Italian road trip 2026 - any suggestions?
Discussion
We tend to road trip into Europe most years and have just booked 10 nights close to Modena to combine some gigs at the Jazz Open event and some regional exploration. Obviously that will include several of the supercar museums.
Travelling from Scotland, via Newcastle - Amsterdam ferry, we are planning on taking about 5 nights getting to Modena, a couple of nights each stop.
The outline plan is a stop someone near Baden Baden, then perhaps Lucerne and Como. Coming back, possibly somewhere near Briançon, then Beaune, then Epernay and back into the UK via Channel Tunnel.
In full, about 3 weeks is planned. So far, only the Modena accommodation is booked.
We did the Mercedes museum this year driving to the Dolomites and have other plans for the Porsche museum so alternatives to Stuttgart are preferred.
I'd love to get some great suggestions for places to stay or visit or alternatives to the above stops (but broadly on the same general route).
Travelling from Scotland, via Newcastle - Amsterdam ferry, we are planning on taking about 5 nights getting to Modena, a couple of nights each stop.
The outline plan is a stop someone near Baden Baden, then perhaps Lucerne and Como. Coming back, possibly somewhere near Briançon, then Beaune, then Epernay and back into the UK via Channel Tunnel.
In full, about 3 weeks is planned. So far, only the Modena accommodation is booked.
We did the Mercedes museum this year driving to the Dolomites and have other plans for the Porsche museum so alternatives to Stuttgart are preferred.
I'd love to get some great suggestions for places to stay or visit or alternatives to the above stops (but broadly on the same general route).
The only recommendation I would give you is once you're past Belgium/Luxembourg stay off the Autoroutes/Autobahns/Autopistas and go cross country.
The B roads in southern Germany are fantastic and generally not that busy except around major conurbations. The B500 from Baden Baden heading south is hyped as one of the best driving roads in Germany but there are so many restrictions on it now I think it's lost its attraction. Alternatives are better.
Of course if you're in the area it would be a shame not to arrive in Italy via the Stelvio or Brenner passes especially if the weather is good. A stop in Konstance would be nice on the way and traversing through using Austria's main roads will be more fun than Switzerland with their speed limits.
Once in Italy you'll find using the SS roads more enjoyable and scenic than the madness on the Autopistas and while it might take a bit longer it's a lot less stressful. A stop in any of the small towns around Garda is nice and not overly expensive. We quite like Sermione. Further down Bologna is a surprising treat and if you can squeeze in a trip to San Marino and the old F1 circuit.
Oh, and if you're coming back via France and like car museums the Schulmpf collection in the French National Motor Museum is an absolute must see. More Bugattis than you'll ever see in a lifetime.
https://www.musee-automobile.fr/en/discover-the-mu...
The B roads in southern Germany are fantastic and generally not that busy except around major conurbations. The B500 from Baden Baden heading south is hyped as one of the best driving roads in Germany but there are so many restrictions on it now I think it's lost its attraction. Alternatives are better.
Of course if you're in the area it would be a shame not to arrive in Italy via the Stelvio or Brenner passes especially if the weather is good. A stop in Konstance would be nice on the way and traversing through using Austria's main roads will be more fun than Switzerland with their speed limits.
Once in Italy you'll find using the SS roads more enjoyable and scenic than the madness on the Autopistas and while it might take a bit longer it's a lot less stressful. A stop in any of the small towns around Garda is nice and not overly expensive. We quite like Sermione. Further down Bologna is a surprising treat and if you can squeeze in a trip to San Marino and the old F1 circuit.
Oh, and if you're coming back via France and like car museums the Schulmpf collection in the French National Motor Museum is an absolute must see. More Bugattis than you'll ever see in a lifetime.
https://www.musee-automobile.fr/en/discover-the-mu...
Edited by Voodoo Blue on Tuesday 16th December 11:59
Cheers, great ideas. We did the Schumpf collection in 2023, spectacular museum for its scale and bugatti's!
This year we went over the Grossglockner, although it was very foggy so didn't really see much. Came back via the Reschen Pass for the full on Heidi vibe so other pass recommendations welcome.
I am questioning whether Switzerland is the best option. We popped in for a day this summer and found it lovely but ferociously expensive so maybe Austria is the better bet.
This year we went over the Grossglockner, although it was very foggy so didn't really see much. Came back via the Reschen Pass for the full on Heidi vibe so other pass recommendations welcome.
I am questioning whether Switzerland is the best option. We popped in for a day this summer and found it lovely but ferociously expensive so maybe Austria is the better bet.
We stayed one night in Barolo and loved it. To be fair we were travelling through France and unexpectedly stayed here on our travels.
We stayed in Agriturismo II Ciabot. Lovely little village square nearby with a great pizza restaurant.
Possibly not on your route but thought I'd mention.
We stayed in Agriturismo II Ciabot. Lovely little village square nearby with a great pizza restaurant.
