Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda

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Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda

Introduction to Lake Garda
It would be hard to imagine a more beautiful and perfect setting than Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake
where the mountains of the Northern Alps tumble to the water’s edge, olive and lemon trees weave
across the hillsides and vineyards dot the landscape.

This magnificent scenery has inspired poets and artists from around the world. James Joyce, Maria
Callas and Tennyson all spent time in Sirmione. Medieval forts and castle lay tribute to Venetian and
Veronese rulers. Even Mussolini entertained his mistress in a villa that is now a restaurant in
Gardone Riviera. More recently, the James Bond film Quantum of Solace with Daniel Craig featured a
frantic road chase scene alongside Lake Garda.

The rich history, perfect Mediterranean climate and character of harbour towns and hillside villages
provide a feast for the senses. Lake Garda with its crystal clear waters, coves and beaches is perfect
for swimming, sailing or windsurfing, you can hire a boat or let someone else do the hard work and
take a boat trip, while a network of ferries provide the best transportation for exploring nearby
towns and points of interest.

The mountainous scenery of the north of Lake Garda is quite different from the undulating
landscapes of the south. Malcesine in the north is the site of a 13th century castle built on Roman
foundations, and is the base of a cable car that goes to the summit of Monte Baldo at 2,200 metres.
Limone, named from the surrounding lemon trees, lies romantically beneath the mountainous
northern cliffs with a lively lakeside promenade. The town of Garda on the eastern shore is where
you will find the Venetian Palace of the Captains and the Heller botanical gardens. Wander around
the cobbled streets or walk to the pretty harbour village of Bardolino where wine and food play a
prominent part. The small towns of Riva and Peschiera with its medieval walls and river cafes are
quiet and relaxed.

On the southern shores the lively resort of Desenzano with its 16th century cathedral and imposing
medieval castle is an easy location to reach Venice and Padua. Torri del Benaco, once the maritime
capital of Lake Garda is a charming harbour town. At the furthest southern tip Sirmione with its
striking Castle Rocca Scaligera bordered by the lake against a background of olive and cypress trees.
Here you will find the Groto of Catullus, named after the Latin poet who died in 54 BC. It has been a
favourite with poets and artists for many centuries.

Weather
With so many microclimates, Lake Garda weather can vary greatly between the North and South,
inland and on the water. Generally you can expect a Mediterranean climate but the Garda area for
example is a sub-Mediterranean climate, which is extremely mild. Expect temperatures of between
24 o – 30 0 C. in July and August. Lake Garda can be subject to several winds such as the Peler, which
blows from north to south in the morning, or the Ora, which comes from the south in the afternoon.

Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda

Where to stay
Inghams now offer 12 resorts on Lake Garda with Maderno as a new destination for summer 2015.
Our package holidays include flights to Verona from a range of regional airports, return transfers and
a selection of accommodation with a variety of catering options to choose from. All resorts offer add
on city breaks, such as Verona or Venice, or to stay in two or three hotels in different locations.

Below is a brief guide to our resorts, further details can be found on our website resort pages:

Bardolino lies at the foot of rolling hills covered with orchards, olive groves and of course, the
vineyards for which the village is so famous. Your holiday in Bardolino offers excellent
accommodation, while the attractive and lively traffic-free centre is home to numerous bars,
restaurants and smart shops.

Desenzano holidays combine a picturesque lakeside resort setting with the vibrant atmosphere of a
thriving Italian community. Social life is focused on the many bars, cafés, pizzerias and restaurants in
the historic centre and on the pedestrianised shopping area.

Garda is a bustling resort on the Eastern shore of Lake Garda, where the lake broadens and the
scenery becomes more gentle. Garda has a backdrop of hills, covered with olive groves, cypress
trees and the famous Valpolicella vineyards.

Gardone Riviera is one of the main bays on the west coast of Lake Garda and consists of two elegant
resorts; Salò and Gardone. Sheltered by the lakeside hills, its mild climate has long attracted visitors
who want to relax and regenerate.

Limone nestles alongside lemon groves, beneath the cliffs of the north-western shore of Lake Garda,
and is a picture postcard resort - an artist’s paradise. Houses covered in blossoming geraniums and
bougainvillaea line the old, cobbled streets that lead up from the lakeside.

Maderno located on the western side of Lake Garda, which is hugely popular with Inghams guests,
we’re delighted to introduce Maderno to our programme. It’s a picturesque little town with a
number of charming historical buildings just to the north of Gardone, with its own beach and a bay
surrounded by hotels and restaurants.

Malcesine has pedestrianised cobbled streets that lead up from the lakeside, past shops, cafés and
shady squares to the 13th Century castle, which towers above the lake on a sheer rock face. Take
the cable-car to the top of Monte Baldo, behind Malcesine, where you can enjoy superb views, an
abundance of walks and beautiful nature.

