Going away with the caravan for at least 3 months this year and currently looking at Italian sites from the French border onwards which open from the beginning of March. We're using the 2015 ACSI books and 2014 dvd. So far we've tried all sites around as far as Tuscany and are having great difficulty in finding anything that doesn't have appalling reviews! Are all Italian sites staffed by rude no-hopers with awkward, tiny pitches and plagued with mosquitoes? Nobody seems to have a kind word about any of them ... several don't even take the ACSI card which they're supposed to out of season! Others try to charge extra which they shouldn't. Looks like the national sport is ripping off British caravanners!
Has anyone stayed anywhere which has easy approaches, large pitches, takes cards, has restaurants with edible food and a swimming pool that's open etc etc? ... there must be somewhere in Italy. We're hoping to get down to the Amalfi Coast but might change our minds and go to a different country instead!
.... or are all these reviews exaggerated?
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Itally is just SO different, but for ourselves we kept going back there for their architecture, their history, their art and their lifestyle. We never really chose campsites, but just pitched camp somewhere / anywhere close to the places we wanted to visit. Campsites were just somewhere to sleep, have breakfast and go sight seeing, shopping, eating and drinking.
We never had a "destination" site in mind, and never stayed more than four or five days at any one place, but saw Siena, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Assisi, Perugia and took off to the smaller places. Citta di Castello was lovely, it's camp site very ordinary, but a lady next door chattered away to us and baked us some jam tarts. I suppose we were the first and only Brits to find that campsite.
But if I really must suggest one site then have a look at camping Il Collacio at Preci - it's in Umbria.
Italy is wonderful, even if some of the campsites are ordinary.
We have just finished 4 weeks in Italy, can honestly say that the campsites were absolutely fine - for us we didn't see that much difference than those in France.
We are not in ACSI but have an old book as a site guide, would say some of the better sites we found were not in ACSI, don't limit yourself to the book. The sites we used that were not ACSI charged around €16 - €17 per night.
With one exception where we needed to use a site that wasn't really what we wanted for a one night stopover the rest were pretty good. Out of season and pools were closed as were restaurants but anyway there are plenty of places to eat without staying on the campsites.
In terms of campsite staff - 100% they were kind, helpful, friendly and most spoke fair English. We speak practically no Italian but using the odd word we do know certainly started most visits off on the right foot.
Diano Marina in Liguria was a favourite for us it would be hard to fault anything from staff to facilities to location etc. There is always something I guess no site is 5 star, if it is they certainly wont be offering ACSI discounts :)
Hope you find some good sites, Italy is amazing, don't be put off worrying about sites you will find something you like.
We have visited Italy a few times and never found a bad campsite mostly ACSI . We have spent a good time in Tuscany and Umbria and travelled down as far as Sorento and Bali. Where actually do you wish to visit? Italy is a lovely, friendly country but lately become a bit expencive but with the euro at the moment much better than recent years. Can give you a few tips on campsites if you wish.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We stayed at camping le balze near Volterra in Tuscany. We have done a review on here. Lovely campsite near a lovely town and a brilliant base to explore Tuscany.
We loved Italy and the people and will go back again.
Quote: Originally posted by Dot P on 05/1/2015
We have just finished 4 weeks in Italy, can honestly say that the campsites were absolutely fine - for us we didn't see that much difference than those in France.
We are not in ACSI but have an old book as a site guide, would say some of the better sites we found were not in ACSI, don't limit yourself to the book. The sites we used that were not ACSI charged around €16 - €17 per night.
With one exception where we needed to use a site that wasn't really what we wanted for a one night stopover the rest were pretty good. Out of season and pools were closed as were restaurants but anyway there are plenty of places to eat without staying on the campsites.
In terms of campsite staff - 100% they were kind, helpful, friendly and most spoke fair English. We speak practically no Italian but using the odd word we do know certainly started most visits off on the right foot.
Diano Marina in Liguria was a favourite for us it would be hard to fault anything from staff to facilities to location etc. There is always something I guess no site is 5 star, if it is they certainly wont be offering ACSI discounts :)
Hope you find some good sites, Italy is amazing, don't be put off worrying about sites you will find something you like.
We have topped at many ACSI Camping Card sites that are 5
Star. We have used ACSI since its beginning when the Reception at Diva Marina on the Cinque Terre in Italy gave us our first ACSI Book and Card. What a gift never been without it when travelling in Europe since. Never stopped at a bad site either.
Bacchante, I'm told there are 1700 campsites in Italy - far fewer than France which has nearly 10,000. That's one big difference, you don't find a site in every sizeable village as you do in France. Touring in Italy needs forward planning. France doesn't.
