Bella Italia - getting there from Bergamo

LonelyExPat

Hi everyone

I have seen some old threads on this but nothing recent....


We are going to Bella Italia campsite with Eurocamp this summer, flying to Bergamo and looking at the options of transfer.

WE don't fancy public transport (it's a bus, 2 trains and a taxi) as we have children in tow.

So it's either a taxi (€250 seems to be best price I can find for round trip) - or car hire (€300 plus petrol plus need to get carseats). We really don't need a car because we want to just chill and take the children swimming and to the kids clubs etc. We had the idea of renting a car from the airport and driving to campsite and dropping car to Peschiera which is the nearest town and doing the same (but opposite) going back - therefore only having the car for 2 x 24hours. However I can't seem to find a rental company online that will allow me drop car to Peschiera.

Might just have to stump up for the taxi

Any ideas people? thanks in advance!

munchkin_utd

I found this answer to your specific route and its actually only 1 train and the folks there have done it with kids and found it no problems.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g635642-i11264-k1732387-Getting_from_Bergamo_to_Camp_bella_italia-Peschiera_del_Garda_Province_of_Verona_Veneto.html

A car though wouldnt be any harm as you can load up on a big shop at the start. Theres a Penny Market (similar to Aldi) the other side of town and other options in the suburbs if you have a car.

zzdp

I have been twice. i traveled once by train (1 change) it wasn't 2 hard only you had to change platform and with kids and bag it can be stressful.The train was cheap (less then 10 euro each) but you have to add the price of the bus from the airport(3-4 EURO each) and you will need to get a taxi in Pesearchia to Bella Itilia. (another 10 euro).
Bella itilia is a great site and you don't need a car. It takes about 15 min walk to the center and train station (if you want to go to Venice or Verona)trains are cheap and often half price at the weekend.
The second time i went we hired a car. We were at the site within 1.5 hours of landing. We got the car hire for around 200 euro for 10 days. I believe the car saved us money and we had no waiting around. We could go to the supermarket off site which was much cheaper. Also if you want to go to Gardaland it is too far to walk and the buses were full. When we went to Venice and Verona we drove to the train station and got the train.
In summary if i was going again I would hire a car.

corkleo

I would just say 'don't go for the taxi'. Are you sure you can't find a better deal for a rented car?

LonelyExPat

Thank you so much everyone for your responses!

It seems car rental is the way forward....I will do some more looking but €300 or just under it seems to be best price I can find so far (rentalcars.com).

LonelyExPat

PS - I also posted this question on tripadvisor and someone came back to me saying there is now a bus direct from Bergamo airport to Peschiera - this info could be useful to other people doing the same route - there are only 3 per day so might not suit every flight and you have to book the night before so could be awkward if flight is delayed - this is the link:

http://orioexpress.it

kk09

I did see somewhere that there are alot of tolls in Italy. Keep tjat in mind when looking at the cost.

alfaphil

Heading to Bella Italia in June. As Italy is notorious for being expensive can anyone give info on the following.

Prices for food and drinks including cokes etc.

Cost of transport to venice.

Nearest big supermarket.

munchkin_utd

alfaphil wrote: »

Heading to Bella Italia in June. As Italy is notorious for being expensive can anyone give info on the following.

Prices for food and drinks including cokes etc.

Cost of transport to venice.

Nearest big supermarket.

WTF

Italy expensive. And you living in Ireland.
Thats quite an amusing statement to make!

alfaphil

Well obviously I have to clarify expensive in terms of other European destinations.

munchkin_utd

alfaphil wrote: »

Well obviously I have to clarify expensive in terms of other European destinations.

compared to Ireland, Italy is cheap
Compared to France, Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium, anywhere in Scandanavia and UK (aside from weatherspoons), Italy is cheap.

Anyhow, I found Peschiera unbelievably good value.
There are tourist traps right in the middle (and even they are great value compared to all but the cheapest places in Ireland) but the restaurants anywhere slightly off centre will do a beautiful pizza for about 6euro and enough wine to put you comatose for the price of a pint in Dublin.

corkleo

alfaphil wrote: »

Heading to Bella Italia in June. As Italy is notorious for being expensive can anyone give info on the following.

Prices for food and drinks including cokes etc.

Cost of transport to venice.

Nearest big supermarket.

Italy is expensive if you get caught in tourists traps

Supermarkets you'll find are Esselunga, Coop (all the *coop are something very similar), Pam, Conad, Carrefour, Lidl and many others I don't recall now. Don't remember the prices, but I'm sure they're way cheaper than Tesco Irl.

Be sure not to go inside bars (not talking about evening clubs, just about day bars) if you want to save money: water bottles, tea, coke etc are more expensive than at the supermarket (about 1-1,5 euros a bottle).

transportation info can be found at www (dot) atvo.it/index.php?lang=en or www (dot)fsbusitalia.it (doesn't looks like there's an english site).