Dates: 2-15 July 2011.

The Griff was made to drive and, following TV features describing both the San Bernardino and Stelvio passes, Liz and I planned a trip to northern Italy and back using both.

I also wanted to drive a lap of the iconic Nurbürgring Nordschleife.

The round-trip was approximately 3000 miles with the planned route taking in short stops at towns in between the scheduled stop-overs. The planned itinerary:

• one night in Dunkerque
• one night in Luxembourg City
• one night in Zürich
• two nights in Como
• two nights in Milan
• two nights in Verona
• one night in Bormio
• one night in Innsbrück
• one night near Nürburg and the Nürburgring
• one night in Leuven

The trip started with the long and tedious drive to Dover to take an early evening ferry to Dunkerque in France.

Replacing the roof whilst queuing for the ferry:

The fabled white cliffs of Dover:

Our first accommodation was a crazy cheap Première Classe hotel in the Saint-Pol-sur-Mer area of Dunkerque.

Toilet and shower combo. You get what you pay for:

We set out early on the second day to take-in Dunkerque before heading for Luxembourg.

French naval commander Jean Bart:

The Saint-Éloi Belfry in the town centre:

The younger, re-built, Saint-Éloi Catholic Church:

The Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque:

The aptly-named Princess Elizabeth:

We spotted Dunkerque Town Hall as we left for our next stop, Tournai in Belgium:

Spot the Griff:

Tounai was very quiet:

It was also blessed with beautiful architecture.

Sint-Kwintenskerk:

Halle aux Draps:

The five spires of Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Tournai on the left and the Beffroi de Tournai on the right:

After a few hours in Tournai we headed east towards Charleroi and Namur. Unfortunately, time was against us so we opted not to stop in Charleroi.

The Place d’Armes with it’s sculpture by Belgian artist Suzanne Godard:

The sculpture is meant to signify the laid-back attitude of the people of Namur!

The view from atop the Citadel of Namur looking out at the river Meuse (the obscured river Sambre joins behind the trees on the left:

The tree-lined Sambre:

After only an hour or so in Namur we followed the Meuse south along a twisty N road to Dinant.

We parked-up on the side of the main road through the town and saw these on our way to find food:

After eating we found the 13th-century Notre Dame de Dinant with Dinant Citadel high above it:

The above was taken from Charles de Gaulle Bridge. The bridge plays host to 28 saxophones, each uniquely decorated:

Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxaphone, was born in Dinant and the 28 saxophones installed in 2010 celebrate the European Union:

The Meuse:

As we left Dinant for Luxembourg City we drove through Rocher Bayard gap:

As the sun set we entered the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg:

Our hotel was actually the Etap at Luxembourg Airport on the outskirts of the city.

The next day we drove into Luxembourg City. The centre of the city is like a bowl, so we parked at the top and worked our way down.

The view from the top:

At the bottom:

The Gëlle Fra, situated in Constitution Square:

Around the Palais Grand-Ducal:

The spires of Cathédrale Notre-Dame:

A view as we climbed back up to the top:

The layout gave the city a fairy-tale medieval feel:

With our final destination of the day being Zürich, over four hour’s drive away, we opted to take-in Basel en route and to eat.

Basel Town Hall:

Basel Minster undergoing work:

Barfüsserplatz:

Not quite sure why I was pulling that face when about to drink from the basilisk fountain!:

Basel architecture:

Contemplating the Rhine with the Mittlere Brücke (Middle Bridge) bathed in evening sun:

It was only a short drive to Zürich from Basel and we spotted the Gate of Spalen on out way out of the city:

It was dusk by the time we reached Zürich:

The next day we left the car at the accommodation and began our short tour of Zürich early.

