From the Conero Riviera to the Gran Sasso and Majella massifs, departing from Ancona, Giulianova and L'Aquila
Campervan hire in Marche and Abruzzo opens up a still little-known side of central Italy: the white coves of the Conero, the art cities of Urbino and Ascoli Piceno, then the high plateaus of the Gran Sasso and the fortified villages of the Apennines. Vehicles are collected in Ancona, Giulianova and L'Aquila, as well as in Marotta, on the coast between Fano and Senigallia, with Anywhere Campers and Blurent.
The coast is easy to cover on the A14 motorway and the coastal road, while the interior takes more time: hill roads, mountain passes and hilltop towns. A campervan lets you alternate at your own pace between a night facing the Adriatic and another on a high plateau.
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
South of Ancona, Monte Conero drops into the Adriatic: Portonovo bay, the beaches of Sirolo and Numana, turquoise water at the foot of limestone cliffs. The loop then heads to the shrine of Loreto, Recanati, birthplace of the poet Leopardi, the Frasassi Caves and the ducal city of Urbino, a World Heritage Site.
In summer, the narrow Conero roads and their car parks fill up: arrive early in the morning, or park higher up and walk down to the coves. The return follows the coast to Marotta.
From L'Aquila, the road climbs to the Campo Imperatore plateau, nicknamed "Little Tibet", below Corno Grande, the highest peak in the Apennines. You come back down through the medieval villages of Santo Stefano di Sessanio and Rocca Calascio, then Sulmona, Lake Scanno and the beech forests of Abruzzo National Park around Pescasseroli.
The plateau is vast but very exposed to the wind: pack warm clothes, even in midsummer, as the nights up there are cold.
From Giulianova, follow the coast to Pescara and on to the Trabocchi Coast, between Ortona and Vasto, lined with fishing huts on stilts linked to the shore by long wooden walkways. A former coastal railway there has been turned into a cycle path. The way back runs through Guardiagrele, in the foothills of the Majella, and the old town of Chieti.
This inland crossing links the two regions: the hills of Macerata, the lakes and peaks of the Sibillini Mountains, then Ascoli Piceno and its travertine-paved Piazza del Popolo, before the fortress of Civitella del Tronto and Teramo. It ends on the coast at Giulianova, or at the foot of the Gran Sasso for those heading on to L'Aquila.
The 2016 earthquake hit the Sibillini area hard: some roads and villages are still being rebuilt, so check access before setting off.
The most balanced months for combining beaches and mountains: the sea passes 20 °C from June, the seaside resorts stay quiet and the Gran Sasso trails open up as the snow melts. In autumn, the grape and olive harvests bring the hills to life, and the Majella beech woods take on their colours.
Italian holidays are in full swing: the beaches of Senigallia, Pescara and the Conero fill up, especially around 15 August, Ferragosto, and coastal campsites are fully booked. Nights stay cool at altitude, which makes the Gran Sasso and Majella plateaus very pleasant while the coast swelters.
A quiet season on the coast, where many campsites close, and ski season in Abruzzo, from Campo Imperatore to Roccaraso. November is the wettest month, in Ancona as in L'Aquila. From April, the orchards blossom and the coast turns mild again, while snow still lies on the summits.
Ancona for the Conero and the ferries, Marotta for Urbino and northern Marche, Giulianova for the Abruzzo beaches, L'Aquila for the Gran Sasso and the parks. All four pick-up points are close to a motorway exit.
From Anywhere Campers to Blurent, what the hire includes varies: crockery, bedding, outdoor chairs, bike rack, included mileage, insurance. Read these lines before comparing, as they count for as much as the price per day.
Enter your dates and, if you want to finish elsewhere, a different return city: the offers shown take into account the season and any one-way fees. It is the most reliable way to find out the real cost of the trip.
Driving licence, ID and the main driver's credit card for the deposit: check the exact list and the handover time in the rental company's conditions, especially if you are arriving at Ancona or Pescara airport.
Ancona, Urbino and Ascoli Piceno protect their historic centres with ZTLs, limited traffic zones monitored by cameras: entering without authorisation means a fine, sometimes received months later via the rental company. Park in the car parks below the walls, sometimes linked to the old town by a lift or escalators.
In the Gran Sasso, Majella and Abruzzo parks, overnight parking and camping are regulated, and some high-altitude roads have seasonal restrictions. Ask at the park visitor centres and keep your distance from the wildlife: Marsican brown bear, wolf and Abruzzo chamois.
