During our adventures in Italy, we have stopped at a range of spots for motorhomes and campers. Whilst only a few are worth dedicating a whole blog post to (you can find them all here), we thought it would be helpful to others to share all our stops.
As a family of four with two young children we were looking for places that were (for the most part):
- Quiet/peaceful (if not all the time, at night).
- Near a playground if possible.
You’ll find all the spots listed below and on the map above. Where possible we’ve included a picture and any details we felt might be helpful. We’ve also detailed what resources we used to find the places we stayed. Mainly our Camperstop book and Park4Night.
We will continue to update this post with any new places that we stay in the future.
How we found places to stay
Camperstop book
In Italy we used our Camperstop Europe book quite a lot to find places to stay. Generally the book provides a picture and details what services are available, and if it’s free or paid for. We found the pictures helpful to give us an idea of it was the kind of place we liked to stop. In Italy an aire seems to be called an Area Sosta Camper.
Park4Night
It was in Italy that we really began to use Park4Night. We found that many of the aires in our Camper Contact book were also listed on Park4Night. This was a helpful way to read reviews on the aires, which the book doesn’t provide.
Italy in a campervan – where we stayed
Piedmont
Name: Villar Focchiardo Camping Park
Location: near Villar Focchiardo
Type: Paid Camperstop
Notes: Space for kids to run about, quiet when we went.
When we stayed: August
Emilia Romagna
Name: Car Park at Soragna
Location: Soragna
Type: Park4Night
Notes: Quiet when we went, flat, nice little town, good pizza at La Danda.
When we stayed: August
Name: Campsite Città di Bologna
Location: Bologna
Type: Campsite
Website: https://www.hotelcamping.com
Notes: Swimming pool and other campsite facilities.
Beware: Lots of mosquitoes when we went!
When we stayed: August
Name: Camping le Querce
Location: near Rioveggio
Type: Campsite
Website: http://www.campinglequerce.it
Notes: Swimming pool and other facilities.
When we stayed: August
Name: Car Park at Parco Della Resistenza
Location: Bologna
Type: Park4Night
Notes: Kids playground, park and petting zoo right next to it. Good place to get a bus into Bologna to explore the city.
When we stayed: August
Name: Car Park at Lago del Brasimone
Location: La Guardata
Type: Park4Night
Notes: Kids playground, walks around the lake. I really loved this spot because at the time of year we went it was damp and misty across the lake, it was only us and we just snuggled in for a few days. This is not the official Camperstop – that is just further along the road.
When we stayed: October
Veneto
Name: Camping Fusina
Location: near Venice
Type: Campsite
Website: http://www.campingfusina.com/en
Our blog post: A Day Exploring Venice With Kids
Notes: Large campsite, good facilities, decent sized spaces and a good number with views across the lagoon to Venice. A short walk from the campsite to a small passenger ferry across to Venice. Check out our blog post above for full details.
When we stayed: August
Name: Bibione Camping Park
Location: near Bibione
Type: Paid Camping Park via Park4Night
Notes: Good sized grassy spots for campervans, safe feeling for kids to run around. Short walk to a great beach.
Beware: Mosquitoes!
When we stayed: August
Name: Monselice Agriturismo
Location: near Monselice
Type: Paid Camperstop via Park4Night
Notes: Like a small campsite with showers and sink to wash up in. Playground for the kids, safe play for them to run around. Near a busy road.
When we stayed: October
Friuli Venezia Giulia
We fell in love with this region and spent quite a while there. We have written a Guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia in a Campervan and about our favourite Mountain Camping spot.
Name: Grado Aire
Location: Grado
Type: Park4Night
Notes: There was a proper Area Sosta Camper that was more expensive with facilities, we went to a huge car park opposite with at least a hundred motorhomes parked up.
When we stayed: Last day of August
Name: Clauzetto Aire
Location: near Grotte di Pradis
Type: Free Camperstop found via Park4Night
Our blog post: Magical Mountain Camping in Northeastern Italy
Notes: Read our blog post above to find out how much we loved this place! Super with kids if you like a stream and woods. Free water and a drain for grey water, lovely place to eat just around the corner.
When we stayed: September (multiple times)
Name: Spilimbergo Area Sosta Camper
Location: Spilimbergo
Type: Paid Camperstop
Notes: Small aire with facilities, not much at the site but we enjoyed evening bike rides into Spilimbergo, which is definitely worth a visit. Really nice town and shops. Check out our Guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia in a Campervan for more details on this aire.
Beware: Originally we parked near some high bushes and there were lots of mosquitoes. We later moved to a different spot away from the bushes and there was a lot less mosquitoes.
When we stayed: September
Name: Maniago Aire
Location: Maniago
Type: Free Camperstop
Notes: Small site but free with electricity. Check out our Guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia in a Campervan for more details on this aire.
When we stayed: September
sorry no picture!
Name: Arta Terme Aire
Location: Arta Terme
Type: Free Camperstop
Notes: Lovely quiet spot, free with electricity and water. Short walk to a playground. Check out our Guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia in a Campervan for more details on this aire.
When we stayed: September
Name: Car Park at Latisana
Location: Latisana
Type: Park4Night
Notes: Just what is says – a car park next to a small supermarket. Quiet enough for a night.
When we stayed: October
sorry no picture!
Tuscany
Name: Car Park at Vinci
Location: Vinci
Type: Free found via Park4Night
Notes: Car park next a sports hall on the outskirts of Vinci – the town where Leonardo da Vinci was born. We didn’t get time to explore unfortunately.
When we stayed: October
Name: Poggibonsi Camperstop
Location: Poggibonsi
Type: Free Camperstop found via Park4Night
Notes: A simple dirt car park between a busy road and woods, quite uneven where we parked.
When we stayed: October
Name: Montalcino Area Sosta Camper
Location: Montalcino
Type: Paid Area Sosta Camper
Notes: Great flat site above the beautiful town of Montalcino, no electricity. Stunning town, we’d definitely go back.
Beware: Quite a hike back up the hill to the aire.
When we stayed: October
Name: San Quirico Camperstop
Location: San Quirico
Type: Paid Camperstop (machines not working during our visit)
Notes: Basic car park aire. Beautiful little town to explore, check out La Bottega di Portanuova for excellent food.
When we stayed: October
Name: Saturnia Camperstop
Location: Saturnia
Type: Paid Camperstop
Notes: More like a mini campsite with showers etc. Perfect location to bike down to the natural (and free) hot springs at Saturnia.
When we stayed: October
Name: Car Park at Principina a Mare
Location: Principina a Mare
Type: Park4Night
Notes: Simple quiet car park out on its own near the beach.
When we stayed: October
sorry no picture!
Name: Camping Maremma
Location: near Riva del Sole
Type: Campsite
Website: https://www.maremmasanssouci.it/en
Notes: Nice spots among the trees, lots of them but still felt quite private. Short walk to the beach. Facilities for washing up, shower etc.
When we stayed: October
Name: Fornoli Camperstop
Location: Fornoli
Type: Free found via Park4Night
Notes: We rode out the bad storms at this camperstop, so really didn’t see much of it or the town!
When we stayed: October
Liguria
Name: Car Park at Masone
Location: Masone
Type: Park4Night
Notes: Gravel car park on the top of the hill above Masone, quiet with a kids playground next to it. We enjoyed a walk in the evening down into Masone for pizza.
When we stayed: October
Don’t forget, you can check out all our posts for Italy here.
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