Zürich train station with the statue of Alfred Escher, a renowned politician and entrepreneur, standing guard:

River Limmat viewed from Lindenhof hill:

The twin spires of the 12th-century Großmünster:

The clock face of the Church of St. Peter peeking through a narrow alleyway:

The pretty little square on which the Church of St. Peter resides:

The Münsterbrücke (Minster Bridge), the Limmat, the Großmünster and a cheesy grin:

When we reached the Quaibrücke that divides the Limmat from Lake Zürich we found this slightly unnerving sculpture:

It was Maman, a bronze, steel, and marble sculpture by the artist Louise Bourgeois which was temporarily on show on Bürkliplatz. There were marble “eggs” in the spider’s sack.

Luke Zürich:

The view back into the city:

• 

• 

Food and drink was very expensive in Zürich and we barely had enough Swiss francs for a sandwich each and a shared bottle of water!

The Fraumünster Church from the Münsterbrücke:

Our route south to Como was to be via the famous San Bernardino Pass that I’d learned about thanks to Top Gear. The pass is 2066 metres above sea level and twists its way through the Swiss Alps with several hairpin bends and great views.

Before we got to the pass we drove along Lake Zürich and then Lake Walensee:

The first bend of the San Bernardino Pass:

Here is a short clip of the first few bends.

I was excited and nervous. The Griffith is a bit of beast with no traction control or ABS. I wanted to attack the bends but also survive the journey and occasionally peek at the scenery!

What a car and what a place:

Laghetto Moesola near the summit:

The Piz Uccello range:

We survived!:

So many hairpins:

And finally a straight:

Crossing the valley:

• 

• 

Mesocco Castle:

A waterfall as we left Switzerland:

It was a fantastic drive that I would happily do any day. Very tiring though due to the concentration levels required!

We arrived in Como to a light rain with our accommodation being a cottage with some farm animals on the edge of the town. The proprietor was an older lady who spoke little English. However, she insisted I park the Griff under cover in the one covered car park space.

The Griff had developed a light squealing noise from the front left wheel over the previous 24 hours. There didn’t appear to be any issues with the brakes or the steering and a phone call to my mechanic (who’d offered to take calls from me before we left) only offered the suggestion of some trapped gravel.

We wandered to a nearby restaurant for the first evening and ordered all the beer:

The following day, after an excellent homemade breakfast, we caught the local train to the centre of Como.

We began with a gentle stroll around the area to the south of Lake Como:

• 

• 

• 

The Tempio Voltiano museum:

Lake Como:

The imposing waterside Monumento ai Caduti WWI memorial:

The Monumento alla Resistenza Europea memorial to resistence fighters of WWII:

Next we headed east into the centre of Como. Here is Alessandro Volta, the scientist credited with the invention of the electric battery:

We continued east to Cattedrale di S.Maria Assunta di Como and then Basilica di San Fedele:

• 

• 

After ice-cream we took a boat trip around Lake Como:

The neoclassical Villa Olmo on the eastern shore of the lake:

Lake Como is like an upside-down letter ‘Y’. The epic trip included stops at Argegno, Bellagio (at the meeting point of the fork) and Mandello del Lario and Lecco down the other side.

En route to Argegno:

• 

• 

• 

The photos just don’t do the scenery justice:

• 

• 

• 

En route to Bellagio:

• 

• 

• 

Colourful Bellagio:

So childish:

En route to Mandello del Lario:

• 

• 

• 

En route to Lecco:

• 

• 

• 

Lecco:

• 

• 

• 

The ride back to Como was sleep inducing but we were met by this beautiful sunset:

Spot the lights of the funicular:

After another hearty breakfast, and many bellisimos and arrivedercis, we set-off for the short hop south to Milan.