Possibly not on your route but thought I'd mention.
bigglesA110 said:
We tend to road trip into Europe most years and have just booked 10 nights close to Modena to combine some gigs at the Jazz Open event and some regional exploration. Obviously that will include several of the supercar museums.
Travelling from Scotland, via Newcastle - Amsterdam ferry, we are planning on taking about 5 nights getting to Modena, a couple of nights each stop.
The outline plan is a stop someone near Baden Baden, then perhaps Lucerne and Como. Coming back, possibly somewhere near Briançon, then Beaune, then Epernay and back into the UK via Channel Tunnel.
In full, about 3 weeks is planned. So far, only the Modena accommodation is booked.
We did the Mercedes museum this year driving to the Dolomites and have other plans for the Porsche museum so alternatives to Stuttgart are preferred.
I'd love to get some great suggestions for places to stay or visit or alternatives to the above stops (but broadly on the same general route).
We did something similar a few years ago, but a 5 week round trip, and looped the opposite way around.Travelling from Scotland, via Newcastle - Amsterdam ferry, we are planning on taking about 5 nights getting to Modena, a couple of nights each stop.
The outline plan is a stop someone near Baden Baden, then perhaps Lucerne and Como. Coming back, possibly somewhere near Briançon, then Beaune, then Epernay and back into the UK via Channel Tunnel.
In full, about 3 weeks is planned. So far, only the Modena accommodation is booked.
We did the Mercedes museum this year driving to the Dolomites and have other plans for the Porsche museum so alternatives to Stuttgart are preferred.
I'd love to get some great suggestions for places to stay or visit or alternatives to the above stops (but broadly on the same general route).
We did Loire Valley, Provence, Milan/Como, Tuscany, Leysin & Gstaad (Switzerland), then back via Reims and Versailles.
If you're looking a Como, we stayed here: https://www.villalibertycomo.it/en/ Easily the cheapest hotels we stayed in, but beautifully and perfect location.
Yet to finalise this years route but coming from Germany to Solden in Austria. Will do Stuttgart and Munich
Down to Medena, Milan & Turin, quick detour to Monaco and then Aix en provence
Up the A75 to Michelin , Clermont Ferrand, to their museum continue up to calais via Paris and Beavais
Down to Medena, Milan & Turin, quick detour to Monaco and then Aix en provence
Up the A75 to Michelin , Clermont Ferrand, to their museum continue up to calais via Paris and Beavais
Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany is a pleasant enough place.
On Lake Como I can recommend this hotel in Tremezzo - https://www.hotelvillamarie.com/
Try and book a room in the original building with a lake view.
On Lake Garda I can recommend this hotel in Salo http://www.locandadelbenaco.com/
The restaurant is also excellent. You need to park in one of the municipal car parks - but it wasn't an issue when we did this.
In Epernay we stayed in the Aux Armes de Champagne, but this was about 35 years ago so I have no idea if it's still good.
Lake Como is fairly convenient for the Alfa Museum, but check the opening times before putting together your schedule as its not open every day (or at least it wasn't when we last visited)
On Lake Como I can recommend this hotel in Tremezzo - https://www.hotelvillamarie.com/
Try and book a room in the original building with a lake view.
On Lake Garda I can recommend this hotel in Salo http://www.locandadelbenaco.com/
The restaurant is also excellent. You need to park in one of the municipal car parks - but it wasn't an issue when we did this.
In Epernay we stayed in the Aux Armes de Champagne, but this was about 35 years ago so I have no idea if it's still good.
Lake Como is fairly convenient for the Alfa Museum, but check the opening times before putting together your schedule as its not open every day (or at least it wasn't when we last visited)
bennno said:
I d skip Germany go via Alsace, e.g riqwihr - foods better.
Then the alps - andermatt and do 3-4 of the big Swiss mountain passes.
Alfa museum is mind blowing, it s north of Milan.
Lake maggiore / como or Garda especially nice - Sirmione in particular.
Cheers, nice option. Booked into hotels in Lucerne and on the Furka pass so plenty of time to do the Furka and Grimsel and perhaps even Susten Pass before dropping into Italy. Then the alps - andermatt and do 3-4 of the big Swiss mountain passes.
Alfa museum is mind blowing, it s north of Milan.
Lake maggiore / como or Garda especially nice - Sirmione in particular.
Edited by bigglesA110 on Saturday 20th December 10:29
bigglesA110 said:
Cheers, nice option. Booked into hotels in Lucerne and on the Furka pass so plenty of time to do the Furka and Grimsel and perhaps even Susten Pass before dropping into Italy.
Although it has lots of interactive stuff for kids, the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne is pretty amazing for adults with an interest in trains, planes and automobiles 
https://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en/
Regarding Italy, 1h15 drive away from Modena is the city of Ferrara, which is a hidden gem of a Italy Renaissance city. We spent a long weekend there last year (having ridden down on the motorbike from Geneva), and it was a perfect mix of excellent food, art, and architecture, and happily free of the mass tourism that afflicts many Italian cities over the past decade or so.
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