From the Venetian lagoon to the Dolomites, departing from Venice, Verona and Vicenza
Campervan hire in Veneto brings together in a single trip the Venetian lagoon, the cities of Palladio and of Romeo and Juliet, the eastern shore of Lake Garda and the peaks of the Dolomites. Our rental partners are ready for you in Venice, Verona and Vicenza, as well as in Sommacampagna on the edge of Verona, with motorhomes sleeping three to six.
Distances are short: Verona is only about a hundred kilometres from Venice, linked by the A4 motorway across the plain. You can string together art cities, prosecco vineyards and mountain roads in ten days, or settle by the Adriatic and explore from a seaside campsite.
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
A journey across the Venetian plain, from the lagoon to the first hills: the villas of the Riviera del Brenta, including Villa Pisani at Stra, then Padua and the Scrovegni Chapel painted by Giotto, the Euganean Hills and the village of Arquà Petrarca, Vicenza and its palaces designed by Palladio, and finally the Roman arena of Verona.
Stages rarely exceed an hour's drive: time is spent in the cities rather than behind the wheel. Before returning the vehicle, the vineyards of Soave and Valpolicella, on either side of Verona, make for a final stop.
From Venice, the A27 motorway climbs towards Belluno, then the Piave valley leads to Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the heart of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The route continues to Lake Misurina, the toll road to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the Giau and Falzarego passes, then Lake Alleghe before descending back to the plain.
Some passes are subject to traffic restrictions in summer: check before you set off. The warm season, from late June to mid-September, is the safest time for this loop.
From Verona or Sommacampagna, the Veneto shore of Lake Garda is less than half an hour away: Peschiera del Garda and its Venetian ramparts, Lazise, Bardolino and its wines, Garda, then Malcesine, where a cable car climbs Monte Baldo. On the way back, the villages of Valpolicella and their Amarone cellars close the loop.
The lakeside road is narrow and very busy in summer: drive early in the morning and book your waterfront pitches.
A loop at the foot of the Pre-Alps starting from Vicenza: the giant chessboard on the main square of Marostica, the covered wooden bridge of Bassano del Grappa, the hilltop village of Asolo, then the prosecco road between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, through hills listed as a World Heritage Site. The return leads through Treviso and its canals, then Castelfranco Veneto, birthplace of Giorgione.
The best months for travelling between the art cities and Lake Garda: mild days, long hours of light and campsites still available. May is nevertheless the wettest month in both Venice and Verona, with frequent thunderstorms, while in September the sea off Venice is still at 25 °C.
The season for the coast, from Jesolo to Bibione, and for the Dolomites, where people seek the cool air of the passes. The plain turns hot and muggy, mosquitoes are plentiful near the lagoon and Lake Garda's campsites are fully booked. Venice and Padua are best visited early in the morning.
The plain is often blanketed in fog and acqua alta can flood part of Venice in autumn and winter. Yet this is the time of a calmer Venice, followed by its carnival in February. In the Dolomites, skiing and snowy roads take over; many coastal campsites are closed.
Venice for the lagoon, the coast and the Dolomites, Verona or Sommacampagna for Lake Garda, Vicenza for the Palladian villas and the prosecco hills. These departure points are only one or two hours apart by motorway.
Included mileage, kitchen and bedding kits, manual or automatic gearbox, insurance: these details vary from one rental company to another. Search with your exact dates to see the current rates.
In July and August, first secure campsites on Lake Garda and the coast, as well as your seats for the opera at the Verona Arena, then fill in with aree di sosta.
Driving licence, ID and a credit card in the main driver's name: check the documents required and the handover time, especially if you arrive via Venice or Verona airport.
No road goes into Venice beyond Piazzale Roma and the island of Tronchetto, whose car parks quickly fill up in season. The simplest option is to stay at a campsite in Fusina, Mestre or Punta Sabbioni, from where boats and buses reach the historic centre.
Verona, Padua, Vicenza and Treviso reserve their historic centres for authorised vehicles. Entrances are filmed and the fine arrives weeks later, often with an administration fee charged by the rental company. Locate the car parks on the outskirts and the aree di sosta before driving into town.
