In northern Italy, just below the Alps, sits Lake Garda. It is 32 miles long and from 2 to 11 miles wide, with a narrower northern end flanked by high mountains with a mild, breezy climate, but he further south you go, the wider the lake gets, the flatter the surrounding landscape becomes, and the climate begins to warm up.
Cities of all shapes and sizes are positioned around the lake, which is shared by the regions of Trentino, Veneto and Lombardy. On the northern end, Torbole and Riva belong to the region of Trentino. To the east, Malcesine, Torri del Benaco, Garda, Bardolino and Peschiera belong to Veneto. On southwest / west Lake Garda, you’ll find Sirmione, Desenzano, Salo, Gardone Riviera, Toscolano-Maderno and Limone, which are all part of Lombardy.
Between the lake, its cities and the surrounding land, there is a seemingly endless list of activities to have a go at. For those who like to explore on foot, you can hike mountains like Monte Baldo, walk to castles, churches and vineyards and of course wander along the lakeside promenades.
If you prefer to explore on two wheels, you’ll find steep dirt tracks for mountain biking, a terrain park for BMXing and abundant scenic roads, riversides and park trails to enjoy the spectacular surrounding scenery.
The lake is perfect for all kinds of water sports, including sailing, windsurfing, kite surfing and boating, and there are numerous pebble and sand beaches and swimming areas to discover. Plus, if you’re after a thrill, climbing is a popular sport at the northern end of the lake.
Lake Garda’s location is also excellent for day tripping, with easy access to Verona and Venice as well as water parks, botanical gardens, a safari park and other Italian lakes.
A number of airports serve Lake Garda – Verona, Milan, Bergamo, Verona - which in turn are served by airlines like British Airways and EasyJet or charter flights packaged with hotels from companies like SNO.
