Driving in southern Italy

The last two days we have driven quite long distances here in southern Italy. The day before yesterday we drove from Sicily to Tropea on the east coast of Calabria and yesterday we continued north-east to Taranto. Sometimes we've ended up in the middle of towns and villages, and the fact that it's crowded to drive with a motorhome on the city streets is of course just the first name.

Not only do you have to watch out for all the oncoming cars (which are in an incredible hurry), but also for all the cars parked at an angle and all the protruding balconies. But driving on the motorways isn't entirely relaxing either ...

Motorways with surprises

Calabria consists largely of high mountains and we drove through tunnel after tunnel. Sometimes it was as if the road only consisted of tunnels. In Golfo di Taranto the beaches were flat and gravel and we decided to continue towards Puglia (the heel). Being at 100 km/h (or faster) on a motorway is usually no problem at all with a motorhome. Doing 100 km/h when you never know what will happen next is worse.

Maybe a small Italian car that wants to overtake on the inside? Maybe a big bump in the road or a deep hole? Maybe a bridge with thick joints between the bridge plates? If you don't have a motorhome, you can try to imagine what it's like to drive over large bumps with 3.5 tonnes and a lot of clinking household goods and wine bottles....

When we finally arrived in the centre of the big city of Taranto, Peter was completely exhausted after seven hours of driving with full concentration. He didn't want to drive another metre, so we stopped for the night at the first best campsite after Taranto ...

Tunnlar och åter tunnlar när man kör motorväg på Kalabrien — Tunnels and more tunnels on the motorway in Calabria

En karta som visar hur vi körde igår — A map showing how we drove yesterday, by car in southern Italy

READ MORE: Swedes commit traffic offences abroad
READ MORE: Tropea in Italy - enjoy holidays in Calabria

Sun bay camping

We came up with a campsite on the San Vito estuary, just south of Taranto. This place is on the beach, along with a restaurant and a discotheque. For some reason things got very messy when we arrived.

It was difficult with both the language and the payment, and it took time before we finally found a place. There is nothing directly wrong with the campsite in general, but we do not feel that we really like it here, so we will probably move on soon.

11 August 2015 10:11

Italy

roads

Helena

Administrator

17 Comments

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Ama de casa says:

I wonder if I should not have taken care of those clinking wine bottles. During the actual driving, that is. I never drive anyway - I just help out. Maybe the cheers would have been a little happier then? 😉

11 August 2015 - 10:23

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Åsa says:

That's Otranto on the map! Check out the church with the skulls if you get there!

11 August 2015 - 11:35

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BP says:

Laughs at AMA's comment. It is spot on. Seven hours of this kind of driving is human trafficking. In addition, it is incredibly hard on the eyes - tunnel, sun, tunnel, sun -. Maybe time to get a driving licence Helena;-)
I hope you can recover in Taranto and stay there for a while.

11 August 2015 - 12:34

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Steve says:

When I see how they park in Italy, it feels luxurious to have both a lower and an upper car park on the road.

11 August 2015 - 13:19

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Steve says:

Something unexpected happened, but this is the full comment:
When I see how they park in Italy, it feels luxurious to have both a lower and an upper car park at Getingstorp. I have had difficulty orientating myself in the blog world lately due to my computer problems, but now most things are fixed so I should be able to follow your journey again.

11 August 2015 - 13:29

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Anki says:

Oh yeah... sometimes it feels like it's a bit unnecessarily exciting... gets hand sweat just from reading 🙂 .

11 August 2015 - 15:17

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Rantamor på näthinnan says:

Yes, it doesn't sound easy to drive in Italy, and I understand that Peter was tired after driving for 7 hours straight.
But it is not easy to sit next to the driver either, it also requires concentration !!!
Now take a few days and enjoy the camping life.

Tjingelingen from Rantamor.

11 August 2015 - 15:21

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Ama de casa, haha I would have been very happy then, we have a bunch of bottles...?

Åsa, it's here? Will check out Otranto!

BP, I don't think Peter would relax if I drove, haha. Well, it is he who is stubborn and wants to drive far. I usually say that we can stop whenever he wants...

