Italy was one of the destinations we had been looking forward to most during our journey around the world.
We left California in our Orbita camper van with an ambitious goal: to travel around the world as a family, without giving up the comfort of having a real home along the way.
That journey eventually took us roughly 25,000 miles across three continents before we completed our route and returned home.
Now, looking back, we’re finally sharing one of our favorite chapters: traveling through Italy and the Dolomites in our camper van.
By the time we crossed into Italy, we had already driven across the United States, shipped Orbita across the Atlantic, and traveled through the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland. From Italy, our route would eventually take us farther east through Europe, Russia, Mongolia, and China.
But first, we slowed down for Italy.
We left California in our Orbita camper van with an ambitious goal: to travel around the world as a family, without giving up the comfort of having a real home along the way.
That journey eventually took us roughly 25,000 miles across three continents before we completed our route and returned home.
Now, looking back, we’re finally sharing one of our favorite chapters: traveling through Italy and the Dolomites in our camper van.
By the time we crossed into Italy, we had already driven across the United States, shipped Orbita across the Atlantic, and traveled through the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland. From Italy, our route would eventually take us farther east through Europe, Russia, Mongolia, and China.
But first, we slowed down for Italy.
Our First Stop: Lago Maggiore
Coming from Switzerland, Lago Maggiore was our introduction to van life in Italy.
We settled into a campground by the lake, took our paddleboard out on the water, and slowed down after weeks on the road.
Traveling with a toddler changes the rhythm of a road trip. Sometimes the best days aren't about how many places you manage to see. They're simply a lake, a paddleboard, a croissant, and nowhere you need to be.
From Lago Maggiore, we continued deeper into northern Italy toward the mountains.
We settled into a campground by the lake, took our paddleboard out on the water, and slowed down after weeks on the road.
Traveling with a toddler changes the rhythm of a road trip. Sometimes the best days aren't about how many places you manage to see. They're simply a lake, a paddleboard, a croissant, and nowhere you need to be.
From Lago Maggiore, we continued deeper into northern Italy toward the mountains.
Italian Food — From Michelin Restaurants to Dinner in the Van
One of the pleasures of traveling through Italy is that food becomes part of the journey almost immediately.
And Italian cuisine is much more than pizza and pasta.
We experienced incredible restaurant meals, including Michelin-level dining that felt surprisingly accessible compared with what we were used to in California.
Even grocery shopping became part of the experience. Italian supermarkets were filled with seemingly endless varieties of prosciutto, cheese, fresh produce, and local ingredients.
One particularly large grocery run filled our entire cart and came to just €285.
And because Orbita has a full kitchen, great ingredients didn't mean eating out every night. Some of our favorite meals were the ones we cooked ourselves inside the van — pasta, meatballs, and simple dinners with the mountains outside our windows.
And Italian cuisine is much more than pizza and pasta.
We experienced incredible restaurant meals, including Michelin-level dining that felt surprisingly accessible compared with what we were used to in California.
Even grocery shopping became part of the experience. Italian supermarkets were filled with seemingly endless varieties of prosciutto, cheese, fresh produce, and local ingredients.
One particularly large grocery run filled our entire cart and came to just €285.
And because Orbita has a full kitchen, great ingredients didn't mean eating out every night. Some of our favorite meals were the ones we cooked ourselves inside the van — pasta, meatballs, and simple dinners with the mountains outside our windows.
Lago di Molveno and Mountain Biking in Paganella
As we moved toward the Dolomites, the landscape changed dramatically.
At Lago di Molveno, turquoise water sits beneath towering mountains, while nearby Paganella gave us an entirely different way to experience the landscape.
Denis headed for the downhill mountain bike trails while we also spent time paddleboarding and exploring the area as a family.
This was one of the things we loved most about traveling in a camper van: our basecamp moved with us.
We could arrive somewhere, park, take the bikes out, spend the day exploring, come back, cook dinner, and sleep in our own bed — then wake up and continue toward the next destination.
At Lago di Molveno, turquoise water sits beneath towering mountains, while nearby Paganella gave us an entirely different way to experience the landscape.
Denis headed for the downhill mountain bike trails while we also spent time paddleboarding and exploring the area as a family.
This was one of the things we loved most about traveling in a camper van: our basecamp moved with us.
We could arrive somewhere, park, take the bikes out, spend the day exploring, come back, cook dinner, and sleep in our own bed — then wake up and continue toward the next destination.
Hiking Seceda — and Getting Separated in the Dolomites
Seceda was one of those places we had seen countless times in photographs before arriving.
The reality surprised us.
Instead of endless open meadows where you could wander anywhere, much of the area was organized around designated trails, fences, and routes for hikers and livestock.
During our day there, Denis took Amelia biking while Sofia continued on foot.
Eventually, we got separated.
There was little to no cell service, the phone battery was disappearing, and for a while neither of us knew exactly where the other was.
Eventually we found each other — only to discover another problem.
The lifts had closed.
That meant getting all the way back down the mountain ourselves, including a roughly hour-and-a-half descent on the bikes.
It wasn't exactly the day we had planned.
But years later, those imperfect days are often the ones you remember best.
