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Planespotting Guides for Italy's Airfields and AirportsHome >> Europe Planespotting Guides >> ItalySpotting locations and the best spotting hotel rooms for planespotters travelling to airports and airfields in Italy. Use the hotlinks above or scroll down for spotting information on spotting locations, airfield hangar access, aviation museums, preserved aircraft. Plus all the information has been plotted as Points of Interest and can be downloaded to your SatNavs, Google Earth and Google Maps to make planning your spotting trips abroad so much easier and helping you log many more
PRESERVED, WRECKS & RELICS, STORED AIRCRAFT IN ITALY - their locations are marked in the Spotting in Italy downloadALGHERO AIRPORTSpotting InfoNo views inside the terminal landside but you can walk past the terminal and look back for views of the ramp. ALZATE BRIANZA AIRFIELDSpotting InfoWest of Alzate Brianza town in the village of Verzago. Friendly gliding club, ask for access. BERGAMO-ORIO AL SERIO AIRPORT (LIME/BGY)Spotting Info BIELLA CERRIONE AIRFIELD (LILE)Spotting InfoA couple of miles south of Biella town. No airside access but any parked outside can be easily logged. MM6418 Fiat G-91 guards the entrance to the airfield. BOLOGNA AIRPORT (LIPE/BLQ)Spotting InfoViews from the departure lounge is very good, looking out over most of the terminal apron and most of the remote stands can also be read. From outside the terminal, the top floor of the car park opposite the offers views of the runway and of the military helicopter hangars behind it. BOSCOMANTICO AIRFIELDSpotting InfoNorthwest of Verona city and alongside the river. Friendly, ask for access to the hangars. Lots of small hangars dotted about the place. There are more on the north side, access via the southern then western perimeter road. BRESSO AIRFIELDSpotting InfoTowards the north of Milan city, along the SP199. Friendly, ask at the Aeroclub, or if no one's there you can ask in the office for access to the hangars and to walk around. CAGLIARI AIRPORTSpotting InfoThere are views available in the terminal either side of departures at a cafe, or a better view by the ticket offices. Turn right out of the terminal and you can walk down to the aero clubs and GA ramp, where everything is easily logged. Displayed at the aeroclub is MM54278 MB326. From this aeroclub area you can look across the runway to the military base and the hangar. If it's open, you may be able to see some of the stored Atlantiques. As you look across the runway, to the right of the hangar is the preserved S-2 Tracker MM144716. Behind these buildings, and possibly only visible from across the water or a boat ride, is preserved T33 MM53-5668. CASCINO COSTA-AGUSTA MUSEUMSpotting InfoOn the eastern edge of Milan Malpensa airport is the Agusta facility, and their Museo Agusta. Entrance is 2.50EUR and is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1400-1800, Saturdays 0930-1200 1430-1700, Sundays 0930-1230 1400-1800. In a compound at the rear of the Agusta Factory car park is Agusta 101G MM80358. It can be seen by gaining height to see over the factory boundary wall. CASTELLETTO TICINO-MUSEO GOTTARD PARKSpotting InfoThe Museuo Gottard Park is west of Castelletto sopra Ticino town, alongside SS33. Open daily 0930-2000 summer, 0930-1800 winter. COMO AIRFIELDSpotting InfoAt the southern end of Lake Como, in the northwest part of Como town and next to the Giuseppe Sinigaglia football stadium. Very friendly, ask for access to the hangar. If it's open, the residents in the hangar can be logged from the road. Appears to be closed on Sundays with the hangar locked up. FRASCATI-VERMICINO PRESERVEDSpotting InfoPreserved at the ristorante Zi Pietro northwest of Frascati town alongisde the SS215 are AgCats I-GRUA, I-GRUB, I-GRUC, T33 MM51-17488, MM61677 C45, MM61904 P166 and MM80136 Bell 47. The C45 and Bell 47 are outside, the rest are round the back. GORIZIA AIRFIELDSpotting InfoIn the south of Gorizia town and on the Slovenian border, entrance is off the SS55. Very friendly, ask for access to the hangars. Beyond the hangars and behind the trees you'll find the stored HU16 MM51-037. LUCCA AIRFIELDSpotting InfoEast of Lucca town, alongside the A11 Autostrada though you'll need to take the Autostrada exit east of here and head towards Carraia village for the entrance. The apron can be easily seen from the car park. Friendly, ask at the Easterly helicopter hangar, access can often be granted to this hangar and the Eastern apron where the S-64Fs are located. MILAN-LINATE AIRPORT (LIML/LIN)Spotting Info Biz Ramp Spotting