Road Trip through Italy - 3 week round trip

In another blog article, we've already covered the basics of camping in Italy, be sure to check it out to be prepared for your road trip through Italy. Our route combines historic cities, stunning coastlines and beaches as well as mountainous sections and we give you recommendations for campsites at each stop.

Here, you can read more about wild camping. It's generally forbidden in Italy and only allowed in certain exceptions but we also give you places to stay if you need a short ´breather` on your round trip. Especially in larger cities, it makes sense to book a campsite so take a look at our tips and then decide for yourself. Of course, you can adapt the route and skip stops and extend or shorten your stay if you want to.

We recommend our California Ocean, Opel Crosscamp and Mercedes Marco Polo for your trip through Italy. These offer enough comfort with a fixed kitchen, cool box and water system and you can drive them like a regular car to smoothly drive through the small towns and coastal villages. Additionally, there are expenses for tolls, diesel and parking/camping. Tolls in Italy, Switzerland and Austria are about €200. You also need to factor in the cost of diesel for the entire route, which is between 500€ and 650€ depending on the price per litre. In addition, there are costs for parking spaces which amount to 20€ - 30€ per day on average. If you change or shorten the route you can also save money.

We start from our location in Munich and drive towards Austria. We recommend Bolzano in the north of Italy as the first stop on the road trip. The capital of South Tyrol is known for its beautiful landscape in the Dolomites and an excellent location as starting point for hikes. We recommend the campsite Camping Chalet Salten a little north of Bolzano. Here you can find our recommended parking space. A little fun fact: our founder Paul has roots in the Dolomites. His favourite camping site and insider tip is the Caravan Park Sexten which is about 100 kilometres away from Bolzano.

On the second day we drive from Bolzano to Venice. The whole city is full of sights and crisscrossed by several small canals. Camping Venezia Village is located right in front of the lagoon, you can reach the city within 15 minutes by public transport. If you're just looking for a parking space, you should go

here. From here you can get to the centre of Venice within 25 minutes.

From Venice, we travel to Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. The region is mainly known for its culinary exports such as Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, wines and, of course, pasta. There's a reason why Bologna has the affectionate nickname ´la grassa` meaning the thick one. Here, you should definitely eat well and also visit a couple of small stores to pick up delicious food. You can camp at the Camping Centro Turistico Citta Di Bologna, from there it takes you about 25 minutes by public transport to get into the city centre. The parking lot is a bit more remote, from there you need 45 minutes to walk to the city center.

On the fourth day we're driving to another country. More precisely, to the little state of San Marino. Probably the oldest republic in the world, San Marino is located not far from Rimini on the Adriatic coast. In the enclave you can camp in the Centro Vacanze San Marino and park here.

After San Marino, we return to Italy, more precisely to the region of Umbria. There lies the ´Parco Regionale del Lago Trasimeno`, a lake with many historic fishing villages on the border to Tuscany. On the north-east shore, there's the Camping Eden Park in a small village. You can finda pitch here. If you want a free pitch, you should go to the southern part of the eastern shore in San Feliciano.

Here you can stay in the small parking lot of the local harbor and enjoy the beautiful view of the lake.

Fancy a road trip to Italy but don't really koow where to go or which campsites are the best? Then check out the Off Guide. We plan your road trip according to your individual wishes and down to the smallest detail.

On the sixth day our road trip through Italy leads us to the sea, more precisely to the coast of Lazio in the small town of Pescia Romana which is on the border to Tuscany. We recommend to stay at the Club Degli Amici Camping Village. You can find a parking lot about two kilometres further down the road.

Continue to one of the absolute highlights of the trip, one of the most historic cities in the world: Rome. You will stay here for three days, which you will need to explore the city to some extent. Countless sights, mostly from antiquity, await you in this city. We recommend to stay at the campsite Camper Parking Area - Romae, so that you don't have to drive around in your camper in Rome. It's located at the metro station Arco di Travertino, so you can be in the centre in less than 10 minutes. If you're looking for a parking space, you should stop by here. From here you can reach the Colosseum within 30 minutes. However, we do advise you to stay at a campsite in Rome.

