Last updated: February 2026
Italy might just be the most rewarding country in Europe to tour by motorhome — but it's also one of the most confusing when it comes to finding somewhere to park for the night. Unlike France with its vast, well-documented aire network, Italy's system of aree di sosta is less standardised, harder to research, and almost entirely documented in Italian. If you've ever struggled to work out where to park your motorhome in Italy, you're not alone.
The good news? Italy has an extensive network of over 2,800 dedicated motorhome stops — from full-service areas with electricity and water to simple parking spots in medieval hilltop towns with views that would cost you hundreds in a hotel. And once you understand how the system works, it opens up a way of touring Italy that most tourists never experience: parking within walking distance of Florence, waking up beside Lake Garda, or spending the night at a Tuscan vineyard.
Browse all Italy locations on our interactive map
An Area di Sosta Camper (often shortened to just "sosta") is a designated area where motorhomes and campervans can legally park, usually overnight. The official name translates roughly to "camper rest area." It's the Italian equivalent of French aires and German Stellplätze — a purpose-built or designated spot for self-contained vehicles to stop, sleep, and move on.
You'll see these stops referred to by various names across Italy — Area di Sosta, Punto Sosta, Area Attrezzata, Area Sosta Camper, or simply "Sosta." They all refer to the same basic concept, though they differ significantly in what's included. The subtle differences often come down to regional terminology, but the core idea is the same: overnight motorhome parking that isn't a campsite.
Italy has around 250,000 registered motorhomes, with new registrations growing at roughly 10% per year. Many small towns across Italy have created sostas specifically to attract motorhome tourism — especially outside peak holiday seasons, when a steady flow of touring motorhomers provides valuable income to local restaurants, shops, and attractions.
The definitive CamperLife guide catalogues 2,836 locations across Italy. Understanding the three types is essential for planning your Italian tour:
Area Attrezzata (AA) — the full package, and closest to a French aire. These are specifically designated for motorhomes, with a service point (fresh water, grey and black water disposal), and often electricity hookup, hard standing, lighting, and sometimes basic toilet or shower facilities. Many are privately run by local businesses or landowners. Expect to pay €10-20 per night. There are approximately 1,264 of these across Italy.
Punto Sosta (PS) — tolerated overnight parking. These are general parking areas suitable for motorhomes but not exclusively reserved for them. They have no dedicated motorhome facilities, though there may be a public water tap or WC nearby. Often free or very low cost. Quality is highly variable — some are wonderful scenic spots, others are unremarkable car parks. Around 752 are catalogued across Italy. Think of these as the Italian equivalent of a "tolerated parking" spot.
Camper Service (CS) — service point only, no overnight parking. These provide fresh water fill-up and grey/black waste disposal, but you cannot park overnight. Stop, service your vehicle, and move on. Found at petrol stations, near campsites, and alongside roads. Around 547 are documented. Essential to know about for planning service stops between overnight locations.
Italian sostas are more variable than their French and German counterparts. At an Area Attrezzata, you can generally expect good facilities. At a Punto Sosta, expect little more than somewhere to park. Here's the general picture:
Key difference from France: Fewer Italian sostas have service facilities compared to French aires. You need to be more proactive about planning your water fills and waste disposal stops. Don't pass a Camper Service without using it — you may not find another for some time.
Italian sostas tend to cost more than French aires, though they're still significantly cheaper than campsites:
For comparison, Italian campsites (campeggi) charge €25-60 per night in peak season. Even the most expensive sosta is a fraction of that — and the locations are often better.
Rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, hilltop towns, and outstanding wine. Tuscany is motorhome touring at its finest. Towns like Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano, and San Gimignano all have sostas within walking distance — something that would be impossible (and unaffordable) if you were trying to find a hotel in these postcard-perfect locations. The Chianti wine region between Florence and Siena has several agriturismo sostas where you can park at vineyards and olive oil producers. Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are ideal — summer is hot, crowded, and expensive.
Dramatic mountain scenery, Alpine villages, and sostas in locations that rival any in Europe for views. The Dolomites have a growing network of motorhome stops, many run by local councils or ski resorts that open for summer hiking. Expect cooler temperatures, excellent walking, and stunning mountain roads. Larger motorhomes should check road widths and tunnel heights before committing to mountain passes — some are challenging.
The Italian Lakes are a motorhome magnet, and for good reason. Lake Garda's eastern shore has excellent infrastructure for motorhomes, while the smaller Lake Orta is a hidden gem with a beautiful free sosta above the town and its collection of 27 hillside chapels. Lake Como is trickier for larger motorhomes due to narrow lakeside roads, but smaller campervans will find it rewarding. Arrive early in summer — lakeside sostas fill fast.
Breathtaking coastal scenery, but challenging for motorhomes. The Amalfi Coast road is narrow, congested, and has strict vehicle size restrictions in summer. That said, there are sostas on the outskirts with shuttle services or public transport links to the coast. Naples has dedicated motorhome parking areas outside the city centre. Pompeii has a sosta near the archaeological site. The key is not driving on the coast itself — park nearby and use boats or buses.
A growing sosta network on Italy's largest island. Sicily offers ancient ruins, volcanic landscapes (Etna!), outstanding food, and far fewer crowds than the mainland. Some Sicilian sostas provide shuttle services to nearby towns. Taormina has a dedicated Area di Sosta with a shuttle to the town centre. The island is well-suited to a two-week motorhome circuit.
The five villages are famously difficult to reach by car, let alone motorhome. The solution: park at sostas in La Spezia or the surrounding area and take the train. Several park-and-ride sostas serve the Cinque Terre, with frequent rail connections to all five villages. This is one case where the sosta system works brilliantly for motorhomers visiting a destination that would otherwise be inaccessible.