Info To read the biz, turn left out of the terminal and walk along the road (toward the city centre) towards the biz - it's on the opposite side of the airport to the terminal. You can log as you walk along the road. Due to the way they're parked it's necessary to keep stopping. After about three quarters of a mile you'll reach a footbridge over the road that provides good height to read more off. The walk to the bridge will take around 30 minutes, stops included. If you get approached by the airport police, they'll just check your bags and passports and let you go without any problems. It is still difficult to read everything off due to the way they are parked and there are a lot of hangars that you can't see into as they face each other on the ramp. There are a lot of aircraft parked on the ramp and clutter can be a problem. After the footpath, follow the path round to the left and you'll walk alongside a military housing estate before you reach the biz ramp. Just before the biz terminal on the left is the entrance to the housing estate, which while gated, is always open. Go straight ahead for a view across the ramp where many biz can be logged, though don't hang around here for any length of time. EL-CAR Yak 40 has been stored here for some time. Then continue past the biz terminal - there may be gaps between the buildings and hangars but best not to enter the area, even if the gate is open. Follow the road round and after the last building you'll reach the end of the biz runway 17/35 and possibly a gap in the hedge that looks across to the remote stands. Continue on and at the sharp right bend, you'll have a good overall view of the airport, from the biz ramp to the left, to the terminal and remote stands to the right. Follow this road round and after some houses, taking the first road on the left will bring you to a crash gate overlooking the runway. There's a footpath off to the left and right for you to pick your spot. You can follow the road all the way round the end of the runway and back up the other side but it's a very long route and not recommended. There are biz stored behind the new power station/plant and there is another stored in a compound - drive past biz ramp towards runway, round the sharp right bend, turn next left, it is down there on your right hand side. Transfer to Milan-Malpensa Airport The Malpensa Shuttle only runs every two hours, tickets cost 13EUR each way and are available on boarding or at the Aeroport 2000 offices in the terminal. Journey time is around 1 hour to Terminal 1. MILAN-MALPENSA AIRPORT (LIMC/MXP)General Info Terminal 1 has two piers - pier A for Schengen departures, pier B and C for all others that don't use Terminal 2. Terminal 2 is away from the Terminal 1 complex and is situated in the north of the airport, between the thresholds of 17L and 17R. Low cost carriers use Terminal 2. There is a free shuttle bus that goes between terminals. The Italian Aviation Friends Society, known as 'Clipper', organises a series of Open Days whereby attendees spend a day inside the airport - a bus tour of the ramps with various stops for photos, then ending the day on a small area of grass next to the main taxiway and between the cargo and pax terminal ramps. The resident expert at Malpensa airport, Guido Allieri, runs the GAir site and you can email him. He is happy to help with anything, including arranging your participation in the tour. The tour is well worth it, giving you great views of the airport and aircraft, and fantastic photo opportunities you won't get anywhere else. Landside Airside At Terminal 1, you shouldn't have any problems on pier A or gate B9 at the end of pier B. Pier A, used for Schengen departures, is the best place for spotting. Everything will pass in front of you for departures and you can check arrivals easily. Usually the police aren't bothered by people watching planes as you are a passenger. Going to and from the UK, you will use pier B and therefore have to cross passport control so you can't go back. From pier B the view is great too across the runways and stands of pier B and C. Transfer to Milan-Linate Airport The Linate Shuttle only runs every two hours, tickets cost 13EUR each way and journey time is around 1 hour. Planespotting Hotels - their locations are marked in the Spotting in Italy download The Crowne Plaza features on for reviews, prices and room availability The Hotel Ristorante Cervo features on for reviews, prices and room availability The Holiday Inn Express features on for reviews, prices and room availability MILAN-VIA SAN VITTORE LEONARDO DA VINCI NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYSpotting InfoThe Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology has around a dozen aircraft on display here. Open Tuesday-Friday 0930-1700, weekends 0930-1830, admission is 10EUR. MONTICHIARI AIRPORTSpotting InfoNorthwest of Montichiari town. Most parked on the main apron and at the aeroclub can be logged from the fences. NAPLES AIRPORT (LIRN/NAP)Spotting InfoAirside, the first floor cafe/bar area overlooks most of the ramp and the runway, so nothing is missed. A quarter of the ramp, and the light aircraft and biz park are not visible around a corner, nor is the main military ramp, although most things come and go during the day. There is also viewing area just below the cafe area, which is almost as good. OLBIA AIRPORTSpotting InfoThe island's busiest airport, Meridiana's base and often gets some good visitors in. No views in the terminal landside. Turn right out of the terminal, towards Meridiana's hangars and offices for limited views of this area and the light aircraft parking area beyond. The biz have their own dedicated ramp and terminal at the western end of the airport, by the runway 06 threshold. Turn left out of the terminal and follow the road though it's quite a walk and you'll need a car for the better vantage points. There's a small car park at the biz terminal which may give restricted views of the ramp. Continue left out of here and turn left at the roundabout, keeping the biz apron on your left. There's an entrance on the right you can pull in to, and you can pull over along the main road here for ramp views. Just after the runway lights, you can turn left down a track running almost the full length of the runway and leads to a quarry and some houses. Great views of the ramps and terminal all along this track and it's regularly used so park sensibly and you won't be bothered. PALERMO AIRPORTSpotting InfoJust west of Palermo city. PISA AIRPORTSpotting InfoSouth of Pisa town. Landside, if you head towards the car rental site, they park the biz where they can easily be seen. If you go down the road leading to the car rentals, you'll be able to see the main apron. Turn right out of the terminal, heading away from the rail station. This apron can't be seen from the departure lounge and there's often a few good aircraft in there. Upstairs in the terminal there are a couple of windows by a cafe but you can only see the stands right in front of the terminal. The views here are very limited. Just south of the terminal there are roads that have views across the terminal ramp - turn left out of the terminal and left again over the railway line. This road ultimately leads to the miltary base gate but you won't need to walk that far. Keep looking left for gaps between the buildings. Airside there are views of the main apron from the small departure lounge. Preserved on the military base is MM53-3200 C119 Boxcar. You'll need to keep looking west on arrival and/or departure for views of it. Military Transport Ramps You can walk along the SS1 on the western perimeter heading south, or drive, and can read off the C130s and anything else on the military ramp as you walk. Be very careful as this is a very fast road, take care walking and take care pulling over if in a car. For a different view of the ramp, and a far safer spot, continue south on the SS1 past the airport, come off at the very next exit and take the immediate left, back across the SS1 onto Via del Viadotto. Follow the straight road, then take the next left onto Via Enrico Pezzi. This rises over a bridge across a railway line and from here the C130 line can be read, codes only and heat haze permitting. The track then continues either to the left, which passes near the runway threshold and leads to a house, or over the river and round to the right, along the southern and then eastern boundaries and further good views across the runway can be had before it passes around the control tower and then along the fence next to the eastern dispersals - anything here will be easily read off. You are quite exposed here so be cautious. PISA-ITI DA VINCI TECHNICAL INSTITUTE PRESERVEDSpotting InfoVery near to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, at the ITI Da Vinci institute, are MM19782 CL-13, MM54153 MB-326 and MM6941 F-104, preserved outside and visible from the road. PONTE GALERIA-CAPITALIA HELIPADSpotting InfoEast of Ponte Galeria town, just north of the SP1a. MM6323 G91 is preserved on the roof and is visible from the nearby railway line, should you be passing on the train. RIETI AIRFIELDSpotting InfoIn the north of Madonna del Cuore town. Very friendly, ask