Four Campsites in Italy: Comparison and Review

If you’re a campsite person, you’ll have had the conversation; the one where you chat with the people in the mobile home across the way about which campsites you’ve been to and which ones they’ve been to, and which ones were great and which ones were awful. Who you stayed with, the size of the pools, and the omni-present mosquito situation. And then you muse about how amazing it would be to find the Holy Grail – a campsite that has the best bits of all of them.

We’ve stayed in three campsites in France, and I compared them here, so this is the Italian version – what’s brilliant and what’s not so good about the four campsites in Italy we’ve tried: Norcenni Girasole, Marina di Venezia, Bella Italia, and Union Lido.

Norcenni Girasole

Where is it?

Norcenni Girasole is in Tuscany, and something you really need to know – something I didn’t know when we booked it – is it’s inland. (My husband did know, in fairness, and he probably told me but I didn’t hear him because everyone was talking at the same time that day. And every day.)

What’s great?

The campsite itself is absolutely wonderful. It’s beautifully kept, and has a centre with a buzzy village feel – a fountain, two ice-cream cafés, four good restaurants, a good supermarket, bars, playground, and an amphi-theatre for live shows.

Norcenni is a perfect base for day-trips to Florence, Siena, and Pisa, so if you’re someone who gets itchy at the thought of two solid weeks inside the four walls of a campsite, it’s ideal.

daytrip to Florence

What’s less good?

I found the pools very busy (we were there in July) but at the time, our kids were 3, 5, and 7, so minding three of them in any pool was a challenge.

It was also very hot when we were there (Summer 2015) – unusually hot for the time I believe, at 37’C. The air con in the mobile home was a much-used lifeline.

Do you need a car?

Not really – you can take a coach to see nearby cities (we had a car so we drove to Siena, but in hindsight, we should have taken a coach) and you can get away with doing your supermarket shop on the campsite. We used our car to drive to local towns and to shop in Lidl, but car hire is expensive in Italy, so getting away without it is good.

Overall verdict

This was our first time staying in an Italian campsite and we were blown away by it. It’s easy to get around, very well run, and a treat from start to finish, lack of sea air notwithstanding.

You can read the full review here: Family Holiday in Italy: Review of Norcenni Girasole 

Marina di Venezia

Where is it?

Marina di Venezia is in Northern Italy, very near Venice.

What’s great?

Oh God, everything. This is possibly  my favourite campsite. It has some downsides (see below) but we had a holiday of a lifetime there. It’s built on a beach, so you can walk from your mobile home to the beach within minutes, through a private access that’s just for people staying on the campsite. We’d stayed in Norcenni the year before and I thought I didn’t mind not being near the sea, but having stayed so close to it in Marina, it changed my mind completely.

I used to go for a run on the beach in the morning (with lots of standing around looking at the sea), and we’d go back there in the afternoon with the kids, and sometimes go down at night to catch the sunset.

We rented pedalos, swam, built sandcastles, and took hundreds of photos, and it’s truly my happiest holiday memory of all time. (It’s also the beach that inspired One Click, when I saw a woman sunbathing while I was out for my run/ walk/ stand one morning and considered taking her photo – I suspect that contributes to my happy associations when I think back on this holiday.)

The campsite itself is very good – it’s huge, but we hired bikes to get around. The pools are excellent, the restaurants are great, and the whole place is very well-kept, pretty, and clean.

What’s less good?

The pools closed from 1pm to 3pm every day which is a pain. We’re late risers on holidays so sometimes didn’t make it down to the pools at all before they closed. It didn’t dampen the holiday for me but having stayed in Union Lido last year (similar site but without the siesta) I saw the difference it made.

Do you need a car?

No, not really, but it can get a bit cabin-feverish if you like to get out of the campsite and don’t have a car. You can cycle to the nearby town of Ca’Savio, and you can walk or cycle to the lighthouse.