Peschiera is situated where Lake Garda’s waters flow southwards to form the River Mincio. Striking
medieval walls fortify the river borders of the Old Town. Peschiera’s focal point is the delightful
pedestrianised centre with bustling streets full of all kinds of shops, churches and riverside cafés.

Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda
Riva is the main resort at this end of the lake and boasts superb scenery, elegant parks and a long
lakeside promenade. It has many fine buildings, especially around colourful Piazza Tre Novembre
and the 12th Century La Rocca castle dominates the waterfront.

Salo is a lovely Belle Epoque town full of handsome cafes, townhouses and hotels, many the result of
rebuilding in the prevailing liberty (Italian Art Deco) style after a 1901 earthquake. Its history dates
back to the Romans and Venetians.

Sirmione The peninsula of Sirmione stretches out from the southern shore of Lake Garda. The
entrance to the Old Town is via the bridge of the 13th Century Scaligerocastle with its ‘inland dock’.
The colourful, narrow streets are full of interesting shops, restaurants and bars, but are refreshingly
traffic-free.

Torri del Benaco is a small, pretty resort with a relaxed atmosphere. Its historical centre and
colourful harbour are dominated by the 13th century Scaliger castle and its protective medieval
walls.

In addition to single centre holidays to the above resorts, we also offer our ‘Lake Garda Highlights’.
This 11 night, 2 centre holiday, offers 4 nights in Desenzano and 7 nights in Riva in either 3 or 4 star
hotels on a half-board basis with transfers and 2 full day excursions included. If provides an
opportunity to explore the contrasts between the north and south of Lake Garda. Further
information can be found on our ‘Cruises and Tours’ web page.

Spas and Relaxation
The Sirmione Spas on the peninsula of Sirmione are amongst the top natural spa complexes in
Europe. There are the two spa centres Virgilio and Catullo, and also Aquaria, a unique Thermal
Wellness Centre set in a large park with thermal pools overlooking the lake. All spas have thermal
pools filled with the sulphurous water containing natural minerals that flows from the depths of Lake
Garda. Aquaria offer beauty and relaxation treatments and courses. Another natural thermal bath
complex is the Garda Thermal Park in a spectacular setting near Cola di Lazise.

Inghams offer four top hotels with their own spas in different locations. They include Hotel Villa
Nicolli in Riva, the Grand Hotel Terme and the Hotel Olivi Thermae & Natural Spa in Sirmione, and
the Aqualux Hotel Spa & Suite in Bardolino.

Festivals
Fireworks and festivals abound in Lake Garda during the summer. There are sailing regattas, a chess
festival, music and film festivals and even a medieval festival in July with jousting and knights in
armour. The Garda jazz festival takes place in June and the Musica Riva festival, a competition for
young musicians is in July/August. The Notte de San Lorenzo in Bardolino in August is a night of
Shooting Stars celebrated by towns around the lake. Fish festivals take place in Malcesine and
Desenzano.

There are two wine festivals in Bardolino, one in June and one of the most popular events is the
Bardolino Wine and Grape Festival in October celebrating the harvest of grapes from which the
Bardolino classic, Chiaretto and other wines are made. It is a gastronomic experience with food stalls
show casing local produce and cuisines with a finale of fireworks over the lake.

Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda

Food and Drink
Lingering over lunch or watching the lights dance over the lake at night in the many bars, cafes and
restaurants is part of a Lake Garda experience. There are more than 1600 places to eat including
pizzerias and gelaterias where you will be amazed by how much ice cream can be heaped onto a
cone.

This area covers three regions, Veneto, Trentino and Lombardy. Local specialities are varied from
extra virgin olive oil, to fish from the lake such as pike, perch, whitefish and a trout native to these
waters. Citrus fruits are included in many recipes and it is here that Limoncino liqueur and lemon
cream of the Riviera dei Limoni originates. Chickpea polenta, homemade pastas and sauces, risotto
and venison are all regional favourites. Markets selling fresh fruit and vegetables abound and there
are local cheeses such as Tombea from the mountains and Formaggella di Tremosine a soft, medium
cheese. The Garda vineyards produce Nosiola, Cabernet and Merlot in the north. Visit the vineyards
of Bardolino where wine tastings include the Bardolino Classico and Chiaretto a light rose wine.

Eating out can be expensive but there are many good value cafes and cantinas. Expect to pay £3-7
for a pizza and for something special, such as the Ristorante Vecchio Malcesine (linguine with foie
gras), £56-60. Serious gourmets can drive from vineyard to vineyard or even try cookery lessons at
the Ristorante Gemme di Artemesia a hilltop restaurant at Torri del Benaco.

Local Culture and History
Antique flea markets, archaeological sites, museums and spectacular medieval castles and forts
dating from the 12th century form the rich tapestry of La Garda’s history.

There are also elegant villas formerly used by Royalty with one of the oldest private dwelling in
northern Italy, the “Grotto di Catullo” in Sirmione. The Palazzo Bettoni in Gargnano designed in the
late 18th century is a most beautiful villa. At night these historic buildings are lit up forming an
unforgettable background to the many cafes and restaurants on the lakeside promenades.

Daytime pleasures include wandering around the narrow cobbled stone streets and squares,
reflecting in the gardens and parks, pausing for an espresso, or dipping into the local markets and
shops.

Families
With so much to do and see, Lake Garda is also a great destination for a family holiday and provides
a range of activities to suit all ages and abilities. Nearby is Gardaland, an amusement park with roller
coasters, family-friendly rides in themed areas and shows. Some of our Lake Garda hotels provide
facilities for children such as children pools, play areas and indoor games rooms. We are also pleased
to offer free holidays and special child prices for children ages 2-11 for selected flights and hotels,
please visit our ‘Family Summer Holidays’ web page to find out more.

Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda

Things to do
There are plenty of places to visit in Lake Garda and the surrounding area and easily reached from
Lake Garda resorts are the cities of Venice and Verona.

Activities
There are plenty of things to do here, and no visit to Lake Garda would be complete without taking
to the water. As well as sailing, windsurfing and swimming there are paddle steamers, rowing boats
and aquatic theme parks.

There are 1000 marked trails for cycling or mountain biking. This varies for gentle cycling around the
lake to more mountainous and longer trails. As walking and hiking specialists Inghams have many
guided wanderwalks from relaxing lakeside walks or more strenuous in the countryside or
mountains. Our walks are graded for difficulty and length of time with most including a break for a
cappuccino or ice cream.

Excursions

FREE EXCURSION | Pre-book 3 excursions per person and receive a FREE full day excursion to
Verona* (saving up to £43).

Verona Opera
2015 launches another spectacular season of opera in Verona. See our Verona Opera page for full
details and follow the online booking process to pre-book this excursion. Please note: Only one
Verona opera booking per person can be counted towards your 3 excursions.

Venice (Full day)
Leave your Lake Garda resort by coach making your way to the unique and famous city of Venice.
Board a private boat and cruise down the Giudecca Canal to disembark close to St. Mark’s square.
Enjoy around 6 hours free time to explore the likes of the Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the Rialto
independently. Take optional tours like a magical Gondola ride or a cruise around the Lagoon to see
other famous islands. Leave Venice once again by private boat back to Tronchetto to join the coach
for journey home.

Venice by Night (Full day and evening)
Leave your resort after breakfast by coach making our way to the unique and famous city of Venice
as per Venice by Day. You’ll leave by boat as the sun sets and the lights come on make it worth
staying the extra time. Departs Venice around 9.30pm for the return to Lake Garda.

Visit: inghams.co.uk/GardaInsights                              ©Inghams2015 All rights reserved by Inghams

Inghams guide and insights to Lake Garda

Wine Tour (Half day)
Vineyards are plentiful in the regions of Lake Garda with a wide range of choice from the different
varieties of grapes grown here. The Trentino wines, benefitting from the micro climate include white
wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon. From Bardolino the Classico is one of the
best known wines but there is a rose “Chiaretto” made from the first pressing of the Barbera grape.
Our half day wine tour provides a thoroughly pleasant afternoon spent visiting one of the region’s
many renowned wine producers. A tour through their vineyard and the cellars to learn the
techniques of wine making and to finish, enjoy tasting a selection of wines. A must if you like Italian
wine.

Majestic Dolomites (Full day)
Available from all our Lake Garda resorts is a day trip to the magnificent rose coloured Dolomite
Mountains. Many say that the Dolomites are the most spectacular part of the Alps. Enjoy the
breathtaking scenery as we drive north of the lake towards these famous mountains making our way
up to 2,000m at Passo Pordoi where you will have time for lunch. An optional cable-car ride will give
you the most incredible views of the area. A visit to the picturesque Tyrolean town of Ortisei and
photo stops along the way will also be included.

Tour of Lake Garda (Full day)
Travelling by coach and ferry, discover the contrasts of this lake, from the spectacular mountain
scenery of the north to the sunny plains of the south with free time in selected resorts. The tour
itinerary varies depending on where you start but takes in resorts that are less easy to visit from
your start point.

Verona* (Full day)
Verona is one of Italy’s most charming Città d’Arte. This day trip dips into the romance of this
medieval city reliving the scenes from Romeo and Juliet while wandering around this beautiful city.
The impressive 2000 years old Roman arena is one of the best preserved roman amphitheatres in
the world and the marble paved shopping street of Via Mazzini leads you into the stunning Piazza
Delle Erbe. This handsome city mixes its rich past and modern present with great style. The stage for
summer opera is also a short distance away.

Please note that we act at all times as selling agent for the suppliers of activities & excursions.

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