NORTHERN ITALY'S BIG LAKE PLAYLAND
Riva del Garda
Lake
Garda (Lago di Garda) is the largest body of fresh water in Italy.
Long and narrow at the top as it reaches into the mountain valleys
of
northern Italy, bulbous in the flat plains of Lombardy, it reaches from
near Brescia in the south to Rovereto in the north, with its western
shore pressed against the steep rock walls of the Dolomites. You might
recognize Lake Gardi from a recent James Bond film with it's car
chase along a lake edge. Brushed by breezes perfect for sailing, the
lake is lined with small resort
areas,
castles on the rocky hills above, natural and archeological sites. It
even has its own amusement park, Garda Land, announced by the cartoon
Alligator you see on the train ride down from the Brenner Pass in the
Alps to
Verona.
At the northern most end of Lake Garda is the village of Riva Del Garda, underneath the green slopes of Monte Oro. It’s 300 year old Apponale Tower, a symbol of the city, stands guard over the beautiful colorful old world harbor, offers boat and bike rental, ferry transportation around the lake, with long sandy beaches for baking in the cool northern Italian sun and easy access for hiking and biking in the Dolomites. The Bastion Fortress sits above the town on the steep slope of the mountains with views of the town and lake. The spectacular Varone Waterfall is about 2 miles from the lake.
Where's
a good place to stay? There are a number of hotels around the north
shore at Riva del Garda. The Best
Western Hotel Europa is
a classic turn-of-the-century grand resort
hotel right on the plaza in front of the harbor. It's updated with
all modern amenities,
well appointed with
marble bathrooms
and
a very gracious staff which makes it feel more like a 4-star
luxury property
located right on the harbor of Riva Del Garda with perfect lake views
from the terrace restaurant and rooftop with a Jacuzzi jet current
swimming pool.
To
get to Riva Del Garda on Lake Garda from Milan, Verona, Bergamo
or Brescia, (see Brescia
Cathedrals and Armor) the A22 Autodromo
passes
to the east
of the lake. Ryanair flies into Brescia, or the nearest major airport
is Verona. From Verona airport take a bus to the
a bus to the Verona "Porto Nuovo" train
station.. By train from Verona
or from the
Alps
and north
via Trento,
get
off
at Rovereto
Rail Station and take the bus. It's a 20 minute trip and costs
about €2.50.
There's also a bus from the Verona rail station that costs about
6 euro.
A taxi from Rovereto is around €40. There is also an S.I.A.
Bus from Milan or Brescia. By car the northern end of Lago di Garda
is
accessed by road from Trento
or
Rovereto
and
the southern
end
from
Peschiera
or
Desenzano
Del Garda
along the
A4 from Milan to Verona. The scenic drive along the west shore of the
lake from Riva Del Garda to Brescia is a breathtaking series of tunnels
along the sheer cliffs adown to the shining water, but traffic can
be slow and is better
as a scenic route than for a short cut. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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SEE ALSO:
WINE
TASTING AND TOURING TRENTINO
CASTLE
D'ARCO
HOTEL
VILLA KINZICA - LAGO d'ISEO
CASTELLO
di AVIO
ART
AND AUGUSTINER
