Motorbike trip to Croatia and Italy

nedbass

Hi all, new to boards
planning a bike trip from ireland through england
eurostar to calais then on through germany, austria, italy, slovenia and in to croatia ferry from dubrovnik to ancona then back through italy stelvio pass through switzerland, france uk and home.
anybody done this trip or similar? Looking for places of interest and places to stay and avoid!

rock22

i have done this trip, as far as Slovenia /North Croatia, in two different trips. One to Austria via Germany and one Via Italy to Croatia. If you pm me I can send you some hotels and roads I found useful, I don't have anything to say regarding places to avoid,

Down through Central Germany or across northern Italy arr both nice routes. Roads in Slovenia are good for motorcycling, narrow, twisty but you will occasionally get blocked with HGVs.

Motorways in Germany and Italy are fast and you need to be comfortable with that.
Have never used the rail link. Have you considere ferry directly from Rosslare?

If you had more specific questions i could perhaps be more helpful

listermint

Yeah what about Ferry from Rosslare, I havent done it but i believe it works out shorter and cheaper. Also more time on the continent

Wonda-Boy

Some people would rather ride through the UK into Holland or France then spend 24hrs on a ferry. Both have pros and cons TBH....I can personally tell you that going down through Germany is a wonderful ride especially the B500 route south to Titisee and into Switzerland. I would not do Holland again I found the country and roads to be very boring and flat, compared to Germany and surrounding countries.

I would do Wales, down through Snowdonia and Brecon parks into UK across to Dover skirting London. France into Belgium and Luxemborg and down through Germany into Zurich and across to the Stelvio pass as you see fit.

So many many wonderful options you will have an absolutely quality ride.

arybvtcw0eolkf

rock22 wrote: »

i have done this trip, as far as Slovenia /North Croatia, in two different trips. One to Austria via Germany and one Via Italy to Croatia. If you pm me I can send you some hotels and roads I found useful, I don't have anything to say regarding places to avoid,

Down through Central Germany or across northern Italy arr both nice routes. Roads in Slovenia are good for motorcycling, narrow, twisty but you will occasionally get blocked with HGVs.

Motorways in Germany and Italy are fast and you need to be comfortable with that.
Have never used the rail link. Have you considere ferry directly from Rosslare?

If you had more specific questions i could perhaps be more helpful

Would you not list the hotels etc here please?.

I'm changing bike (or considering it) with a ride as far as Switzerland in the future, I've friends in an MCC in Basel and free accommodation in CH :cool:

Cool info Wonda, tnx.

Wonda-Boy

I have tons of info mate if you need it, some absolute cracker of towns to stay in Germany etc. And tips in general for travel in europe

Steffano2002

Just FYI if you are going through Switzerland: buy the motorway sticker (40 EUR for the year) if you are going to be using the motorways and DO NOT SPEED. They have a law here that basically means that if you are caught speeding (by a fair amount) you are a criminal and you will be arrested and prosecuted just as a murderer or rapist!

rock22

Matilda Juicy Hook wrote: »

Would you not list the hotels etc here please?.

...
Cool info Wonda, tnx.

These are the hotels over the two trips, that i liked. You will have to google for email or phone numbers as I don't still have them, sorry. Without knowing the exact route it is hard to know if this is helpful or not.

Zellerfelder Hof
Marktstraße 13, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
Very good. Situated in the Harz mountain, owner is motorcyclist and provided covered secure parking.

Akzent Hotel Am Goldenen Strauss
Struvestr. 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany –
Very good and friendly hotel in town centre. They provided off road parking for motorcycle.

Rooms Pomona
Zgornje Sečovo 3, 3250 Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia
Possibly the best accommodation on either trip. A little out of the way but great rooms and restaurant

Waldhotel im Wiesengrund
Simonskall 12, 52393 Hürtgenwald, Germany –
Out of the way in the Hurtgen forest. really nice

Hotel Gasthof Zum Breiterle
Rödergasse 30, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany –
Right in the heart of the old town and very good value

Gasthof Pfauen
Josef-Geldreich-Straße 18, 77704 Oberkirch, Germany
Near Strasbourg - just over the border. Good, clean friendly

Haus Geiger
Hirlanda-Ellmann-Weg 254, 6108 Scharnitz, Austria
Great value. Friendly - just like good irish b&b

As I said in original reply, if there is any specific questions I will be happy to answer

arybvtcw0eolkf

Steffano2002 wrote: »

if you are going to be using the motorways and DO NOT SPEED. They have a law here that basically means that if you are caught speeding (by a fair amount) you are a criminal and you will be arrested and prosecuted just as a murderer or rapist!

I'd a Swiss friend over last summer, we brought him out on a ride and he couldn't believe thing type of riding we were doing in the city (Dublin) and in the Dublin Wicklow mountains.

First wheelie up Parliment street and he gave me a telling off, like he was in Switzerland.

By the time we got back to Dublin that night he said in Switzerland we'd have all been arrested and locked up by now lol.

I believe they're exceptionally strict there.

BKtje

It's not THAT bad here. Very harsh punishments for excessive speeding though up to and including confiscation of your vehicle and if this leads to an accident, the book will be thrown at you.

fatty pang

BKtje wrote: »

It's not THAT bad here.

Nearly 20 years ago I was chatting to a bloke in a pub in Zurich. He had just copped a speeding ticket for slightly over SFR1000! I asked if the coppers had clocked him on take-off from Kloten. He rather sanguinely said that the fine was ‘income weighted’ and that he was on good wedge.

BKtje

Yup but you have to be like at 150% or more of speed limit for it to happen. I'll dig out the exact fines and speeds tomorrow and It has actually become stricter recently.

I like going fast as much as anyone but everyone here knows the risks. Up to you if it's worth it. Most radar installations are permanent and on the motorways so easy enough to avoid getting caught.

Edit: so maybe it is that bad and i'm just used to it.

BKtje

INstead of me typing the whole thing out, just see this thread for details if you're interested. Now to let thread get back on topic

two wheels good

Dover is a long haul from the M4. My choice would be a ferry from Portsmouth or Newhaven, arriving LeHavre or Dieppe.
You're further south and Pas de Calais area is tedious when in a hurry. Then onto the Vosges and Black Forest.

Austria
Grosseglockner pass. But check weather conditions and have a plan B in case it's closed.
I can give you info on Sthn Austria/Kaerten if that's on your route. e.g Nochalmstrasse

Slovenia:
Great route through the Triglav national park
Kransja Gora - Bovec - Kobarid. and further south via Tolmin for Croatia too
Lake Bohinj (More spectacular than Bled)

Oh, and give Lake Konstance\Bodensee a very wide berth. I know it looks tempting but it's much too busy and congested.

hondavfr

I stayed here last year, lovely hotel and surrounded by lots of mountains,
http://www.cesa-padon.it/en, not too far from slovenia either.