The magnificent Duomo di Milano on Piazza del Duoma:

Entrance to the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II high-end shopping centre:

We were able to climb up the Duomo di Milano, literally onto the roof:

• 

• 

• 

A view into the court yard and over the city:

Inside the galleria:

Leonardo da Vinci on Piazza San Fedele:

A trio of “statues”:

• 

• 

• 

The 15th-century Santa Maria presso San Satiro tucked away just off Piazza del Duoma:

The remains of the San Giovanni in Conca crypt on Piazza Guiseppe Missori:

The nearby impressive Residence Missori hotel:

On our meanderings we spotted the lesser-spotted Aston Martin Cygnet:

The Torre Branca observation tower in Parco Sempione:

The Arco della Pace on Piazza Sempione:

The next morning we headed back to Parco Sempione to investigate the impressive Castello Sforzesco:

Torre del Filarete:

Giuseppe Garibaldi, “father” of Italy:

Next was a visit to the San Siro, via the the Ippodromo Snai San Siro:

Stadio San Siro:

Via Dante decorated with flags of the world with Torre del Filarete in the distance:

As we returned to our accommodation a freak flash hail storm hit. I was more than a little concerned for the Griff’s paint work.

The picture doesn’t do the hail stones justice:

Many bars in Milan do this thing where between certain hours in the late afternoon / early evening if you buy a drink you’re entitled to eat from the buffet. The drinks prices reflect this, mind! It’s also difficult to just get a drink at the price of said drink during these hours. Still, the food was simple and tasty.

We left Milan early the next day in order to take pit-stops in Bergamo and Brescia en route to Verona.

Welcome to Bergamo:

Bergamo is spilt into two distinct areas: the lower Città Bassa and the upper, older Città Alta which can be reached by a short funicular train.

Fontana ad Antonio Locatelli near the funicular station:

The Palazzo della Ragione on Piazza Vecchia in the Città Alta area:

Around Piazza Vecchia:

Cappella Colleoni:

You can just about make-out a happy sun face on the rear of this sign:

The view south over lower Bergamo from the Piattaforma di Sant’Andrea:

The sundial on the northern edge of the cittadel:

The view north:

After a short drive we arrived in Brescia and headed straight for Castello di Brescia:

Lion guards:

Just south of the castle is the Capitolium o Tempio Capitolino archaeological site:

Palazzo del Broletto:

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta on Piazza Paolo VI:

Duomo Vecchio next door:

Around Palazzo Martinengo Cesaresco Novarino:

The drive to Verona took as past Laggo di Garde and snow-capped mountains and we arrived in Romeo and Juliet country early evening.

Verona’s historic city square, Piazza delle Erbe:

• 

• 

• 

• 

Our accommodation was actually a room in a couple’s home a short bus ride from the city centre. They also had a pair of bikes that we borrowed. It turned out to be a great way to see the Città Antica area of Verona.

The old city walls:

My trusty steed for the day:

Statues en route to our first stop:

• 

• 

The impressive Arena di Verona just off the colourful Piazza Brà:

Despite there being no mention of a balcony in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and the Juliet character not being based on a real-life person, we had to visit Juliet’s House to view the Balcone di Romeo & Giulietta:

Statua di Berto Barbarani (poet) at the southern tip of Piazza delle Erbe:

Piazza delle Erbe by day:

Fontana Madonna Verona:

A water break before ascending the Palazzo della Ragione:

The view from the top of Palazzo della Ragione:

Just to the east is the smaller Piazza dei Signori:

Palazzo di Cansignorio:

The Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs) is a collection of tombs of the 14th-century ruling Scaliger family:

I portoni della Brà leading away from the Arena di Verona:

The Museo di Castelvecchio on the banks of the Adige river:

A view north-east towards the Ponte della Vittoria from the Ponte di Castelvecchio:

The grand walls of the Ponte di Castelvecchio:

The ancient arched Porta dei Borsari:

Statues of the Ponte della Vittoria:

A view over the Adige with the hilltop church Santuario della Nostra Signora di Lourdes in the distance:

The Parrocchia di San Giorgio in Braida monastery on the north bank of the Adige:

Castel San Pietro:

Ponte Pietra:

Looking towards Ponte Nuovo with the Campanile di Santa Anastasia in the centre:

A deserved iced-tea and a brave pigeon:

The next morning we set-off for Bormio via Sirmione peninsula that juts out into Lake Garda.