After your stay in Rome, your Italy road trip will take you further south to another historic city. Situated on the Gulf of Naples, you'll spend the next two days of your trip in Pompeii, either at the Fortuna Village Pompei campground or on a parking lot nearby. By train you can get to the centre of Naples within 30 minutes. We recommend visiting Vesuvius and exploring ancient Pompeii, both of which are classic sights. A visit to a real Neapolitan pizzeria is also a must-do. Many Neapolitans swear by the L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele in Naples.

Continue south along the Amalfi Coast to get to your next destination. In the small town of Cetraro at the instep of Italy is your next stop. Here you have the choice between the small camping site Lido Dei Pini or a parking lot a few hundred metres away, both of which are right by the sea.

Continue along the coast towards Sicily. In Villa San Giovanni you take the ferry to Messina. During the 30-minute ride across the strait you can enjoy the view of the sea. Messina is called the gateway of Sicily and has some impressive sights to offer. Camping Riva Smeralda, which we recommend to you, is located in the north of Milazzo, about 50 minutes from Messina. Our recommended parking lot is in Contrada Marmora, about 25 minutes from the city.

Day 14 brings you to the capital of Sicily, Palermo. Located in a bay on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy's fifth largest city is surrounded by mountains. The most famous spot there is Monte Pellegrino, which Goethe called ´the most beautiful promontory in the world`. The view here - especially in good weather - is simply fantastic. There's also a parking lot which you can use. If you want to park a little closer to the centre, there's a parking lot at the Palermo stadium. A few hundred metres away is the Camping place Idea Vacanze. From here you can reach the centre in about 25 minutes by public transport.

Your round trip continues back to the mainland of Italy. This time you drive across Sicily to Catania. The city is beautiful and located on Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. You can make a stop there and have some food or a cup of coffee. Your destination is near Siderno, on the ´sole` of the Italian boot. We recommend a parking lot by the sea at Marina di San Ilario. In Caulonia Marina you'll find the campsite Camping Afrodite, which lies right by the sea as well.

On the next day, your road trip takes you further north near Taranto. The Gulf of Taranto stretches from the ´heel` to the ´tip` of the Italian boot. Here we recommend the Camping Internationale in Lido di Metaponto which is not far from the coast. Right on the coast, however, is our recommended parking lot which is right by the sea.

The road trip continues to Abruzzo, more precisely to Pescara. Among other things, the city is known for the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine. In the small village of Francavilla al Mare, about 10 kilometres from Pescara, is the Francavilla campsite which we can only recommend. Here you're about 50 metres from the coast of the Adriatic Sea. In the north of Pescara is a parking lot - also not far from the beach - which we suggest as an alternative.

On the eighteenth day we drive to one of my personal highlights, Siena. The historic city is of course known for the Piazza del Campo in the centre where one of the toughest horse races, the Palio di Siena, takes place twice a year. Due to its history, Siena has even been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. If you're looking for a campsite here, you should check out Camping Siena Colleverde. It's about 3 kilometres from the centre, you'll be there in about 20 minutes by public transport. For Siena, we have two parking options. To the east of the city is a parking lot with a bus stop but it takes about the same time on foot and you also see more of the city. In the west near the soccer stadium is the second parking lot. It takes about the same time on foot as well.

The highlights don't stop there because after Siena your round trip takes you to Cinque Terre near La Spezia. The five coastal villages are known for their phenomenal location and picturesque views. Cinque Terre is accessed by a walking trail that's about 9 kilometres long, there are of course roads and rail connections. Cinque Terre is very popular on Instagram, here you have the opportunity to enhance your page. Near La Spezia you have the possibility to stay at the campsite Area Sosta Camper La Meridiana in Ameglia or at a parking lot here. Alternatively, you can stop here where you have a fantastic view.

Lake Como in northern Italy is the last stop on your road trip through Italy. The lake is known as a film set for movies like Star Wars and Casino Royale but also for its unique landscape. As a campsite we recommend Camping La'vedo. You can find parking lots with a nice view of Lake Como in Como and in Laglio. Here you can end your round trip with delicious pasta and let your vacation pass in review.

On the last day you drive from back to our location in Munich, where you return your camper to us. If we have aroused your interest for a road trip through Italy, you should book your camper now and start your adventure!