The Italian Lakes are a truly beautiful place to holiday. Lake Garda is the hang out of the rich and famous and one of its top resorts is the Gardone Riviera. Check out Thomson for great deals now.
Set on the western shore of the lake, it is a small tourist resort in the Lombardy region. Conveniently situated about one third of the way along the western shore it is ideally located to take a boat across the lake to explore other attractions.
With several small hotels in the town, Gardone Riviera is very much a tourist destination. It has a lakeside piazza and promenade with stunning views over Lake Garda and is a very peaceful, restful location.
There are two main attractions in the resort. The first is the home of the eccentric poet Gabriele d’Annunzio, named after an Italian military victory: Il Vittoriale degli Italiani. The second is the Heller Botanical Garden. Just a short walk up the hill from the lake, the garden is also known as the Giardino Hruska Botanico after its founder.
Gardone Riviera is on the main ferry routes for Lake Garda so it is brilliantly located to go and see other attractions and resorts on the lake. It is also reasonably close to Brescia Airport on the western shore of the lake which is serviced by Ryanair.
Situated at the foot of the Alps Mountains and at the heart of action in Italy, Lake Garda offers everyone a piece of dolce vita with its spectacular scenery and a wealth of sights to see and activities to do. Check out Thomson for great deals now.
Explore the small village centres surrounding the lake and marvel at the sights of hills and a hatful of plants such as lemon trees, oleanders, magnolias, and bougainvillea in the south.
In the mood for sports? Suit up, grab your gears, and play a wide variety of sports, from the usual games of tennis and golf, to extreme sports such as paragliding, free climbing, scuba diving, and karting.
After enjoying wonderland, shop your heart out at the street markets and elegant shops; indulge in Italian fine dining at various restaurants by the lake, such as Ristorante Pizzeria Al Fattore, Ristorante Dogana, and Ristorante Al Portico; or party at night in the trendiest discos and clubs before you hit the sack.
Situated on the southern coast of the beautiful Lake Garda in Italy, the resort of Desenzano del Garda is a small town with a population of around 25,000. Check out Thomson for great deals now.
Like much of the coastal region of Lake Garda it is in the region of Lombardy and close to Brescia – a small local airport served by Ryanair flights from the UK. Despite being at the flatter end of the lake, there are still some stunning views especially on a clear day.
There is plenty to see in Desenzano del Garda from the fortress to the waterfront cafes and bars to the Roman villa and museum. There are charming winding streets to wander through and plenty of pretty views to take in. The town also has a reasonable array of shops if you want to spend your hard earned euros. Rather strangely the town is a magnet for Italian partygoers on a Saturday night. All dressed up in their finery they hit the local bars and cafes to eat and drink before heading off to nightclubs and parties.
This is a pretty little resort, and nice and quiet (apart from the Saturday night brigade). It has good train links and a reasonable boat transport service to other parts of the lake shore.
