
I made a UK to Tuscany trip, via the Swiss passes, a couple of years ago. But the SS12 was undoubtedly my favourite driving road of the trip.
Once you're past the Alps you could head into the Black Forest and then travel through Germany - maybe even a bit further east. Lots of WW2 and beautiful country, roads and history and nice places to stay. Not to mention beer, wine and food!
I'm only going for a week, but heading
out towards Prague. I'm happy with the route and there looks to be a great choice of hotels. Parking is important as you say. Tricky one to work it out. Hope I got it right. Close or in a town but with good parking.
Here you go, for inspiration....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=...
I'm only going for a week, but heading
out towards Prague. I'm happy with the route and there looks to be a great choice of hotels. Parking is important as you say. Tricky one to work it out. Hope I got it right. Close or in a town but with good parking.
Here you go, for inspiration....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=...
BravoV8V said:
But, on the assumption that your trip is going to take you via Modena (how can any committed Petrolhead miss it?), can I make a very strong recommendation, please? Heading south from Modena, take the SS12 towards Lucca, via Abetone.
Ah yes - good call! I can do a circuit from Pisa, up the SS12, to Bologna, Florence, and back to Pisa. Thanks SELON said:
Thank you! Lots of interesting suggestions in there. Will look into Germany for the route back then...TamFB said:
Ah yes - good call! I can do a circuit from Pisa, up the SS12, to Bologna, Florence, and back to Pisa. Thanks
If you're planning stops, Pisa is worth only a couple of hours max. Lucca is much, much nicer. I would overnight there, if I was you.Then another nightstop in Modena. You will need at least 24hrs in Modena, if not more. I'm including Maranello in that.
Bologna is lovely, although I haven't been yet. That's going to change this summer - due to see AC/DC at Imola. Yippe-kai-yay!
Florence is Florence (or Firenze, really). Very busy during the summer but unmissable.
But it's motorways between Bologna and Florence. Lots of Italian motorways have now got extensive average speed sections.
If you haven't been to Venice then would make sense to work that into your trip. Maybe stay at one of the beachy places nearby and tourist it in to Venice.
Verona I loved, personally. Try to coincide an evening with a concert/opera in the Roman amphitheatre. Need to book that I'm advance of course. I'm told it's a wonderful experience. If you are culturally inclined you will be able to experience all sorts of summer time cultural events across Europe (you don't have to go too far into Spain to experience the Fiestas in the north of Spain - Pamplona etc for example).
Lake Garda of course. Stayed in Lasize - and there is Sirmione. I went at Easter, I would imagine roads can be busy in summertime - but you have to factor that all in to your itinerary. If you can do it outside school holidays, all the better.
But seriously all beautiful and the wine was nice too...
Can't imagine getting out of
italy without a tour of the lakes...!
You can even do the Nurburgring if you time it right and check all the dates.
Lots of planning to do. My suggestion is work out your major destinations where you want to spend a bit of time - hubs - and any cultural events you want to do and then plan the filler bits around that.
For example I spent 8 days in Lasize on Lake Garda as my base and visited Sirmione, Verona, Venice, Milan, Modena - all nice day trips (1.5hr drives) when I went. Didn't make it to Lamborghini town but then again I did all that in a Fiat rental van and a wife and 4 kids in tow!!! They loved it too.
Saved on hotel kerfuffle (checkin and out etc was reduced)
Ah - have fun planning.
Verona I loved, personally. Try to coincide an evening with a concert/opera in the Roman amphitheatre. Need to book that I'm advance of course. I'm told it's a wonderful experience. If you are culturally inclined you will be able to experience all sorts of summer time cultural events across Europe (you don't have to go too far into Spain to experience the Fiestas in the north of Spain - Pamplona etc for example).
Lake Garda of course. Stayed in Lasize - and there is Sirmione. I went at Easter, I would imagine roads can be busy in summertime - but you have to factor that all in to your itinerary. If you can do it outside school holidays, all the better.
But seriously all beautiful and the wine was nice too...
Can't imagine getting out of
italy without a tour of the lakes...!
You can even do the Nurburgring if you time it right and check all the dates.
Lots of planning to do. My suggestion is work out your major destinations where you want to spend a bit of time - hubs - and any cultural events you want to do and then plan the filler bits around that.
For example I spent 8 days in Lasize on Lake Garda as my base and visited Sirmione, Verona, Venice, Milan, Modena - all nice day trips (1.5hr drives) when I went. Didn't make it to Lamborghini town but then again I did all that in a Fiat rental van and a wife and 4 kids in tow!!! They loved it too.
Saved on hotel kerfuffle (checkin and out etc was reduced)
Ah - have fun planning.
If you pass Switzerland, have a look at the passes within this route. Was good fun. (Note: Google Maps doesn't show the route properly right now because the passes are closed during the winter, but should get your research started).
https://www.google.ch/maps/dir/St.+Gallen/Klausenp...
One more hint: Speeding is a serious topic in Switzerland. Fines are income dependent and may include confiscating the car and jail time ...
https://www.google.ch/maps/dir/St.+Gallen/Klausenp...
One more hint: Speeding is a serious topic in Switzerland. Fines are income dependent and may include confiscating the car and jail time ...
Vanquish310 said:
Beware of the Opera at Verona. We payed a fortune , black tie etc, and the whole experience was ruined by the (prohibited) flash camera going off throughout the performance. Not epileptic, but experience must have been similar.
What was that about? Another member of audience?Having driven around Sicily for 2 weeks on holiday last year I admire your bravery. I would strongly recommend you avoid central Palermo and Catania if you go to Sicily. I live in and drive around central London but driving as a whole in Sicily was bonkers in comparison. That said I Imagine the drive down there would be fantastic.
Tourists. Ah. Sorry to hear that. A friend of mine had a much happier - emotional - experience involving clouds, moonlight and some opera music (which would be sadly lost on me - he is Italian).
Did Bez leave surreptitiously at an unexpected point in the show as well...
Did Bez leave surreptitiously at an unexpected point in the show as well...
Edited by SELON on Friday 13th March 22:00
dmm1983 said:
Having driven around Sicily for 2 weeks on holiday last year I admire your bravery. I would strongly recommend you avoid central Palermo and Catania if you go to Sicily. I live in and drive around central London but driving as a whole in Sicily was bonkers in comparison. That said I Imagine the drive down there would be fantastic.
I'd have to agree with you about Palermo, I was there with my Italian girlfriend last September and she took over the driving. It's a complete free for all! Beautiful island though.Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff