Lake Garda - drive or fly?
Discussion
We are thinking of going to Bardolino, Garda for a week in July. We have a hotel booked.
I originally thought we'd drive. A different experience, useful to have the car there and increased inflexibility. But mainly to avoid being at the mercy of airlines, their COVID measures and so forth.
Then Lady Balfour decided that we should fly, for convenience. Because I know that I will do 99% of the driving I caved in and agreed.
But with the recent flight cancellations, increased COVID levels and general buggerance I am looking again at driving.
It's about 1000 miles each way and we'd stop 1-2 nights on the way down and back.
Has anyone done this route by road recently? Any thoughts appreciated.
I've done it by motorbike a few times and you can find plenty of interesting places to visit and great roads on the way down if you want to take more than a couple of days over it an enjoy the trip. Sitting on a motorway all day is not fun at all
Another alternative, I think you can still get a Motorail train from Northern Germany to Northern Italy, which cuts down on the driving a lot.
Once you're in the area there's some stunning scenery up in the hills, the area around Lake Valvestino was one of the highlights for me, so having vehicle is definitely worth it, but of course you can always hire one there.
Another alternative, I think you can still get a Motorail train from Northern Germany to Northern Italy, which cuts down on the driving a lot.
Once you're in the area there's some stunning scenery up in the hills, the area around Lake Valvestino was one of the highlights for me, so having vehicle is definitely worth it, but of course you can always hire one there.
Louis Balfour said:
We are thinking of going to Bardolino, Garda for a week in July. We have a hotel booked.
I originally thought we'd drive. A different experience, useful to have the car there and increased inflexibility. But mainly to avoid being at the mercy of airlines, their COVID measures and so forth.
Then Lady Balfour decided that we should fly, for convenience. Because I know that I will do 99% of the driving I caved in and agreed.
But with the recent flight cancellations, increased COVID levels and general buggerance I am looking again at driving.
It's about 1000 miles each way and we'd stop 1-2 nights on the way down and back.
Has anyone done this route by road recently? Any thoughts appreciated.
We did it last August (and we're doing it again this September).I originally thought we'd drive. A different experience, useful to have the car there and increased inflexibility. But mainly to avoid being at the mercy of airlines, their COVID measures and so forth.
Then Lady Balfour decided that we should fly, for convenience. Because I know that I will do 99% of the driving I caved in and agreed.
But with the recent flight cancellations, increased COVID levels and general buggerance I am looking again at driving.
It's about 1000 miles each way and we'd stop 1-2 nights on the way down and back.
Has anyone done this route by road recently? Any thoughts appreciated.
July SHOULD be ok traffic wise. We arrived there on the Friday of the middle weekend in August, which is the European bank holiday weekend, and traffic was hideous. It took over 2 hours to get from Riva Del Garda to Salo - which is about 12km. At this point I had ignored Waze, which was advising me to go around the bottom of the lake - I suspect I should have followed that advice.
As for the drive down (during the "Red List" period) we did Eurotunnel -> Koln -> Neuschwanstein -> Salo. We crossed the Alps in Austria on the Timmelsjoch. The actual mountain pass was great, but the road down on the other side was really quite tedious - I'm sure this wasn't helped by the weather. It was pissing with rain.
Coming home we started the journey on Lake Como, did 2 nights in the Black Forest (Lake Titisee) and then home from there in one hit. Really not a problem - although Flexplus on Eurotunnel helps alot in this scenario as you have less control as to when you'll actually arrive at Calais.
This year my plans are somewhat different.
We're doing Harwich -> Hook of Holland by overnight ferry. This gets you to Hook of Holland at 8am (European Time), bright eyed and bushy tailed and all ready to hit the road. We're then doing Hook of Holland -> Innsbruck in one hit. Google maps says its 972Km and 10 hours - but probably 60% of that is unrestricted Autobahn, so my thinking is it's about 8 hours of actual driving and 10 hours total with stops. We're then doing Innsbruck -> Torri Del Benaco over the Brenner pass. I know that's against the PH code, but suits our approach for this trip.
The journey home isn't really relevant to this thread as we're going via Spain.
Done this many times over the years.
We go again in June. Always drive.
We leave home (Derby) at 5:00am bomb down to Dover for the crossing.
We then head for Reims, strasbourg and then Mulhouse for the overnight stay right next to the Swiss border.
We usually arrive here at around 5:00.
So day one is a long day, I do all the driving, we stick to motorways. We tried non motorways once and it was pain in the arse slow, although this would be a good option if you allowed 3 days to get there.
Day 2 is through Switzerland into Italy. We always stay in Salo (West Side) and arrive there mid pm.
In the old days we used to charge down at silly speeds (90 - 100) I fear those days are gone now so nowadays we just do 80 - 85 and stay under the eyes of the feds.
Good luck...
We go again in June. Always drive.
We leave home (Derby) at 5:00am bomb down to Dover for the crossing.
We then head for Reims, strasbourg and then Mulhouse for the overnight stay right next to the Swiss border.
We usually arrive here at around 5:00.
So day one is a long day, I do all the driving, we stick to motorways. We tried non motorways once and it was pain in the arse slow, although this would be a good option if you allowed 3 days to get there.
Day 2 is through Switzerland into Italy. We always stay in Salo (West Side) and arrive there mid pm.
In the old days we used to charge down at silly speeds (90 - 100) I fear those days are gone now so nowadays we just do 80 - 85 and stay under the eyes of the feds.
Good luck...
