🇮🇹 Italy — OpenVan.camp
Italy
Work has started on a new serviced camper parking area in Pietra del Melo, along the SP 86 near Agnone. The site will feature children's play equipment, an exercise area and toilets, with completion scheduled for early 2027.
In Italy, interest is growing in low-end motorhomes built by specialist manufacturers. La Gazzetta dello Sport selected models with base prices between 40,000 and 50,000 euros, around 450 cm long, mostly on Fiat Ducato chassis. Many novices start with used motorhomes. Prices refer to base versions without customisation.
The Cubivan Camping System, developed by Florian Haller of Vanna Camp in South Tyrol, Italy, converts a passenger van into a camper using sliding and folding modules made of fiber-reinforced plastic with polyurethane insulation. The rear module extends and unfolds into a compact kitchen with a cooktop, sink, 25-liter water tank, and a small refrigerator, and also contains a slide-out toilet and shower. A roof module opens into a 200 x 200 cm double bed. The system will be available for the Ford Tourneo Custom, Mercedes Vito, VW ID. Buzz, and VW Caravelle. Pre-orders are open until December 31, 2026; market launch is expected in early summer 2027, with pre-orders granting priority and a €1000 discount.
Italy
Laika has unveiled the Kreos H 5109 MB, the first model in its 2027 Kreos range built exclusively on a Mercedes-Benz chassis. The premiere took place at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. The vehicle is powered by a 170 hp engine paired with a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, measures 8.08 m long, 2.32 m wide and 2.96 m high, and has a gross vehicle weight of 4.5 tonnes. The exterior design was developed with GFG-Style, and three body finishes are available. Inside, it features a heated double floor 25 cm high, a 170-litre fresh water tank, Alde heating, a kitchen with three gas burners, an oven and a 153-litre refrigerator, plus twin rear beds and an additional bed above the cab. The base price exceeds €173,000.
Italy
The motorhome stopover "Un Po di Sosta" in Paesana has been awarded the Stella d'Oro di Eccellenza by the Italian Campers Confederation (Federcampeggio). The award was presented at the Salone del Camper in Parma during the meeting "Regenerative tourism travels on wheels". The prize was handed over by Federcampeggio President Emanuele Paolicelli and F.I.C.C. President João Alves Pereira. The award recognises service quality, environmental sustainability and support for local tourism.
A large fire broke out in a warehouse on Via Genazzano in Valmontone, used for storing boats, campers and agricultural machinery. The flames started around 12:00. The Rome Fire Brigade operations centre dispatched crews from Palestrina and Colleferro, supported by three water tankers and a breathing apparatus vehicle. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was fully developed. No injuries have been reported. Law enforcement is on site; extinguishing and safety operations are ongoing.
Italian caravan associations have proposed raising the speed limit for car and caravan combinations to 100 km/h on motorways and 80 km/h on extra-urban roads. The initiative coincides with the Salone del Camper in Parma. Current Italian limits are lower than in most EU countries. The proposal is backed by InCaravan Club Italia, ACIT and the Tuttocaravan forum, citing modern safety systems such as hitch stabilisers and electronic sway control. Parliamentary and government review is awaited.
A solo female van life vlogger has released a video documenting a trip to the Italian hills of Cerignola with her cat. The video features painting, exploring and a dinner that the creator described as disappointing.
From Friday to Sunday, Santa Fiora (Tuscany) will host the national PleinAir Festival organised by the Paesi Bandiera Arancione association. Participants will stay at the semi-equipped camper area on via Martiri della Niccioleta, which has loading and unloading services. On Saturday, a guided tour of the historic centre includes Palazzo Sforza Cesarini, churches and Robbian works, followed by an aperitif and distribution of PleinAir 2026 gadgets. On Sunday, a guided visit to the Galleria Alta and the source of the Fiora river will be held in groups of up to 12 people. Optional visits include the Mercury Mining Museum of Monte Amiata and the Peschiera Park.
About 20–25 motorhomes parked in the Terme area have been without waste disposal and water filling for three weeks. The Ascione lot in Cervia is clogged, and viale Tritone in Pinarella has no water. Owners must travel to Cesenatico for basic services.
Salone del Camper — Caravan Accessori Percorsi e Mete will be held at Fiere di Parma from 12 to 20 September 2026. The 17th edition will feature four routes across Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Calabria, linking campsites, wineries and local producers. In 2025, open-air tourism in Italy exceeded 74 million presences, with an estimated value of 8.5 billion euros.
