KW:
Another regular stop for us was Peschiera Del Garda,the Ristorante Paradisio is right opposite the peage when you come off the A4 MI-VE autostrada.
That was my stop of choice if I was in the area. I used to carry a small fishing set up with me and weekending at Peschiera meant I got to go fishing all day Sunday as the river runs pretty much alongside the restaurant. It was glorious…until the maggots formed an escape committee in the fridge one day and found their way into the cheese & ham. 
Over the years i would hear drivers saying about parking up and eating at these two places off the A4 autostrada,i have never visited them,can i ask what is good about the places,driving past them,they dont look different to any other truckstop in Italy,i have stopped at some crackers that are in the middle of nowhere,and low population areas,and made to feel very welcome.One of them appears to have ongoing building work going on for over a year now.
Also please add your favourite truckstops.(Not motorways.),i have seen a lot of S&K drivers in a small place near Alesandria,that is allways full early in the afternoon,but cant recall exactly where it was,must be good,full of Italian drivers with Italian registered trucks,not many eastern european drivers and trucks,which is rare these days.
As for that Lavaza coffee,they know how to make it properly.
I always liked parking at carisio for these reasons.
Clean and safe parking
Clean and good showers
Superb food. I fulfilled a fantasy there. Pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner 
Close to milan for first delivery on a Monday
The waitresses aren’t exactly hard on the eye 
They seem to be full up,Dutch drivers go there.I once parked up outside Ferrera and Novara,had some great pizza,size of a steering wheel,not exagerating either,non of that frozen Dominoes ■■■ we get in the UK.One time,when i took the other half,we had a 5 litre jug of red,and had a strip wash in the basin of the loo in the restaurant,it was a hot day,and we both had to move around heavy boxes at a collection point.No shower where we parked.
If you tip at Iveco in Turin,you need to find a driver that can help you out,as you can become a cropper,and end up stuck there all day,due to a simple error,the security wont help out,and wont speak in the drivers native tongue,if you have tipped,and not got a stamp on entry,the factory will put back the goods,make you start again,to join the queue.There are numerous unloading and loading points,so if unaware,you can join a queue,to find out you were in the wrong one,then the depot or line shuts is a right ■■■■■■■■■■ have to come back the next day.Then there is the running around to get your papers,Italians love paperwork,one time,my collection notes were 8 inches thick of invoices and POD`s,the secretary was sorry,and explained it was due the time of the month for their audit and reports,i waited 4 hours for the papers,the CMR alone was not enough.And something to do with the tax year end/beginning too.
Used to stop in the alcatraz AKA the sisters at arlurno with my dad if i remember rightly! Is that the place with the big refinery at the back of there? There was a place in gorganzola where he used to stop aswell and very often he used to do groupage as a back load out of a place in veddugio and Fino Mornasco up near como there was a few nice eateries up there. My dad was wondering is the sisters still open? And does anyone know if campogaliano is still open! I am now a truck driver and hoping to go over the water in the new year so would be good to know if these places are still open!
The sisters at Arluno was run by 2 of the sisters of a driver who worked for GBE,they originated from Bournemouth although their parents were Italian. It was a place used alot by GBE drivers as their depot was at Novara , the large parking at the rear of the restaurant was good for getting your truck stolen ,GBE lost 3 from there.
What was/is the name of the place the other side of the Autostrada from Carisio ?
Went in there a couple of times.
Bit of a “posher gaff” . . .no Murfitts ,Em Rogers or Rennie Hogg drivers used it 
Tin hat ready 
Alrite chris campogaliano is still open still the same there who you driving for?
mozzer44:
Used to stop in the alcatraz AKA the sisters at arlurno with my dad if i remember rightly! Is that the place with the big refinery at the back of there? There was a place in gorganzola where he used to stop aswell and very often he used to do groupage as a back load out of a place in veddugio and Fino Mornasco up near como there was a few nice eateries up there. My dad was wondering is the sisters still open? And does anyone know if campogaliano is still open! I am now a truck driver and hoping to go over the water in the new year so would be good to know if these places are still open!