for access. As well as the aircraft, gliders and hangars around the main area, there are more off to the right and round the corner. On the eastern boundary of the airfield on Viale Marco Curio Dentato are MM6713 F104 and MM51-9140 T-33 preserved. Across the road, opposite these two, is I-IVAM H-201 on the roof of the iperstore. RIMINI AIRPORTSpotting InfoSouthwest of Rimini town, alongside the SS16. The has a weekly timetable downloadable in an Excel spreadsheet. Landside, the only place is the hire cars' car park. After leaving the luggage claim area and after passing through the doors, turn left and walk straight ahead, passing the parking area with the tourist coaches. The gaps between the blast screens allow you to log any aircraft parked out here. Once airside there is a big terrace where most of the parked aircraft can be read off but the biz area is out of sight, so check this out first before going airside. ROME-CIAMPINO AIRPORT (LIRA/CIA)Spotting Info Ciampino is closer to the centre of Rome than Fiumicino and acts as the main low-cost and business jet airport. It's also a military base and home of the government's fleet of A319s and business jets and the yellow CL-215 aircraft. Flying into Ciampino, the usual wind direction is to land on runway 15. If this is the case, you'll need an 'A' window seat as the taxi back to the gate will take you past the cargo (with the storage area just beyond), biz, hangars, VIP and CL415 ramps. Take a lot of photographs as there'll be a lot to see in a very short time. If you land on runway 33, you'll need an 'F' (or similar) window seat, though you'll only taxi past the Italian AF area, where you may see a few of their aircraft and helicopters. On the road into the airport, Albatross MM51-035 is the gate guard to the military area. MM61950 PD808 is preserved in the military area. At the southern end of the airport, just beyond the cargo ramp, is the storage compound containing AL60s I-CELI and I-MACM. The only way to get to these is via the main SS7 road. Airside The terminal building is quite compact, split into Arrivals and Departures sections. Passengers only use the ground floor throughout, and buses take you to and from the aircraft. Once through to departures, there is a separate section for Non-Schengen flights. Hold off from going through there until you are due to leave as the departures lounge for Schengen flights has better windows looking out to the apron, taxiway and runway. The bar area allows you to monitor all movements. Landside Outside the terminal, beware of the large presence of police and military personnel. Cameras and poles will not be looked kindly upon. You can, however, log most aircraft on the cargo/biz jet apron if you are discreet with your binoculars. Walk out of the terminal and turn left. Walk to the car park next to the General Aviation Terminal, and you can see all of the aircraft through the fence. There are various car parks and gaps through the fence for you to log the biz and CL415s. There are Police patrols, so don't loiter. You may not have any problems, or you may be questioned and have your passports and logbooks checked. If you have a car, you can drive to both ends of the runway - again, don't loiter. At the southern end (turn left out of the airport entrance, and then left at the roundabout), you will see the cargo aircraft close up, and a small compound of derelict biz jets, this is where the locals stay to watch the movements. Transfer to Rome-Fiumicino Terravision coaches leave at regular intervals, although the queues can get huge. One way is 8EUR and takes around an hour in busy traffic to Termini station. Here the de Vici express train leaves every half hour to Fiumicino, costs 12EUR and takes about 40 minutes. En route the train passes MM6323 G91 on the roof of Ponte Galeria helipad detailed above. It's between Muratella and Ponte Galeria stations and is on the north side. Total journey time is around 2 hours. Arriving at Fiumicino you pass the Alitalia maintenance hangars and some stored MD80s that can be read off. Taxis between the two airports cost a little more, at 50EUR, but only take around 30 minutes. Looking at these two options, it's probably far cheaper to hire a car for the day, and should take less than 30 minutes, airport to airport. Planespotting Hotels - its location is marked in the Spotting in Italy download The Hotel Palacavicchi is situated at the northern end of the runway - turn right out of the airport entrance, then right again towards Ciampino. Room 606 has uninterrupted views of aircraft just before touchdown. Rooms in the 7xx and 8xx