Pass roads are lined with hairpin bends, shared in summer with cyclists and motorcyclists. A short vehicle is far more comfortable there than a large A-class motorhome; also check any length limits or temporary closures announced on certain passes.
From Cavallino-Treporti to Bibione via Caorle, the Veneto coast is lined with vast beachfront campsites with swimming pools and plenty of facilities. Many close from October to April: out of season, fall back on the towns' aree di sosta and campsites open all year round.
Our rental partners welcome you in Venice (Anywhere Campers, Autocaravan Express, Motorhomes Italy), Verona (Anywhere Campers), Sommacampagna, right next to Verona (Blurent), and Vicenza (McRent). Note that the McRent depot is in Alonte, south of Vicenza, and the Motorhomes Italy depot is in Porcia, near Pordenone. Check the address before booking your train or flight.
It is worth considering: Anywhere Campers has a depot in each of the two cities. Enter a different return city in your search to see which offers accept it and on what terms. A one-way trip from Venice to Verona saves crossing the plain twice and lets you end your journey on the shores of Lake Garda.
For the Dolomite passes, choose the shortest vehicle possible: a low-profile motorhome sleeping four, such as the Carado T 447 available in Venice, is enough for a couple or a small family. On Lake Garda and the coast, an overcab sleeping six like the Sunlight A 70 offers more space, at the cost of trickier driving in narrow streets.
Easily: Modena is only 88 km from Verona as the crow flies, reached via the A22 motorway, and Bergamo is 93 km from Sommacampagna. You can then link Lake Garda with the Lombard lakes, or Verona with Bologna and the cities of Emilia. Check the low-emission zones of the big cities, such as Milan's Area B.
A week is enough for Venice and the art cities as far as Verona. In ten to twelve days you can add Lake Garda or the prosecco hills, and two weeks leave time to head up into the Dolomites without rushing. With three weeks, Veneto combines with Trentino, the northern end of Lake Garda or Friuli all the way to Trieste.
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. If your licence was issued outside the European Union, find out which documents are required in Italy, often an International Driving Permit or an official translation, as well as the rental company's conditions. The required age and years of driving experience vary from one offer to another.
Campsites abound on Lake Garda and in the Dolomites, and most towns offer aree di sosta, areas reserved for motorhomes with waste disposal and sometimes electricity. Overnight parking elsewhere depends on each municipality's bylaws and is frequently prohibited near beaches: ask locally before stopping.
The vast majority of motorways are tolled, usually with a ticket taken on entry and paid on exit. Outside built-up areas, dipped headlights must stay on during the day. A bike rack or any load protruding at the rear must carry a red and white striped sign, or you risk a fine.
Trieste and the Slovenian border lie just over a hundred kilometres from Venice, and Austria can be reached through the Dolomites or via the Brenner motorway. Crossing a border must be authorised by the rental company: check the offer's conditions, and find out about the vignette or toll required according to the vehicle's weight.
Yes: in the cold season, many mountain roads require winter tyres or snow chains on board, indicated by signs, generally from mid-November to mid-April. Check that your motorhome is equipped and that the rental company allows mountain driving in winter, as not all offers include it.
For July, August and spring bank holidays, book several months ahead: Lake Garda and the coast draw holidaymakers from all over Europe and the choice of vehicles shrinks quickly. From October to April, apart from the Venice Carnival and the end-of-year holidays, a few weeks' notice is generally enough.
Veneto can be crossed in a few hours, yet everything changes along the way: the lagoon and its islands, the palaces of Venice, the frescoes of Padua, Palladio's villas around Vicenza, the arena of Verona, then the waters of Lake Garda and the rock walls of the Dolomites. A motorhome lets you move from one to the next without repacking, and sleep by a lake or at the foot of a pass.
With departures from Venice, Verona, Sommacampagna and Vicenza, everyone can design their own trip: art cities in spring, coast and mountains in summer, grape harvest and prosecco hills in autumn. Short stages leave time for hiking, cycling along the lake or a day on a boat in the lagoon. The region also opens easily onto Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli or Austria to extend the journey.