The port of Ancona links Italy with Croatia and Greece, a way to continue towards Dalmatia or the Peloponnese. Before booking a crossing, get written approval from the rental company, which may exclude ferries or certain countries, and check timetables and conditions with the ferry operators.
In Italy, any load sticking out at the rear, such as a loaded bike rack, must carry a red and white striped warning sign. Check that one comes with the vehicle if you plan to cycle along the Adriatic coast or in the Montefeltro hills around Urbino.
Anywhere Campers has its depot in Ancona, while Blurent offers pick-up points in Giulianova, L'Aquila and Marotta, near Fano and Senigallia. The coastlines of both regions are covered, as are the mountains thanks to L'Aquila. The exact address and the vehicle handover time are given in your booking confirmation.
Yes, it is the main appeal of these two regions. From Giulianova, the A24 motorway crosses the Gran Sasso massif through a long tunnel and reaches L'Aquila in just over an hour. From Ancona, you can reach Abruzzo in an easy day along the coast, or in two or three stages via the Sibillini Mountains and Ascoli Piceno.
A van slips easily up the hairpin bends to Rocca Calascio or Civitella del Tronto and parks at the narrow entrances to the villages. For a family focusing on the coast, an overcab motorhome remains comfortable: coastal campsites and parking areas have the space needed, and you keep inland trips for the most accessible stages.
Yes: Rome is only 90 km from L'Aquila as the crow flies and Perugia 107 km from Ancona. To the north, the independent Republic of San Marino, an enclave within Italy, makes a day trip from the Marche coast, 93 km from Ancona. Check in the rental company's conditions that leaving Italian territory is allowed.
One week is enough for Marche, from the Conero to Urbino, or for the mountain loop around L'Aquila. With ten days to two weeks, you can link the two regions via the Trabocchi Coast or the Sibillini Mountains, keeping time for swimming and Gran Sasso hikes without stringing together long drives.
Good and quick communication, easy to book and easy to follow all the instructions.
Cooldrive was very attentive and very responsive in all situations. We received valuable assistance in the steps to be taken. I highly recommend it.
The person answered my questions before I confirmed the booking. The van matched my order well with extras. During my trip, I had a little issue that had nothing to do with Cooldrive. I appreciated that the person took the time to call me back. No bad surprises, only good ones. Highly recommended.
Standard rental motorhomes can be driven with a category B car licence. For a licence issued outside the European Union, find out which documents are required in Italy, such as an international driving permit or an official translation, and what the rental company asks for. Minimum age and years of driving experience are stated in each offer.
Campsites are concentrated along the coast, from the Conero to the Trabocchi Coast, and are scarcer in the mountains, where municipal "aree di sosta" take over with waste disposal and sometimes electricity. Some farms also welcome motorhomes. Elsewhere, rules on overnight parking vary from one municipality to the next: ask locally before settling in.
The A14 along the Adriatic, as well as the A24 and A25 linking Rome with Teramo and Pescara, are toll roads, like the vast majority of Italian motorways. You take a ticket on entry and pay on exit, in cash or by card. Avoid the lanes reserved for electronic tolling, marked in yellow, if the vehicle has no transponder.
The main roads are cleared of snow, but the Gran Sasso and Majella plateaus and passes may close after heavy snowfall. In the cold season, many mountain roads require winter tyres or snow chains on board: check the equipment provided by the rental company and the rules in force before leaving the coast.
For July and August, book several months ahead: the fleet available in the region is limited and demand is concentrated on the same weeks. In May, June, September or October, a few weeks' notice is often enough, and the choice of models is wider, whether you start from Ancona or L'Aquila.
It depends on the rental company and the depots involved. Blurent has several points in the region, in Marotta, Giulianova and L'Aquila, which makes a one-way hire conceivable, though not guaranteed. Enter a different return city when searching: only the offers that accept it are displayed, with any fees already included.
Less crowded than Tuscany or Puglia, Marche and Abruzzo offer a more intimate Italy, where you go from an Adriatic beach to a high plateau without crossing a big city. A campervan is ideal here: hilltop villages without hotels, municipal parking areas at the foot of the ramparts, hill roads between the Verdicchio and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo vineyards.
Ancona and Marotta open up the Conero, Urbino and the Montefeltro; Giulianova gives access to the Abruzzo beaches and the Trabocchi Coast; L'Aquila, an art city that was rebuilt after the 2009 earthquake, is the gateway to the Gran Sasso and the parks. A single hire can thus combine swimming, hiking, local cuisine and medieval heritage, in spring as in autumn, when both regions are at their best.
