Bardolino Holidays, Italy Famous for its wine, Bardolino is an elegant little resort with a smart lakeside promenade. The Wine Museum is worth a visit as is the Olive Oil Museum at neighbouring Cisano. Bardolino also boasts two important churches: San Zeno with its landmark campanile dates from the ninth century, while the 12th-century San Severo is notable for its medieval frescoes. There are several beaches around Bardolino.
Desenzano del Garda Holidays, Italy Desenzano is one of the liveliest and most cosmopolitan lake resorts. Its pretty little palm-fringed harbour is lined with restaurants and cafes, and the narrow streets off the attractive arcaded piazza are filled with fashionable shops. The weekly market is very popular. Shingle beaches lie to either side of town and Gardaland, Italy’s biggest and most popular theme park, is only 20 kilometres away.
Garda Holidays, Italy A lively, pretty lakeside resort, Garda features Renaissance ipalazzo/i and villas and a small medieval fisherman’s quarter, attractively colonised by restaurants and shops. The small headland of Punta di San Vigilio is a romantic secluded ensemble comprising a dock, the 16th-century Villa Guarienti (by Sanmicheli), a garden, church and beach. The latter, Baia delle Sirene, is one of the nicest places on the whole lake for swimming.
Limone sul Garda Holidays, Italy The busy resort of Limone is set in a secluded bay against the backdrop of Lake Garda’s mountainous, north-western shore. Accessible only by boat until the 1930s, it only developed as a resort in the 1950s and 60s, hence the modern appearance of many of its hotels. From the narrow streets, piazzas and open-air cafes of the original village, there are fine views across the lake to the heights of Monte Baldo.
Peschiera del Garda Holidays, Italy This bustling resort has always been a sentinel of the lake and retains its 16th-century walls and moated fortress. Many families use Peschiera as a base to visit Gardaland, Italy’s biggest and most popular theme park. By contrast, also close by, Parco Giardino Sigurta is a mix of wild and formal landscapes and one of the finest gardens in the country. A boat trip to Isola del Garda with its Venetian-style villa and gardens is also recommended.
Riva del Garda Holidays, Italy Popular Riva del Garda is the largest of the lake resorts with a picturesque mountain backdrop and grand waterfront. It is a prosperous town with a life aside from tourism. The main monument is its moated castle, home to a museum and gallery. Adjacent is Torbole, an intimate little port famous for its excellent windsurfing conditions, which attracts a young sporty crowd. The spectacular waterfalls and caves park of Varone is very close by.
Salo Holidays, Italy Set in a picturesque bay, elegant Salò is the most attractive west shore resort. Its lakeside piazza, arcaded town hall and early 20th-century buildings give it a distinguished, slightly old-fashioned air. Close by, Il Vittoriale is the lake’s most intriguing attraction. Built in the 1930s by writer Gabriele d’Annunzio, this Art Nouveau villa combines military museum, library, war memorial and mausoleum, with more than a touch of kitsch.
Sirmione Holidays, Italy Spectacular Sirmione occupies a narrow spit projecting into Lake Garda, its entrance guarded by a picture-book 13th-century moated castle. Its immaculately-tended little pedestrianised town is patronised by a wealthy clientele, many of whom come for the spa and thermal baths complex. At the end of the peninsula visitors to the impressive Grotte di Catullo, the largest Roman villa remains in northern Europe, enjoy panoramic lake views.
