Review of Lake Garda

Italy is famed for its beautiful cities, with millions of tourists flocking to Florence, Rome, Venice, Pisa and Milan. A recent visit to northern Italy revealed that there is plenty to see away from the big cities.

Every trip to Italy seems likely to set the pulse racing. Previous visits to this dynamic country had included taking in the majestic splendour of Venice, the unique atmosphere of Rome and the architectural delights of Florence.

Lake Garda, in the north of Italy, was one location that had previously gone almost without notice when browsing through the guide books. Hidden away at the bottom of the Italian Alps, the country's largest lake seemed somewhat off the beaten track.

While the Italian lakes may previously have been mentioned in conversation, glances at maps of the area appeared to suggest that there were few major towns and cities in the area. Spurred on by recent reports of a friend who had enjoyed a holiday in the town of Garda itself, I decided to pay the area my complete attention.

I opted to fly to Pisa and then drive up to the area surrounding the lakes. Though Pisa, in the heart of Tuscany, makes an excellent place to commence any visit to Italy, I would suggest that Verona might make a more sensible arrival point for many.

Fellow travellers pointed out that Verona was only about 40 minutes from Garda by car. Lesson learned.

On arriving in Garda, I was both surprised and pleased. The town was rather small, but extremely picturesque. It was popular with visitors, its streets crowded by the masses. Evidently the town of Garda is enjoyed by Italians too, with many choosing the area for their own annual holidays.

With plenty of bars and restaurants, Garda made a fine base for my trip. I'd opted to stay in an apartment in the centre of town, though there were a number of hotels available too.

It was clear to me that Garda was a perfect location for an Italian holiday.

To find out more about Lake Garda in Italy, check out Keith Barrett's other travel articles. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.