Villages And Vineyards Along Lake Garda
Posted On November 30, 2009
Among so many of the lakes such as Lake Como, Lake Maggorie, Lake Ido, Lake Iseo and Lake Lugano to name a few that the European country of Italy has, the Lake Garda one of the most important one.
It is the largest Lake of Italy covering over 370 square kilometers. Lake Garda is also the most popular of all the lakes in this country. It was formed in the last Ice Age.
Lake Garda is perhaps the best way and also a romantic one to start your journey in this pretty European country of Italy. It is, in a way, an introduction to Italy.
![Italy-Lake_Garda[1]](http://www.theearthtraveler.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Italy-Lake_Garda1.jpg "Italy-Lake_Garda[1]")
Location
Lake Garda of Italy touches the foot of the Alps in Southern Europe. To its east is the Mont Baldo range with some of its highest peaks. It’s southern part, known as Sirmoine, houses hostels, thermal baths, shops and olive groves.
Best time to visit
The presence of large water bodies manages to balance the extreme condition of the weather in Italy. The ideal time to visit the Lake Garda is in the months from June to September, though there isn’t a bad time in an year when you should not visit this place.
How to reach Lake Garda
It is well placed and easily accessible by road, rail or air ways, 30 kilometers away from Verona, about 100 kilometers from Milan and at a distance of about 130 kilometers from Venice.
Just about 40 kilometers from the Lake Garda is the Begamo Airport. Hotels around can arrange for your pick up by direct bus services.
You can also avail many of the private buses that take you to the Brescia Airport from where you would need to get into a bus that goes to any of the villages that surround Lake Garda. Regular train services too connect Brescia and Hotel Desenzano del Garda and the journey time is less than 30 minutes.
Activities at Lake Garda
Lake Garda has lot to offer to its visitors. For couples, it offers a romantic ambience and fine accommodations around. For the children, there are amusement parks like the Gardaland and movies studios as well.
The wine and olive oil of Lake Garda are well known. In fact, an annual Wine Festival is held across a week in October. The celebrations is expressed through music, dance and of course, the festival’s highlight is free wine. This period is the peak time for tourists here.
If you are looking for some energizing activities, Lake Garda is the place to practice tennis, to paragliding, free-climbing, scuba diving, swimming, clay pigeon shooting, karting, sailing, surfing and mountain biking as well. Golf courses here too are becoming popular. There are amusement parks, gardens and shopping areas that include street markets to lavish shops, restaurants, discos and other night out venues that work as source of entertainment around Lake Garda.
Making it a good holiday spot are a number of good hotels and farm houses. You could also go for camping around the Lake.
A rich soil and mild climate creates a habitat around Lake Garda that’s suitable for flourishing of a rich flora and fauna.
A number of ferries operate in the Lake from one side to the other, which gives you a chance to immerse in the beautiful surroundings of Lake Garda.
Around the lake are a number of historical sites and towns that’s worth exploring. The town of Malcesine has a castle that is supposed to be dating back to the 14th century. There is a castle in Roman Villa in Sirmione as well that must be visited. The pretty lake town of Riva del Garda has a smooth pebble beach that spreads out as an arc towards Torbole. Windsurfers and sailing boats are a common site here.
An interesting thing to do here would be to take a cable car ride to the top of the Monte Baldo and experience a magnificent view of Lake Garda with the surrounding country sides, beaches, vineyards, olive groves and historical towns and villas near by from above the ground by 1,850 meters.
To the south of Lake Gardo is Sirmione with its thermal baths, hotels and medieval castles. There are beautiful Roman churches, gardens and Venetian style villas in Bardolino, which also has remains of the Scaliger walls. This makes for an artistic heritage.
It is enriched by its green hinterland with pastures and vineyards which produce wines known throughout the world such as Custoza and Bardolino.
Visit the old port of Torbole where you can enjoy some of the best windsurfing in Italy. There are many Surf rental shops for beginners and experts. If it’s just for a relaxing stroll the charming old streets of Limone and the castle a Roman Villa in Sirmione are two places you will want to add to your list of places to visit.
To the south of Lake Garda, in Sirmione, you can walk down the cobblestone streets, visit the thermal baths, and marvel at the medieval castles among other sites.
Other lake towns and villages worth a visit here include Lazise (which also has thermal baths), Torri del Benaco and Peschiera among others. All these places have a plenty of choices when it comes to hotels, villas, shops and lakeside markets.
If time allows, there are ample of places around that make for good excursions. With Lake Garda as your base, you could explore the historical cities of Verona, Brescia, Mantua, Trent, Venice and Dolomites. The city of Verona especially shouldn’t be missed out during the Opera Season when there are performances in its arena.
Italy is a magnificent tourist destination. Amidst its’ diversified culture, brilliant architecture, varied landscape, monuments, cathedral and churches, are the many lakes along with the Lake of Garda that add to the somberness and tranquility of the city. Nature Lovers are sure to be happy with the way tourism in Italy is going. To cater to the tourists, the villages by the lakes have transformed themselves as beautiful resort towns.
