In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Sirmione via Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Bergamo to Lake Como, through Ticino to Lake Maggiore and on to Lake Orta: around 445 kilometres, two countries, one car ferry – and more time on the lakeside promenade than behind the wheel.
The spirit of the route
The lakes along the southern edge of the Alps are no destination for mile-eaters. Tunnels, shore roads and ferry landings take turns here, and every bay has a different light: the hard blue of Lake Garda beneath the limestone walls of Limone, the quiet green of Lake Iseo around car-free Monte Isola, the villa gardens on Lake Como, where azaleas, cypresses and camellias reach down to the water. In the morning crockery rattles in the harbour bar, the first ferries cast off, and the smell of wet stone and oleander drifts in through the sliding door. Beyond Lugano the language stays the same, but the rules do not: vignette, heavy-vehicle charge, cantonal camping laws. On Lake Maggiore the Borromean Islands lie like ships off Stresa, and the journey ends at Orta San Giulio with its monastery island. This route demands planning – fixed pitches, narrow vehicles, early starts – and rewards you with evenings by the water once the day visitors have gone.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Sirmione to Riva del Garda (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- From the Sirmione peninsula via Peschiera, follow the Gardesana Orientale (SR249) north along the east shore: Lazise, Bardolino, Garda, Torri del Benaco, Malcesine, Torbole, Riva. As far as Garda the road is wide and flat; beyond it Monte Baldo presses down to the shore and the road becomes narrower, with town centres, traffic lights and short galleries. In summer traffic regularly backs up in Malcesine and Torbole; driving time is just under 2 hours, often more in practice.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sirmione: the Scaliger Castle with its moated harbour, and the Grotte di Catullo, the ruins of a Roman villa at the tip of the peninsula.
- Malcesine: the Scaliger Castle above the harbour and the rotating cable car up Monte Baldo, with views across the whole northern part of the lake.
- Riva del Garda: the Cascata del Varone waterfall in the neighbouring valley and the climb to the Bastione above the old town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Area Sosta Camper Brione in Riva del Garda, run by Alto Garda Parcheggi, between Riva and Torbole at the foot of Monte Brione, a walk or bike ride along the lakeside path from the old town. Fresh water and waste disposal are available; check electric hook-ups, rates and maximum length of stay with the operator in advance. Alternatives are the motorhome areas in Torbole and Arco, or one of the many campsites on the north shore.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Trentino, provincial law prohibits camping outside approved sites, and the lakeside car parks in Riva, Torbole and Malcesine carry motorhome bans or height barriers. On the Veneto east shore (Lazise, Bardolino, Garda) too, the municipalities direct motorhomes to designated areas – overnight parking on the lakefront is checked. Plan on legal pitches.
- Insider tip for campers
- The old town of Sirmione from the Scaliger Castle onwards is a ZTL under camera surveillance; in season additional pedestrian restrictions apply at times. Leave the motorhome at one of the designated paid car parks or motorhome areas before the peninsula (for example in the Colombare district) and continue on foot or by bus – check current rules with the municipality. Head for the cable car in Malcesine early: the car parks at the valley station fill up by mid-morning.
2Stage 2: Riva del Garda to Iseo (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Follow the Gardesana Occidentale (SS45bis) south along the west shore: between Riva and Gargnano there are around 20 kilometres of rock galleries and tunnels, some unlit, with tight bends and cyclists. In several tunnels north of Gargnano, systems measure the height and width of vehicles and switch the lights to single-lane alternating traffic for vehicles that are too large. Beyond Gargnano the road opens up via Gardone Riviera to Salò, then continues via Brescia (Tangenziale) and through Franciacorta to Lake Iseo. A good 2.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Limone sul Garda: the Limonaia del Castèl, a restored lemon house, and the cycle path that hangs as a steel walkway above the water on the rock face.
- Il Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone Riviera, D’Annunzio’s villa with the cruiser “Puglia” in the grounds.
