Euro driving trip...
Discussion
I've literally just come back from a my first experience of the North Italian Lakes, had 2 days of pretty much solid driving and 2 days of chilling.
Here's a couple of my favourites:
North of Lake Como you can use the Maloja Pass (which eventually ends up in St Moritz, or vice versa), beautiful views from the small town of Maloja at the top.
I drove a full circle of both Lake Maggiore and Lake Como, preferred Maggiore to be honest! But both are beautiful. It was out of season so most things were shut but that was kind of nice.
North of Lake Maggiore there is a road that passes the Verzasca Dam and ends up in a small town called Lavertezzo, amazing rock formations and crystal clear aqua water running through the valley, this was one of the highlights of my trip and a real breath taker – would recommend taking the mrs here.
We didnt really head down with much of a plan, had a hire car (although I'm driving back down there in my own car in Sept), so wasn't really a driving holiday although we did end up doing about 1400km over the weekend. Stayed in Varese and used it as a base to venture out each day, worked well but next time I will book hotels on the go so we can go further afield, really want to drive some of the Austrian passes.
Here's a couple of my favourites:
North of Lake Como you can use the Maloja Pass (which eventually ends up in St Moritz, or vice versa), beautiful views from the small town of Maloja at the top.
I drove a full circle of both Lake Maggiore and Lake Como, preferred Maggiore to be honest! But both are beautiful. It was out of season so most things were shut but that was kind of nice.
North of Lake Maggiore there is a road that passes the Verzasca Dam and ends up in a small town called Lavertezzo, amazing rock formations and crystal clear aqua water running through the valley, this was one of the highlights of my trip and a real breath taker – would recommend taking the mrs here.
We didnt really head down with much of a plan, had a hire car (although I'm driving back down there in my own car in Sept), so wasn't really a driving holiday although we did end up doing about 1400km over the weekend. Stayed in Varese and used it as a base to venture out each day, worked well but next time I will book hotels on the go so we can go further afield, really want to drive some of the Austrian passes.
hondafanatic said:
Day 3 - Lucerne to around Lake Como. Any suggestions ideas??
Day 4 - Lake Como for the day?
We are doing something similar this summer. Germany to Lucerne, Lugano, Cannes etc... Day 4 - Lake Como for the day?
From Lucerne to down to Lugano (which is near Lake Como) and Atomic12C gave me this advice
Atomic12C said:
Not to miss are the mountain passes that you can link up when travelling over the alps through Switzerland.
For example - from Luzern come down route 8 to Brienzwiler and then on to route 6 southbound over the Grimsel Pass.
This will bring you down to join the Furkapass whereby you can "hook a right turn" and head over to join route 2, whereby you'll joing the Gotthard pass.
The end of the Gotthard pass will then bring you down to Lugano area.
If you like your driving you'll not want to miss this suggested route.
(Just remember to keep off the "E" numbered highways and stay on what we would normally call the "A" roads).
Edit - Oops just realised commenting on a 5 month old thread...For example - from Luzern come down route 8 to Brienzwiler and then on to route 6 southbound over the Grimsel Pass.
This will bring you down to join the Furkapass whereby you can "hook a right turn" and head over to join route 2, whereby you'll joing the Gotthard pass.
The end of the Gotthard pass will then bring you down to Lugano area.
If you like your driving you'll not want to miss this suggested route.
(Just remember to keep off the "E" numbered highways and stay on what we would normally call the "A" roads).
Tinker2 said:
hondafanatic said:
Day 3 - Lucerne to around Lake Como. Any suggestions ideas??
Day 4 - Lake Como for the day?
We are doing something similar this summer. Germany to Lucerne, Lugano, Cannes etc... Day 4 - Lake Como for the day?
From Lucerne to down to Lugano (which is near Lake Como) and Atomic12C gave me this advice
Atomic12C said:
Not to miss are the mountain passes that you can link up when travelling over the alps through Switzerland.
For example - from Luzern come down route 8 to Brienzwiler and then on to route 6 southbound over the Grimsel Pass.
This will bring you down to join the Furkapass whereby you can "hook a right turn" and head over to join route 2, whereby you'll joing the Gotthard pass.
The end of the Gotthard pass will then bring you down to Lugano area.
If you like your driving you'll not want to miss this suggested route.
(Just remember to keep off the "E" numbered highways and stay on what we would normally call the "A" roads).
For example - from Luzern come down route 8 to Brienzwiler and then on to route 6 southbound over the Grimsel Pass.
This will bring you down to join the Furkapass whereby you can "hook a right turn" and head over to join route 2, whereby you'll joing the Gotthard pass.
The end of the Gotthard pass will then bring you down to Lugano area.
If you like your driving you'll not want to miss this suggested route.
(Just remember to keep off the "E" numbered highways and stay on what we would normally call the "A" roads).
Lavertezzo is a good stop off, but apparently there are lots of equally beautiful towns in the same valley and some other valleys that run alongside it.
Just picking up on this thread too. I remember posting my trip & mileage somewhere on PH but it included the Stelvio pass which was awesome driving. Wouldn’t bother stopping again in Thionville on the way back as there’s nothing doing there.
London 12500
Metz 12896
Konstanz 13167
Innsbruck 13316
Bormio 13450
Zurich 13641
Thionville 13883
London 14190
London 12500
Metz 12896
Konstanz 13167
Innsbruck 13316
Bormio 13450
Zurich 13641
Thionville 13883
London 14190
For another trip... have not long returned from a sedate hoon through Spain and France with my wife (who doesn't enjoy car based holidays usually but really enjoyed this one). We took the ferry to santander (it was OK but I'd rather be driving!). stayed in four Paradors (Limpias, Olite, Lleida and La Sur D'Urgell on the border of Andorra. The roads are good and there is no need to spend all day on a motorway as we didnt do great distances. After all, there was food and wine in which to partake! The parador chain is excellent. Have a gander on line.
We then dropped into France along the D117 and D118 (proper Eurohoon roads and not for the feint hearted!) and spent a night in Carcassonne before moving down to the coast for a few days. It would be easy to have stayed in Spain at different locations. If you give it a go, make sure you try the picos mountains and 'that area'. The roads in Spain, in my opinion, are the best in Europe.
Have a great time and make sure you stop to take in the view. You'll be going very slowly through Lake Como. It's v busy!
JM
We then dropped into France along the D117 and D118 (proper Eurohoon roads and not for the feint hearted!) and spent a night in Carcassonne before moving down to the coast for a few days. It would be easy to have stayed in Spain at different locations. If you give it a go, make sure you try the picos mountains and 'that area'. The roads in Spain, in my opinion, are the best in Europe.
Have a great time and make sure you stop to take in the view. You'll be going very slowly through Lake Como. It's v busy!
JM
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