range should also have similar views. If not, you can wander the car park to spot anyway. It's also a short walk to the end of the runway, and you can follow the road round for better shots of movements and views of the northern stands. The Hotel Palacavicchi features on for reviews, prices and room availability ROME-FIUMICINO AIRPORT (LIRF/FCO)Spotting Info Transfer to Rome-Ciampino Taxis between the two airports cost 50EUR, but only take around 30 minutes, substantially less than using the cheaper public transport. However, hiring a car for the day is cheaper than hiring a taxi, and should take less than 30 minutes, airport to airport. Planespotting Hotels - their locations are marked in the Spotting in Italy download The Hilton Hotel features on for reviews, prices and room availability The Mach 2 Hotel features on for reviews, prices and room availability ROME-URBE AIRFIELDSpotting InfoIn the north of Rome city centre. Lots of aircraft based here, and parked tightly in various nooks and crannies. Not too many can be seen from outside however. Ask for access at Aeroclub Roma and you should be given an escorted tour of their area. In the very northern part of the airfield is an unknown abandoned fuselage. SABAUDIA AIRFIELDSpotting InfoNorth of Sabaudia town alongside the SP46. Friendly, ask for access to the hangars. There are more hangars the other side of the runway, you'll have to ask permission to access these, though they may be closed. THIENE AIRFIELDSpotting InfoSouth of Thiene town, near the village of Santo. Friendly, ask for access to the hangars. Lots of hangars here, both north and south of the main clubhouse area. MM6914 F104 is preserved at the clubhouse. TREVISO-SAN ANGELO AIRPORTSpotting InfoIn the southwest of Treviso town. The military air base is in the southern part of the airport. The airport and aeroclub in the northern part. The aeroclub are friendly, ask for access to their hangars. TRIESTE-FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA AIRPORTSpotting InfoJust south of the A4 Autostrada, near Ronchi dei Legionari. Landside, the restaurant on the second floor has good views across the apron and you can monitor movements from here too. Stored just north of the runway, approximately halfway along is I-DAWR MD82 and missing half a wing following a ground accident. TURIN AIRPORTSpotting InfoJust north of Caselle Torinese town. Airside, the departure lounge has good views of the runway, but landside there's very little. A short walk in either direction from the terminal outside will give limited views of the apron beyond the ends of the terminal. MM54228 F-104G is preserved outside the barracks just a 5 minute walk south of the terminal. And just south of here is N8383 C47 marked "I-LEON", displayed on the airport approach road. UDINE AIRFIELDSpotting InfoSouthwest of Udine city, along SS13. Friendly, ask at the aeroclub for access to their hangars. VALBREMBO AIRFIELDSpotting InfoWest of Valbrembo town. Very friendly, ask for access to their hangars. VENEGONO AIRFIELDSpotting InfoHome of Aermacchi. The flying club in the southeast is corner, friendly, ask for access though no photos allowed. There are also Aermacchi aircraft displayed and stored along the western industrial area.
VENICE-MARCO POLO AIRPORT (LIPZ/VCE)Spotting InfoOutside on the upper deck there are a few seats near the top of the ramp where the departures area is. The left side of the terminal has views of most of the ramp and by walking a bit further, the runway comes into view. On the right hand side you have a gap allowing you to read everything taking off, landing and taxiing out. There is a cafe/restaurant on the right side of the terminal, with limited views. Airside there are good views of the active ramp. If taking off away from Venice on 04s, sit on the right hand side of the aircraft (F or similar window seat) as the taxi out will take you past the parked bizjets (some larger G4/5 use the main apron). As long as you're discreet and buy food and/or drink there should be no problems. A footpath that follows the river south out of Tessera village takes you to the 04 threshold for great photo shots and views of the biz ramp where most can be read off. VERONA AIRPORTSpotting InfoSouthwest of Verona city. Airside, all gates overlook the apron and you have views of all movements and the GA ramp off to the left. VIGNA DE VALLE-ITALIAN AIR FORCE MUSEUMSpotting InfoThe Museo Storico dell' Aeronautica Militare is on the southern edge of Lake Bracciano. Open Tuesdays-Sundays 0930-1730 summer, 0930-1630 winter, entry is free with around 60-70 exhibits, mostly inside. |