- The lakeside promenade of Salò with the cathedral and one of the longest lake promenades on Lake Garda.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Covelo in Iseo, on the lakeshore a few minutes’ walk from the old town: pitches with electricity, sanitary facilities, fresh water and waste disposal, and its own bathing area. Check season dates and reservations in advance; book in good time in high summer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the west shore of Lake Garda there are hardly any lay-bys between Limone and Gargnano, so overnighting by the road is out of the question. Limone has paid car parks that smaller motorhomes can use during the day – follow the signs; camping-style behaviour is prohibited. On Lake Iseo the lakeside towns direct motorhomes to paid areas; parking freely on the shore road is not tolerated.
- Insider tip for campers
- Drive the Gardesana early in the morning or in the early evening: coaches arrive during the day, and when the tunnel lights fail or there is an accident, the whole west shore soon grinds to a halt. The turn-off onto the Strada della Forra to Tremosine is not suitable for motorhomes. On the SS45bis there are repeated roadworks, rockfall protection works and night-time closures – check current notices with Anas. Brescia lies in the Lombardy zone with bans on older diesels; the Tangenziale bypasses the city.
3Stage 3: Iseo to Bergamo (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- In the morning go on foot or by bus to Sulzano and take the boat to Monte Isola. Afterwards follow the shore road at the southern end of the lake to Clusane and Sarnico, then run flat through the hills to Bergamo. Barely an hour’s drive; the day belongs to the island and the upper town.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Monte Isola: one of the largest inhabited lake islands in Europe, closed to private cars; from Peschiera Maraglio a path leads up to the pilgrimage church of Madonna della Ceriola on the summit.
- Riserva Naturale Torbiere del Sebino between Iseo and Provaglio: boardwalks through former peat workings, water lilies and reed birds.
- Bergamo Città Alta: take the funicular from the lower town up to Piazza Vecchia, the Cappella Colleoni and the Venetian city walls (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Bergamo has a few paid motorhome car parks and pitches with bus links to the Città Alta; check location, facilities, prices and current status in advance on CamperOnline or Campercontact – proper campsites lie only outside the city.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Sulzano motorhomes park during the day in paid car parks a little way from the landing stage; overnighting is not intended there. In Bergamo the Italian rule applies: parking overnight in permitted areas yes, camping-style behaviour no.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Bergamo, avoid the ZTL around the Città Alta strictly – access is monitored by camera, and the car parks below the upper town lie close to the zone boundary. Note the Lombardy diesel rules: in large parts of the region (zones 1 and 2, including Bergamo and Brescia) older diesels are barred on weekdays from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm; the ban on Euro 5 diesels planned for 1 October 2026 in cities of over 100,000 inhabitants (Bergamo, Brescia, Milan, Monza) was postponed by government decree at the end of September 2026 to 1 October 2027. The bans on older diesels also apply to foreign vehicles; check with Regione Lombardia shortly before your trip which vehicle classes (including motorhomes), times and exemptions are affected. The boats to Monte Isola run at a dense frequency in season.
4Stage 4: Bergamo to Menaggio (via Varenna and the car ferry) (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- Via Pontida and Calolziocorte to Lecco, then on the SS36 expressway through long tunnels along the east shore to the Varenna exit. Drive down to the town and cross the lake by car ferry: the ferries run in a triangle between Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio and Cadenabbia. From Cadenabbia it is a few kilometres on the SS340 Regina to Menaggio. About 1.5 hours’ driving plus the crossing.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Varenna: Castello di Vezio above the town and the lakeside path “Passeggiata degli Innamorati” to the harbour.
- Bellagio: at the tip of the peninsula between the arms of the lake, best explored on foot from the ferry landing – lanes, steps and the park of Villa Melzi.
- Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo with rhododendrons, azaleas and Canova sculptures, a few minutes from Cadenabbia.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Europa in Menaggio, on the lake south of the town centre: a small site with electricity and sanitary facilities; access and pitches are tight, so ask in advance if you have a large vehicle. Menaggio is the starting point for the ferries and the road to Lugano.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On Lake Como there is practically no chance of parking freely: the lakeside towns are cramped, car parks are scarce and almost everywhere paid, many with motorhome bans. Stay on campsites – there are several around Menaggio and further north near Domaso and Gravedona.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not approach Bellagio by road from Como or Lecco: the shore roads to the peninsula are narrow and there is no room in Bellagio itself. It is better to cross as a foot passenger on the passenger boat from Varenna or Menaggio. The car ferry charges by vehicle length; before crossing, check the timetable, fares and any length limits with Navigazione Laghi, and ask at the ticket office in advance with large motorhomes – long queues form in summer. Avoid the SS340 Regina south of Menaggio towards Como with large motorhomes: it is narrow, with scheduled buses, and in the Tremezzina work on the bypass (Variante della Tremezzina) is under way with traffic-light control and traffic trials – check the current situation before you drive.
5Stage 5: Menaggio to Lugano (Switzerland) (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- A detour to Tremezzo in the morning, then from Menaggio on the SS340dir up through the Val Menaggio and past Lago di Piano to Porlezza on Lake Lugano. Continue along the north shore via Oria and the Gandria border crossing into Switzerland and on to Lugano. Winding, and in places tight between Porlezza and Gandria, with rock faces and galleries. A good hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Gandria: the fishing village clings to the slope above Lake Lugano; from the village the Olive Path (Sentiero dell’olivo) runs along the shore to Castagnola.
- Monte San Salvatore: funicular from Paradiso up to the viewpoint mountain above the bay of Lugano.
- Parco Ciani and the lake promenade of Lugano with the church of Santa Maria degli Angioli and its Luini frescoes.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: TCS Camping Lugano-Muzzano on the bay of La Piodella on Lake Lugano, west of the city: a large, well-equipped site with electricity, sanitary facilities, fresh water and waste disposal and a lakeside meadow; bus and train to Lugano. Check season dates and reservations on the TCS website.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The canton of Ticino has a camping law that permits camping only in licensed facilities – expressly including with motorhomes; violations are fined. According to the TCS, even a single overnight stay in lay-bys or car parks in Ticino is not permitted. Other cantons regulate this differently; here the rule is: campsite only.
- Insider tip for campers
- Clarify the Swiss rules before the border: up to 3.5 t every vehicle needs the vignette for motorways (40 francs, also available online as an e-vignette). Motorhomes over 3.5 t need no vignette but pay the flat-rate heavy-vehicle charge (PSVA) for all roads, including those off the motorway; it is purchased before entry through the Via app of the BAZG (Swiss Federal Office for Customs and Border Security) – without a valid charge you risk fines. Observe the duty-free allowances for meat and alcohol on import.
6Stage 6: Lugano to Cannobio (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- Over Monte Ceneri – on the A2 motorway with vignette or on the cantonal road over the pass – into the Magadino plain and on to Locarno. Then along the west shore of Lake Maggiore via Ascona and Brissago, back into Italy at Piaggio Valmara and on to Cannobio. Narrow between Ascona and Brissago, with town centres and lakeside traffic. About 1.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The pilgrimage church of Madonna del Sasso above Locarno, reached on foot by the Way of the Cross or by funicular.
- Brissago Islands: botanical garden with subtropical plants, by boat from Brissago or Porto Ronco.
- Orrido di Sant’Anna near Cannobio: a narrow gorge with a stone-arch bridge and a small church, a short walk from the road into the Val Cannobina.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Cannobio has several campsites on the lakeshore north and south of the town, such as Camping Riviera and Camping Campagna, with electricity, sanitary facilities and access to the water. For short stays there is a motorhome area near the centre; check location, facilities and rates in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the Piedmont west shore, overnighting makes sense only in designated areas; the lakeside car parks in Cannobio and Cannero are tight and often carry motorhome bans. In Switzerland the Ticino ban applies up to the border – no overnighting in car parks near Locarno or Ascona.
- Insider tip for campers
- Cannobio holds a big market on the lakeside promenade every Sunday: then the road through town is full and parking is scarce – arrive on Saturday or only in the afternoon. Beyond the gorge, the road into the Val Cannobina is narrow and winding and unsuitable for large motorhomes. Radar detectors are prohibited in Switzerland; switch off speed-camera warnings in your sat nav.
