Going to be in Germany staying at the Parkhotel Albrecht (www.parkhotel-albrechte.de) in Volklingen, Germany. I will be traveling by car from here to the Hotel Risi (Lakeside Polti, a 23823) outside of Milan, Italy. I need the best place to find driving directions and a place to stay for the night on the way. Any recs would be more than welcome as I am not at all familiar with the areas.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
You can find travel direction on viamichelin.co.uk (they also calculate with precision toll fares, if any), but I'd not rely on printed direction to travel without having, also, a GPS unit on the car. This being said, I'm quite familiar with your general route. The route I'd generally recommend is via Saarbrücken-Strasbourg-Basel (via French highway A4)-Luzern-Gotthard Tunnel-Lugano via freeways then normal roads through Porlezza-Menaggio-Chiavenna. The Gotthard tunnels gets VERY busy on weekends between end of June/beginning of September. On those occasions, I recommend a detour from Basel through Zürich-Chur-San Bernardino Tunnel-Lugano. If you want an extremely scenic, jaw-dropping route, you can drive via Spluga alpine pass, between June and early October, by exiting the highway after the San Bernardino Tunnel and going straight to Chiavenna (it saves some mileage, but do it for the scenery and only at daytime, it's a mountain road). Now, remember Hotel Risi is not "outside Milano". It's a 1h30min drive from downtown Milano actually.
Posted by
OP
Birmingham, Alabama
3 posts
Thanks so much for your reply Couple of quick questions. Is there a hotel or town you recommend staying at that is about half way? Also what are some places we should stop and see on that route? Thanks again for your help.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33847 posts
Near Luzern, my suggestion, just a few km north there is a Holiday Inn Express in the last rest area before Luzern. Next to it is a Moevenpick Marché restaurant, and the building also holds a small COOP. The area is very scenic, the prior town has decent pizza, but not a patch on Italian, Luzern is very close by car. I've probably stayed there nearly a dozen times. Predictable, good staff, easy access.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
Sam, Luzern (highway access from HIE) is about 2h-2h15 and 187km from Splügen, where you leave A13 at exit 28 to start the Spluga Alpine Pass route. You drive via Zug, Wädensil, Chur and then exit at Splungen. Between Splugen and Chiavenna (the pass itself) there are 45km, then another 20km on the plains to your hotel.
Posted by
OP
Birmingham, Alabama
3 posts
One last question...How close is Luzern and the Holiday Inn Express to the Spluga Alpine Pass? Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33847 posts
The HIE is 12 km north of Luzern. I'm not familiar with the pass or that route so can't answer on that one.