Edited by tozerman on Tuesday 5th April 10:00
we went to Venice and came back via Garda in my old 2005 Mustang - loved it (though to be fair it was a 2 week holiday). Also did Austria/Switzerland in my 2006 Crossfire and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Sadly both trips were some time ago and so no real relevance to current conditions (vis-a-vis covid/Brexit etc), but if you've not driven it before I urge you to try
Sadly both trips were some time ago and so no real relevance to current conditions (vis-a-vis covid/Brexit etc), but if you've not driven it before I urge you to try
We had planned to do this in the e-niro in june 2021 - then cancelled due to the covid uncertainty.
I'm not very well travelled and hate planes (my name is not Mr T...) other half has been there a few times and absolutely loves it. My barber is from around there and every time i get a frikkin haircut he asks me if i've booked it again.
So desperately want to do it this year but i've just found out they're not renewing my FTC at work, so as things stand i won't be in lake garda this June, i'll be unemployed instead!
IMO, you see so much more and can 'stop' at any point you see something interesting when driving - it's an adventure on its own. If you were in a plane, it would all just look like green and grey blobs.
I'm not very well travelled and hate planes (my name is not Mr T...) other half has been there a few times and absolutely loves it. My barber is from around there and every time i get a frikkin haircut he asks me if i've booked it again.
So desperately want to do it this year but i've just found out they're not renewing my FTC at work, so as things stand i won't be in lake garda this June, i'll be unemployed instead!
IMO, you see so much more and can 'stop' at any point you see something interesting when driving - it's an adventure on its own. If you were in a plane, it would all just look like green and grey blobs.
I'm going to Como in August.
Original plan was to fly. We then decided that driving would be more fun and allow more freedom.
However, several factors have swayed us back to Easyjet:
1. Hassle factor of a near-two day journey each way rather than a short flight to Milan and back
2. Cheapness of flights - less than 100 quid
3. Expense of fuel
4. A hire car isn't that bad in cost, depending on what you get
If you're making a full holiday of it and doing stuff on the way down and way back, then driving it is the way forward. Our circumstances and time constraints mean we don't have that luxury.
Original plan was to fly. We then decided that driving would be more fun and allow more freedom.
However, several factors have swayed us back to Easyjet:
1. Hassle factor of a near-two day journey each way rather than a short flight to Milan and back
2. Cheapness of flights - less than 100 quid
3. Expense of fuel
4. A hire car isn't that bad in cost, depending on what you get
If you're making a full holiday of it and doing stuff on the way down and way back, then driving it is the way forward. Our circumstances and time constraints mean we don't have that luxury.
We did it just before covid in a motorhome. Stopped in Chamonix in the way out (mostly because I love Cham!) And near St Anton in the way back, although the return trip was after a second week spent in the Dolomites. Driving on the continent is very easy, it's the UK leg that's the ballache IME.
We've driven it many times, and always made an adventure of it. (And are doing it again this August). Recommend a night in Germany (Freiburg is lovely) - and can be done in a day, with an early start.
If you then head down through Switzerland and stay somewhere like Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen you can do the GrimselPass, Furka Pass and last leg of the Gotthard - which brings you over the Alps and into Southern Switzerland - it's then a couple of hours of motorway to Garda.
Coming back we tend to do the Frejus tunnel and a night in Chambery, and then Autoroute it back.
If you then head down through Switzerland and stay somewhere like Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen you can do the GrimselPass, Furka Pass and last leg of the Gotthard - which brings you over the Alps and into Southern Switzerland - it's then a couple of hours of motorway to Garda.
Coming back we tend to do the Frejus tunnel and a night in Chambery, and then Autoroute it back.
Drive it!
Luxembourg, Germany then Gottard or Brenner for an easy trip.
Overnighters for that trip, we stick to Strasbourg, Baden Baden, and southern Black Forest (our favourite), and stay in Salo.
I suppose it’s where your driving from, we 10/15 mins from the tunnel so get away with a 8am train and in the Black Forest for late afternoon.
It’s a shame they stopped the overnight sleeper from Paris… because the train was a really decent option.. 8pm departure and a 8 am arrival.
Luxembourg, Germany then Gottard or Brenner for an easy trip.
Overnighters for that trip, we stick to Strasbourg, Baden Baden, and southern Black Forest (our favourite), and stay in Salo.
I suppose it’s where your driving from, we 10/15 mins from the tunnel so get away with a 8am train and in the Black Forest for late afternoon.
It’s a shame they stopped the overnight sleeper from Paris… because the train was a really decent option.. 8pm departure and a 8 am arrival.
I will be driving in early July. Late Eurotunnel crossing then overnight in Calais. Journey from Calais to Riva Del Garda broken up with a night in Baden Baden (with a blast along the B500). Plenty of de-restricted autobahn heading south to Innsbruck and then into Italy via Brenner Pass. 3 nights on Garda, one night on Como and then a few nights on Maggiore.
The journey home involves a stopover in Andermatt (will take in the local passes) and possibly Strasbourg.
I was last down that way in 2019 and can’t wait to return
Rich
The journey home involves a stopover in Andermatt (will take in the local passes) and possibly Strasbourg.
I was last down that way in 2019 and can’t wait to return
Rich
Rich.H said:
I will be driving in early July. Late Eurotunnel crossing then overnight in Calais. Journey from Calais to Riva Del Garda broken up with a night in Baden Baden (with a blast along the B500). Plenty of de-restricted autobahn heading south to Innsbruck and then into Italy via Brenner Pass. 3 nights on Garda, one night on Como and then a few nights on Maggiore.
The journey home involves a stopover in Andermatt (will take in the local passes) and possibly Strasbourg.
I was last down that way in 2019 and can’t wait to return
Rich
Have you looked into Harwich -> Hook of Holland overnight ferry?The journey home involves a stopover in Andermatt (will take in the local passes) and possibly Strasbourg.
I was last down that way in 2019 and can’t wait to return
Rich
It dumps you out in Hook of Holland at 8am - and the crossing is long enough to get a decent nights sleep.
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