Gorgeous Lago di Garde:

Castello di Sirmione, access point to historic Sirmione:

The colourful town:

The pier at the end of the Earth:

The local wildlife:

• 

• 

Sirmione to the Italian Alps sky resort of Bormio was very picturesque:

Being a sky resort, Bormio was dead. I’m pretty sure we were the only people staying in the Residence Dello Stelvio. It was very eerie!

We bought some provisions from a local shop with a very friendly meat counter person, made dinner in our room and got an early night.

The view from our accommodation was spectacular:

• 

Spot the Griff:

Bormio in all its summer glory from our balcony:

The road to Innsbrück meant negotiating the famous Stelvio Pass. At an elevation of 2757 metres above sea level it is the second highest paved mountain pass in the Alps.

The climb:

Quite possibly my favourite picture of the Griff:

Unlike the San Bernardino Pass the Stevio Pass is a more gradual climb. Both afforded some simply incredible scenery though:

Those hairpins were our route down:

There was quite a bit of traffic on the journey down which meant a lot of braking after attacking the bends and catching-up with the cars in front.

We parked-up for a bit at the bottom and I noticed the brakes were actually smoking gently!

Cooling-off:

The East Italian Alps:

Abbazia di Monte Maria (an abbey) on the scenic drive to Innsbrück:

Lago della Muta Haidersee:

Lago di Resia:

Welcome to Innsbrück:

Innsbrück’s old town was full of tall, narrow and colourful buildings:

The city watchtower:

The view from the top:

The Dom zu St. Jakob baroque cathedral with the Karwendel Alps:

An ornate former Habsburg residence (now a museum) decorated by 2657 shiny tiles:

The River Inn:

Monument anon 9 created by Christian Platter:

Annasäule (St. Anne’s Column) and the pretty old town:

The imposing 18th-century Triumphpforte:

Landhausplatz:

Cheesy picture with a fountain:

Our accommodation was only a short walk from the old town and the evening afforded an atmospheric walk back along the River Inn.

The view towards the cable-car bridge from the wooden, covered Emile-Béthouart-Steg pedestrian bridge:

We could have happily stayed another day in Innsbrück. It was such a relaxed and charming town.

The drive the next day to Nürburg was going to be over seven hours and the regular squealing sound coming from the front left wheel was becoming a concern so we found what looked to be Germany’s answer to Kwik-fit on our way out of Innsbrück.

Unfortunately, I think the mechanics only showed an interest just so they could take a quick spin around the premises. The long motorway journey was pretty miserable with constant rain and squealing.

Our accommodation was a cosy pension a few kilometres from the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, a massive oversight on my part meant that my plan to drive the ‘Ring the following day would not be possible due to there being an organised event. Driving the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the Griff was sadly not to be…

Nevertheless, we drove to the track the day after to take a look around and watch a few race-prepared cars fly by. Then we set-off on the three hour drive to the home of Stella Artois, Leuven.

The miserable weather continued as we strolled around the historical town centre.

Leuven town hall:

Around the Grote Markt:

Just like the Nürburgring, the brewery was not open to visitors:

Before returning to Dunkerque for the ferry we ended our epic trip with a few hours in Ypres, a town all-but-destroyed during WWI.

The reconstructed 13th-century Cloth Hall:

The Menin Gate, which bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers whose graves are unknown:

Just around the corner from the Cloth Hall is the Ypres War Victims Monument:

After a Belgian waffle with Nutella we headed to catch our ferry home. That squealing apart (which turned out to be some trapped stones in the brake calliper housing), the Griff proved a superb grand tourer:

It’s hard to single-out a particular day or town as being a favourite, but negotiating the scenic and challenging San Bernardino and Stelvio Passes will live long in the memory. While both Verona and Innsbrück left me wanting to stay longer in each. A truly fantastic trip!