Italy
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The Salone del Camper in Parma, held from 12 to 20 September 2026, confirmed 100,000 visitors over nine days. More than 60,000 online tickets were sold.
The municipality of Dogliani has published regulations for the motorhome area in Piazza d'Armi, inaugurated on 3 July and designed to accommodate up to twelve vehicles simultaneously. Access is permitted exclusively to motorhomes as defined by current legislation; parking is expressly prohibited for cars, motorcycles, unconverted vans, caravans, tents, vehicles without self-contained sanitary facilities, vehicles with 'nautical' discharge systems, and vehicles exceeding 35 quintals or the marked spaces. The maximum continuous stay is 96 hours from the moment of arrival, after which the area must be vacated and a minimum interval of 72 hours observed before re-entry. Loading and unloading services operate from 1 April to 31 October; during the winter period from 1 November to 31 March they may be temporarily suspended to prevent frost damage.
Construction of a new camper area in Piazza Oddone in Susa, Italy, is set to begin. The project, presented by Mayor Piero Genovese at the Salone del Camper in Parma, includes a first phase of works, a dog exercise area, and landscaping as part of the urban regeneration of the Re Cozio Archaeological Park. The aim is to encourage longer stays to explore local heritage and businesses.
Italian company Wingamm has unveiled the updated Oasi 540.1 motorhome for 2027. The price is 128,900 dollars (111,741 euros). The body length is 5.42 metres, and the maximum mass is 3,500 kg, allowing it to be driven with a category B licence. Equipment includes a 200 Ah battery, a 130 W solar panel with controller and a 2,000 W inverter, enabling gas-free operation with an induction hob. The chassis is based on the new-generation Fiat Ducato Euro 6D with an automatic gearbox. The monocoque fibreglass body, insulated tanks and Truma Combi diesel heater allow year-round use. The interior offers three sleeping places, a kitchen with a Corian sink and a ceramic toilet.
Flavio, an NCC taxi driver in Sirmione on Lake Garda, has been living in a motorhome for two years because he cannot find an affordable apartment. A one-room apartment would have cost more than 1000 euros per month. In a town of about 8,000 residents, up to 20,500 day visitors are recorded on peak days; some shops and restaurants are being converted into short-term rental apartments at over 1500 euros per week. In August 2026, tourism occupancy on Lake Garda reached 84.8%, and in Verona 80.6%.
Authorities in South Tyrol reported 15 violations during a nationwide crackdown on wild camping. A previous coordinated operation had recorded 21 cases. Overnight stays on public land are banned in the province; camping is allowed only at official campsites and designated motorhome pitches. Tourism councillor Luis Walcher said the issue should not be taken lightly, and authorities will continue joint inspections.
South Tyrolean brand Cubivan has developed a modular camping system consisting of a pull-out box in the boot and a hard-walled pop-top roof. The box extends upwards and downwards to create a full-height space with a kitchen unit featuring a 90 cm worktop and a shower measuring 90×95 cm. The system is planned for VW Caravelle, Ford Tourneo Custom and Mercedes Vito/V-Class; a separate box is offered for the VW ID.Buzz, and a lighter roof version is in development due to the ID.Buzz's 100 kg roof load limit. It was presented at Caravan Salon Düsseldorf 2026, where interest was also shown in the Kia PV5.
In 2025, over 44,000 motorhomes were purchased in Italy, including new and used: new registrations rose 10.56% compared to 2024, and used transfers increased 6.05%. According to the Association of Caravan and Camper Manufacturers, this reflects growing interest in recreational mobility, but does not indicate how many people live permanently in motorhomes. The open-air tourism sector reached 74 million visits in 2025, valued at 8.5 billion euros; 93% of wheel-based travellers consider this mode their preferred one. Among fulltimers are remote workers, retirees, freelancers and content creators; one account of 11 years living on board cites an average monthly cost of about 1,700 euros, excluding the vehicle purchase and travel.
Roller Team has unveiled the Kronos Fit 235 TL, the shortest model in the Kronos Fit range at 5.99 metres long and 2.15 metres wide, built on a Ford Transit and homologated for four occupants. Instead of a rear garage, it uses a pull-out platform for a scooter or two e-bikes. The maximum permissible weight remains 3,500 kg, requiring careful accounting of optional equipment and payload. German magazine Promobil estimated in April 2026 a starting price below €70,000, while a French price list quotes €63,991 for the 165 hp version; no official Dutch price for the 2027 model has been published.