7Stage 7: Cannobio to Stresa / Baveno (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- Follow the SS34 along the west shore to the south: Cannero, Oggebbio and Ghiffa with narrow town centres, then Verbania-Intra and Pallanza. At Fondotoce go round the mouth of the Toce and on via Feriolo and Baveno to Stresa. Just under an hour, more at weekends.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Castelli di Cannero: the remains of the castles on two tiny rock islands off the shore, clearly visible from the road near Cannero.
- Villa Taranto in Verbania-Pallanza: botanical garden with water-lily pools, dahlias and terraced gardens; check parking options for motorhomes in advance.
- Borromean Islands: Isola Bella with its Baroque palace and terraced garden, Isola Madre with its park and the fishermen’s island Isola dei Pescatori – by boat from Stresa or Baveno.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Parisi in Baveno, a small site right on the lakeshore with a view of the islands, electricity and sanitary facilities; reserve in high season. Further campsites lie near Feriolo at the mouth of the Toce.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Stresa, free parking for motorhomes is practically impossible in summer, and the lakefront zone is strictly regulated. Plan on a campsite in Baveno or Feriolo and take the boat to the islands.
- Insider tip for campers
- The cable car from Stresa up Mottarone has been out of service since the accident in 2021; a new system is planned but not in operation – check the current status. Besides Navigazione Laghi, private boat operators also serve the islands; buy tickets for the palace and garden on Isola Bella in advance. Between Intra and Laveno a car ferry shuttles to the east shore – useful if you want to extend the loop via Luino or Varese.
8Stage 8: Stresa / Baveno to Orta San Giulio (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- Via Gravellona Toce and Omegna to the northern end of Lake Orta, then along the shore road on the east bank south to Orta San Giulio. Wider and easier than the mountain road via Gignese and Armeno, which is shorter but narrow and winding. A little under an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sacro Monte di Orta: 20 chapels with figure groups depicting the life of St Francis in a park above the town (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
- Isola San Giulio with the Romanesque basilica and the “Way of Silence” around the monastery, by boat from Piazza Motta.
- Piazza Motta with the Palazzo della Comunità, behind it the steep Salita della Motta up to the parish church.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Orta on the lakeshore north of the town, with pitches by the water, electricity and sanitary facilities; the approach from the main road is steep. Alternatively the car parks on Via Panoramica above the town, about 15 minutes’ walk from the centre; check on the spot whether and on what terms motorhomes may stay overnight there.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The historic centre of Orta San Giulio is closed to traffic; parking is possible only in the car parks on Via Panoramica – in part with daytime restrictions. Parking freely on the shore of Lake Orta is not tolerated.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not try to drive down to the piazza: the lanes are too narrow for motorhomes. In season a small tourist train runs from the car park on Via Panoramica into the centre. At the end of the journey: Omegna and Gravellona have larger petrol stations and supermarkets; the A26 motorway south (Genoa, connection to Milan) is only a few kilometres away, and to the north the SS33 leads via Domodossola to the Simplon.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Italy: under Art. 185 of the Codice della Strada, motorhomes may park wherever parking is permitted for them – including overnight. What is prohibited is “campeggio”: awning, chairs, table, wedges, extended stabilisers, grey water on the ground. On the lakes, municipalities restrict this right almost everywhere along the shore with motorhome-ban signs and height barriers.
- Trentino (northern end of Lake Garda): provincial law permits camping only on approved sites; the lakeside car parks in Riva and Torbole are off limits for the night. Lombardy and Piedmont: bans by municipality along the shore, checks in summer, fines in the three-figure range.
- Switzerland: wild camping is regulated by canton and municipality. The Ticino camping law permits camping only in licensed facilities, expressly including with motorhomes; violations are fined. According to the TCS, even a single overnight stay in car parks or rest areas in Ticino is not allowed – unlike in some German-speaking cantons.