You can't drive in Venice, obviously — but you can park remarkably close. There are dedicated motorhome areas at Punta Sabbioni (with a water-bus connection to St Mark's Square), Mestre (mainland Venice with bus/tram links), and on the Lido. Arriving by motorhome and taking a vaporetto into Venice is one of the most cost-effective ways to visit the city.
Don't drive in central Rome — the ZTL (restricted traffic zone) will earn you fines, and the traffic is notorious. Instead, use sostas in outer Rome near metro or bus stops. Several motorhome areas on the outskirts provide safe parking with public transport connections straight to the Colosseum, Vatican, and Trastevere. Plan for 2-3 days using Rome as a base.
Beyond the sosta network, Italy has its own "stay at a farm" programme similar to Brit Stops, France Passion, and Landvergnügen. Originally called Fattore Amico (which closed in 2017), it has been replaced by Agricamper Italia.
For an annual membership fee (around €25-30), you can stay overnight at approximately 350 agriturismo locations across Italy — farms, vineyards, olive oil producers, and artisan food makers. Stay for free, support the business by buying produce or dining at the farm. It's a wonderful way to experience rural Italy: think homemade wine, fresh cheese, olive oil tastings, and genuine Italian hospitality.
Agricamper Italia is part of the FEFI federation — the same European network that includes Brit Stops, France Passion, Landvergnügen, and others. If you've used any of those programmes, you'll know exactly how this works.
The agriturismo stops tend to be concentrated in northern and central Italy, with fewer options in the deep south and islands. A phone call in advance is usually required — and basic Italian (or a translation app) helps enormously.
One of the biggest challenges for English-speaking motorhomers in Italy is that almost all sosta information is in Italian. The definitive CamperLife guide? Italian. The Turismo Itinerante GPS database? Italian. The Guida Camper? Italian. Forum users consistently report difficulty finding up-to-date, accurate information in English.
That's where Campercation helps. Our community of motorhomers has mapped locations across Italy with English-language reviews, facility reports, photos, and accurate GPS coordinates. Here's how to make the most of it:
Motorhome wild camping in Italy is generally tolerated if not entirely legal. Stay away from tourist hotspots and urban areas, park respectfully, quietly, and leave no trace — and you'll usually be fine. However, coastal zones and popular tourist areas are heavily patrolled during peak season (especially August). With the sosta network available, we'd always recommend using official stops where possible.
Italian driving can be... enthusiastic. Expect fast, confident driving from locals, creative interpretation of lane markings, and occasional gesticulation. Roads are generally well-maintained. Watch out for ZTL zones (Zona a Traffico Limitato) in historic city centres — automated cameras will issue fines to vehicles entering restricted areas. Your sat nav should flag these, but pay attention to signage. Motorway tolls (autostrada) are moderate and paid at toll booths.
Italy essentially shuts down in mid-August (Ferragosto, 15 August). Italians take their own motorhomes and caravans to the coast en masse. Coastal sostas will be absolutely rammed, prices peak, and inland towns go quiet. If you must tour Italy in August, head inland or to the mountains. Better yet, come in June, September, or October.
More so than France or Germany, Italy's sosta network assumes you're self-contained. Fewer sostas have service facilities, and those that do may charge for each service. Ensure your water tank is full before heading into rural areas, carry spare toilet chemicals, and don't rely on finding services at every stop. Plan service stops using Camper Service (CS) locations between overnight stops.
Italian food is extraordinary and remarkably cheap in markets, delis, and local shops. Every town has a bakery (panificio), a deli (salumeria), and usually a fresh pasta shop. Weekly markets are common and offer incredible value. Supermarket chains (Coop, Conad, Lidl, Eurospin) are good for staples. Many sostas are deliberately placed within walking distance of town centres — stroll in, buy local produce, eat magnificently.
Italy has a slightly higher reputation for petty theft targeting tourists than northern Europe. Use common sense: don't leave valuables visible, lock your vehicle when leaving it, and be aware of your surroundings in tourist areas. Sostas in town centres with good lighting and other motorhomes present are generally very safe. Avoid isolated or very dark parking areas, particularly in larger cities.
An Area Attrezzata (AA) is a full-service motorhome area with dedicated facilities: fresh water, waste disposal, sometimes electricity, hard standing, and lighting. These are similar to French aires. A Punto Sosta (PS) is a simpler parking area where motorhomes are tolerated overnight but there are no dedicated motorhome facilities. Think of AA as the "good ones" and PS as "somewhere you can park." Both are valid options — just set your expectations accordingly.
Campercation's Italy map is a good starting point, with English-language reviews and GPS coordinates. You can also search Google Maps for "Sosta Camper" or "Area Sosta Camper" while zoomed in on your area of interest — many sostas appear with user reviews. Keep an eye out for the blue and white motorhome signs along Italian roads, which direct you to local stops.
They cost more than French aires on average, but far less than campsites. Expect to pay €5-20 per night at an Area Attrezzata, with many Punti di Sosta being free. A typical Italian campsite charges €30-60 in peak season. Services (water, electricity) may cost extra, usually €1-3 each.
Most sostas are designed for motorhomes and campervans. Car and caravan combinations may not physically fit the spaces and are often not permitted. Campeggi (campsites) are a better option if you're touring Italy with a caravan.
Helpful but not essential. Signage at sostas uses symbols for facilities, and payment machines are usually intuitive. For Agricamper Italia stops, a phone call in advance is usually expected — Google Translate or a basic phrasebook will get you through. Key words: "sosta" (stop/parking), "acqua" (water), "scarico" (waste disposal), "corrente" (electricity), "prezzo" (price).
Italy pairs perfectly with neighbouring countries for a grand European tour. Our community has mapped thousands of stopovers across the continent: