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| Sparkling Lake Garda in late afternoon light, taken from the shoreline in Riva del Garda |
Aaaaahhhh... I have not long returned from a full week in Lake Garda and let me tell you, Dear Reader, it was wonderful.
I make no apology for the great quantity of photos in this post, because Italy is undeniably so photogenic and the views at every turn were worthy of capture. You know how to scroll past if it all gets too much.
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| Jetty at Riva del Garda, Lake Garda |
Lake Garda is the largest of the Italian lakes at 52km in length. It lies at the foot of the Alps (70m above seal level) in far northern Italy, pretty much equidistant between the major cities of Venice and Milan and only 4-5 hours' drive from the borders with Switzerland Austria. It's so large that it sits across three Italian provinces - Lombardia, Veneto and Trentino.
This part of Italy is the country's most affluent, which is evident in the quality of the roads, the well-maintained public promenades and gardens, the stylish attire of its inhabitants and the fact that in an entire week I only saw one person begging (in Verona).
This was the only time I'd been on a guided holiday since my first ever trip to Europe in 1986. Usually, even when travelling solo, I do my own thing. But having not had Kevin's company for travelling for well over a year (due to one of us being obliged to stay home and look after our ancient cat, Daisy May), I was a bit tired of trips where I have to eat out alone and have nobody with whom to share the experiences. I chose this type of tour because it was based in just one location, meaning I only had to unpack once and was in the same room for seven nights. There were optional day tours and a number of free days where you could choose to just mooch around the hotel or go out exploring. This kind of trip is obviously more expensive than travelling independently, but having always previously operated on a modest budget (no taxis for us, ever! We always take the public transport and/or walk), I decided I was due a bit of a splurge.
Our tour group flew into Verona* from various parts of the UK. We were met by our guide, Helen - believe it or not, an Aussie from Wollongong who has lived in Italy for more than 30 years. What a character! Her conversation was peppered with uniquely Australian expressions that I have rarely heard in the last ten years. She had the tour group in fits. We then travelled by coach along the eastern shore of Lake Garda and across the top, as our group was spread out in five or six locations.
* Less than 2 hours flying from London Gatwick - bliss!
My hotel was located in Riva del Garda in the north-western corner of the lake, and like most of the hostelries in this part of the world, it was 95 per cent occupied by German tourists. Everywhere you go in the Lake Garda region, the signs for tourist restaurants and shops are in German - hardly ever English and often not even in Italian! The room rate included half-board, so the breakfast buffet was a combination of Italian, German and British fare, and dinner was a four-course meal although portions were very modest and I never felt I'd overindulged, particularly as most days I was walking at least 10km.
The quality of the Savoy Palace Hotel was excellent. In the dining room we had starched white tablecloths and napkins, with highly experienced waiting staff beautifully turned out in their uniforms, all of whom spoke (at minimum) Italian, German and English. Each evening we diners were serenaded by the resident pianist who had a fantastic repertoire - everything from Beethoven to Metallica!
The one downside was that all guests are allocated a table for the duration of their stay, and because I was the only solo traveller out of our tour group's seven guests in this hotel, unfortunately I was seated as a lone Brit amongst a sea of Germans whilst the other six were grouped together in three tables of two. Now, I'm used to travelling on my own and it doesn't particularly bother me eating alone in a restaurant, but it was a shortcoming of the dining arrangements that every morning and evening for a full week I was obliged to do so. Each time I arrived at my table with its lonely, single place-setting, my poor German neighbours would politely greet me with a Guten Morgen or Guten Abend, whilst looking on with undisguised pity!
Interestingly, everywhere we went over the entire week I was taken for German, even when in the company of the English speakers in my tour group! Complete strangers would bowl up to me on ferries, in cafés, in queues, and start shootin' the breeze auf Deutsch; the same with staff in shops and restaurants. Thankfully, one of my majors at University was German and whilst I don't claim to speak it fluently, I can get by. I was certainly able to engage in brief conversational banter with Lake Garda's wait-staff and visiting Germans.
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| My home for a week - the Savoy Palace Hotel in Riva del Garda |
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| My very comfortable and spacious room on the 3rd floor of the Savoy Palace Hotel. This is one of their 'standard single' rooms! 😱 |
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| The view from my hotel room balcony: golden morning sunlight on the tips of the surrounding mountains (part of the Dolomites) |
Riva was part of Austria until 1918 when, along with the rest of the Trentino, it became part of the Kingdom of Italy. It is one of the larger lakeside towns and also a properly 'functional' one. Despite having a very attractive old town and being a huge tourist mecca - particularly for cyclists and water sport enthusiasts - it's also a place where ordinary people live and there has been a reasonable amount of modern development in the past 20 years or so.
The old town has many beautiful buildings including the octagonal church Chiesa dell'Inviolata, dating from 1603 and considered among the most significant baroque churches in the Trentino. The octagonal dome is decorated with a baroque fresco depicting the assumption of Mary, painted by Martino Teofilo Polacco (1570-1639).
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| The harbour in Riva del Garda's old town |
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| Riva's old town has many intriguing little narrow streets, with pretty and colourful residential buildings |
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| Chiesa dell'Inviolata in Riva del Garda. Quite an unassuming exterior, but the interior... [see photo below] |
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| The ornate interior of Chiesa dell'Inviolata in Riva del Garda |
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| Sparkling waters and sailboats on Lake Garda, viewed from the shoreline at Riva |
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| There are a number of pretty cafés and restaurants along Riva's lake shore, perfectly located just off the extensive cycling/walking paths. I enjoyed a leisurely couple of espressos at this place after a busy day jaunting about on ferries |
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| Characterful building in Riva del Garda's old town. How wonderful are those shutters with their adjustable louvred sections? |
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| Well, there's a lot going on in this shot! 😃 Local colour from this man selling roasted chestnuts, and... helium-filled balloons?? (seems an odd combination but what do I know 🤷♀️) Not sure if the dog is going for the chestnuts or the balloons |
My first optional day-trip was to the ancient city of Verona, famed of course for its representation in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This was the only day we had inclement weather; bucketing down as we left Lake Garda but the rain had mostly cleared by the time we reached Verona.
Verona is a very elegant and attractive city. Great swathes of it are paved with the same pink marble (red jurassic marble) used for St Mark's Basilica in Venice, and the inhabitants are incredibly well dressed. Indeed, everywhere we went in the Lake Garda region I was agog at one particular current fashion, that of women dressed head-to-toe in winter white or cream - some of them even when exercising around the lake. How do they remain so pristine in such attire? If I dared to dress thusly I'd have some kind of highly visible stain within about five minutes. Oh, but *wait*, Reader - I confess I did succumb to the excellent value that is to be had in Italy's clothing boutiques and markets, and have travelled home with a suitcase bulging from various purchases including an entire outfit in winter white. I hope to get at least two wears before I am obliged to consign the ensemble to the darker recesses of my tiny wardrobe, or to strategically incorporate large, decorative scarves to hide offending marks.
Naturally enough, most tourists to Verona want to see the balcony of Juliette's house where she - according to Shakespeare's work of fiction - lamented her lot, having fallen in love with one of the sons of a rival family. There is perpetually a massive queue of people trying to enter the courtyard of Casa di Giulietta. Not this little black dog! Instead I wandered the tiny streets and enjoyed a spot of lunch at a quiet trattoria.
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| The Verona Arena - a Roman amphitheatre constructed in AD 30 and still standing! It remains in use for large-scale opera performances. Original capacity was 30,000 audience members but these days they limit numbers to 22,000 |
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| The Madonna di Verona fountain in the Piazza delle Erbe. She has been gracing this square since 1368 |
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| The Torre dei Lamberti, also in the Piazza delle Erbe. 84 metres tall, and you can climb the 368 steps to the belfry to enjoy fabulous views over Verona (I didn't - lack of time and also I'm a bit claustrophobic) |
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| Adjacent one of Verona's ancient 'gates' (Porta dei Leoni) is this excavation showing the old Roman road and fragments of a paved courtyard, a couple of metres below the current street level |
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| Ooh, special edition Bialetti espresso pots 😍 Window display in one of the gorgeous boutiques in Verona (sorry about the reflections in the glass) |
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| I stumbled across this magnificent modern sculpture in a small piazza in Verona. It's a depiction of (appropriately enough) Romeo & Juliet, by Swiss sculptor Nag Arnoldi |
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| Yep. In case you haven't guessed by now, I am a sucker for quaint buildings painted in bright colours! This is actually a retail store selling jeans (you can see the Levi's / Lee logos in the windows) |
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| My favourite kind of restaurant - hidden away down a narrow lane in Verona. Sadly I didn't get to sample the food at Ristorante Santa Eufemia, but it looks like a great place - they do jazz nights, too! |
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| Another gorgeous building in Verona, near the Ponta della Vittoria (Victory Bridge) |
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| *swoon* Fabulous door furniture in the heart of Verona. I'm not sure why, but somehow this knocker just screams Northern Italy to me |
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| View of the Ponta della Vittoria (Victory Bridge) across the Adige River. Designed by Turin architect Arturo Midana and constructed between 1928-1930 |
OK, wow. Just... WOW.
That was my reaction to the town that is one of the real jewels of Lake Garda, Limone sul Garda.
On a gorgeous sunny morning I lined up with the other day-trippers and took the 40-minute ferry ride from Riva del Garda to Limone. The ferry journey itself was very enjoyable, with kite and wind surfers and tiny sail boats providing additional entertainment.
Limone lies on the north-western side of Lake Garda, clinging to the cliffs. It's the only lakeside town that formally shuts down for the colder months, with only a nominal number of shops and restaurants remaining open to cater for the permanent population of approximately 1,000 residents. The main reason for this is because the tourist ferries on Lake Garda pretty much stop running at the start of November, with just the occasional weekend service remaining, through to the beginning of March.
As you approach Limone from the lake you notice an interesting structure that appears to be the foundations of some ancient ruin. In fact these are the pillars of Limone's famed terraced gardens, which are still in use. Once the world's northernmost area of commercial citrus production (hence the town's name), this became less profitable due to competition from other parts of Europe and the development of synthetic citric acid.
The rest of the town is a maze of narrow, winding streets leading to tiny churches, sheltered small marinas with bobbing boats and beautiful villas with superb views over Lake Garda. It's incredibly touristy, particularly in the area fanning out from the ferry port. However, climb the paths leading away from there and the crowds magically thin out. I heartily recommend a walk down one of the steep stone paths to small beaches that - at least in October - are delightfully empty.
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| Limone's terraced gardens, once the world's northernmost area of commercial lemon production |
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| This gorgeous apricot-coloured building in Limone houses a bank |
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| Stone steps leading up to the Chiesa di San Rocco in Limone |
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| Small but perfectly formed: the opulent interior of Limone's tiny Chiesa di San Rocco |
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| All over Italy you will find these Catholic niches devoted to Jesus, Mary and the saints |
It was a particularly sunny and warm October day when I visited (around 21ºC), and Limone was shown to great advantage. I also enjoyed one of the best lunches of my trip at a modest little café/restaurant tucked away in a cobbled lane, where the waiters were very friendly, clearly happy in their jobs, and the food and wine were memorable. Once again I was engaged in German conversation by another patron sitting two tables away... he and his wife later happened to take the same ferry as I did, back to Riva, and when they spotted me on the boat, they eagerly made their way over to renew the acquaintance. Sweet! I guess I look friendly? (and Teutonic!)
A really interesting thing about the town is that back in 1985 it was observed that not a single resident of Limone had died for something like 60 years. Blood tests revealed that about half the population at that time had a rare gene variant which helps regulate cholesterol and burn fat (ApoA-1 Milano) - yet none of the surrounding villages had it. The gene pool has been widened in the past 40 years and now only about 60 people out of the 1,000 residents posses ApoA-1 Milano. However the town still boasts a much higher than average proportion of centenarians, ie people over the age of 100 years. It currently hovers around 12 per cent.
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| Lunch in Limone at a tiny laneway restaurant called l'Andrunel. I sampled the local rosé - it was excellent! |
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| Now, I'm a pretty accomplished cook but I just don't know how the Italians manage to make such a simple dish taste so incredibly delicious. This was literally just spaghetti with tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. It was superb |
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| Aimed at the bazillions of German tourists in Lake Garda, this pasticceria in Limone specialises in almond-based delicacies - yummy! |
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| A tantalising glimpse of Lake Garda's aquamarine waters from this laneway in Limone |
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| Limone has an abundance of teeny-tiny archways and covered stairs |
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| *sigh* Just look at those crystal-clear waters, with reflected sunlight winking away! Limone, Lake Garda |
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| Regular readers know that I do love a bit of topiary! This magnificent example of cloud topiary has been created on an olive tree that must be at least a couple of centuries old |
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| Boats bobbing in one of Limone's small marinas |
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| Every single dwelling in Limone has one of these custom-made address tiles |
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| More beautiful boats at another of Limone's little wharves |
I happened to be walking towards the Chiesa di San Benedetto when its bells started chiming (I think it was midday). Click on the short video below and enjoy!
The following day I took a ferry trip again, this time to Malcesine (pronounced mal-CHEZZ-in-ay) which is another of the larger towns on the eastern side of the lake. Malcesine has a lovely medieval Scaliger* castle comprising 13th-century fortifications and an older medieval tower. On Saturdays the town hosts a market, where I happily spent an hour browsing and trying not to injure myself when trying on clothes in those wobbly, temporary fitting rooms that are nothing more than a couple of pipes with some canvas attached. There's no room to bend over so I was obliged to preciously balance on one leg in the process of pulling on narrow-legged trousers.
* The Scaligeri (Della Scala family) were the ruling family of Verona and mainland Veneto (although not Venice) from 1262 to 1387. They were responsible for constructing many of the region's castles and notable buildings
Malcesine is larger than Limone but has some of the same charm and once again I was blessed with sunny autumn weather, all the better for exploring. Although I didn't take the opportunity, there is a two-stage cable car up to Monte Baldo which towers behind Malcesine at 2,218m.[
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| Medieval castle Castello Scaligero at Malcesine on Lake Garda, viewed from the ferry |
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| The beautiful aquamarine waters of Lake Garda, viewed from Scaligero Castle in Malcesine |
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| Italy's vibrant colours are balm for tired eyes - just looking at them makes you feel happier. Malcesine, Lake Garda |
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| My lunch after several hours of trudging around Malcesine, in one of its quiet little piazzas. Delicious bruschetta with tomato, basil, radish and a really spicy pepperonata, plus the obligatory frizzante (sparkling water) and a glass of local Bardolino |
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| The main hall of Il palazzo dei Capitani (The Captain's Palace) in Malcesine |
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| Jolly, bright-coloured buildings at the ferry wharf in Malcesine, Lake Garda |
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| Ooh, just take a look at this handsome door! (somewhere in Malcesine, Lake Garda) |
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| The vibrant green exterior of a small art gallery in one of Malcesine's narrow and winding streets |
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| Castello Scaligero at Malcesine on Lake Garda's north-eastern shore |
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| Regional ceramics for sale at the Saturday market in Malcesine on Lake Garda |
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| More ceramics, this time at a retail store in Malcesine |
Another optional day excursion was to the heart of the Dolomite mountains, famed for their remarkably jagged peaks. I had skirted past this range on my first trip to Europe in 1986, and had always wanted to return.
Our route north from Lake Garda took us past hundreds of apple orchards and vineyards as we climbed in altitude. Italy produces more than 2,000 varieties of apples and is the second largest exporter in Europe (after Poland).
After an hour or so the terrain changed and we left the fertile valleys behind us, spiralling upwards into areas of woodland at the base of mountain peaks. October really was the ideal time for this trip, not only because of the golden hues of larch trees providing a beautiful contrast to the pale Dolomite limestone. In summer this region of Italy - the Trentino Alto Adige, bordering Austria and Switzerland - attracts well over 30 million visitors. Following a peak of 34 million tourists in 2022, Italy put measures in place to cap visitors in the most popular areas between mid July and mid September. For example, those wishing to visit the Lago di Braies in their own vehicle need to apply for a permit which is limited to a certain number. All other visitors must travel there by public transport, by bicycle or on foot between 9am and 4pm.
Once again I was congratulating myself on always preferring to travel in the cooler months!
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| The gorgeous blush of apples was everywhere en route to the Dolomites from Lake Garda |
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| Vineyards, vineyards and more vineyards across this part of northern Italy! This photo was taken in the region south of Bolzano |
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| What a fabulous array of churches there are in Northern Italy. There is a mix of Austrian (Orthodox) and Italian (Catholic) styles across the region |
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| Ooh, er... I *think* this is a view of the Sass Pordoi in the Pordoi Pass (2,950 m), Dolomites |
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| Sadly, again, I'm not sure which Dolomites peak this is - sorry! But look at those autumn colours ♥️ |
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| The glorious gold of larch trees in autumn in the Dolomites region, Italy |
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| The dramatic three peaks of the Sassolungo in the Sella Pass, Dolomites, Italy |
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| Nope. Can't remember exactly which peak this is... it was somewhere between the Sella Pass and the mountain town of Santa Cristina 🤣 |
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| An endless line of jagged mountain peaks from the Pordoi Pass, Dolomites |
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| Another spectacular view of the Dolomites above the Lago di Soraga (Soraga Lake) near the lovely alpine town of Moena |
We took a different route back to Lake Garda from the Dolomites, passing through the Val Gardena. Our group enjoyed a 90-minute break in the resort town of Ortisei which boasts a renowned family resort hotel for those who have the means. Our visit coincided with an Oktoberfest celebration and the streets and restaurants were thronged with revellers, some in traditional Lederhosen and Dirndl cradling great steins of beer... on a Monday?!
After squeezing through crowds I sat on a sunny hotel terrace with three other solo travellers from our tour group as we enjoyed a variety of spritz cocktails (Aperol, Limoncello, Campari) - only one each, mind, as we still had a couple of hours to endure on the toilet-less coach. Oom-pah-pah music could be heard in the background, adding to the alpine atmosphere. It was a very nice end to our day in the mountains.
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| The picturesque town of Ortisei in the Val Gardena, about 45 minutes' drive east of Bolzano. This is where the money is, folks... |
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| What a cheery looking building! This is the Adler Spa Hotel in Ortisei |
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| Also a renowned hotel in Ortisei, the Cavallino Bianco promotes itself as a 'first class family hotel' providing amazing activities for children, including a petting zoo. KER-CHING !!! $€£ |
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| This part of Italy looks more Austrian than Italian. Another gorgeous hotel in the resort town of Ortisei |
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| The Chiesa di Sant'Udalrico in Ortisei, a Catholic parish church dedicated to the Epiphany of St Ulrich. It was built in the late 18th century |
The last of the optional day trips I chose to take was one visiting multiple towns in the southern part of the lake. This area enjoys generally warmer and sunnier weather, which makes sense given that it is further away from the Alps.
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| The town of Garda, towards the southern end of Lake Garda's eastern shore, has many beautiful boutiques |
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| Autumn foliage and Garda's funky little tourist train |
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| The town of Garda has a large number of plane trees, some of which are 150 years old |
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| Although I love the historic architecture in Europe, I also appreciate modern buildings and this one in Garda took my fancy for its quirky shapes (Garda Haus is a company that specialises in holiday homes in the region) |
At the most southerly end of Lake Garda, beautiful Sirmione sits on a needle-like peninsula jutting into the lake. It truly is a tourism mecca in this region, with the lure of a fairytale-like castle (It has a moat! It has a drawbridge!), treelined avenues leading to the older part of town, and meandering cobbled lanes leading through arches to courtyards. Many of Europe's rich and famous have been drawn here, with past illustrious residents including Maria Callas, Aldous Huxley and Alfred Tennyson. We had a really fun - albeit short (only 30 minutes or so) - cruise around the waterways on a motorboat, followed by a glass of wine and a spot of lunch at a lakeside café. We also happened upon a bridal couple having their photos taken in front of the castle.
Lazise on the lake's south-eastern shore is another fortified town which is entered via historic gates, and it's the lakeside town closest to Verona. Once again we seemed to time our visit perfectly as, upon arrival, we found a large crowd being entertained by a troupe of fire-eaters! Not something you see every day, and it certainly provided a topic of conversation when a number of us adjourned to a nearby café for the obligatory coffee / cocktail / toilet stop. Lazise had a bit of a Venice feel to it around its wharf area and I liked it very much.
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| Scaligero Castle in Sirmione at the far southern end of Lake Garda. It was constructed during the Scaliger era (1262 to 1387), and is one of Italy's best preserved castles |
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| This newly-wedded couple were having their photos taken outside Scaligero Castle in Sirmione |
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| This ceramic planter adorns the entrance to one of Sirmione's rustic buildings |
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| One of three gates into the walled medieval town of Lazise, Porta Superiore, on Lake Garda's south eastern shore |
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| Detail of mosaic depicting St Martin, on the Porta Superiore, one of the three gates of Lazise |
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| One of the many colourful buildings in Lazise |
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| Lazise looking quite 'Venice-y' on a breezy October day |
Fear not, those of you anxiously awaiting the mandatory section on supermarkets! Regular readers of Tunnels of Green will know that visiting a supermarket is something I really enjoy when travelling abroad. As I knew would be the case from previous visits to Italy, the Riva del Garda experience was in no way disappointing. Honestly, in Italy the quality of fresh produce, in particular, is vastly superior to anything we have here in the UK. The most humble corner store has red, juicy, local tomatoes bursting with flavour, exotic fruits in a perfect state of ripeness, and a drool-inducing selection of some of my favourite things ie wine, pasta, coffee and dolci - delicious tiny pastries, cakes, tarts and biscuits.
My suitcase was a couple of kilos heavier on the return journey, accommodating pistachio flavoured amaretti biscuits, organic dark hazelnut spread, a bulk pack of a newly-discovered treat called Pocket Coffee Espresso (dark chocolate filled with a liquid espresso centre), as well as a few items of Italian made clothing for Kevin and myself.
Below are photos of just a few examples of the range and quality of products available in your average Lake Garda supermarket. I could spend hours in there!
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| What a variety of pasta - some of which I've never heard before! (this was about one-eighth of the dried pasta available in this store) |
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| Ooh, I am a sucker for anything pistachio! 😍 Take a look at these little beauties - just the thing to go with your morning espresso (and only €0.99 - about £0.80 or A$1.60 - superb value) |
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| Yes, folks - almost every jar you see in this photo is delicious hazelnut spread ♥️ Note the 'cheap stuff' known across the world - Nutella - is in its rightful place on the lowest shelves 🤣 My preference is for the organic, dark chocolate (vegan) version - circled. I probably only indulge in hazelnut paste every few years but when stuff of this quality is on offer, count me in! |
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| This was the biggest pack I could find of these little delicacies - liquid espresso inside dark chocolate 😋 We will be eking out this box, rationing ourselves to two or three each week |
It would be remiss of me not to mention Lake Garda's wine.
Friends know that Italian wine is my tipple of preference, with Portuguese a close second. Both are usually excellent quality but at a reasonable price. The Lake Garda region produces a number of excellent varieties including Soave and Lugana (whites), Rosé Valtènesi which is also known as Chiaretto (rosé), and Amarone di Valpollicella (red). Perhaps the best known however is Bardolino which is a modest table wine; there is a fancy variety called Bardolino Superiore, but generally Bardolino is inexpensive and yet reliably good. Needless to say I made it my mission to sample a glass of the region's wines at every lunch and dinner. Well, it would be rude not to.
It was with a pronounced degree of sadness that I left Lake Garda after a week of enjoying the beautiful scenery, delicious food and wine and friendly Italians. Most certainly I will miss the civility of dining at the Savoy Palace Hotel, where each morning I was greeted with a buoyant Buongiorno, Senora! and each evening a slightly more formal Buona sera, Senora.
I definitely wouldn't want to visit the Italian lakes in high season. I know the colder months lack the vibrancy of the peak summer crowds. The weather is less reliable for some activities, plus in spring and summer there is a greater range of things to do and restaurants to visit. Indeed, even in the second week of October some businesses had closed for the season, particularly in the smaller towns. However massive crowds absolutely ruin the experience for me, so I'll take the sleepier pace of autumn and winter, thank you very much.
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| The hundreds of thousands of olive trees around Lake Garda were in full fruit in mid October, ready for harvesting in November |
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| The new winter white outfit from Italy - just begging for stains to appear... |
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| View looking towards Riva del Garda (top-left) from the ferry to Malcesine, with the sloping rise of Monte Brione in the sunshine |
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| The gorgeous autumnal landscape near Chiusa (Klausen) in South Tyrol, about 20km from Bolzano |
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| Sunset over the western shore of Lake Garda, viewed from Torbole |
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| Yours Truly on a gorgeous day in Limone, Lake Garda |
Yes, I would definitely love to return to this region, and I think next time I will make Lake Como my base, wistfully longing for a glimpse of one of its most famous residents, the redoubtable Mr Clooney (*swoon*). He's there for several months each year, so it's not an impossible dream...
Until next time,
- Maree xo