We hired a car for a day and a half: we drove to Jesolo for dinner one night, then to Verona the next day. (In hindsight, Verona was a bit too far for a day.) You can take a ferry to Venice which makes a fantastic day trip.

Overall verdict

This is my favourite campsite and I will definitely go back. Highly recommended, as long as you know it’s huge, and there’s a siesta.

Read the full review here: Family holiday in Italy: Review of Marina di Venezia 

Bella Italia

Where is it?

On beautiful Lake Garda

What’s great?

Okay, so I know I just said Marina di Venezia is my favourite campsite, but Bella Italia might be my favourite destination – the campsite itself is not as glossy as Marina and Norcenni, but its location on Lake Garda, with beautiful Peschiera town just a twenty-minute lakeside walk away makes it hard to beat.

The jetty by the campsite
jumping into the lake

We spent a lot of time at the lake and in Peschiera, and taking ferries to other lakeside towns like beautiful Lasize and Sermione.

Lazise – easily accessed by ferry from Peschiera

Early mornings and late evenings at the lake are particularly beautiful. So the campsite (which is fine, just not as amazing as some of the other Italian sites) is just one element of the holiday – it’s about the whole experience of staying on the lake.

What’s less good?

The pools in Bella Italia are very crowded. I’ve gone into lots of detail here in the review, but basically if you’re a pool fan and really want loungers, you need to be prepared to queue at 8.30 am to get them. We never did, and the kids were as happy to take a dip in the pool then head to the lake or the town, but if your kids like lots and lots of pool time, it’s important to know it’s crowded during high season.

The campsite itself is quite rustic compared to some of its shinier rivals – it’s been around a long time and it shows in places. But it wouldn’t put me off, and I’ll be back.

Do you need a car?

Definitely not and this is a huge plus. You can walk to Peschiera, there are dozens of restaurant options, you can walk to the ferry port to go on day trips, take a train to Verona, and for groceries, you can walk to Lidl, or just shop in the onsite supermarket.

Peschiera

Overall verdict

I’m getting nostalgic for Lake Garda writing this and really want to go back. Highly recommended as long as you know about the pools.

Read the full review here: Bella Italia Campsite Review – What’s in a word?

Union Lido

Where is it?

In Northern Italy, near Venice.

What’s great?

This is the Caesar’s Palace of Italian campsites. We’d heard before we went that it outshines everywhere else and we were sceptical, but having been there, I get it. It’s huge, it’s incredibly pretty and clean. It’s shiny. It’s glossy. Where other campsites have pools, Union Lido has a water park. And like Marina di Venezia, it’s built on a beach.

There are shops and restaurants and bars and many, many activities – a mini theme park, pony-rides, night-time shows, a market, and fireworks on the beach every now and then.  There are playgrounds on the beach, with nearby bars so you can sip your coffee or Aperol Spritz while the kids play.

We loved it during our six nights last year, so we’re going back for 12 this year.

What’s less good?

Nothing! Or perhaps in our longer trip this year, we’ll find out… It’s worth noting though that it’s absolutely huge in size. I like big campsites, I like exploring them, I like hiring bikes and cycling everywhere, I like the extra amenities that come with size. But if you don’t like big campsites, Union Lido is not for you.

Do you need a car?

You can take a day-trip to Venice via bus and ferry, and you can walk or cycle to the nearby town, but without a car, you’re really spending your entire holiday on the campsite and on the beach. Which might be absolutely fine… ask me in mid-July!

Overall verdict

We loved it, and we’re going back. It’s huge, don’t go there if you don’t like big sites, but it really has everything you need for a fantastic Italian campsite holiday with beach and pool on your doorstep.

Read the full review here: Union Lido Campsite Review: Going back for more.

PS: We are looking to try somewhere new next time – if you’ve stayed on an amazing campsite anywhere (sunny) in Europe, let me know!

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Author: Andrea Mara | Office Mum

Blogger, freelance writer, author, mother - muddling through and constantly looking for balance.