toby1234abc:
Over the years i would hear drivers saying about parking up and eating at these two places off the A4 autostrada,i have never visited them,can i ask what is good about the places,driving past them,they dont look different to any other truckstop in Italy,i have stopped at some crackers that are in the middle of nowhere,and low population areas,and made to feel very welcome.One of them appears to have ongoing building work going on for over a year now.I wouldn’t say these 2 places are any better than any other eateries, i think Carisio has gone down hill over the years since it has been changed inside & havn’t been to the sisters for 16 years! Why are they popular i don’t really know other than the fact they have always been known amongst drivers. One possible theory could be that years ago to get to certain customs points like Turbigo you would pass the Sisters on the way also the Glasshouse a little bit further on up the road & Carisio was near to Vercelli customs
The Sisters aka Alcatraz, is run by philllamina, Phill and her husband who they call hercules or samson coz he’s a big o’l boy, as said before she came from poole her kid’s also help run the place, Roger and don’t no the daughters name but nice people, the staff are spot on aswel. Been going there for years , Had some good times there used to get a lot of english in the place, yeadleys , Rogers, etc. Not open weekends and shuts at eleven o’clock Sharp, food finishs at nine thirty. Think it maybe open saturday morning.They have been doing some work to the building and moved the bar around but last time i was there the shower was still the same .
where is this sisters you speak of?
i know carisio i was there last week only for a break, its a dump compared to most places in france
Alcatraz (sisters) is on the A4 at the Arluno exit literally on the roundabout at the peage. If you follow that road further down is the glasshouse.
welshboyinspain:
where is this sisters you speak of?
i know carisio i was there last week only for a break, its a dump compared to most places in france
as are all the places you frequent 
You sure you have the right place welshboy, i would not describe carisio as a dump, far from it, it’s the restaraunt near the peage, Albergio something or other, it’s worth going there just to drool over the bird with the squeky voice, she’s lush
Haven’t been to Carisio for quite a few years,in fact I haven’t been to Italy for quite a few years,but had many weekends parked there.
I was working for a Dutch firm then (early 90’s) and there was always at least four or five of us there from our firm.I used to stick with the Dutchmen because,to be perfectly honest,the English driver’s were a complete embarassment all they seemed to want to do was get rat-arsed and start fighting.
Before the new showers were installed you had to go upstairs and use one of the hotel rooms.
Very good food though and those big jugs of Frizzante used to go down a treat.
Another regular stop for us was Peschiera Del Garda,the Ristorante Paradisio is right opposite the peage when you come off the A4 MI-VE
autostrada.It was only a small place,but very friendly owners and the food was very good.Although the only shower leaved a lot to be desired as it was round the back of the building and you used to share it with various bugs of differing species and sizes!
Last time I was there (about five years ago) they had installed new toilets inside and done away with the dreaded ‘squatter’s’
And it’s only a 20min walk to the lake.
If we were heading further south to Rome or Naples then we’d head for Orte and spend the weekend there.At Orte there are a couple of Restaurants to choose from.
Another favourite was at Barberino,just off the A1 BO-FI autostrada.
Plenty more but my memories struggling now.
Brescia east truckstop is worth stopping at,pay for parking,there is a special rate for hgv drivers for staying at the hotel,car hire available if weekended,the lakes are nearby to explore.The place has a gym downstairs,restaurants and bars.One restaurant offers a speedy style menu,if you are in a hurry,whereby snacks and starters are available or pizzas and pasta dishes,the bigger resturant has the formal menu,4 to 6 courses for a reasonable price.They have numerous shops too.
Vascoingles:
welshboyinspain:
where is this sisters you speak of?
i know carisio i was there last week only for a break, its a dump compared to most places in franceas are all the places you frequent
like that place in lisarte paul 
the dutch place with free coffee
Barcelona_Karl:
You sure you have the right place welshboy, i would not describe carisio as a dump, far from it, it’s the restaraunt near the peage, Albergio something or other, it’s worth going there just to drool over the bird with the squeky voice, she’s lush
looking at yours and others descriptions i was obviously in the wrong place 
welshboyinspain:
Vascoingles:
welshboyinspain:
where is this sisters you speak of?
i know carisio i was there last week only for a break, its a dump compared to most places in franceas are all the places you frequent
like that place in lisarte paul
you mean the place where they take pity on stranded livestock abusers that can´t find a ■■■■■■■■■■■■ ?
don,t know what alc is like now,used to be great when phil was running it,used to meet all the usual croud in there,not bad food,cheap red wine.
10 years now since i did italy,the dutchmans pretty goog down at lake garda,good laugh on a weekend,walk in to the town to watch all the pretty folk lol.
carisio in summer,a no go,full of mozzis.