Camping in a motor home in Italy

Our current spot in Tuscania

From what we have gleaned of Italians on holiday, by having just experienced their peak season (similar to our Christmas break - schools closed for up to 6 weeks - businesses closed for 3 weeks), we have made some Tyler observations. Take note this is only a small glimpse of Italians camping with motorhomes.

Camp Ground Natural
Lake Vico

We have seen a lot of motor homes where we have parked up at nights but during the days the numbers on the roads aren't anything like we have at home in NZ. This is possibly due the roading network ,which is huge, and there being multiple choices to get most places, for most, being the SuperStrada which we don't use so much. Caravans we have seen very few.

Camping under Plane Trees
Lake Bolsena

We haven't seen any rented motorhomes, they seem to be all owner occupied. Mostly Italians too, although some French, German & Dutch. Their registration plates have to show the country of registration - ours of course is GB. There doesn't appear to be any buses, nothing like Big Yella. They are all the big white, mostly shiny ones, no character such as having names like we give ours back home, and certainly not the paint jobs. We haven't seen any towing of cars or boats, a few with kayaks on the roof, but again nothing like NZ.

Camper Parking Orvieto

We have stayed in a few camp grounds, and interesting the difference to our ways at home. The camps don't have kitchens set up for cooking, only doing your dishes. Above the sinks sometimes are dish racks for your dishes to drip dry, as most homes we have seen so far. It's certainly a great way to keep your kitchen looking tidy, just the cupboard with dish rack after washing and they drip dry behind closed doors. In Italy I think they expect you to eat out, which can be very cheap.

Camper Parking Montefiascone

Toilets & showers pretty much the same except lots don't have toilet seats ( Bill thinks this is much more hygienic) and toilet paper sometimes, more often not. But we are lucky with our motorhome, I haven't experienced many public toilets. Only one camp so far has charged for hot showers, which we haven't needed in these current temperatures.  I found this surprising, with the country so dry at this time of the year, water supplies can't be an issue. Must have great storage facilities.
We have stayed in a few Camper Parks which are specific for camper vans. Some provide power, most with fresh water and dumping facilities. Some are free which is hard to see how they cover costs when they are providing power too! Some of the car parks have 24 hour parking which is great. We have seen very little signage stopping motor homes from parking over in towns (due to 24 hr parking fees) and the cost is not huge at the 24 hour parks, some even providing power. The prices are up over the peak July August season at the camps, so we are looking at reductions after that.

Camper Parking 24 hrs, we are the little one!

With all the positives there is the down side of no freedom camping, There just aren't the places to pull in to, or off the sides of the roads like we have at home. There may be some along the coast but as we have been trying to avoid the busy places since we left A&R back at the beginning of August, we haven't come across them.
We have stayed at one Agriturismo place, where farms are trying to make a little extra with doing the tourism thing too, lots of B&B's, not so many for camper vans. But over all so far it's been a positive experience. Lets see what we are writing over winter!