Steve, good to hear that the computer problems are starting to resolve! How is the cat doing? Will check in with you later.

Anki, haha, there has to be a little excitement every now and then 😉.

Rantamor, I try to be a map reader and that's not always easy either 😉 We didn't like the campsite we were at yesterday so we've moved on again....

11 August 2015 - 16:14

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solan says:

Now you have to take it easy. The driver must breathe out, risk of tunnel vision otherwise. Had no idea it was so rocky on the midfoot. Hope for good footing in the future. The evening picture from the car park in Tropea? was delicious. Could almost hear how the Italian smacked between the motorhomes. Only washing lines were found ...

11 August 2015 - 16:26

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Maria says:

Understand that you were tired after that trip!!!
We have acquired a smaller motorhome and will be heading down to our daughter in northern Italy soon. Looking forward to your tips further in Italy! Do you have a plan where to go?

11 August 2015 - 16:39

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Dryden says:

Cruising through Milan or Turin is not always a great experience either. Lane, what is it? 🙂

11 August 2015 - 18:25

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admin says:

Solan, haha, he should have been allowed to breathe, but that was not the case! We have driven and driven today too 😉 We also liked the car park in Tropea. Would not surprise me if there was a washing line somewhere 😉.

Maria, how fun that you are going to Italy! Will you be travelling around a bit? We have been to northern Italy before and can recommend Verona and Bergamo, which are nice cities. Lake Garda is fantastic, as is Lake Iseo. Venice is also interesting to see! Right now we might disappoint you, because we are planning to leave Italy for new adventures very soon!

Dryden, Milan is horrible to drive in ....! We made lots of wrong turns and had to pay multiple tolls... blech!

11 August 2015 - 19:17

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Ditte says:

Wow, quite a distance to drive and I can really understand that Peter didn't want to drive another metre. It's not pleasant either to drive at full speed or to be a passenger.
And you are one experience richer...
I hope you can take it easy for a few days now and not drive a car.

11 August 2015 - 20:13

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Anette says:

Haha, yes Taranto and the surrounding area is not funny! Don't know how on the scale we disagreed about the road? and Italian tunnels are not funny...where were you? And where are you now and exhale? Gets so full of laughter when I read, it is soooo similar to how it usually is in Italy, rest now and take new steps imorgon☀️?

11 August 2015 - 20:22

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admin says:

Ditte, there was more car actually... We didn't like the campsite and then it wasn't so much fun to stay... Sometimes you are restless 😉.

Anette, glad you recognise yourself! We stayed one night at a campsite just south of Taranto (San Vito) but didn't like that campsite, so we moved on to the "tip of the hill". Now we are in a car park in a small town called Andiano, not far from Leuca. How did you travel?

11 August 2015 - 22:29

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Anette Å says:

Hello, brave ones,
we came from Bari where we went from Igoumenitsa, look at different suggestions before you go over, but it's the closest from Brindisi, but we went superfast at night at half past one from Greece and were in Italy at half past ten, we thought that was good...
yes yes, we went from Bari to Taranto, no problems on that road:) then we went a bit on the road towards Lecce, and after a few miles we turned off towards San Pietro de Bevagna out on the coast, and that's where the "misery" starts, but it was nice to swim there, but what a shock, so many people compared to Greece ... but we did not go further down but the same way back, may do the rest next year, but not when the Italian holiday has begun!!!

12 August 2015 - 9:12

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admin says:

Anette, interesting to hear how you travelled! The Italians are on holiday in August so it is probably hysterical during this period ... But if I may believe you, it may be a little quieter in Greece? It does not sound so stupid! 🙂

13 August 2015 - 6:34

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Tropea in Italy - enjoy holidays in Calabria | FREEDOMtravel

Driving in southern Italy

Motorways with surprises

Sun bay camping

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17 Comments

Ama de casa says:

Åsa says:

BP says:

Steve says:

Steve says:

Anki says:

Rantamor på näthinnan says:

admin says:

solan says:

Maria says:

Dryden says:

admin says:

Ditte says:

Anette says:

admin says:

Anette Å says:

admin says:

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