11 thoughts on “Four Campsites in Italy: Comparison and Review”

  1. Great post thank you! We are looking at organising holidays in May (while we still can!) and you have us convinced on going to either Marina di Venezia or Union Lido!
    I am finding it hard to decide between the 2, any advice? we would be going for about a week, in May with 2.5 yo and 4.5 yo. I noted from your post that Marina has a siesta but that wouldn’t really be a problem for us as the 2.5yo does too!

    1. (I should also have said more explicitly, we are finding these holiday posts super helpful, so thanks again!)

    2. I love both campsites – you honestly can’t go wrong with either of them. The pools in Union Lido are a real novelty – the sandy poolside area, the slides, the warm water lagoon pools. And I might be wrong but I think there’s a greater choice of good accommodation in Union Lido. We stayed in a Eurocamp Esprit in Marina and it was fine but very basic. To me it seemed like most of the mobiles and chalets on offer in UL were at the higher end of the quality scale. I think my heart is still in Marina because we had an exceptionally good holiday there, but UL is perhaps even more shiny and glossy… Hmmm. Maybe see which one gives you the best accommodation option for your dates? You definitely can’t go wrong!
      Andrea Mara | Office Mum recently posted…Four Campsites in Italy: Comparison and ReviewMy Profile

      1. great, that’s good to know! it’s easy to get caught up in these decisions, but knowing we can’t go wrong will make it much more relaxed!
        Now we only need you to write a guide on finding your next house 😉

    1. Hi, we’ve gone with Campotel and Eurocamp: I found Campotel excellent – we stayed with them in Norcenni and in a French campsite before that. But they’re not in every campsite unfortunately. We braved Eurocamp in Marina, Bella and Union Lido with mixed results – we had no big problems but the mobile homes we had in Bella and Marina were very dated (Eurocamp Esprit). In Union Lido, we were in a Eurocamp Azure and it was lovely! Your best bet is take a look at the websites of the various providers and see what you think of what’s on offer, but keep an eye on price too, it can vary widely. Human Travel mobile homes in Bella looked good too, though I wasn’t inside any.

  2. I’d love to try Italy, especially MDV or UL but I have read lots of reviews warning of mosquitos. As they really love me I’m afraid they could ruin the holiday so have being playing it safe in France. Have you had any issues with them?
    Btw Thanks for the brilliant reviews, very helpful!

    1. Yes, mosquitos love me too and I get bitten a lot no matter what campsite I go to (even in Sequoia Parc in France or on city breaks in Spain). So for me, because I seem to get devoured no matter where we go, I just don’t take it into consideration when choosing a site! I used Jungle Formula for adults – the max strength I could get – and found it really good. My bites swell up and I had to get an antibiotic cream this year in the chemist, but I’ll still go back to Northern Italy. Perhaps there is something wrong with me 🙂

  3. Your campsite reviews are really helpful as we’re looking at holidays for next year. We’ve been France all the way so far but really want to do Italy this year. Lake Garda sounds lovely but Bella Italia gets such mixed reviews. We were about to splash out on a really nice cabin with Human Travel but the reviews about dirty pool water and queuing for pool loungers really put me off spending a lot. Looking now at Camping del Garda Village as a less overrun option…have you heard anything about it. Again, it’s very close to Peschiera. Thanks again for all the tips.

    1. Hi Maggie,
      I never saw dirty pool water in Bella Italia but the queuing for loungers is definitely a problem. We didn’t go to the pool in the morning time at all so it didn’t affect us, we usually went in the afternoon, and as long as we had one lounger to throw our stuff on, we were happy. We spent a lot of time at the lake too – the kids preferred it to the pool. But if you like to get loungers, it’s a pain – people queue at 8.30am and put towels down and leave. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about Camping del Garda Village at all. We loved our Bella Italia holiday, but it was definitely more about the location than anything – the lake, Peschiera. So if you find a good campsite in the same location, that sounds ideal. Good luck! Andrea

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