- You can stay overnight legally on campsites, in the “aree di sosta camper” and on municipal motorhome areas. Useful apps and directories: CamperOnline (Italian, with up-to-date user reports), park4night, Campercontact, and for Switzerland the TCS campsites.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Fresh water and waste disposal is called “camper service” or “carico e scarico” in Italy; at many municipal areas it works with coins or tokens. On the lakes the stations are often part of paid pitches – plan ahead on days with ferries and on campsites without service points.
- Empty grey water and the cassette only at service stations; on the shore, drains often lead straight into the lake. In Switzerland you dispose of waste on campsites and at designated stations, for example at petrol stations or sewage works – check locations in the apps.
- Tap water in Italy and Switzerland is generally drinkable; look for the labels “acqua potabile” or “acqua non potabile” on fountains and stations.
- Gas: neither Italy nor Switzerland exchanges German cylinders, and both use their own connections. For refillable cylinders and gas tanks at Italian GPL filling stations, carry the Italian adapter; in Switzerland the network of LPG stations is thin. Arrive with full cylinders.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Italy: motorhomes up to 3.5 t drive 90 km/h outside built-up areas, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways; over 3.5 t 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 100 km/h on motorways. Vehicles with trailers: 70 km/h outside built-up areas, 80 km/h on the motorway. Headlights on outside built-up areas even by day.
- Switzerland: motorhomes up to 3.5 t 80 km/h outside built-up areas, 100 km/h on main roads, 120 km/h on motorways; vehicles with trailers 80 km/h on the motorway, and lower motorway limits also apply to motorhomes over 3.5 t – check the current status with the TCS. Motorway vignette 40 francs for vehicles up to 3.5 t (trailers need their own). Over 3.5 t the flat-rate heavy-vehicle charge (PSVA) for the entire road network applies instead of the vignette, to be purchased before entry through the Via app; the performance-related LSVA applies to lorries, not motorhomes. Radar detectors are prohibited.
- Tolls in Italy: on the A4 (Brescia–Bergamo–Milan) and A26 motorways the charge depends on the number of axles and the height above the front axle (limit 1.30 m) – most two-axle motorhomes fall into class B. Payment by cash, card or with Telepass or an EU toll box.
- Access restrictions: ZTL zones with cameras in Sirmione, Riva, Bergamo Città Alta, Como and many lake towns; fines arrive by post. In Lombardy, in large parts of the region (zones 1 and 2) bans on older diesels apply on weekdays from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, also for foreign vehicles; the ban on Euro 5 diesels planned for 1 October 2026 in Bergamo, Brescia, Milan and Monza was postponed by decree at the end of September 2026 to 1 October 2027 – check the affected vehicle classes, exemptions and the current status with Regione Lombardia.
- Dimensions: in the tunnels of the Gardesana Occidentale near Gargnano, traffic lights with height and width detection control alternating traffic for large vehicles; shore roads on Lake Como and Lake Maggiore are often barely two lanes wide in the towns. Vehicles over 2.30 m wide and 7 m long have a much harder time here.
- Italy: projecting loads such as a bike rack require the red-and-white warning panel, 50 × 50 cm; in Switzerland it is not required but permitted. The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille in both countries; in Italy drivers in their first three years are subject to 0.0, in Switzerland new drivers on probation to 0.1. Mobile phones only with a hands-free kit. Winter equipment is mandatory on many roads in Italy from 15 November to 15 April.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Red-and-white warning panel for the rear carrier – almost everyone travels with bikes on the shore road, and otherwise a check costs a fine in Italy.
- Vignette or PSVA booking in the Via app, passport or ID card and, if applicable, pet passport ready to hand for the border crossings at Gandria and Piaggio Valmara.
- Folding bikes or e-bikes with a good lock – in Riva, Iseo, Menaggio and Cannobio you get into the towns better by bike than by motorhome.
- Italian GPL adapter and two full gas cylinders, because neither Italy nor Switzerland exchanges foreign cylinders.
- Light water shoes and a snorkel mask – the pebble beaches on Lake Garda, Lake Iseo and Lake Maggiore are stony.
- Parking disc and coins: blue zones and older parking meters as well as service stations on the lakes do not always accept cards.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
