Driving to Milan

[Michael.McD]

Hi all,

I'm planing a driving holiday from London to Milan mid October.

Any roads, sights, I should take in or tips or comments etc. would be much appreciated.

I'll be doing the serious planning and booking this friday.

Ta in advance,
Michael McD.

[bigbrowncow]

I've just been down that way - route depends on how much time you've got.

Autoroute via Calais-Reims-Nice-Genova is fast but not too exciting.

The long tunnels (Mont Blanc, etc.) are terribly boring. ()

Route Napoleon is meant to be fantastic down to South France, but never taken it myself.

Did Autoroute down to Switzerland and then Saint Gottard pass over the Alps last week. Would suggest going this way if you have time, but there are currently major roadworks on that pass, so unless you have an SUV I would suggest the coastal route.

[dcb]

Michael.McD said:

Hi all, I'm planing a driving holiday from London to Milan mid October. Any roads, sights, I should take in or tips or comments etc. would be much appreciated.

The route I would choose would be

1. Calais
2. Aachen
3. Frankfurt
4. Karlsruhe
5. Basle
6. Milan

and give the car a Vmax workout. Remember that driving
standards on the Continent are much higher than in UK,
and they drive much faster.

[Bodo]

dcb said:

The route I would choose would be 1. Calais 2. Aachen 3. Frankfurt 4. Karlsruhe 5. Basle 6. Milan

Nice route, dcb; but I'd replace the stretch Karlsruhe...Basel with Karlsruhe...Stuttgart...Singen, because the stretch between Stuttgart and Singen is a splendid piece of uncongested, three-laned and derestricted Autobahn [A81] through the Black Forest. Not the shortest link from Karlsruhe to Milan, but hey

[Michael.McD]

Sounding good so far...

Michael

Ps I've got 14 days and the cars a TVR!

[federx]

if you pass by switzerland remeber to drive on the st gottardo pass..

if you come by france remember that the Genova/Milano (the Serravalle) is one of the besta autostrada stretches in Italy with wind, blind corners and sea if you make something wrong...

remeber to drive it with light traffic!!

enjoy

[gruffy]

I'm doing the same trip for the GP in two weeks, but I'm planning to do it in 3 days each way. Is that realistic? Any amendments to this route for a 7 day trip?

[vetteheadracer]

Checkout Classic and Sportcar mag this month. They just bought an Alfa from Italy and drove it back, it might give you some good ideas.

[gruffy]

bigbrowncow said:

Route Napoleon is meant to be fantastic down to South France, but never taken it myself. Did Autoroute down to Switzerland and then Saint Gottard pass over the Alps last week. Would suggest going this way if you have time.

Yup, the Route Napoleon is one of the finest stretches of tarmac I have ever seen. Fast, smooth, twisty, visible, wide. It's as close to a racetrack as you can get! Took this route as the sun went down.

Did the Stelvio Pass - awesome. St Gotthard Pass and the Furkapass on the other side - awesome. The roads between the Stelvio Pass and the St Gotthard Pass are possibly THE best roads in the world.

Will report in detail (and hopefully with pics and vids) when I'm not on work's time.

Gruffy