The reality surprised us.
Instead of endless open meadows where you could wander anywhere, much of the area was organized around designated trails, fences, and routes for hikers and livestock.
During our day there, Denis took Amelia biking while Sofia continued on foot.
Eventually, we got separated.
There was little to no cell service, the phone battery was disappearing, and for a while neither of us knew exactly where the other was.
Eventually we found each other — only to discover another problem.
The lifts had closed.
That meant getting all the way back down the mountain ourselves, including a roughly hour-and-a-half descent on the bikes.
It wasn't exactly the day we had planned.
But years later, those imperfect days are often the ones you remember best.
Swimming in Lago di Braies
Another stop brought us to one of the most recognizable lakes in the Dolomites: Lago di Braies.
We rented one of its traditional wooden boats and headed out onto the emerald water with Amelia.
It was a hot June day, which made swimming seem like an excellent idea.
The water disagreed.
Denis jumped in first. Sofia followed — and immediately screamed from the cold while Amelia laughed from the boat.
Mountain lakes may look inviting. In June, they don't necessarily feel that way.
We rented one of its traditional wooden boats and headed out onto the emerald water with Amelia.
It was a hot June day, which made swimming seem like an excellent idea.
The water disagreed.
Denis jumped in first. Sofia followed — and immediately screamed from the cold while Amelia laughed from the boat.
Mountain lakes may look inviting. In June, they don't necessarily feel that way.
Running a Business While Traveling Around the World
Our around-the-world journey wasn't a six-month vacation from our regular lives.
Tiny Planet continued operating while we traveled, which meant there were still meetings, decisions, emails, and work to do.
The difference was where we did it.
Our office could be parked beside a mountain lake in the morning and somewhere deeper in the Dolomites by evening.
Orbita gave us a comfortable place to work, cook, recharge, and sleep throughout the journey.
Being able to combine work, family life, and travel was one of the things that made an around-the-world trip of this scale possible for us.
Tiny Planet continued operating while we traveled, which meant there were still meetings, decisions, emails, and work to do.
The difference was where we did it.
Our office could be parked beside a mountain lake in the morning and somewhere deeper in the Dolomites by evening.
Orbita gave us a comfortable place to work, cook, recharge, and sleep throughout the journey.
Being able to combine work, family life, and travel was one of the things that made an around-the-world trip of this scale possible for us.
The Less Glamorous Side of Van Life in Italy
Of course, van life wasn't always alpine lakes and beautiful drone footage.
At one off-grid spot, we returned from a bike ride to find two local officers or park officials waiting beside Orbita.
Camping wasn't permitted there, and although several other campers were parked nearby, we had made one obvious mistake: we had put chairs outside.
We weren't exactly being stealthy.
After a conversation and a document check, it became clear that it was time to pack up and move on.
So we did.
That's another advantage of traveling with your home: sometimes when a place doesn't work out, the easiest solution is simply to drive somewhere else.
At one off-grid spot, we returned from a bike ride to find two local officers or park officials waiting beside Orbita.
Camping wasn't permitted there, and although several other campers were parked nearby, we had made one obvious mistake: we had put chairs outside.
We weren't exactly being stealthy.
After a conversation and a document check, it became clear that it was time to pack up and move on.
So we did.
That's another advantage of traveling with your home: sometimes when a place doesn't work out, the easiest solution is simply to drive somewhere else.
Is Italy Good for Van Life?
After traveling through northern Italy and the Dolomites, our answer was yes — with some caveats.
The landscapes were extraordinary, distances between destinations could be relatively short, outdoor activities were everywhere, and traveling with our own kitchen and sleeping space gave us enormous flexibility.
At the same time, parking and camping regulations varied from place to place, popular destinations could be highly regulated, and not every beautiful parking spot was somewhere we were allowed to spend the night.
But Italy ultimately became one of the chapters that best represented what we wanted from this entire journey.
The landscapes were extraordinary, distances between destinations could be relatively short, outdoor activities were everywhere, and traveling with our own kitchen and sleeping space gave us enormous flexibility.
At the same time, parking and camping regulations varied from place to place, popular destinations could be highly regulated, and not every beautiful parking spot was somewhere we were allowed to spend the night.
But Italy ultimately became one of the chapters that best represented what we wanted from this entire journey.
We didn't build Orbita just to explore the American West.
We wanted to find out whether the same van could become a comfortable family home across countries, continents, climates, and cultures.
The Dolomites were only one chapter of our 25,000-mile journey around the world — but they showed exactly what Orbita was built for: going far without giving up the comforts of home.
A real kitchen. A comfortable place to sleep. Space for family life, work, and everything that comes with spending months on the road. And the freedom to wake up somewhere completely different the next morning.
We wanted to find out whether the same van could become a comfortable family home across countries, continents, climates, and cultures.
The Dolomites were only one chapter of our 25,000-mile journey around the world — but they showed exactly what Orbita was built for: going far without giving up the comforts of home.
A real kitchen. A comfortable place to sleep. Space for family life, work, and everything that comes with spending months on the road. And the freedom to wake up somewhere completely different the next morning.
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