You can come in from anywhere, and the knot is always Milan

Lombardy is where northern Europe enters Italy. From the Gotthard and the San Bernardino you come down onto Lake Maggiore and Como; from the Brenner you arrive at Garda; from the west and the south everything converges on Milan, which has the most congested ring road in the country.

By car and motorhome

For Garda leave at Desenzano, Sirmione or Peschiera; for Maggiore at Sesto Calende or Laveno; for Como at Como or Lecco. With a long vehicle there is one rule: do not go through Milan. Take the right ring road and leave it as soon as you can, ideally outside rush hour.

The crossings into Switzerland, Chiasso and the Spluga pass, can be done with a motorhome; the Stelvio and the Gavia cannot, being narrow with tight hairpins. The Tonale, towards Trentino, is wide and easy.

By train

Milan is the Italian rail hub and everything runs from it. More useful for campers: the line to Como and Chiasso, the one to Lecco and the Valtellina, and the Milan-Verona line which stops at Desenzano, two kilometres from the lower Garda campsites. The Bernina red train, from Tirano, is a journey in itself.

By plane

Malpensa is the largest airport in northern Italy and lies near Lake Maggiore. Linate is in the city. Orio al Serio, at Bergamo, serves low-cost flights and is the handiest for Garda and the eastern lakes. Hiring at any of the three is straightforward.