Prices at Italian sites can be higher than in France, so many people are attracted if ACSI card discounts are available. But that's only at 273 of those 1700 sites,. They may not necessarily be the best sites, they can be just those looking for customers. They may indeed be busier as a result. They may not really be in the locations you want them to be and you end up driving to where you really want to be.
So I' d suggest you need all the site guides you can find if you are touring in Italy. The ACSI card list is a good starting point, and will save you money , but it's limiting. There are many sites not on that list.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Are all Italian sites staffed by rude no-hopers with awkward, tiny pitches and plagued with mosquitoes? Nobody seems to have a kind word about any of them ... several don't even take the ACSI card which they're supposed to out of season! Others try to charge extra which they shouldn't. Looks like the national sport is ripping off British caravanners!
The biggest mistake is to consider that the Italians are just the French speaking a different language. They have their own rules and customs.
Published prices are jokingly called "i prezzi americani" for only Americans would pay them. Everything else is up for discussion. It is an enjoyable game for both sides.
After a slanging match in which you have cast doubt upon their parentage, their love of camels and general lack of morality, a price can be struck, a handshake ensues and you are the best of friends. They find someone just handing over the money, extremely boring.
Unfortunately,not many Brits bother to learn Italian so they fail to join in this sport,
Sgt., I like your style of writing too. At this rate you could become an officer soon....
And it sounds to me that you could have travelled with us very happily in India and SE Asia where absolutely nothing has a fixed price ,you barter cheerfully for everything, and you never get into a taxi or a motor rickshaw without agreeing the price in advance.
But seriously, you are right. Italy is outside the comfort zone for some Brits. I know a man who travelled East from Menton in France, spent a single day in Italy and turned his caravan round and went back to safety. He didn't like the food, he didn't like the campsites, and he didn't speak any Italian.
Quote: Originally posted by bacchante on 06/1/2015OP ....... any recommendations of good reliable sites between Menton and the Amalfi Coast? .. all recommendations appreciated ... and investigated!
Camping Bella Vista at Ceriale and Camping Marino at Diano Marina seem to be worth a look if you are going into Italy from Menton. At least they get one good review each here on this forum. Our own experiences along that coast were at at Camping Rustia at Spotorno, and on the beach (literally) at Ceriale. There was another site whose name I forget where there were no EHU bollards available so we plugged in through the window of the caravan next door and used an adaptor to use one of their socket outlets.
It's not our favourite stretch of coast. On all our other trips to Italy we went in over or under the Alps and came in from the north. We liked those routes better and liked the rest of Italy better too
You can see some reviews of italian sites we've visited in my reviews.
Never had a bad experience at an italian site ... though we did not like the Sienna city site ... others have liked it! There are large pitches available.
I lived in Italy for 20 years so speak Italian as a native.
We decided to go in October and went first to Imperia to a small campsite that on the internet at least seemed a lovely little site. It wasn't. There were mosquitoes, with tired and worn facilities - the shower only worked part of the day and the men's showers were cold (in spite of having to pay separately for them). 5 amp electricity, 6 euros for 2 hours of WIFI! 25 euros a night (although they recognise ACSI, they don't offer any discount. It was pokey and dark. We left and headed for the other side of Italy to the Adriatic.
A major problem in Italy is that the vast majority of campsite are closed in October/November, so there wasn't a lot to choose from.
We found a big site in Cesanatico. Same thing with ACSI - they recognised it and charged their own fees. However they have issues with dogs that weigh over 30 kilos for some reason - our dog weighs 55 kilos.
Evidently they were in need of money, so they wavered her tubbiness and let us in. 25 euros a night and 4 amps of electricity!! The facilities were unisex and most of the toilets were turkish (i.e. squat).
We left and decided to try an area di servizio (aire) near San Marino. However after we arrived (the price was very reasonable - 15 euros and the facilities clean), the other guests were from the travelling community. They had a very small child and dogs that just wandered about the campsite without supervision, which meant that we couldn't let our dog out of the van. We felt intimidated by the whole atmosphere. We left two hours after arriving (and paying).
We then moved on to where I used to live in the Marche near Pesaro and ended up staying outside our friends' house. It's a wonderful place and worth visiting, but evidently late autumn and winter is not the time to go to Italy.
We were told that there are issues with Aires in certain areas, due to the fact that the travelling community has taken them over, because they are cheap and offer all the facilities. For example in Pesaro there is a big aires which is cheap and offers all facilities, but nobody wants to go because of the intimidating atmosphere.
We certainly won't return in October - maybe Spring - but only after a lot more research.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Italian sites!
