Before You Travel
Maps & Navigation — Read This First
Before you travel, download offline maps on WiFi and familiarize yourself with how to load and use GPX files. Our full guide covers Google Maps navigation on CarPlay and phone, offline maps, GPX setup, and what to do if Maps closes mid-route.
Getting Started: Maps, GPS & Navigation
- Full guide with step-by-step instructions for offline maps, GPX files, and using Google Maps on the road.
German Umweltplakette (Emissions Sticker)
Required for both the Mercedes-Benz Museum (Day 13 afternoon) and Porsche Museum (Day 14 morning) — both sit inside Stuttgart’s green zone. Costs €7 and is easiest to collect on arrival in Böblingen/Sindelfingen (10 mins from the V8 Hotel), then drive to the museums.
Simplest option (10 mins from V8 Hotel):
- DEKRA Sindelfingen — Kolumbusstr. 34, 71063 Sindelfingen (walk-in, no appointment needed)
- OR: Landratsamt Böblingen — Parkstr. 16, 71034 Böblingen (may need appointment)
- OR: Inspection station — Otto-Lilienthal-Str. 8, Böblingen
En route alternatives (Thursday 23 July — all open 8am–5pm):
- Kempten or Ulm (biggest, easiest) — exit A7/A8, TÜV SÜD or DEKRA just off the motorway
- A.T.U branches often open later if needed
Note:
- Euro 5 diesels and older are banned from Stuttgart zone regardless of sticker
- Petrol cars (like yours) are fine with the green sticker
- The V8 Hotel Motorworld itself sits outside the Stuttgart zone, so arrival → sticker pickup → museum works perfectly
Hotels Requiring Advance Contact
We’ll contact these hotels for you 24–48 hours before arrival — just confirm your arrival details with us closer to the date, and we’ll handle the rest. They’ll give us check-in instructions we’ll pass on to you.
Day 3: Hôtel Les Muses
- 24 hrs before; front desk closes 22:30; they’ll give you check-in instructions
Day 6: Ca Prandini
- 24 hrs before; you’ll receive an access code
Day 9: Altarocca Wine Resort
- 24 hrs before for check-in instructions
Day 11: MONDI Hotel Tscherms
- 48 hrs before; strictly no after-hours check-in (front desk 08:00–20:00)
Kinderdijk Windmills (Day 15)
Pre-book admission tickets AND parking online together. In season (mid-March–1 Nov), parking is ONLY at De Kabelbaan, Alblasserdam — free shuttle to the mills runs 09:00–18:00.
Italian ZTL Zones
Italian city centres have camera-enforced ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) restrictions. All your booked hotels sit outside them — do NOT follow your satnav into walled old towns. Park outside and walk in (especially Siena).
