Ferries to Italy

Ciao Bigmal,
well to get across the Channel you will need to look up the sites of P&O, Seafrance, Norfolk line, and Eurotunnel.
Once you get to the other side, Calais or Dunkirk, then suggest for starters what is known as the 'Russell Route'. This has been my personal favourite for many years:
Calais or Dunkirk, toll free A26 to Lille, from there toll free in to Belgium towards Mons/Charleroi/Namur. At Namur turn right for toll free to Arlon/Luxembourg. Across Luxembourg, with a stop here for cheap fuel, in the direction of Thionville/Metz. At Metz go towards Strasbourg, here a small toll is paybale. Then Strasbourg - St.Louis - Basel in to Switzerland. At Basel pick up Swiss vignette for motorways, Euro 40, and proceed to Luzern/St.Gothard Tunnel (included in your vignette). Through St.Gothard to Airolo/Bellinzona/Chiasso, and enter the Italian toll road system at Como.
Another route, if you have time, is Calais - Reims - St. Dizier - Epinal - Col
du Bonhomme - Mulhouse - Basel, and then as above.
Many more routes available, but less direct.
For aires/campsites then I would consult the MHF data base in the first instance.
Once in Italy then you can go East towards the Adriatic, where most of the 'bucket and spade' sandy beaches are to be found. e.g. Lido di Jesolo, Lignano Sabbia d'Oro, or a bit further South to Rimini/Cattolica/Riccione.
On the Tirrenian West Coast, you would need to get down as far as the Tuscan riviera to find wide sandy beaches, such as Forte dei Marmi, Lido di Camaiore, Marina di Pietrasanta.
In all the above mentioned areas, most beaches are 'private' in that they have been given a goverment concession to be able to provide access/deckchairs/bars etc. for a fee. Usually somewhere around Euro 10 per person per day, although iit can vary widely. In each area you will find however also public no charge beaches. You will be hard pushed to find any wild camping areas though.
For campsites, MHF database, or
www.camping.it
For 'soste' MHF database, or
www.camperweb.it
www.camperonline.it
saluti,
eddied

 

I feel very diffident about correcting anything that eddied posts but I have a sneaky feeling that the Swiss Vignette is priced at Swiss Francs 40 and not €uros.

The border guards who sell them at the Mulhouse/Basle customs post do of course accept payment in €uros.

 

Swiss vignette

Ciao Pippin, no problem. I stand corrected :roll:
As time goes on brain gets worse.
Long gone are the days of carrying with me French Francs/Deutschmarks/Dutch guilders/Belgian Francs/Swiss Francs/Italian Lire, all of which I could caluculate in a flash!
I just use Euro even in Switzerland. It is of course CHF 30, Euro 40, for the vignette; but you get 5 CHF change whether you want it or not. Just about enough for a coffee.
saluti,
eddied

 

Totally agree with eddied with one exception, We do not travel on Motorways at all so we don't have to pay the vignette or Tolls and the scenery through Switzerland is fantastic, some of the best around.

I think the East coast of Italy is better for beaches that are flat and sandy, And there are Many sites along the route, We found one last year at Rimini that was superb and they even had a Free "Train" to the beach and back.

We have been on Many Italian beaches and not had to pay for access to the beach, on many of the beaches they have the sun beds with an Head cover on, and when it is warm, You need them, Also use sandal with sides on the heat is unbearable.